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Obama Critics Protest Attempts to Engage Nation
A few critics and pundits who repeatedly criticize Obama for failing to connect with "Reagan Democrats" are worried they might lose that grounds for criticism. In an interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace on Sunday morning, Obama addressed questions posed to him in a civil and direct fashion, and Obama's critics are fuming.
"What is this guy trying to do, run for President of the United States?" asked one detractor. "We insist that he confine himself to championing the liberal blogosphere and let the entire Fox News viewership define him through caricatures of his positions and associations."
Some Clinton supporters feel that these caricatures supported and sometimes created by Fox News have been a boon to their candidate.
"We've painted Obama into a "liberal" box and we would appreciate it if he'd stay there," one critic said. "If he starts stepping up his public efforts to engage voters to the right of people like Michael Moore, we're going to have a lot harder time dismissing him as a Michael Dukakis sort of candidate. This guy is a liberal elitist and the sooner he accepts that the better it will be for all of us who don't support his candidacy."
There is also frustration among some that Obama may be trying to live up to one of the major claims of his campaign--that he will attempt to overcome party divisions to create a productive dialogue and maybe get some things done for the country.
"We've tried really hard to dispel this notion that Obama will transcend party lines and reach across the aisle to get things done," said one frustrated detractor. "The fact that Republicans like Lincoln Chaffee, Chuck Hagel, and Colin Powell have had complimentary things to say about this guy hasn't helped our efforts, and this adult conversation with Chris Wallace of Fox News isn't helping, either."
The interview also fueled criticisms of Obama for lacking "toughness."
"Being tough is about fighting and bickering with people who don't share your views. You either shut them out or you call them names. Otherwise, you might end up doing something like passing health-care reform legislation or having a consistent stance on foreign policy."
In fact, this problem Obama has with the traditional red and blue divide to some represents a larger problem he has.
"When an outfit like Fox News is trying to polarize a debate, to reaffirm the kind of partisanship that's defined our politics in recent years, the way to deal with that is to bolster that perception by taking your ball and going home, or going on the air and calling them mean Republican stupid-heads," the critic suggested. "This approach also makes it easier for us to call Sen. Obama a whiner or a wimp whenever he objects to Republican talking points."
Since Sen. Clinton has turned against progressives and threatened to "obliterate" the nation of Iran and anyone near it in her attempts to court more moderate voters, her supporters are upset that Obama may be trying to address moderates with a less divisive purpose in mind.
"If Obama starts addressing the general electorate, launching 50-state voter registration drives, and working with the Democratic Party to win the election in November, what does that mean for Sen. Clinton, who is still calling for another primary debate with Obama in the hopes of convincing voters that she's still a viable candidate?"
Indeed, to some it seemed Sen. Obama was intentionally trying to move past the contentiousness of the primary campaign and into the general election.
"I mean, Jesus, when Sen. Clinton started consorting with the Republican Party at least she was using them to try to damage Sen. Obama," said one critic. "But Obama was even civil to the Clintons and their supporters in this interview, suggesting that maybe they weren't trying to be racially polarizing in the primary campaign. What's he trying to do, reconcile the intraparty factions and strive for unity in the fall?"











Comments (16)
Well done.
April 27, 2008 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
NO PROTEST HERE!
As long as Obama "engages" voters head on instead from behind as most white male homophobic lunchbucket biggots fear then it should be fine. Just look at his poll. Look how it's rising!
Now if we could just get that sociopathicjabberhater Wright to zip it then we could get back to the good work of distracting voters from real issues and back on shallow platitudes.
thanks dudes
David "shut that preacher up" Axelrod
April 28, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
The thing is, he really needs a new message. He seems to have gotten stuck on this old message of reconciliation and pragmatism -- "Change You Can Believe In."
As many commenters on other threads have explained, that message is getting shopworn. It's not February anymore! "Pragmatism" and "candor" are no longer this season's must-haves. Time to fire a couple staffers and come up with a new slogan.
Instead, Obama seems to have resorted to practicing his existing slogan. As if putting a stale message into practice would somehow make it less stale.
The electorate is going to see this as a pretty desperate move, I think.
April 27, 2008 8:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree this is a concern. At the same time I always try to remember that those of us who comment on TPM are hyper-engaged with this whole process. I'm not convinced it's as stale to all voters.
Also, once Obama's able to pivot more fully into the general, there will be at least some recontextualization, which can do a lot to reinvigorate message. So I think he should stick with the change and bipartisianship ideas as a foundation of his campaign, especially in this election cycle.
But these qualifications aside, I do agree with you to some extent, I think. For example, I hope for more focus on issues contrast, an area where I think McCain is very vulnerable. (I'm with Josh Marshall that McCain doesn't seem to have any real convictions. And his inconsistencies on economic issues are glaring.) And "tough diplomacy" is a winner this year, too, I think.
April 27, 2008 8:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry -- the "snark" knob on my amplifier must be set too low. I'll try it again.
"What? Still with bzzz the candor and the substance? Doesn't he bzzz realize we're tired of all that?"
Sorry -- it kind of buzzes when I turn it up that much.
Snarking aside, I totally agree with you. The general election is the time to retool the message, and political junkies don't have a good perspective on what is or is not stale.
April 27, 2008 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
My bad. Snark registered but too late.
April 27, 2008 10:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nah, I got it right away. (And I'm always the one who gets it late or doesn't get it at all!)
April 28, 2008 12:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
He doesn't need a new message until the general election.
The commentariat and a lot of us here, including me, think that. But that's because we're campaign junkies and have seen maybe 20 of the 23 debates. Joe lunchpail in Muncie has only seen clips. For him Obama's message won't be shopworn when he finally hears it next week.
As for Obama's style. It seems to fit him (whether or not that's true)and that's what matters. HRC seems to present differently: the fighter, the vulnerable victim,the cool policy wonk, occasionally the gracious president's wife.That maybe entirely natural for her. She's multi sided . I think it suit's Obama better to be consistent.
He did fine on Fox. Relaxed. Not defensive. Won a few votes I'd guess. And this was the right time to do it. By next Sunday the Indiana undecideds will have made their choice. Sadly I suspect Fox news was the necessary conduit.Those undecided aren't watching Keith Olbermann .
As for disappointing Greg Sargent by not shouting at Chris Wallace. "God sees the truth but waits."
Let's see which networks get the exclusive interviews with President Obama.
April 27, 2008 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
His style fits him because that's who he is (yes, I know it was snark but mine isn't.) I keep hoping Greg will finally realize - Mr. Obama seems to be that real thing - a genuine person.
Gonna be really hard to convince the wider electorate that they can dare to believe that he's really who he presents himself as.
Snark aside, the conversation with Matthews may have been the first conversation anybody's ever seen on Faux News.
April 28, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
If I could point to one tactical error the Obama camp has made, I think he lost the balance between "retail" politics and the rallies of big, adoring crowds that highlighted early 2008. It seemed to happen when HRC started hitting him in Ohio. There is nothing wrong with showing people a sold-out basketball stadium jam-packed with enthusiastic people who want to hear your message. I would think it would make it easier to do the retail thing in nearby communities when people are fanning out saying "I just came from the big Obama rally and it was awesome!"
April 28, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Clap. Clap. Clap. Very nice.
We need at least one "all snark" post on the recommended list everyday.
April 28, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent point Mr. Hanky. Makes me want to send Mr. Stoller a note.
April 28, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I dont think he needs to change his message but instead make it come alive again. So he can probably start giving a bit more detail on how he intends to effect the change he speaks of so fluently.
In any event let us not start to doubt BO at this point.. I have noticed that whenever he falls like this that we tend to doubt his message and start scrambling around for reasons to his failures.
Looking at BO and listening to his camp, I get the impression that they are exceedingly aware that the campaign needs new life and they are in the process of fine tuning the approaches and message too..
I believe we will see something more compelling in a few days. Hang in there... and keep the faith.
April 28, 2008 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed, I'm absolutely sick of TPM whining about the interview. I hate Fox as much as anyone, but c'mon, people need to grow up and see the big picture.
April 28, 2008 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Big Picture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DECeLkBp1uA
The Devolution of American Society
April 28, 2008 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought Obama was right to do it. How can you cay that you will talk to your enemies and not talk to Fox. He was treated more fairly on FOX than on ABC. He also needs to keep up appearances on these shows if not debating Hillary.
How do expect him to go after the blue collar vote? Do you think they blog here?
Come on. This is when the Obama "Kool Aid" charge starts to sound real.
April 28, 2008 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
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