Brilliant analysis. All week the Washington Post has been about downgrading Obama, from the editorials to the op eds to the news analysis. Quite stunning. Though it shouldn't be, should it? It would have been the same against Hillary. I wonder if Bill Clinton really believed that if it were McCain and Hillary, McCain wouldn't have pulled the same shit?
Thanks for continuing to pay attention, Turkana. I wish more pro-Hillary bloggers and blogs, including my own, were doing the same.
Posted by Leah at July 31, 2008 01:22 PMAre you delusional? Media downgrading Obamaa and fluffing McCain. Just who went overseas with three media anchors who fawned over him at every turn? Which media are we talking about? Not the one who falls over themselves everytime The Englightened One gives a "SPEECH", is it? Someone over on your site needs to lay off the bong.
Posted by Hadrianus at July 31, 2008 01:50 PMIt's racist propaganda put out by the Repub machine as usual? Slow summer days, nothing else to bitch about I guess.
Posted by Philly Buster at July 31, 2008 01:55 PMI think the ad is funny and brilliant.
Rather than McCain saying bluntly that Obama is an empty suit who has no significant accomplishments worthy of the over-the-top media attention, the ad indirectly points out Obama's weakness by highlighting his strengthens -- speechifying to throngs of adoring fans -- vis-a-vis two well known celebrities with a reminder of his "performance" in Germany.
Using images of Spears and Hilton ensured that today's entertainment-focused news media would keep the ad in constant rotation. And it worked.
Now, Obama is back on his heels playing defense at every campaign stop.
To help him out, the ObamaMedia (MSNBC, The Situation Room, for instance) are countering with statements by "respectable" Republican stalwarts who they claim are also upset with the ad; ergo, McCain made a mistake in making the ad.
With Obama's poll numbers looking a bit more shaky, he decides to do with McCain what he did with Clinton in South Carolina - race bait:
"...so what they're trying to do is make you scared of me." "You know, he's not patriotic enough. He's got a funny name. You know, he doesn't look like all those other Presidents on those dollar bills, you know. He's risky."
Yeah, we know. Problem is, it didn't work this time, because McCain directlly called him on it.
Rather than counterpunching with his accomplishments (if he had any worth speaking about), the Obama campaign puts out a pitiful counter ad that whines about McCain picking on him.
This is pathetic.
Posted by fafnir at July 31, 2008 02:20 PMObama loves to remind people of his looks. Seems Americans don't have good eyes or something, must always be told he doesn't look like others who have spoken in Europe...yeah, those folks don't remember Colin Powell or Condi Rice.
Posted by peter at July 31, 2008 02:36 PMfafnir I agree (in part) with your analysis that Obama's verbal response was pathetic and imo just plain dumb....he took the bait that Rove et al were throwing out there with that idiotic commercial and magnified it .....how stoopid was that....and now Rove et al (knowing exactly what they were doing) have thrown it right back in his face again with the race baiting claim....gawd this is just like Lucy and the damn football Charlie Brown...how many times are the Dems going to fall for this political stuff and not be better prepared....I mean it's not like we've never seen (or expected) this elitist snobby out of touch character attack tactic from them ever before.... kkKarl and company have to be ltao right now....pa.the.tic!
Posted by emal at July 31, 2008 03:07 PMThank you, fafnir.
Obama will not be allowed to race-bait in the general, and he shouldn't be allowed to do so.
Thank goodness McCain et al had the guts to call him on it.
Let Obama win on his own merit, through his own policies and ideas, and not play mind games with the race card.
If he can't do that, he doesn't deserve to claim he's qualified to be the first POST-RACIAL American president.
Money where your mouth is, Obama.
Posted by Mary at July 31, 2008 03:55 PMSince the dead folks on the money are green, neither Obama OR McCain look like them.
(Except when McCain's temper turns him into the Hulk.)
Posted by TIKI AL at July 31, 2008 04:46 PMthanks, leah. even for a late-arriving and tepid clinton supporter, the primary season was exhausting, on many levels. i can't imagine what it was like for those who were on board all along. i think a lot of burnout is going on, around many blogs, but it's still about what's best- or least worst- for the country and the world...
Posted by Turkana at July 31, 2008 05:06 PMSince the dead folks on the money are green, neither Obama OR McCain look like them.
Martian race-baiting?
Posted by iamcoyote at July 31, 2008 05:53 PMThey confirmed water there today. I'm packing my bag and leaving this bushberg.
Posted by TIKI AL at July 31, 2008 06:04 PMIf McCain isn't running for Bush's third term, why is he using Bush's re-election team?
Posted by croatoan at July 31, 2008 06:24 PM"Senator John McCain is beginning a newly aggressive campaign to define Mr. Obama as arrogant, out of touch and unprepared for the presidency."
At least McInane got that part right.
Posted by jimbo at July 31, 2008 07:45 PMThank goodness McCain et al had the guts to call him on it.
Yeah, Obama "et al" is gonna have to remember that Mark Penn is not calling the shots anymore.
Posted by Seven of Six at July 31, 2008 07:47 PMSince the dead folks on the money are green, neither Obama OR McCain look like them.
Martian race-baiting?
Posted by iamcoyote at July 31, 2008 05:53 PM
funny!
Posted by the young Judith (tyj) at July 31, 2008 08:10 PM"Thank goodness McCain et al had the guts to call him on it.
Yeah, Obama "et al" is gonna have to remember that Mark Penn is not calling the shots anymore.
Posted by Seven of Six at July 31, 2008 07:47 PM
it aint about Penn, it's about the media guys liking McCain and defending him.
Posted by the young Judith (tyj) at July 31, 2008 08:14 PM
it aint about Penn, it's about the media guys liking McCain and defending him.
Not when you have a PUMA blabbing her mouth about Obama.
Posted by Seven of Six at July 31, 2008 08:20 PMWant to keep in touch with Obama's response to the lies, low blows and desperate crap that McCain and his minions are putting out?
Notice stuff like this in NY Times Editorials??? :
“Well, that certainly didn’t take long…The candidate [John McCain] who started out talking about high-minded, civil debate has wholeheartedly adopted Mr. Rove’s low-minded and uncivil playbook.”
Obama used the race card against Hillary, and it worked wonders. I think the polls are all wrong. Obama is way out in front in this election. Everyone adores him. He is an incredibly inspirational speaker.
Posted by Muck at July 31, 2008 11:02 PMDon't confuse PUMA's with Independents who have been watching the Obama games all along.
Obama will win or lose in November based on how he is perceived by the Independents, and not by the diehard supporters who W.O.R.M. everything he says.
He wins or loses on his own merits on policies and ideas, PERIOD.
Okie-dokes aren't gonna work in the general election.
Posted by Mary at August 1, 2008 06:16 AMDon't confuse PUMA's with Independents who have been watching the Obama games all along.
Great, Independent trolls!
Posted by Seven of Six at August 1, 2008 07:42 AMya know 7 of 6, ypur response to me made no sense. You were taljing about Penn. I responded about Penn.
Please focus or I will smack your palm with a ruler.
Siter "the young Judith (tyj)"
Posted by the young Judith (tyj) at August 1, 2008 04:45 PM