My first reaction upon hearing Barack Obama's "lipstick on a pig" remark was that it was deliberate. Not a deliberate attempt to smear Sarah Palin per se, but a deliberate attempt to provoke exactly the sort of fanatical reaction that they have gotten from the Republicans. The McCain campaign has spent a week campaigning on big themes and big personalities, and gotten a fair amount of mileage out of it. This takes everyone back down a notch, back down to the tedium and banality of partisan politics. It would be wishful thinking to call it a momentum-changer, but it may by default be a momentum-stopper. The convention/Palinmania phase of the news cycle -- a phase the Republicans clearly thought they were winning -- is now over.
This is not to call this some sort of brilliant strategy; I have no idea how any of this is going to play out. But it may, in conjunction with the Obama campaign's pushback on the Bridge To Nowhere, be part of a developing Obama counter-narrative. That narrative might go something like this; imagine these words in Obama's voice:My opponent's chief strategest just said, "this campaign isn't about the issues." Well, I've got news for you, America. The Republican Party is desperate. They are going to do anything to try and hold onto their power, because they know the damage they've done to our country, and they don't know how to fix it. They know that people are out of work, and they don't know how to help them. They know that people are dying because they don't have health insurance, and they don't know to save them. They know that families are struggling to put food on the table, and they know don't know how to provide for them.
Okay, so I'm not Jon Favreau. But I think something along these lines would be toward the more effective end of Obama's potential post-convention messaging. And the "distractions, not solutions" meme is something Obama is going to have to trot out anyway once the 527's (including very probably the reincarnation of Jeremiah Wright) really begin to hit.
So they're going to try and distract you, America, because that's the only thing they know how to do. They're going to try and scare you. They're going to try and tell you stories, instead of offering solutions. And yes, folks -- these are the same people that have been lying to you for the last eight years -- and they're going to lie to you again.
9.10.2008
Lipstick
@ 3:17 PM
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Nate -- Many of your commenters had similar thoughts. And Obama actually gave a statement very similiar to the one you proposed, just this morning. :)
Nobody can come up with a phrase that sums up this election...Change we can believe in is accused of being vague....I like ENOUGH....I think those should be the signs we hold at rally's....Sell the change signs to John McCain...ENOUGH of Karl Rove Politics....ENOUGH of Cowboy Diplomacy...ENOUGH of lies and distortion..ENOUGH of leaving out the middle class...EIGHT YEARS IS ENOUGH...
I'm reminded of the West Wing ep where Bartlett "inadvertently" suggested his opponent was an idiot on a hot mic.
great stuff Nate... p.s. obama did have a similar statement, but it wasn't nearly as hard-hitting as it should have been. I don't know if this was a brilliant move like you suggest, but if it was, he needs to capitalize on it. hiring you might be a good start :)
thank you so much for this reading of the lipstick comment. I was hoping it was on purpose as Obama seems to choose his words so carefully. I feel better now!
They're going to try and tell you stories, instead of offering solutions.
That's fine and dandy, but what about offering solutions himself? I find it a difficult sell for anyone to complain about one side not offering solutions while not offering solutions yourself. Put the solutions in the ad.
Just in case the issues don't work, there's still the National Enquirer, the tabloid that everyone loves to hate but which 2.76 million people nevertheless pay money for every week.
They've got another story today, and it paints a picture of the Palin family as a pack of drug-addled Clampetts, out of control.
Excerpt:
The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively that Sarah's oldest son, Track, was addicted to the power drug OxyContin for nearly the past two years, snorting it, eating it, smoking it and even injecting it. And as Track, 19, heads to Iraq as part of the U.S. armed forces, Sarah and her husband Todd were powerless to stop his wild antics, detailed in the new issue of The ENQUIRER, which goes on sale today.
THE ENQUIRER also has exclusive details about Track's use of other drugs, including cocaine, and his involvement in a notorious local vandalism incident.
“I’ve partied with him (Track) for years,” a source disclosed. “I’ve seen him snort cocaine, snort and smoke OxyContin, drink booze and smoke weed.”
The source also divulged the girls would do anything for Track and he’d use his local celebrity to manipulate other guys “to get them to steal things he wanted.”
“He finally did what a lot of troubled kids here do,” the source divulged. “You join the military.”
When Obama came out today and repeated the lipstick comment, it was pretty clear they thought they were on solid ground.
I lose more faith in our country every day we talk about this nonsense. I believe the only way we can turn our politics against this is for the voters to hold the offending candidate responsible and vote against him.
If the American people wanted to put a stop to this stuff, they could.
Political Realm -
Had that very same thought this morning. I put it down to too much west wing watching, but its really comforting that I am not the only one whose mind went there.
Agreed - the comment was innocuous, even if it was deliberate, and it had been used by McCain himself against Hillary Clinton. Between the lipstick ad and the sex ed for kindergarden ad, the Republicans are WAY out on a limb here. They might be backing into right-wing nutjob territory if they're not careful. I still think Obama's underwhelming, but this seems fairly shrewd. Good play.
Oi, I doubt it was intentional. But gahdammitz, he needs to hit back on this mofo!!!
"John McCain has tried to gin up outrage by airing an ad where Obama criticized his economic policy as "lipstick on a pig."
John McCain should know this outrage is fake because the author of that ad wrote the book, "Lipstick on a Pig," and defended him when he made a gorilla rape joke."
Okay, so ad copy during lunch ain't my strong suit. But something like that!! Plus, where is Biden?
p.s.: I called the Enquirer and suggested they do some research on Track Palin's driving record. If he's been shooting OxyContin, trust me, he's wrecked his share of cars. I know an OxyContin addict who's had four car accidents in the past year under the influence.
The McCain campaign has been so outmanevoured the Obama campaign it just makes your head spin.
Palin has been subjected to numerous false charges and out and out smears that bringing up 'facts' like the Bridge to Nowhere simply falls on deaf ears:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/157986
In other words, Palin's enemies have no credibility, but the problem is worse than that for the Democrats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6XtTTl0MOY&feature=related
Cut away all the other noise, Obama made one huge critical mistake. He provided McCain an opening to pick a woman as his VP and McCain took it. Little did he or we know that this woman is one hell of a politician!
It's not over.
I hope that after McCain wins this election cycle, the left will finally wake up to the fact that the corporate mainstream media is biased in favor of the Republicans. They slant the stories in favor of the Republicans. They gloat over Republicans on TV.
The only thing the media has done for me this election cycle is disgust me. This is what happens when the media consolidates to only 4 news outlets. We got what we deserve.
The good news for Obama is that this takes the attention away from the Biden gaffe-fest.
Stand up, Chuck!
I saw the videos this morning and I'm convinced that he meant it the way it was perceived by his audience. He obviously wanted some deniability, but the folks in his audience certainly understood his remarks.
I'm not sure what his strategy was, but, frankly, I thought it was a cheap shot. It'll cost him many votes in November.
He certainly didn't look presidential.
When is the media going to call out McCain on hiding behind a skirt?? They are clearly using Palin as a prop to keep the focus on image instead of substance. I can see why the media went ga ga over her in the short term, but if they keep letting McCain get away with all of this it is really making this election turn into a complete joke.
The sad thing is a lot of the American public is just looking for a soap opera and I guess are more concerned with this rather than the real problems this country faces. The way it is going this election is going to set this country back so far it may never recover.
"...They know that people are out of work, and they don't know how to help them. They know that people are dying because they don't have health insurance, and they don't know to save them. They know that families are struggling to put food on the table, and they know don't know how to provide for them..."
Since when is the government's role to help, save, and provide for us?
That's pretty much the difference between Dems and Repubs right there.
I help, save, and provide for people in need all the time, but it's a personal mission, one done because I care about people.
It's not something that the government needs to do by taking money from the evil rich people and giving it to the blameless poor people.
I can only hope you are right Nate.
I agree with Marie Thomas up above: "Enough is Enough" should be the new Obama phrase. Done and done, what color should the White House drapes be?
The only problem with your assertion is that the McCain camp is using the same tactic Obama used when running against Hillary. Just substitute gender for race. It was a brilliant political move then and still is. The Obama camp should know how to play this game but it doesn't. Also, how does a "negative" comment like that help Barak in any way. It still keeps the focus on Palin and allows the McCain camp to seeth over the comment while keeping Palin from the prying eyes of the media. Sorry man I just don't agree with the efficacy of this move if it in fact was deliberate.
It was quite obviously intentional on Obama's part. It seems like an odd strategy to me, but we'll just have to see how it plays out.
Nate, that's wishful thinking. Clearly it's going to hurt short term at the very least. Clearly it was intentional. And clearly it means Obama was seriously upset by Palin's rise, to the point of no longer being able to think clearly through his options.
Nate, great speech writing except Obama is such a gentleman he won't use the word liar....even when the crowd taunts him to do so. I think in the end that will be a benefit as a candidate and for sure as a President....
Sarah Palin will be defeated in the checkout lanes of America, not in any debates or TV interviews.
It may be that Obama set it on purpose and was baiting the McCain team. If that was the case, I'm not sure it was a wise move. Why step on his own education theme that he'd laid out that morning? Wouldn't he want that to be what people were talking about? People talk about how smart the Obama team has been, but in the past few months, I think they have made many mistakes. That pep rally in Germany may go down in history as when things turned around.
I help, save, and provide for people in need all the time, but it's a personal mission, one done because I care about people.
Do you want a cookie?
It's not something that the government needs to do by taking money from the evil rich people and giving it to the blameless poor people.
How about giving cap gains tax credits to small-bus. who reinvest profits in Infrastructure and labor capital? Someone's got to pay for that.
A review of Alaska court records shows that Bristol and Track had cases listed. Also Todd and Sarah (who as Gov we could expect to be sued)
But for a family values group this crowd sure looks like they've had their share of brushes with the authorities.
Ironic that the National Enquirer which has such low credibility, had it reputation raised by John Edwards....thx John...the ultimate sacrifice for the cause!
These last 2 weeks have been without doubt the most insanely stupid, not to mention surreal, period in American "politcs" that I've ever seen. It's actually beginning to get tiresome.
Btw, the McCain/Palin ticket are entirely responsible. And the MSM and the American people should be ashamed of themselves and their country. Honestly, I'm embarrased for you.
Marie Thomas - I agree about changing signs to ENOUGH. I heard on the news that yesterday Obama walked on stage to the crowd chanting "No more Pitbull." We all need to say ENOUGH.
Geez louise, Charlie, how many times today are you going to post that rubbish? Are you that starved for attention? Didn't you learn your lesson from the last Enquirer "scoop?"
Looks like Bristol may have been in car accident that was her fault.
And let's not forget the rest of that quote. You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It’s still going to stink after eight years. What does that make Obama in 4 or 8 years?
As many others are calling for, let's get to the issues.
Rudy-
Looks like he'll post it on every thread. :-/
Elliot-
And what of it?
The reaction from everyone but the McCain campaign seems to be "What? They're upset about what?"
Between this and that 'the Dems are wolves trying to eat Little Red Palinhood' ad, the Republicans are making Palin come across as very weak and sensitive. Not a good tactic to take for a female politician.
GOOD QUESTION
from Talking Points Memo:
Here in Wisconsin, one of the heads of the "Palin Truth Squad", former Lt. Gov. Margaret Farrow is giving interviews, outraged over the lipstick comment. The state GOP has called a 1:30 press conference where a group of GOP women will rip into Obama for all of the assembled TV cameras.
My question... where the hell are the Democrats on this? Not just here, but nationally, they are letting Obama get bloodied over this. Where is Biden? Is he turning into this cycle's Edwards? Where are Pelosi and Boxer and Sebelius today?
The campaign needs to stop forcing Obama to take on the entire right-wing... His organization in every state should have high-profile surrogates out there today ripping into McCain and Palin, not just on the lipstick, but on the the sex ed ad and the judge's order for Palin to stay out of the divorce.
Where are these people?
JON STEWART on Palin sexism...
http://tinyurl.com/hypocricy (with a c) :)
__
Re: Cheap shots
I don't think Republicans have much of a prayer in 2008 if they start raising voters' awareness of when candidates utter slanders and lies.
Voters might start expecting Republicans to tell the truth, too. :)
Re: Lipstick on a pig
Why is it ok for John McCain to say it? While on the topic, why is it ok for him to call Hillary the B-word and his wife the C-one?
When will John McCain start showing that he can act presidential?
Intrade now puts McCain as the favorite. The notion that the lipstick thing will turn out well for Obama is crazy and wishful dailykos type thinking.
Totally disagree that Palinmania has ended. She drew a bigger crowd than ever in Virginia today and the whole shitshow is going to get amped up a few more decibels after the Gibson interview. The polls and the sheer amount of ink devoted to Palin don't bear out that America's obsession with her is ebbing, either. And there's no reason to think people will get over her any time soon. Look at Obama; Obamamania probably began in earnest after his convention speech in 2004 and marched on unchecked for 4 years, taking its first serious hit only during the Rev. Wright controversy. We are now dealing with a bona fide political phenomenon in Sarah Palin, and she's not going to recede into innocuousness in a few days like so many other obstacles that have fallen on Obama's path. Her popularity is going to be just as bullet-proof to logic and criticism as Obama's has been for so long. We're about to get a fatal dose of our own medicine.
"Since when is the government's role to help, save, and provide for us?
That's pretty much the difference between Dems and Repubs right there."
That's actually the difference between the Repubs and everyone else in the civilized world.
Go through any quality of life or well-being index, and tell me which of the countries with the highest quality of life have the Republican "I've got mine" mentality.
Here's the question: if you've got the capability to make people's lives better, and you refuse to, what does that say about you?
Another McCain Gaffe - FCS
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/10/mccains-embarassing-fcs-gaffe/
Mason,
There are plenty of small business owners that make more than 250K, who employ a few dozen people. Obama wants to raise their taxes, and the payroll taxes, and the capital gains taxes (on their investments outside their company), and make them pay for more health care, and...
How about leaving them alone so they don't have to fire some employees? They can't eat all the tax increases and not pass that on to someone.
That's basically what Obama said this morning on the TeeVee. Message from Obama to panicked supporters: "Chill, I got this. You do your part turning out the vote, and I'll take care of McCain".
We're about to get a fatal dose of our own medicine.
Go away, Concern Troll.
"The reaction from everyone but the McCain campaign seems to be "What? They're upset about what?""
Ummm, no. I'm pretty sure msnbc/cnn aren't parts of the McCain campaign yet they're airing this. Perhaps you've conducted some sort of poll we don't know about? Please tell. Where exactly is that reaction coming from? 538? Kos? Liberal leaning anchors? I'm guessing that at red state and fox and conservative anchors this means something. As for your average Joe? Neither you nor I have any clue.
Oh please. It wasn't intentional. After he said it, in that split moment, he may have heard the word 'pig' and slightly more laughter and applause than the line usually generates, and thought, 'ooops,' but then he moved right ahead into the fish comment -- and no one in their right mind would think he was calling John McCain or Sarah Palin a fish... would they?
And to the point that the new Mike made last post (and welcome)...
Sticking to facts, numbers, registration, ideology, and demography, that Colorado has now shifted back to Senator McCain. This means that the Obama map now consists of all the Kerry states plus Iowa and New Mexico and that McCain would win the presidency today by a vote of 274 to 264.
This is the "Alamo" position for Senator Obama. The Alamo position refers to the movie "Saving Private Ryan" at the end. It is now time for Obama to proverbially fall back, blow up the bridge, call in the Mustangs, and carry the day. Nate's models have swung dramatically since Governor Palin's speech from Obama getting 305 EVs now down to 264.
If he just "Kerrys" it in the rest of the way, the best outcome Obama can achieve is 264. Don't tell anybody, but that's six EVs short of the Presidency.
Retire the Pig, let's move on to the next one. The latest gift from the Democratic Party for John McCain:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/SC_Dem_chair_Palin_primary_qualification_is_she_hasnt_had_an_abortion_.html?showall
Contrary to conventional wisdom... I think in the case of Palin, the more attention she gets right now, the better ultimately for the Dems.
Having her withdraw and go radio silence at this point would only increase her mystique and create pent-up demand. Better to let the public OD on all things Palin. The public has a short attention span and can turn on a dime when it gets tired of its current chewy toy.
All Palin, all the time for another week or two is just the ticket.
Coming tomorrow... Obama says that McCain "skirts the issues." McCain camp cries sexism, demands apology!
Is that bothering you, Rudy?
Then please, allow me to post it again.
You know the country is on the verge of going down the toilet when you can only find out the truth about a VP candidate from the National Enquirer.
I have no idea why you all think that the lipstick on a pig comment was a veiled reference to Palin. It's a common expression and it perfectly describes what McCain is trying to do right now. He's running on Bush's policies but trying to dress them up in the guise of reform and the work of outsiders. It's transparent rubbish and should be called out at such. The saying fits perfectly and I see no evidence of it being a calculated tactic. If it was, clearly it was a mistake, since at least some people with nothing better to do are actually talking about this ridiculous non-issue.
Geez louise, Charlie, how many times today are you going to post that rubbish? Are you that starved for attention? Didn't you learn your lesson from the last Enquirer "scoop?"
The last Enquirer scoop was correct. As was their coverage of John Edwards, as was their coverage of William Kennedy Smith. When it involves sex and drugs and rock 'n roll and celebrities, the Enquirer always gets the story.
Remember: 2.75 million copies a week. The issue is already selling out all over the country.
Nick,
"A government that can do everything for you can take everything away from you"
Nate are using the Jedi Mind Trick that Eddie Murphy said he'd use against Mr. T?
I don't know how anyone imbued with the brilliance of BHO would say what he did and not be sensitive to how it would be intrepreted is beyond me.
Any fool knows that the tone of this election has changed over the last few days ... and they know where it has come from.
Obama's challenge is to make the negative Republicans the new narrative. It's that Swiftboat moment ... we all knew it was going to come ... even Obama must have known it was going to come ... so can he come back with a haymaker?
At the moment, he seems shaping up to deliver. He may fumble (e.g. an unguarded moment to turn him into the angry black male villifying the nice white lady ... don't think that the GOP are not hoping to provoke that.)
He doesn't need to get mad, just get even. A few choice ads and speeches should do it ... it must be done quickly. At the moment, quickly is more important than effective, he can learn what is most effective later.
I watched this video. Is this really what we want elected to the White House?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/sarah-palins-churches-and_b_124611.html
I think its a pretty smart move in some ways for Obama. It has its risks but I think what it can do is tar McCain as just another Republican at a time when the GOP is running a negative personality driven campaign again.
I think if it was a deliberate ploy then it could be very smart, after all McCain used the line himself when talking about Hillary Clinton's healthcare proposals, so the GOP can't scream too loudly. And it draws attention to the lack of policy coming from the Republican Party right now. I think if Obama can hit some key policy lines well in the next few days as well, then I think he can reinforce the message that he is trying to run a positive campaign and the GOP aren't.
If I were in the Obama camp right now, all I would do for the next few days now is positive. Pull any negative ads, put up some positive ones on education, energy, healthcare, the economy, whatever, and very deliberately take the high road.
I don't believe the Obama campaign has any chance of knocking the lipstick off of Sara Palin's face any time soon. She has acquired a critical mass of fans, with as many dissimilar reasons for liking her as there are swing states.
The small town working moms identify, the NRA members respect, and a surprising number of midlife urban males find her shotgun toting personna as exotic as any grass skirted wahine on Bora Bora.
For Obama to win, he's just got to ignore the new superstar, and play small ball with great precision and greater diligence. Just keep Billary and Biden plugging away in the swing states, just keep registering new voters, and above all don't screw up in the debates.
There are plenty of small business owners that make more than 250K, who employ a few dozen people. Obama wants to raise their taxes, and the payroll taxes, and the capital gains taxes (on their investments outside their company), and make them pay for more health care, and...
Obama wants to raise taxes on PERSONAL incomes of $250,000 and over. You're mixing personal and corporate taxes, thus indicating that you don't understand the tax code. The rest of what you said flows from this misunderstanding. Clearly these people need better accountants.
Didn't Sarah Palin introduce herself as a "pit bull with lipstick"?
Pit bull? Pig? Is there much of a difference?
Pigs are smelly, but a pit bull can have your testicles for breakfast.
worse yet, they found McCain using the exact same rhetoric " lipstick on a pig " describing Hillary's health care plan. That makes them look really stupid and like a bunch of whinos. Much ado about nothing, and no fixes for the real issues at hand. Brilliant!
Obama is doing his usual jiu-jitsu thing: say something that sounds relatively innocuous to everyone but really needles your opponent, and watch them flail, flail, flail... This lipstick business has U-turned Palin's narrative from "tough as nails Northern huntress Mother" to "hothouse femme who needs an army of defenders protecting her delicate feelings from things everyone - including her defenders - says on the campaign trail as a matter of course."
So yeah, definitely advantage Obama on this - as long as he keeps it up, keeps hammering this home. Keeps saying "lipstick on a pig" while explicitly connecting it to Bush's policies as interpreted by McCain. Every time he says it, the collective Republican blood-pressure will jump. Within a couple of cycles, the situation will look as follows: everyone is listening to Obama bash Bush's failed policies, and meanwhile the Republicans are screaming some sort of nonsense about sexism.
A flailing opponent has a much greater chance of hurting himself than you.
toby -- I agree.
Obama's greatest strength is that he is smart, decent and not a dishonorable piece of excrement like his opponent. He gives good speeches. He should use that.
He needs a "swift boat" equivalent of the race speech he gave in the spring.
Frankly, I'm glad I'm not a Republican right now, because boy would I be sickened. McCain's tactics are the sort of thing that is tearing this country apart. He cares more about winning than about the nation, and I am getting close to concluding the same about anyone who votes for him.
Elsewhere in the news... a whole new meaning for "drill drill drill."
Gee I was glancing over this all and thinking - where is filistro when we need her?
Bingo!
I wonder who wears the pants in the palin/mcCain team?
It will be interesting to see how the dynamic of the Republican campaign alters going forward. The Palin/McCain ticket has split to campaign separately. We'll know immediately whether the media is just obsessed with Palin because she's new or whether she has some coattails allowing McCain to, independently, draw larger and more enthusiastic crowds. I suspect the attention is very focussed. It kind of reminds me of Bill Clinton campaigning for Hillary throughout the campuses of the UC system - students went to hear him because he's interesting - they all voted Obama anyway.
"A government that can do everything for you can take everything away from you"
They're already doing that. I'd just like to see them start giving back.
And again, this issue doesn't come up as much in other countries. Are we just so selfish as a people that we couldn't possibly experience a paradigm-shift into something a little more socially responsible? Is that our excuse?
How far we've fallen, then.
Mason,
I'm not confused at all. I understand it's on personal income.
If these guys have to give more than half their income to Uncle Sam, why would they expand their business.
The ROI is just not there.
I've been a small business owner for 20 years, so I real world understand here.
btw, not all small town moms adore palin!
out here in SE iowa we certainly don't.
filistro: I've always known the oil industry was in bed with the government.
"I don't believe the Obama campaign has any chance of knocking the lipstick off of Sara Palin's face any time soon. She has acquired a critical mass of fans, with as many dissimilar reasons for liking her as there are swing states."
Fans of this sort are notoriously fickle. Easy come, easy go.
Think she can keep this up for 2 months? Good luck to her.
Everybody likes to have their own theories on why Bush beat Kerry or why only Clinton could win for the Dems, but the point is there are always many factors. We and the pundits can claim that it's one thing or another, but we can't poll every single voter and know for sure.
The key questions for me are.
Is Obama more like Kerry as a candidate or more like Clinton?
Is this election more like 2004 or 1992?
Is the Rovian model (actually pioneered by Atwater and Ailes for Bush I, by the way) of attack, attack, attack what got Bush a second term or was it the ground game?
My take is Obama is more like Clinton. Clinton was very wonky and cerebral but he connected with people too. He had huge scandals much bigger than Obama but he had a teflon quality like Obama. He had Perot to help (2 against 1 attacking Bush I) and this is not an advantage that Obama has, so saying Clinton's campaign can teach Obama what to do is flawed.
This is more like 1992 than 2004. In 2004 we were only 3 years removed from 9/11, the Iraq war/occupation was still popular and the economy was good.
Kerry nearly won Ohio and the GE despite the scurrilous attacks and his lack of effective counter punching, but the Rove ground game pulled it out for Bush.
So far I don't see Obama's campaign as being ineffective in counter punching and the attacks so far from McCain have been pretty lame. Obama has also invested in a exceptionally strong ground game.
The key wildcard: Obama is black (mixed race). I don't think anyone can figure this into an accurate prognostication since it's the first time.
Nick,
I agree that the government needs to give it back. But Obama wants to take more from some, and give that to others.
I think it shows how far we've fallen when we expect the government to do our charity work, instead of doing it ourselves.
"Fans of this sort are notoriously fickle. Easy come, easy go.
Think she can keep this up for 2 months? Good luck to her."
Koz! Good to see you back again.
I'd argue the above holds true for Obama as well. His fans have stayed around however, and so will Palin's. Say what you want about the woman but I think we can both agree that she's energized republicans and the McCain campaign.
Charles said:
McCain's tactics are the sort of thing that is tearing this country apart. He cares more about winning than about the nation, and I am getting close to concluding the same about anyone who votes for him.
No, I pretty much think that people who use such amped up rhetoric about roughly half of the entire electorate are what's tearing the country apart.
You prove once again you are nothing but a hate-monger who has no credibility. Get a life.
McCain called Hillary Clinton a Pig!!!
See: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/us/politics/12health.html?_r=1&fta=y&oref=slogin
"Mr. McCain also criticized the Democratic plans, but his comments were more in passing and were far less barbed.
But when asked about Mrs. Clinton his speech, he said her proposal was “eerily” similar to the plan she came up with in 1993, when she headed a health care reorganization effort during her husband’s administration. “I think they put some lipstick on a pig,” he said, “but it’s still a pig.”"
.....See how easy that was?
Well, you're on the money that half the entire electorate are tearing this country apart.... the half that sit glued to Fox/MSNBC/CNN all day and jump every time there's a "gotcha" moment on either side.
The media wouldn't be playing this hype if it wasn't making them MONEY.
Honestly, I really think that anything that isn't an outright gaffe - a literally impromptu off-the-cuff statement by a candidate caught by surprise - is planned. On both campaigns' parts.
A lot of the commentators here seem to think that the political campaigns are "ordinary folks" running for office with their campaigns featuring "ordinary folks." That thought is wrong. Our POTUS and VPOTUS nominees - even Ron Paul - are career politicians all, and their campaigns are run by people who do that for a living. They are professionals.
These minor media events are getting manipulated with an eye to a strategy similar to that used when playing chess. Moves, countermoves, what-if's, backup strategies. Lines of attack are not oneshots, unless they are a response to an unpredictable, spontaneous gaffe (imagine if Obama called a reporter "sweetie", now). They have to be planned many moves ahead.
Do you really think that lipstick+pitbull remark in Palin's speech wasn't a set up just for this? You can't say McCain's campaign hadn't heard the phrase "lipstick on a pig" before. The speed of their "outraged reaction" gives the lie to anyone who thinks it wasn't a planned strategy. You think Obama stuck his foot in it? His reaction this morning gives that the lie too.
Anyhow. I've gone on too long. My point is, anyone who thinks Obama's "lipstick on a pig" was a spontaneous gaffe, an inadvertent error, is just as much a fool as anyone who thinks the GOP reaction was an honest expression of surprised offendedness.
Look for more of this back-and-forth moving ahead. A lot of people understand this game on a gut level, which is why the debates are so important; the nexus of possibilities for them is simply too large to plan for it all.
I don't quite buy that this was intentional. It may be subconscious, the way you subconsciously draw on words that have a resonance or theme because you heard something similar (I know as a writer that happens all the time, it's part of the genius of writing). But, kind of like McCain picking Palin, it's hard to believe that pig-me-once, pig-me-twice story has been well thought out.
It will effectively change the news cycle though, as will this huge Bush scandal that just got reported.
Both of these in the news give Obama a chance to come out hard tomorrow with a new ad just on this theme: Republicans are corrupt liars who'll do and say anything to avoid dealing with real issues. The deck of fortune has set him up well today and he's a fool if he doesn't come out tomorrow hitting that meme on all cylinders.
Everything McCain says is a contridiction to something hes said sometime in the last 26 years hes been in the Senate, and especially in the last 2 or 3 years. All Obama needs to do is play back to back clips of McCain contradicting himself. A perfect example is this lipstick on a pig thing. Simply play the comments his campaign made yesterday and today and then juxtapose that against when McCain called Hillary lipstick on a pig during the primnaries. Its that easy. You simply have to turn his own words against him just like he does to Obama.
jblueep:
It's not charity work to stop giving tax breaks to companies shipping jobs overseas.
It's not charity to put american infrastucture before Iraqi
It's not charity to mandate portable healthcare. There are millions who lose healthcare and benefits because of plant closures and they are on their own.
That's not charity. That's social darwinism.
Nate-
That strategy will work for lifetime Dems and some Dem leaners and perhaps some independents - perhaps 45% of the country's voters. The remaining 55% (all of the GOP, most independents, conservative dems) will not be impressed, and are presently not impressed.
Obama needs to step it up, fight hard and stop the professorial explanations of politics. Otherwise, he's Stevenson against Eisenhower, and you know how those turned out.
Four new batteground states about to release on CNN FYI
Is it possible that Obama cannot gain traction because the electorate is rejecting his stance on the economy, taxes, foreign affairs, etc...???If he loses this election lets not cry over how the public was distracted with non-issues. "Swift-boating" appears to be another excuse as to why liberals never win elections. Democrats have won the White House twice in the past 40 yrs and it is not because of Republican games, but a rejection of liberal ideas. It should also be noted that both Dem winners were from the conservative South and appeared moderate in their own party. Barack Obama is not a moderate. He is John Kerry with a different skin color and a funky name.
I agree this was deliberate and also necessary.
Okay we've gone from Nate Silver, Obama's ad man to Nate Silver, Obama's speech writer.
I'm waiting for the New Mexico poll still but I hear some people already know the results.
If these guys have to give more than half their income to Uncle Sam, why would they expand their business.
You don't understand the plan he's putting out.
If your companay reinvests in itself you don't give that money to Uncle Sam. That's what a tax credit is. Instead, you use that money to buy labor and infrastructure (someone else's labor). Then you make more widgets. Then you make more money. Do you have to pay more money to US then? Yes, unless you choose to reinvest again, but you're making more money, so it stands to reason that you'd pay more taxes. The ROI is worth it because you're taking what is a sunk cost (taxes) and turning into something useful (labor and infrastrucure). Plus it has the nifty side-effect of spurring macro economic growth.
Darien - 49-47 on Rasmussen re New Mexico.
12 point lead in North Dakota, 30 point lead in Alaska for McCain.
Coming out at 5PM Rasmussen
Um, Slothdog, that is exactly what Obama should NOT do if he wants to win. Those still undecided don't care about contradictions from politicians. They care about their own self-interest and what someone is going to do for them.
Obama is fundraising over the lipstick issue...
How about this for catnip for the news media?
S.C. Dem chair: Palin primary qualification is she hasn't had an abortion
South Carolina Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler sharply attacked Sarah Palin today, saying John McCain had chosen a running mate " whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn’t had an abortion.”
Palin is an opponent of abortion rights and gave birth to her fifth child, Trig, earlier this year after finding out during her pregnancy that the baby had Down syndrome.
Fowler told my colleague Alex Burns in an interview that the selection of an opponent of abortion rights would not boost McCain among many women.
“Among Democratic women and even among independent women, I don’t think it helped him,” she said.
Told of McCain's boost in the new ABC/Washington Post among white women following the Palin pick, Fowler said: "Just anecdotally, I believe that those white women are Republican women anyway."
Overrated said...
Is it possible that Obama cannot gain traction because the electorate is rejecting his stance on the economy, taxes, foreign affairs, etc
Your an idiot.
Ealier ... pessimistic obamabot said...
Totally disagree that Palinmania has ended ...
I think this is the most coherent post of the day.
IMO
"You prove once again you are nothing but a hate-monger who has no credibility. Get a life."
Odd statement, Mule Rider. There are times when you, PeteKent, and others do exactly the same thing.
The RNC convention effectively polarized the electorate even more than 2000 and 2004. Sorry, kiddo, but I'm not interested in the Third Wave ticket. Sorry to know you are.
Matt,
Before hurling insults, please recall that the only two term democratic president came to the center on all of those issues and won.
Think.
I take that back. jblueep said...
Mason,
There are plenty of small business owners that make more than 250K, who employ a few dozen people ...
jblueep wins!
Here's what I really want to know: how does one figure out how many total Republicans and Democrats are registered to vote in each state right now?
"I think it shows how far we've fallen when we expect the government to do our charity work, instead of doing it ourselves."
You could've just been honest and said "Yes, we are too selfish."
Because here's the point: you're given an issue to make people's quality of life higher, across the board. To make their well-being amongst the highest in the world. And you turn it down, because we shouldn't "expect the government" to do it.
You pay no heed to the fact that what we're doing now isn't working. You're given an option that works, and turning it down, so that you and people like you can have more money. That's selfishness.
"I shouldn't be forced to help people. I've got mine."
Great post, Matt. I see that you are advancing the agrument very well. Kudos to you.
The biggest disappointment for me so far in this election is what complete fair-weather friends the Democrats are. Jesus. We've had like ten days of bad press and you're digging Obama's grave. There's certainly an element of the Republican party that I despise. I think Palin is a dreadful choice for VP and in a rational world she would have destroyed McCain by now.
But I swear to God, if some of you got mugged in an alley, you'd give the guy your money and beat yourselves to death. What is wrong with you people?
Michigan: Obama 49, McCain 45
Missouri: McCain 50, Obama 45
New Hampshire: Obama 51, McCain 45
Virginia: McCain 50, Obama 46
A mixed bag for both sides.
If you want to argue that the US is ready for BO's positions then go ahead, but I don't see any real groundswell for Obama. Indeed, all this talk about a superior ground game is evidence that the message is not working so we better expand the electorate to include more people that think like Obama.
New poll numbers from CNN:
Virginia:
50-46
Michigan:
49-45 Obama
NH:
51-45 Obama
Missouri:
50-45
The Obama camp has basically taken control of the News Cycle today.
Honestly, all these arm chair campaign coordinators come out in response to a convention bounce (which we knew was going to happen)
Being from Illinois, I've seen what kind of campaigner Obama is over the years and he is one of the best
Those michigan and NH numbers should be worrying to Mccain. That means Palin had little effect in critical battlegrounds for him.
natalie: Orgnizing democrats is like herding cats. But if anyone can do it, it's Barry the Community Organizer. I expect him to hammer on issues from here on to Nov. 4th nonstop. And the more Republicans scream about sexism or whatever, the more out of touch they'll seem. He needs to imprint an image of himself into everyone's retinas bing righteously indignant on behalf of everyone who is doing worse now than they were eight years ago. "Enough" should become the new slogan - "Change we can believe in" has served its purpose and can be retired. Now is the time to be loud and on topic, in contrast to the Republicans, who are just loud.
I'll take 4 points ahead in Michigan. You guys are freaking out over nothing. It's possible that the map hasn't changed that much, it's just settling down.
"If you want to argue that the US is ready for BO's positions then go ahead, but I don't see any real groundswell for Obama."
Well, I guess if America is really interested in voting for a president and vice-president who have made their entire campaign about hate, war, mockery, fraud, lies, smears and dividing the country, they should vote for McCain and Palin and be happy that they are getting exactly what they deserve.
Here's a link to a video of Obama's response on the stump today. I thought it was pretty effective.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video_log/2008/09/obama_blasts_mccain_and_the_me.html
Don't know if any of this is intentional, but there's another way LipstickGate helps Obama's messaging: it positions him as a pragmatic-minded critic of PC orthodoxy.
I think this can play well with independents, particularly the 18-49 year old male group, which has already shown a negative reaction to the Palin pick.
Like the DLCish elements of his new education plan, it reinforces the "going against his own party" frame.
From this view, LipstickGate turns out to be something of a "Sister Souljah" moment, FWIW.
BAD NEWS FOR OBAMA.
From Rasmussen Reports:
In New Mexico’s presidential race, John McCain has pulled ahead of Barack Obama in the first poll since the candidates’ conventions.
"Those michigan and NH numbers should be worrying to Mccain. That means Palin had little effect in critical battlegrounds for him."
Some of us from the Northeast and Midwest said this when she was announced. Palin might play well to the drooling redneck crowd and out west, but she's downright scary to everyone else.
I would have liked to have seen McCain doing better in NH. Not surprised at anything else - I think MI will be a cherry on top if he wins it. More and more, I am thinking that Virginian and Missouri are going to fall to the 'lean' rather than toss-up. The battleground is shrinking to the normal states. With Ras numbers, it looks like Obama has no chance in the West other than CO, NM and perhaps NV. And the south will be solid GOP, so it comes down the the rust belt - one of his weakest areas in the primaries.
This whole thing should be easy for the Obama campaign: all they need to do is wheel out an ad saying that if they want to see real sexism then they need look no further than McCain's legislative record with regard to women's rights. That should shut them up.
Good numbers! Virginia seems to be slipping away, but NH and MI seem to be aligning back into the blue camp nicely. And Missouri is encouragingly static.
McCain's been calling Obama an uppity Negro for months using less polite phrases, nobody's called him out on it. Obama can and should call them the Boss Hogg and Petunia Pig of Pork. Why not call a pig a pig?
The Democrat Concern Trolls are hysterical here. "Obama should attack! He should fire all of his people and get attackers! Attack attack attack!!! Hillary would attack! Oh no, he attacked! Run, hide, apologize, and hide some more! Help!"
Gimme a break.
Obama needs to go after the media harder. They are acting like a bunch of mewling kittens about the whole Palin thing and it's not really funny any more.
Those CNN numbers look pretty good for Obama...I don't think Missouri was much of a factor in his most prominent paths to victory.
Also, they said that Nader polls as high as 6 percent in some of those states. I'd guess that, if those Nader voters were compelled to pick Obama or McCain, Obama would come out on top.
Natalie -
While I completely agree with you, I cna understand the need to psych yourself out of potentially having a big let down too. If any thing it just shows how many of these people have put a tremendous amount of caring and energy into the election...despite how irritating it can be when the let downs (on both sides of the aisle) can be.
Also, having gone to Mizzou for a yr and change in college - yay MO for not leading by more than a 5 pt. margin!!!!
Good numbers! Virginia seems to be slipping away, but NH and MI seem to be aligning back into the blue camp nicely. And Missouri is encouragingly static.
Yep...MI and PA seems pretty secure. And with the CNN poll from a few days ago showing Obama +2 in Ohio, Virginia might not be that important.
CNN is not a polling agency I will trust with state polls, only national polls. Two partisan polls showed Obama up 1 in Michigan.
RASMUSSEN HAS MCCAIN UP NEW MEXICO!
I liked the line in your article, put forward as the basis for a new Obama campaign "slogan".... but I would re-order it.
Instead of "Distractions, not Solutions", which is a "finger-point/defense" leaving the ball in the McPalin court, I would instead propose:
"Solutions, not Distractions"
That's certainly change we can believe in, and backs up that theme nicely...
peace.
FYI PA update, appears to be legitimate swing state now:
Sneak Peek: Obama Up 2 in PA
Posted by TOM BEVAN | E-Mail This | Permalink | Email Author
Strategic Vision will be releasing a survey of Pennsylvania tomorrow (Sept. 5-7, MoE +/-3.0%) showing Obama leading McCain by two points, 47-45, with 3% supporting other candidates and 5% undecided. That's a 7 point drop for Obama from SV's last poll taken in late July showing Obama ahead 49-40.
Clearly Virginia is now a lock for McCain.
I would love to see the Party ID breakdown on that new poll from NM.
RASMUSSEN HAS MCCAIN UP NEW MEXICO!
That's the second time you posted this on this thread.
Yep...MI and PA seems pretty secure. And with the CNN poll from a few days ago showing Obama +2 in Ohio, Virginia might not be that important.
That Ohio poll was pre-GOP convention.
I've been watching Biden's town hall in Nashua, NH on CNN live. Boy, doesn't he ever shut up? Ask him a question and he goes on and on for like 10 minutes. I'm not a big fan of soundbites, but he really over does it. I know this is not news but I thought he had been told to control his motormouth. Looks like he didn't get the memo.
Jblueep, you've got it backwards. From what I understand, republicans were in charge of handing out the loot for Medicaid, they shelled out the dough for the unnecessary war in Iraq, and let's face it, they have no one but themselves to blame for the Fannie and Freddie bailout. What was once a surplus is now a trillion dollar republican debt. Not surprisingly, the RNC wants us to believe that Wilber and Miss Piggy won't be the new king and queen of the trough. Don't be fooled- their love of lobbyists and earmarks is well documented. America deserves well informed voters. BE ONE.
Michigan is not a "cherry on top." Kerry states + IA + MI + CO is a win.
greg: So many unhatched chickens to count, so little time...
Army wife:
Slight critique... You're comparing Clintonian deficit/surplus to national debt. It's true that Bush's net budget deficit has been much greater than Clintons, though.
natalie: Michigan *is* one of the Kerry states. NM is the state you mean.
New Mexico is compettive once again. They must like Palin there.
Smitty,
Wondering where you saw my endorsement of McCain/Palin. If you'd pay attention, you'd see that I've been rather scornful of those two on many occasions. Check out the post from earlier today.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, although I get agitated having to do it over and over again, I'm very likely to stay home on election day. I'm not a partisan, and I'm certainly not a supporter of the Rep party. I'm a conservative by most counts, although a case could be made that I'm more libertarian. Never voted Republican in my life. That's a fact.
I find it funny that it's necessary to assume that someone has to be "pro-McCain/Palin" just because they are anti-Obama.
I don't like Barack Obama and I disagree with a lot of what he's about and many of his ideas and his approach to politics. Is that not a right I have in this country? Is it also not my right to hold that view without being labelled as a right-wing nut job, a Republican, or whatever other slurs you have for people on the right side of the aisle.
Get a dose of that and get back with me. Until then, stop saying I'm caught up in the McCain/Palin love-fest.
The Mccain camp is winning the media narrative. They pump this nonsense every day and the media who are far more interested in ratings than news or facts are more than happy to cover it. I heard a commentator on one of the 24h news shows say:
"The McCain camp is very smart in making us cover this"
Really? They're making you cover it? No they're not. You have hours and hours to fill and a good controversy, legitimate or not, is good TV. Its redickulous. And Americans wonder why our country is in a hole.
The fourth estate's lapdog ways are growing as old as the Bush presidency. If John McCain declared that pigs fly, and Obama said it's not true, the headlines would trumpet: "Candidates Spar Over Animal Mobility". Where is journalism?
Dem Party leaders out of control.
S.C. Dem Party Chair, "Palins only qualification... not having an abortion."
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/SC_Dem_chair_Palin_primary_qualification_is_she_hasnt_had_an_abortion_.html?showall
The Dems sure are suffering from hoof in mouth disease.
Here's a reason a lot of people don't want the government to provide health care to everyone. A lot of people are tired of seeing or hearing about people on welfare refusing to seek employment because the incremental increase in income isn't worth it for them to work. The government provided health care will cost the working public through higher taxes. Secondly, the higher taxes will be a greater incentive for those on welfare to not seek employment. Thanks, but no thanks.
Personally, I'd rather see some cleanup in how the health care industry operates. Hospitals keep renovating. While some of it is necessary, a good amount of that is because they are non-profit or not-for-profit. They need to show that they didn't turn a profit so they renovate. Look into the profits turned by the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Same thing for medical equipment manufacturers. I understand that these companies are need to turn a profit just like everyone else, but let's clean it up rather than allowing the abuse to continue.
I doubt it was intentional. There's no way that Obama could have predicted that McCain's camp would go hypersensitive on this one.
That said, I think the net effect is a huge plus for Obama, but not for the reasons that y'all are citing.
Haven't you noticed that for the first time since the Palin announcement, the media is actually hanging on Obama's words? For a while there, his message was totally being drowned out by Palinmania.
Now, all he has to do each day is work a comment about the lipstick controversy into his speech, and the press will dutifully replay it ad infinitim. Obama can then work his actual message into the surrounding sentences, and his message gets delivered far more efficiently than he could have managed otherwise. To do this most effectively, he needs to work his message in so that it can't easily be lopped off for a sound bite.
"Michigan is not a "cherry on top." Kerry states + IA + MI + CO is a win."
No it's not - McCain wins 270 to 268 in that case.
Michigan is not a "cherry on top." Kerry states + IA + MI + CO is a win.
MI is a Kerry state. Kerry+IA+CO leaves Obama with 268.
Guys, we're at the peak of McCains popularity, and Obama is still holding on to everything he is supposed to hold on to. MI,PA,NH,CO,NM. For the beating he's taken the last few days, he's in great shape.
Yeah, I screwed up a state on my map.
"Dem Party leaders out of control."
Says the sheeple whose candidate is conducting the dirtiest campaign in history.
News for ya Mike: John McCain is a dishonorable swine who puts his personal ambition ahead of the good of his country. Remember that when you go to pull the lever in November.
The Mccain camp is winning the media narrative. They pump this nonsense every day and the media who are far more interested in ratings than news or facts are more than happy to cover it.
All depends on which media. You'd better hurry down to your local drugstore or grocery store today. I've seen the full Enquirer spread on-line, and it's a doozy.
clubok: Agreed 100%.
He he said it again today?
"All depends on which media. You'd better hurry down to your local drugstore or grocery store today. I've seen the full Enquirer spread on-line, and it's a doozy."
This may explain why the McCain camp is going so bonkers the last day or two. Haven't seen it yet myself.
(Will I actually buy a grocery store rag for the first time *ever*? LOL.)
Actually, I would drive the Pig in Lipstick thing as hard as I could if I were Obama, because that Carole Fowler thing looks a *lot* more damaging.
As far as Bush's latest idiocy, it won't matter unless McCain gave them a clean bill of health. Which he might have- IIRC he's the chairman of the committee that oversees the Interior department. Came up over the Jack Abramoff scandall.
The investigation also concluded that several of the officials “frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives.”
Ew. I always hoped that oil and gas representatives spawned by mitosis.
Charles,
Nice way to address the accusation about the SC Dem chair but totally dodge the issue by pointing the finger at McCain and his dirty campaigning.
If you want to tackle what she said, do so. Either defend it (like to see that) or condemn it as a nut on the left who made an insensitive remark and let's go about our business.
You talk about McCain's "slime" but refuse to address the slime of others on your side. It works both ways. No wonder it seems like the Dems are a "do no evil" party and McCain is full of nothing but smears and lies.
Look at the big picture or shut up about it.
That New Hampsire poll is no surprise. I told you guys the day she was picked that Palin will not play well in New Hampshire.
Meanwhile, the Dems have closed the gap of voter registration in New Hampshire to +5,000 Republicans. In 11/06, when NH sent two Democrats to the House, it was +35,000 Republicans. In 11/00, when Bush won, it was Republicans +77,000.
The angry left can now only rely on tabloid trash.
They are taken by PDS (Palin Derrangement Syndrome).
So even with NM being lost to McCain 49-47 (which I doubt will hold up),
Kerry+IA+CO+NV would be an Obama win.
Good News for McCain in New Mexico.
Alaska and North Dakota aren´t in play and Obama doesn´t need these states.
But he NEED New Mexico and this number isn´t good for him.
Mason, a debt is a debt is a debt...
We're still in the GOP bounce zone, so I wouldn't go writing off states that Obama is behind in too quickly. I still think the factor X in this years election right now is the Palin thing- how does she play out till November? Is she still going to be the hero? Or will she have morphed into a Geraldine Ferraro-a-like. My guess right now is that some of the gloss is beginning to fade, and that all that has happened right now is a polarization of the race. Hence right now the map looks quite similar to 2004. But what happens if and when the Palin effect really does fade, and maybe one or two 'blue' states tipp Obama's way.
The race has been polarized into college educated and non-college educated voters.
When this happens, the GOP wins. Soon the angry left will realize this.
Republicans, I'm telling you, the Enquirer is going to ruin the Palin family. These people are roadkill.
The Mat-Su Valley, where they live, has a huge drug problem. Sarah got knocked up before she was married, and so did her daughter. Her kids are on drugs, including and especially the one who's now in the Army. He was injecting OxyContin.
Bristol Palin and her baby daddy, have mental ages of about 14. He doesn't want to marry her, and both of them have already been screwing around with others. The lovely Sarah kicked her daughter out of the house when she found out she was preggers.
All of the Palin teenagers are hard-core stoners and punks. It's a family out of control. Alaska might be a big state but there aren't very many people there, and they do talk. You can expect weekly stories out of the Enquirer on this white trash clan.
Mason, a debt is a debt is a debt...
True. But it's not a deficit. :-]Clinton had surpluses, thus shrinking the debt. Bush has had deficits, thus increasing the debt.
Greg: I'm glad you've come to treasure your own ignorance and stupidity. But I have a bit more faith in Americans than that.
As for the "uneducated" crowd, they're the type who buy into the Palin myth, and therefore are most susceptible to it being torn down by outfits like the National Enquirer.
Greg,
There are varying education levels on both sides of the ticket. That's a ridiculous excuse and assessment of how the election is framed.
Forgot to see a Michigan red and a Virginia blue.
The angry left can now only rely on tabloid trash.
I have two words for you: John Edwards. You loved the tabloid trash a month ago. Anyway, the Enquirer sells 2.76 million newspapers every week. That's a whole lot trash.
Specifically to Charles:
As for the "uneducated" crowd, they're the type who buy into the Obama myth, and therefore are most susceptible to it being torn down by bad policy decisions once he's elected.
Will I actually buy a grocery store rag for the first time *ever*? LOL.
This will be the first time you ADMIT it!!
Sarah Palin is an innocent wife and wonderful pro-life mother.
John Edwards was ambulance chasing wife-cheating pro abort scum.
That's the difference.
I'm not happy with the NM poll, but at least it's only 2 points. That's not too bad for just being a day or two off of peak bounce. If the polls still look that way in 2 weeks I'm going to worry a bit more, but Obama still has a pretty good chance.
Senate polls got to be frightening to Dems.
Stevens is only 2 back in ALASKA!
Pearce is down only 7 from 25 just two months ago!
No State that has Obama up 2-3 points is out of play. BRADLEY EFFECT folks.
Mule Rider: Key words - "once he's elected." If he doesn't deliver, well, that's what term limits are for.
MR -
It's patently untrue that Palin's only qualification is that she didn't get an abortion.
She also lived 50 miles from Russia.
*awkward silence*
Soooooo....any idea why Palin charged RAPE VICTIMS for their rape tests?
New idea for Obama/Biden ad:
Voiceover: John McCain once rallied against the politics of smear and distortion.
Clip of McCain reacting to Bush's smears from 2000 primary campaign.
Voiceover: But McCain has now fully embraced those same politics.
Clip from McCain's ad about Palin's bridge to nowhere stance.
Voiceover: LIE. Palin supported the bridge to nowhere and took X million dollars in pork home for Alaska.
Clip from McCain's ad about Barack's sex education bill.
Voiceover: LIE. Barack Obama's bill protected children against sexual predators.
Clip of McCain claiming Obama will raise taxes.
Voiceover: LIE. Barack Obama's plan will lower taxes for 95% of working families.
John McCain says he wants to change American politics, but it looks like Amercian politics has changed him. You've been lied to before.
Clip of Bush claims about Iraqi WMDs.
Voiceover: This time, let them know you won't fall for it.
Clip of Barack's nomination speech where he says: "It's time for them to own their failures, it's time for us to change America."
Sarah Palin is an innocent wife and wonderful pro-life mother.
Whose children may be out of control.
Michigan:
Obama 45%
McCain 42%
Nader 6%
Barr 4%
New Hampshire:
Obama 48%
McCain 43%
Nader 4%
Barr 2%
Obama holds his own even with Nader in there. And after 2000, far more people will say Nader in a poll then actually vote for him on Election Day.
The great thing about the Enquirer is that Obama won't have to say a single thing. Hell, if need be he can condemn this sort of thing, which will only make people run out and buy more copies.
Mason wants to know why he feels it necessary to smear Palin's children.
Perhaps mason should remember what happened in 2004 when Kerry tried to smear Cheney's daughter.
No State that has Obama up 2-3 points is out of play. BRADLEY EFFECT folks.
IT DOESN'T....
Fuck it.
This is crazy!!! Obama wasn't talking about Palin with is "pig" comments. Just because it's the same line Palin used with the word "pig" substituted for "pit" bull." This whole mess is George Bush's fault.
Then there is the accusation that Obama was shooting Hillary a 3-finger-salute during an earlier speech attacking her. It just looked like he was because he was. Again...George Bush!!!
And you people who believe Obama is racist just because he spent 20 years sitting in Jeremiah Wright's pews listening to his hate-speak. Nonsense, I say. Obama heard nothing, Obama knows nothing. Nothing at all....
Again, George Bush is responsible!
For more about the Bush Administration and its evil plot to screw up the Messiah, visit my blog.
http://americanpoliticalblog.wordpress.com/
"As for the "uneducated" crowd, they're the type who buy into the Obama myth, and therefore are most susceptible to it being torn down by bad policy decisions once he's elected."
I've never been in this because I'm pro-Obama. I got into it because I was anti-GOP. And now that McCain has proven himself to be a near-traitorous piece of shit, I'm anti-McCain.
"The 18-year-old boyfriend of Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter is a pot-smoking boozer who doesn't want to get married."
- Nat'l Enquirer
(My question: Does the kid have Down Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?)
And so on.
Perhaps mason should remember what happened in 2004 when Kerry tried to smear Cheney's daughter.
First, being gay isn't a smear.
Second. It was just dumb. Even I thought that was dumb. A pro-gay politician saying that Dick Cheney has a gay daugther? Yes, but what's your point, Senator?
"Sarah Palin is an innocent wife and wonderful pro-life mother."
Turn off your talk radio and learn how to think.
Sarah Palin is a pig. Lipstick optional.
Charles should lose his sexism.
Okay Mason, believe what you want. 40 state victory is not out of the realm for McCain.
Call me crazy, this is coming from a Bush voter that expected to wake up to see Kerry the next President in 2004.
His point was simply that Cheney's own family was negatively affected by the evil of social conservatism.
Obama is trying to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to run a high road integrity based campaign, and win. I don't know if those two are reconcilable in today's politics. The only democrats the last 20 years who were willing to get in the mud and wrestle with the GOP were the Clinton's. And what do you know, they won.
I would prefer Obama get in the mud and win, rather than stay above board and lose. Others disagree. I'm not sure if he can do both.
"Charles should lose his sexism."
McCain is a pig too. Happy? :)
mason: Oh, let him have the Bradley Effect. Can't you see he's invested in it to the point of physical dependence?
People sure are hanging a lot of coats on that weak Bradley effect hook.
this is coming from a Bush voter that expected to wake up to see Kerry the next President in 2004.
And you were as accurate then as you are now. Thanks.
"Continue to spread the word" has the best read on the electoral situation.
A forty state victory is looking more likely than ever. Truly Palin has saved the Republican Party.
Okay, I'm as rabid an Obama supporter as they come, but attacking someone bound for Iraq for drug use is insane. Obama should be able to get good mileage out of painting McCain/Palin as offering nothing but lies and distraction. That line of attack goes nowhere if his campaign or anyone else rightly or wrongly perceived as his surrogate stoops to that level.
40 states for McCain...yeah, right. Are you counting Texas as 20 of them?
Question: Did Track Palin get his oxycontin from Rush Limbaugh, or his mother's medicine cabinet?
Maybe the answer will be in NEXT WEEK's Enquirer?
continue to spread the world, i remember that you was from Ohio.
What do you think about the fraud in your state in 2004?.
Why nobody talks about it?.
Call me crazy, this is coming from a Bush voter that expected to wake up to see Kerry the next President in 2004.
Clearly you have a tenuous grip on reality, at best.
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