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What the Hell, Barack?
Barack, we need to have a little talk.
You've let McCain off completely on campaign finance and now the country thinks he's a principled reformer rather than a craven liar. You're on the verge of an October where people will think: Oh yeah, he can afford all those ads because he cheated on campaign finance. You missed the opportunity to make people think that about his ads NOW.
You've let McCain control the conversation on energy. This is particularly galling considering he does not have many real ideas. Now people are starting to think: John McCain, at least he's doing something. Again, just like campaign finance, this perception is the opposite of the truth, but people vote on perception, not necessarily truth.
The bottom line is that you have been responding to McCain for almost a month now. There are ways to take control of the conversation while staying on the high road. You promised you would fight the smears, and you have fought the personal attacks, but why not the policy attacks? I want to see you take this thing over, fight the attacks, point out the lies. I'm feeling a bit like a sports fan who is watching his favorite player lose a step in a big game.
What the Hell, Barack?
Comments (7)
McCain has lots of ideas on energy. He's on both sides of almost every issue.
I want to know why Obama is going to sit down for the debates. He's giving up his height advantage, so what is McCain giving up?
To continue your sports analogy, I think Obama knows the refs (the press) are crooked, and is trying to keep them out of the game. But they keep calling outrageous technicals.
June 30, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is playing checkers.
Obama is playing chess.
June 30, 2008 10:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I dunno about this. I can see where you're coming from, but at the same time, I don't think that's necessarily the case. Obama hasn't needed to respond to a number of issues because McCain kills himself on his own. Energy is a great example, where in California one of his invited speakers spoke out against his policies. Then Arnold blasted McCain's offshore drilling policy. McCain keeps shooting himself in the foot on these issues. Obama need not respond to every tiny detail, and in the end, he comes out looking like the better man for it.
June 30, 2008 10:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nicely stated. McCain really doesn't seem to be faring all that well - he looks tired, sounds weary and trying to keep up with his flip flops (Since reports have been published about billions of gallons of oil underneath LA, I fully expect McCain to endorse drilling on Rodeo Drive!)and smarmy 'my friends' condescending remarks is also tuckering out the repubs.
Obama is just maintaining his stride, while McCain is gasping to make it one more lap around the track.
July 1, 2008 1:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
CLUE: Obama was on every cable channel talking about patriotism while McCain was talking about yesterday's story and no one was watching.
And you think Obama is doing something wrong?
July 1, 2008 6:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe now you can appreciate the cost that was exacted by the Clinton campaign continuing into June despite having lost it mathematically by the end of February. While Obama was forced to focus resources and energy parsing words and splitting hairs with a fellow democrat, and to withstand character attacks that the GOP is now only starting to rev up themselves, McCain had the opportunity to move tactically with a press that, for the most part, already cums in its shorts every time McCain walkz in the room.
The good news is that, unlike the Clinton campaign and prior GOP campaigns, and unlike the McCain camapign, Obama and his inner circle are not completely tone deaf -- they are quite strategic, and what they are doing now is laying the ground work on a 50-state asault unlike any other ever run by a Democrat that will begin after Obama travels to Europe, the Middle East, Iraq and Asia -- all a very necessary aspect of the next part of his campaign.
Obama is two steps ahead, McCain is at best 1 step behind, and getting worse.
July 1, 2008 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Obama is two steps ahead, McCain is at best 1 step behind, and getting worse."
Yes, but to be fair Grandpa McCain is using a walker.
July 1, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
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