海角大神

Maryland Gov. Martin O鈥橫alley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, charges that both US political parties 鈥済enuflect to greed,鈥� adding that they need a new narrative to connect with voters in challenging economic times.

Governor O鈥橫alley defended President Obama at a Monitor-hosted breakfast Thursday with political reporters. But the DGA chief, whose strong reelection win last year was one of the few bright spots for his party, acknowledged that Democrats have not delivered fast enough on the economy.

鈥淲hat we have yet to be able to do as quickly as we would like as a party is to be as effective as we would like ... as quickly as we would like to be, in digging out of the wreck of an economy that George W. Bush left to us. I think that is the real challenge here: It is the pace of the progress,鈥� O鈥橫alley said.

He was questioned about the causes of Mr. Obama鈥檚 political woes. Recent signs of the president鈥檚 political troubles include a Bloomberg poll that found 72 percent of Americans say the country is on the wrong track. Also, a recent Field Poll found that fewer than half of voters in the blue state of California approve of Obama鈥檚 job performance.

鈥淲e need a new narrative here that acknowledges our problem but that appeals to our core shared value ... which is that one of the greatest freedoms we have is that responsibility to make our country a better place,鈥� O鈥橫alley said. 鈥淲e need a new narrative, and instead, too often, I think both parties genuflect to greed and peddle myths that are not good for the health of the republic.鈥�

O鈥橫alley ducked a question about his plans after leaving the Maryland governor鈥檚 office. But not surprisingly for someone who probably has further political aspirations, O鈥橫alley argued that Democrats are ahead of Republicans in finding a better way of connecting with voters. 鈥淏oth parties have a challenge in figuring this out," he said. "I think the president is much further along in figuring it out.鈥�