I agree it's working, and it's probably the reason the race is so close right now...

McKrusty throws out 4 nasty and stupid attack ads at Obama in a couple of weeks which cable news shows free of charge again and again and when the Obama campaign fights back and tries to correct some of the perceptions and lies, he's accused of going negative.

When he points out that he's not the candidate from central casting, he's blasted as a racist by McKrusty, and the bobble-heads dutifully pick up and amplify the message...

The stupid really hurts...but unfortunately these attack ads appeal to the reptile brain of the uninformed voter, and as it's negative message seeps in, the damage is done...

For God's sake MJ get a grip.

Are you surprised that McCain is doing this. If so, shame on you. You know this is what Republicans do.

Are you surprised that the media isn't stepping up to smack them down. If so, shame on you. Fool me twice and all that. Media ain't going to do it, the campaign and its supporters have to do it.

Are you surprised that this crap is resonating with the American people? Trick question. The fact is, I've seen no poll that demonstrates that it is, though there may soon be some, who knows. But if that happens, the campaign will just have to react to it. Up to now, we have no real data on what the effect of this barrage is, other than some remarks of revulsion toward it by some not-very-powerful Republicans, which means little.

Is there anything here at all, MJ, other than your feeling of dread, doom and gloom? And please tell me, what good your sharing of that doom and gloom is doing. I'm sure Obama will go negative if he decides that that's what he needs to do.

"What's changed?" How about the wrath of the most incompetent President in history? That HAS to change people's minds. You are justified about "being done with this country" if they don't see reality at this moment, after 8 long and painful years.

Which brings me to how Obama fights celeb/race attacks....

GRAVITAS. He needs pics of him and uniformed military leaders at EVERY event.

Dick Cheney is pure evil, but he has gravitas. Obama can't float above these charges on a unicorn and be above the fray, he needs to sink his feet in the ground, and firmly plant his case next to the most serious people in Washington DC.

Why does Obama bring up the fact that he "doesn't look like" other Presidents?

That may help him with the African American vote, but he doesn't need help there.

He needs to stop antagonizing the largest voting block in the country, the one without which no candidate can win...White Men.

She said: "You are crazy. If five years ago someone had told you that in 2008, a terrific, brilliant, charismatic black guy would come along in a Democratic year but would lose to an ancient white Republican simply because he was black, you would have said that 'of course he'd lose.' What's changed?"

You are crazy. If five years ago someone had told you that in 2008, a freshman senator who never was a governor or major or a statewide leader or distinguished himself in any other way would come along in a Democratic year but would lose to McCain, a war hero, because he was was wrong or flip-flopped and so many issues, such as Iraq, drilling, FISA and many other issues and because he was not very good without teleprompter , you would have said that 'of course he'd lose if is not a President's son.

This is typical GOP behavior. The nadir of GOP support among African-Americans was ushered in by Barry Goldwater and States Rights. Blacks fled the GOP. Republicans often cite that MLK was a Republican. However if you read King's words he advised his supporters not to vote for Goldwater. King also said that Goldwater gave comfort to the racists. McCain is following the path of one of his political heroes, Barry Goldwater, in his message the campaign is sending.

We now are in an era with news infotainment. Instead of discussing differences of opinion, we get snippets. The term race card is used to avoid talking about race. If Obama making a factual statement that he does not look like the people on US paper currency is outrageous, than we have reached a pathetic state of affairs.

If the dollar bill comment is playing the "race card", then we are saying that the default position regarding ethnicity is White skin. Shouldn't we celebrate that African-Americans (Obama), Latinos (Richardson), etc. can run for the highest office in the land?

The only reason that skin color could not be a part of the mix is an unspoken fear that African-Americans will do to Caucasians what Caucasians did to Blacks. We assume that the Caucasian is the President of the entire USA. African-Americans, Latinos, and women have to prove that they will serve the entire country. Again the deafault is White.

JFK to a large extent, and Romney to a lesser degree had to verify that their religion would not impede their Presidency. GW Bush could proudly proclaim his Conservative Christian faith.

Race card, gender card, religion card? Total idiocy!

the "elitist" brouhaha, etc. And now it's the "One" and the rest of that meme. Not one of these charges, not one, would have been launched if Obama was white.

aaargh....This Obama supporter sometimes finds your posts advising Obama on politics incredibly maddening.

Adlai stevenson, uppity white man:

Although Stevenson's eloquent oratory and thoughtful, stylish demeanor thrilled many intellectuals and members of the nation's academic community, the Republicans and some working-class Democrats ridiculed what they perceived as his indecisive, aristocratic air. During the 1952 campaign Stewart Alsop, a powerful Connecticut Republican and the brother of newspaper columnist Joseph Alsop, labeled Stevenson an "egghead", based on his baldness and intellectual air. Alsop used the word in a column describing Stevenson's problems in wooing working-class voters and the nickname stuck.

I think you're too fixated on old racial divisions and fights. Obama never expected or wanted the votes of old-fashioned racists. He is an "other," and has always sold his "otherness". He doesn't want to play the old you're either black or white race game, MJ. He always knew he wasn't going to win the kind of people that would freak out over the fact that he has black skin or has half-family members that are Muslims. He did know that his purposeful choice of Rev. Wright's church in order to immerse himself in that community would could cause him grief later, but he chose to do it and figured he could handle it if it caused problems later.

Facts: He's half white and half black, raised partly in Indonesia with an Indonesian stepfather, and then by white grandparents in an exotic state. He gerrymandered his Illinois district to include more upscale whites because he knew he didn't appeal to certain traditional Afro-American segments. He understands reverse racism, he wrote it hit hard when he had the realization that his mother had a physical attraction to black men. His father was not an Afro-American, but a foreigner who went back to his native country. He struggled with fitting into American black culture as a youth, he wrote about it unashamedly in a book. He is not going to pretend all these things aren't true. They are him. If his books had been all about how he is just like other Americans, they wouldn't have sold well, that would be boring. He knows he's an "other" and is trying to sell that, thinking lots of other people consider themselves "others" too, and thinking that "otherness" is good for change. Change as a campaign slogan signifies otherness.

He's betting that a majority of Americans still do not think everything is black v. white like you do, he is going to go for those who don't.

His problem right now is the "uppity", not having black skin or foreign Muslim relatives.

People who hate that way were never going to vote for him. He knows that. I hope he doesn't take your advice. You worry too much about old racist voters that never were Obama's target. He never expected to get their votes. You keep fanning the race thing, I think you hurt and don't help. You seem to want to drag him down into dealing with old issues that bother you. Sometimes it seems you want to turn him into a reincarnation of MLK so you can refight some old fights and win over some old racist Jews you know. He can't be that for you. That's why you can't see a solution. You have to let those votes go.

He's got to worry about the uppity egghead/rock star thing instead. That hurts hims among some of those voters he knows he can reach.

Dream on.
Why do you think Obama lost West Virginia by 50%?
Because they love the Clintons? Because they think Obama is an elitist?
Yeah, right.

Yes, MJ you are right. Racism dies hard and yes, the Republicans are going to use race like there's no tomorrow. And you again, are right, when you point out that it's difficult to battle this. And yes, he should be at minimum 10% ahead of McCain at this point (since typically the Dem. is about 15-20% ahead at this point in a Presidential year). But many of you who plunged in with Obama wagged your fingers at those who pointed out this glaring vulnerability throughout the primaries. That you and others express any surprise at what is taking place is only because you refused to face reality when you were all swept up in Obamamania this spring. Any sober consideration of what would happen if Obama were the nominee took into account that the Republicans would use race at every turn and that while it does not necessarily mean it will defeat Obama, it well could. Anyone who doesn't own up to this prospect is only fooling themselves. The only way we'll know is by seeing the results in November. But this is no surprise and what it means is that the reality of this weakness was not particularly well considered by many. It is not Obama's "fault" that he is black, but it is a weakness for him as a candidate in the general election much ore so than during the primary season.

I was never a Hillary person because she too, was flawed and had glaring political weaknesses as does Obama. But we were trapped in the year of the first woman vs the first black nominee. And whenever the subject came up that Obama would be a sitting duck for the Republicans because he is black, the fool that raised the issue got shouted down or worse: called a racist. No, you and the other Obamaites knew that he would transcend race and partisanship and all that other blather from camp Obama. Now that the reality is hitting, it's difficult to know how to combat the racist attacks and the GOP hasn't even begun to roll out anything like what we'll be seeing after Labor Day.

I have a suggestion.

Instead of standing there like a punching bag and every now and then responding with some "above it all" sort of statement, Obama and his campaign need to go on the offensive and they need to stay on it. Obama's campaign has not left primary mode (except to pander to right wingers and Republicans by flip flopping on FISA, the Second Amendment and now offshore drilling). I know, that is a departure from the typical DC Democratic lay-there-and-get-pummelled-and-hope-you-win-anyway trategy:but it's time to fight. If you, and the others who demanded we nominate a candidate with such an obviou Achilles heel would simply abandon the idol worship and start demanding the campaign wake up and take note of what is happening all around them it might not be too late.

Do you ever hear St. Obama of Chicago say anything about how corrupt the Bush regime is? Do you ever hear him talk about how he and his Republican cohorts have bankrupted the nation and driven us into recession? Does he ever remind the average person that if those crooks get another 4 years there will be nothing left of this country for our children? How often do you hear him thunder against the unjust war in Iraq? The answer to all of these questions is he almost never says these thing. He almost never goes on the attack about the corruption, misrule and lawlessness nor does he talk about the total wreck the Republicans have made of our economy, etc... No, he continues with the namby pamby "can't we all get along" crap of bipartisanship and "transcending" the "old politics" as though the problem isn't that one party is thoroughly and completely corrupt and the the other is populated by cowards and pantywaists in the main.

The time has come MJ for the Democrats to fight and to condemn our enemies (the Republicans) and Obama must lead this fight. It is the only way to prevail over the racist garbage that the other side will be hurling at him. This is a fight he and we, can win. If he fails to do this and the longer he waits to get a clue (a la Kerry), his chances of winning recede further into the distance.

Those last three paras are spot on, Oleeb. Power to your elbow.
There's a link on Drudge today to an article in the Financial Times suggesting that even Obama advisers are getting worried. Hopefully they'll be making your case.

The GOP has done a lot to make me distrust them. Even Black Conservative Glenn Loury has stated that Conservatives have no moral authority on racial issues.

Colin Powell's exploration of possibly running against Bill Clinton in 1996. Polls suggested that Powell had a 50%-40% advantage over Pres. Clinton.
Democrats were quaking in their boots. The GOP far right-wing actually launched a campaign to dissuade Powell from even entering the race.

A group of anti-Powell GOPers appeared before the National Press Club on 11/03/1995 to openly challange Powell's possible run. Some interesting comments:
_One speaker, Morton Blackwell, the Republican national committeeman from Virginia, went as far as to suggest that some conservatives were promoting the general only because he is Black.
_"I cannot find any reason why any conservative would want to sacrifice the work of decades on the altar of political celebrity," said David A. Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union who is an adviser to Senator Bob Dole's campaign.
_"We know from his record that General Powell is risk averse," said Paul Weyrich, chairman of the Free Congress political action committee. "He may not want to run after this press conference."
_In one of the baldest threats, Carol Long, director of the National Right to Life political action committee, said that if General Powell ran, "our top priority during the primaries will be his defeat."
_Frank J. Gaffney Jr., a Pentagon official in the Reagan Administration, said he had been reluctant to speak because he had been "privileged to consider Colin a friend for over a decade." But Mr. Gaffney went on to criticize the general as "too cautious to be Commander in Chief."

A most telling comment from a NYT article on the press conference was the following:

Even so, the spectacle of a dozen conservatives standing side-by-side determined to block the candidacy of someone who has not even announced his intentions belied their contention that General Powell was unelectable.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E3D81639F930A35752C1A963958260

There was a subgroup in the GOP who did not even want Powell to have the oppurtunity to compete for
the Presidency. Some of the themes like ethnicity, celebrity, and military timidity have a familiar ring.

Other anti-Powell GOPers attacked Alma Powell who was on medication for depression. MCain is just reverting to type with the GOP base who form his advisers as the catalyst.
Posted by rmrd0000

Obama needs to hammer on McCain with the issues. To be perfectly blunt the Obama campaign has been long on the rhetoric but very short on details and is letting McCain 'define' him. He is allowing McCain to play the 'celebrity' canard but not aggressively highlighting policy differences between the two. Of course race will be an issue but a bigger issue will be who has the plan that will benefit average Americans and who has the plan that will benefit wealthy Americans. Bring up the fact that Phil 'A country of whiners' Gramm is a long time friend of McCain and will probably have an important role in the shaping economic policy in a McCain administration. PLAY THE CLASS CARD!!!

If Obama doesn't start 'returning fire' soon it'll be over before it starts...McCain will have already defined him.

Most people who vote for a president don't know or even care much about his policy ideas, his past achievements, his experience or his "vision."

Most people base their vote on some estimation of his character. They go on a "what kind of man is he" thumbnail sketch and vote.

Rove and his acolytes understand this. The McCain ads are trying to express a sentiment that Obama is over adulated, too popular and is adored by too many. Their timing was good. Obama had just returned from a successful European/Middle Eastern tour and given a speech in front of 200,000 American flag waving Germans. This over adulation breeds resentment and the McCain ads express that. Sure there is a tinge of racial stereotyping, but the essence of the ad is to remind people that the world might love Obama too much.

Obama's response ads MUST go after McCain's character not the fact that the ad had racial overtones or isn't about issues. The truth is only a small percentage of the electorate care or know about issues.

Obama's ads should go after what kind of man John McCain is:

He is a man who left his ailing wife and remarried a beer heiress 5 weeks after divorcing her. He got a marriage license to his second wife while still married to the first. He has no integrity and cannot sustain the most important commitment a man makes.

He has filled his campaign staff with lobbyists despite claiming to seek to decrease the influence of wealthy special interests.

He is a man who supported Bush's stupid Iraq invasion when Obama recognized it for the folly is is. He has no common sense about foolish foreign policy misadventures.

Nail his character. Forget race. Forget the details about issues. Nail his character.

I don't suppose that the Obama campaign should "confront rascism" in America, whatever that means. Rascist Americans are not going to be weaned of their rascism by rational appeals to fairness.
The best thing, I believe, would be for McCain to be portrayed as pro-war and anti-working class; as anti-health care; a man too old and confused to be President, who doesn't even know how to properly use a computer; one who relentlessly supported the war in Iraq, and who flip-flopped on his original position against using torture; someone without a credible plan to lead the U.S. It's time to play offense instead of defense.

I have been an ardent supporter of Barack Obama's campaign; However, his strategy for winning is strangely and unfortunately similar to John Kerry's 04 campaign, and it's pissing me off. There is a way to beat back this type of politics and it has nothing to do with the sad tactic of defensive complaining Obama and Kerry fall trapped into using. EVERY attack has to be answered with an attack. Never go on the defense. In this particular situation, Obama should use embarrassment/Authority figure. Ex. Obama: John McCain, You're embarrassing yourself and you have become an embarrassment to this great American political process. These childish tactics have no place in this adult arena. Britney Spears has no place in the process. You've become an embarrassment to your party. Even your own supporters have said[.....] and are ashamed to repeat your tactics. You've become the laughing stock of the entire nation. If you have any sense of seriousness about yourself, your party, or the American people, you will treat this process with the respect it rightly deserves. The American people are hurting. Stop this nonsense and talk about the issues Americans care about. Also, Obama needs to attack and do it so often, it's hurts-literally. There should be three "attack" ads for every 1 of John McCain's attack ads. McCain has enough stuff to attack.

This is really a lot to do with nothing; McCain and Co is saying he is falling and will continue to fall. If Chicken Little was right or wrong it don't matter, bench pressing the sky in place ain't going to happen.
Race is not new and old news, something like McCain, let it go.

MJ first you say:

"She said: "You are crazy. If five years ago someone had told you that in 2008, a terrific, brilliant, charismatic black guy would come along in a Democratic year but would lose to an ancient white Republican simply because he was black, you would have said that 'of course he'd lose.' What's changed?"
She's right. That is what I would have said."

then you say:

"One more point. The polls, in my opinion, are crap. Obama should be 10% ahead of McCain. The fact that it's tied means that he is not winning"

If you put those two things together you would understand why he is not winning!! You would understand the polls!

Moreover, you would reason that Obama IS the unknown and that is why he is not further ahead. This election is about Obama vs. the status quo. People are wondering who he is and he KNOWS that, which is why he made reference to how he is different, talking about his name, his bkgrd and his looks'

MJ it seems you have not really stopped and given this issue serious thought. Obama is a trailblazer he is a FIRST and to top it off he is an AFRICANAMERICAN First!

What that means in America is that he has to be 10x as good as his opponent, that his qualifications have to be FAR superior (beyond reasonable doubt) AND he has to demonstrate he is "just like" WHITES for them to accept him. IF he does all that as an AFRICANAMERICAN First..he will just EEK out a win.

This is a KNOWN truth to African Americans. No matter there bkgrd, achievements or superior qualities, IF they are trailblazing they will barely win! They will have to fight really hard to get the promotion, make the team, get admitted when it comes to any leadership or competitive role.

Obama is right where he can be expected to be given that this is AMERICA and the history of 'uppity negroes' in this nation. There are no firsts who have NOT endured that criticism, after all success and self assurance are only confidence if you are white in America..if you are black the individual 'doesn't know their place'.

So, get it together MJ...Obama is doing FINE. He is right where he should be at this point.
He has to focus on his personal narrative and helping folks become comfortable with him and recognize he has their same values.

Obama also needs to counter this 'celebrity status' with pictures of the biggest and best GOP celebrity Ron Reagan who became President.

That should be his counter punch.

If you can get that message to him it would really help.

Obama is a celebrity like Reagan was a celebrity.

I don't see sexual innuendo as the major issue in the Britney Spears ad--I see trivialization of Obama's teeny bopper cult. I do see Obama obsessing over dollar bills, which mostly just demonstrates that he's like most other politicians under the skin.

I do think Ludacris' ludicrous rap is big trouble. Maybe he likes his Bush tax cut after all.

When I put it together, it sounds to me like Obama needs have to start worrying about mature voters and Vietnam veterans, and let the dollar bills go.

kravitz

agreed about the ad- it is still on YouTube on McCain's site

I am a BIG Obama fan but think they are so afraid of Obama appearing as the "angry black man" that the ONLY choice is to name a VP this week who can ATTACK - and not Hillary--

Obama needs the election to become about McCain and Bush and get it off of him as the topic

If Hillary was the VP it would be worse and be about THEM -- he need Biden (lesser choice Bayh) who are more white bread - but have been around and can push back

"I have been in the Senate with John McCain for 20 years and John is not the same man. He is willing to do anything to win even embrace the strategy used against him by GWB in 2000"

This has to be about the population and the issues
and the democrats have to SIMPLIFY the message

The democrats needs to train all the Obama surrogates how to fight back --

And as not ONE of them has mentione the McCain ad with Obams's face on the $100 bill - the Obama campaign needs to prepare them better

It is a mistake to think this is all going to go away - which is what I think the Obama campaign is doing --

THEY NEED TO FIGHT AND THE SAME WAY OBAMA GOADED BILL CLINTON - HE NEEDS TO GOAD JOHN MC CAIN
McCain is not as smart as Bill Clinton and has a worse temper -- and Obama needs to draw that out

THE MC CAIN CAMPAIGN IS DISRESPECTFUL OF OBAMA
MC CAIN VOTED AGAINST MLK HOLIDAY ON A STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL
MC CAIN SUPPORTS BUSH'S TAX CUSTS BECOMING PERMANENT
MC CAIN CALLED SOCIAL SECURITY "DISGRACEFUL"
MC CAIN'S ECONOMIC GURU CALLED THIS A "RECESSION IN PEOPLE'S IMAGINATION"

c'mon Obama people - the ammo is there

GET THE GUN
and load it

Buyt you need people who are willing to fire their weapons

stop this now

I do not want to feed a troll, but some cites from Wikipedia may help:

In 2007 Raila Odinga was rumoured to have signed a secret memorandum of understanding with the National Muslim Leaders Forum,[22] NAMLEF. Kenyan Muslim leaders denied that the MOU promised to introduce Sharia for Muslims if it won elections, but said its deal with the Orange Democratic Movement was to end the current discrimination against Muslims.[23]

[.............]

Raila Odinga is of the Anglican faith[25] and is married to Ida Odinga (born Ida Anyango Oyoo). They live in Nairobi (but has a second home in Bondo District) with their four children - two sons and two daughters. His oldest son, Fidel, is named after Fidel Castro[26] and their youngest child, Winnie, is named after Winnie Mandela.[26]

M.J.

I presume you're basing this worry of yours on the national polls. I think you need to remember national polls are not the indicator. A presidential election is based on 50 state elections.. and therefore state polls and the # of electoral votes each candidate gets in those states is what you should instead be looking at.

And, if you look at sites that track those, Obama still is winning the electoral college quite handily.. so I think you're jumping the gun here a bit in your alarm.