DENVER—Protesters upset with President Barack Obama’s policies on medical marijuana, Wall Street reform, health care and his support for Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet in a primary said Thursday they feel betrayed by the president and can no longer support some of his policies.
Obama was in Denver on Thursday to support Bennet in his primary race against former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and to help raise money for Bennet’s campaign.
Despite the protest, Democratic political consultant Rick Ridder said that doesn’t mean they no longer support Obama.
“He may have ticked off some supporters, but he’s still in a strong position among western Democrats. They’re not going to vote for a Republican in November just because they disagree with him,” Ridder said.
When Obama won his party’s nomination in Denver two years ago, Democrats said the road to the West Wing led through the West, but the slumping economy and declining support among young voters are raising questions about their chances of success in the November elections.
Ridder said there is still strong support for Obama in western states because he picked western Cabinet members Ken Salazar and Janet Napolitano and because he’s standing by Bennet against members of his own party.
“People in the West like loyalty and they like independence,” Ridder said.
But Romanoff said the president was wrong to back another member of his own party in a primary election.
Obama praised Bennet as a reformer, saying he has been an “agent of change” who knows how to make the private sector work. He said Bennet fought for fiscal reform in Congress and supported creation of a bipartisan fiscal commission, making him a lightning rod for critics.
Bennet, who raised nearly $5 million for his first election, took his critics head on, criticizing the bailout of big banks at his rally on Thursday. He said small businesses need capital now.
“We must pass common sense Wall Street reform. Taxpayers should never again be forced to cover the cost of someone else’s greedy binge,” he told a cheering crowd of about 3,000.
He’s co-sponsoring a bill intended to counter the recent Supreme Court ruling that allows companies and unions to spend freely on ads for political candidates.
Dan Frazier, an unemployed artist, held up a protest sign criticizing Bennet’s support from corporate America, noting that “Corporations are not people.” He said Bennet needs to do more to rein in corporate greed.
“He’s taking orders from Wall Street,” Frazier said.
Brian Vicente, leader of a movement backing medical marijuana, said Obama has done little to back up his statements that prosecutors should not focus on patients and growers in states where use is legal. Vicente said there are thousands of Obama supporters who may hold back their votes in the November election unless Obama keeps his promises.
“We’re going to hold Obama accountable,” he said.
