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Obama and the "Third Rail"
This is my first blog, so take it easy on me...
If there's one thing that we've seen with the consolidation of media in this country, it's the narrowing of the acceptable areas of debate and the creation of ever more "Third Rails" in American politics.
One thing that Obama has consistently shown is the courage to approach these "third rails", be it race (Wright), class ("bitter" Pennsylvanians), or American militarism (direct talks with Iran and North Korea).
Naturally, when Obama touches on these topics, the press goes crazy. This weekend I've been struck with a serious case of deja vu, as the press denounces as a 'gaffe' Obama saying what everybody knows is true. It's the same as the reaction after the YouTube debate.
Up until know, Obama has shown the ability to turn these 'gaffes' to his advantage, and he might be able to do it in Pennsylvania. But I'm not sure how this will fly in the general election.
What are your thoughts? Can Obama shift the debate by discussing these 'taboo' topics, or will Republicans, the media, and Hillary simplify and belittle his message and preserve the status quo?
Comments (11)
Obama is a loser on each of your three points.
RACE. He uses it and is at best a closet racist. He's getting a pass now but this will return big time in the general election. We will hear a lot more about 'typical White person' and more.
CLASS. He simply does not get it. Going to San Francisco to diss small town America for clinginess is the height of arrogance and will not be forgotten.
MILITARISM/TALKING. He's shown ineptness and his lack of foreign policy experience. His color might give him a new face but he has no substance underneath. No contemplative voter, e.g. moderate or independent, is going to pick him over war hero McCain or Clinton, who have long track records, even if very different. Both are credible leaders. Obama is simply a Democratic version of Bush, Jr.
Obama can talk all he wants on these but it only shows more and more that he is only talk, often offensive and belittling. He doesn't walk the talk.
Matthew
http://www.TheIndependentView.com
April 13, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
You insult Obama by implying graduating with honors from Harvard is equivalent to hard-drinkin' George. You insult him when you call him racist for the way he referred to his white family.
You insult my intelligence when you try to argue he desn't "get" class when he matches his remarks to his audience. Can we conclude you think Hillary (Park Ridge, IL) or McCain (admirals, beer fortune) are more sensitive to class? The guy with the least personal fortune is the elitist?
April 13, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matthew: You are the racist, you are the arrogant one, you yourself have nothing on which to draw to make the misstatements you continually spew.
Do you really have nothing better to do with your time?
Please at least stay away from those kids - they do not need to be poisoned with the sort of bilge you emit.
April 13, 2008 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
the very idea that you can accuse someone of mixed race who at different times in his life was raised by his white grandparents goes to show you how ignorant you are of the dynamics of the type of family he comes from. my children are african american i am white they spend the majority of their time with my family not there fathers and i assure you there are times when we are faced with typical white person attitude my mother being one of them do i think less of her for it no i understand it comes from her past and the way she was raised i also understand that her love for my children is color blind that doesn't mean that me having two non white children isntantly helped her overcome her prejudices and it doesn't make barack obama a racist for knowing that his grandmother contained contradictions in herself but was still a woman who LOVED him
April 13, 2008 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you, Matt, at least for changing your avatar. Congratulations on the twins.
April 13, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
good to know weaver isn't porting about allsburg. run free, allsburg avatar, unclutched by mr. weaver . . .
April 13, 2008 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matthew, I can't tell what you think about Obama. Could you please write a an essay of several thousand words to amplify, with citations for everything you argue, what you are saying? Would love to read a really long essay about this, so long as it's new and takes account of everything that was posted today about Obama on Glad's thread, and in MSM. You should write a really long piece like that and post it. Thank you very much.
April 13, 2008 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mike,
I'll be easy on you...
I just logged in to make a similar point. I realized that this whole flap is silly as most political flaps are, and then I tried to figure out why it captures so much attention. I've come to the conclusion that this flap is another example of liberal wimpiness.
We liberals have been afraid to tell the truth about the world as we see it for two decades. If we state what we really believe, the mean Republicans and their media henchmen will belittle us. We're afraid to offend and lose elections. And so we hold back and use euphemisms. We triangulate. We misdirect. We do poll testing to phrase our views inoffensively. We live in fear and we govern ineffectively because we have tied our hands rhetorically.
Enter Obama saying the same damn thing every liberal has been thinking for the last twenty years. Hell yes, people are bitter. The Republicans hide behind wedge issues like guns and gays and then exploit the nation's treasury, heritage and environment. We NEED to be angry about these things and make sure we are heard. Are these even controversial statements from a liberal perspective?
It's time to stand up and proclaim the truth and not run away from it. People are longing for an honest debate from liberals. Obama offers it.
April 13, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
People say they are tired of politicians not telling them the truth, yet when one does, everyone freaks out. Go figure.
April 13, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
A much better version of what I was trying to say.
http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/04/fearing-fear-it.html
April 13, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here is what I think Obama said:
Rural working class Americans have seen their economic opportunities shrink since 1980. Many politicians (Dem and Repub)have promised improvement. None have delivered. This has gone on so long now that rural working class Americans believe no politician ever will improve their economic prospects. Because of this, rural working class Americans vote based not on economic issues, but on other, non-economic issues like abortion, gun rights, religious devotion. All the while rural working class Americans have become bitter that no politician has helped them despite the many promises. Obama plans to offer genuine economic help to distinguish himself from Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain. He hopes this pesuades rural working class Americans to vote for him.
Rural working class Americans sound completely rational. How is Obama's statement condescending to anyone?
April 13, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
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