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A Bitter Checkmate?
I think this may have been a set-up, and I mean that as a tremendous compliment to Obama.
He said something that was true, but also ripe for cherry-picking. He knew Hillary would take the bait. he knew Drudge would too, and McCain. And that each of them would jump so fast after it, that they wouldn't even realize they were all standing together until they were, and then...well, with friends like those...
So here he is, with a response ready, that cements him as the guy who understands that regular people are sick of this crap and ready to make big change.
In attacking him, there is no way to escape Hillary's argument: You people have it bad, but you always deal with it fine. No matter how much we screw you, you stay happy and strong. You can deal with the status-quo better than anyone.
In other words, Obama managed to be both political and honest simultaneously. It's masterful. And sure, Hillary supporters will rally around her, but the undecided Penn voter is gonna have a hard time swallowing an incredibly wealthy D.C. insider telling them how happy and satisfied they are with the world falling apart around them.
Comments (9)
One last thought: Obama could annihilate her with this in the debate.
However decently this plays on cable news (we'll see), in a debate, this plays right into Obama's hands.
April 12, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is COMPLETELY DELUSIONAL.
He made this speech at a minor event, not even in front of CAMERAS.
If he were playing chess, he would have played better than that.
April 12, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're not thinking clearly. Get this: there's no video of him saying it! CAMERAS (using your bold) would be a bad thing, for the sake of a thirty second attack ad.
Stick to checkers.
April 12, 2008 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
jweb,
This being planned rings as a stretch to me. But I find your aim quite sharp when you say:
"In attacking him, there is no way to escape Hillary's argument: You people have it bad, but you always deal with it fine. No matter how much we screw you, you stay happy and strong. You can deal with the status-quo better than anyone."
Painting rosey fake pictures won't make angry people happy; they will just feel patronized.
Hillary, dear: We want to feel validated, not dismissed.
April 12, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not literally saying it was planned, I guess. I'm kind of marveling at how well it will play, and thinking that this is the sort of political move we've seen others use shrewdly, luring you're opponents to pounce without thinking, landing them in strange positions. Only most political people do it with lies. This one, with it's hard truths, seems to be a masterful stroke, intentional or not.
P.S. Look, Weaver's trying to soften his image!
April 12, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama made a demeaning and insulting comment about small town America to his donors at a big city fundraiser. When it first came out, he twisted it into something different. Then the audio came out. Now this morning he backtracks and says his words were "ill chosen". I suspect an apology is next.
But apology or not, Obama is defining himself in ways that others can't. Like his 'typical White person' comment and trashing his grandmother, which showed his racism and a view of family, his newly revealed attitude toward small town shows his arrogance in ways that I seriously doubt will fade away. First the context of his speech in San Francisco shows a definite better-than-them attitude and, second, his statement itself leaves many unanswered questions. Does he accuse small town America of being religious, gun-toting racists? Is he suggesting they need to drop their religion, give up guns, and so forth?
Now, there are three constituencies that Obama needs to address: the remaining primary voters, the superdelegates, and the general election voters. He might talk this past the primary voters but I think that the superdelegates are going to give this more scrutiny as the general election voters are going to hear Obama's hate and racism in his own words so much that he won't be able to talk his way out. If he is the nominee, he's given McCain the election on a silver platter.
Matthew
http://www.TheProblemWithObama.com
April 12, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matthew,
Why are you so bitter? I understand that you have fallen through the cracks during the time of Bush and Clinton.
But please, don't despair: Change is coming; and it is coming soon.
April 12, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Al Gore invented the internet and John Kerry was for the war before he was against it.
I used to be amused by crap like Drudge and Foxnews, now it's just boring to me. As are you. Go protest Absolute Vodka with your other wingnut reactionary hate-mongering Hannity quoting friends.
I imagine Hillary would happily denounce you. Scumbag racist prick.
You're two-bit quips won't steal the election this time. The rest of America is tired of this crap. You are a dying breed, hater. Go back to AM radio and leave us alone.
(PS, hating you makes me a but of a hypocrite, I know.)
April 12, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope you are right about how Obama can use this! Though I agree with left, that it was most certainly not deliberate on Obama's part.
Our politics really have been degraded when every group of people has to feel rosy and happy, all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds -- the USA. And no politician should ever suggest otherwise! Be it Jeremiah Wright suggesting that African Americans might be mad, or Obama suggesting that working class whites might be feeling bitter.
We're all HAPPY! BECAUSE WE'RE AMERICANS!
Even when we have a can't do president, the American people should just quietly roll up their sleeves and deal with whatever is thrown at them.
Thanks, jweb, I had been cringing about this whole flap without looking at it closely, and I think you are on to something.
The question will be, have the people and the media been so successfully brainwashed that they will side with the rhetoric that says they are never allowed to be bitter?
As Obama well knows from his organizing days, it often takes awhile before people will realize that they are being screwed, and get mad.
April 12, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
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