One of the most profound questions regarding Obama is his approach and tenor towards those most of us around here consider the scum of the earth, the war criminals and torturers at the top of the Republican Party. John McCain is not much more than a replacement part for their Reign of Terror to continue unabated. And of course he is as full of shit as a row of portapotty’s after a three day rock concert and has held more positions than the KamaSutra.
An aggressive, attacking campaign posture will destroy his credibility, despite his protectors in the Merde Stream Media. The question is….will Obama attack? Or play the post-partisan, “reasonable” (in the face of Repub madess) nice guy?
We got a clue last night. These lovely words did NOT come out of Obama’s mouth, but from Obama spokesman Bill Burton.
“What’s reckless is continuing the Bush-McCain foreign policy that has cost us thousands of lives and a trillion dollars in Iraq, strengthened Iran, enabled Hamas to take Gaza, took our eye off al Qaeda, failed to capture Osama bin Laden, failed to finish the job in Afghanistan, and left us less safe and less respected in the world. No amount of utterly predictable fear-mongering and tough talk can change the fact that John McCain is running to continue the most disastrous foreign policy in recent American history,” said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.
The press release of course, came in response to McCain coat-tailing Bush on his despicable “Nazi Appeasers” remarks in Israel:
Earlier today, Sen. Obama made a few remarks I would like to respond to. I welcome a debate about protecting America. No issue is more important. Sen. Obama claimed all I had to offer was the ‘naive and irresponsible belief’ that tough talk would cause Iran to give up its nuclear program. He should know better. I have some news for Sen. Obama: Talking, not even with soaring rhetoric, in unconditional meetings with the man who calls Israel a ‘stinking corpse’ and arms terrorists who kill Americans will not convince Iran to give up its nuclear program. It is reckless to suggest that unconditional meetings will advance our interests.
It would be a wonderful thing if we lived in a world where we don’t have enemies. But that is not the world we live in, and until Sen. Obama understands that reality, the American people have every reason to doubt whether he has the strength, judgment and determination to keep us safe.
The Rev. Wright fiasco (as overblown and media driven as it was) pointed up once again a real challenge the Obama candidacy faces. Right or wrong…Obama can NOT appear too angry during the campaign. Though the Wright brouhaha proved to have no significant traction in the polls or in the special elections where R’s used it in attack ads, the disgusting meme of the “Angry Negro” has been established now and is open for trading. Both by actual racists and those who will merely (and reprehensibly) use race to attack his candidacy.
Fortunately, Obama plays the role of reasonable reserve well and it does not look too weak on him, for the most part. And if played correctly it can be used greatly to his advantage as a contrast to one of McCain’s weak points, his legendary temper. It seems as if America is tired of bloviating tough guys and may be ready for someone reasonable, calm…and intelligent. Iow, not McCain!
But to make this work, Obama will need a bulldog, or a team of bulldogs, to issue the kid of press release we see above… and attack, attack, attack McCain. Hmmm, I seem to see a constructive role for the stinging vitriol blogosphere has exhibited during the candidate wars! (In addition to more prominent surrogates,) McCain needs a 100 Year War waged on his sorry ass, will the Obama team find a way to do it without Obama himself playing into the racist trap that has been set for him? His surrogate bulldogs will be one of the keys to this election.
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Do you really think McInsane is that flexible? I thought he was rather brittle, myself.
I fact I think the nutbar is probably compensating. For some cute little inadequacy, like Bush.
in NCDemAmy’s essay, Obama said almost exactly what you quoted Finch saying. He said it calmly and cooly…but he said it.
I’ve actually been pretty impressed with Obama’s ability to challenge bs and avoid the “angry black man” trap. His response when Clinton pilled on in a debate about denouncing Farrakhan was a moment that stands out to me.
Whether or not he’ll go as far as some of us want him to in demanding justice from this administration…I wouldn’t bet the house on that one.
country through these past several years… there is no way
any of us will sit back and let their attack machine get away
with it ever again. Never again!!! We Are Not Stupid!!!
looks fierce. Oddly when my husband first listened to a speech he made on cspan he said ,I would not like to mess with this guy. My idiot right wing son thinks Obama unlike most pols right or left speaks honestly and doesn’t just posture he respects him.
Maybe the insane knuckle draggin’ chest thumping of a old fool like McCain won’t work. Bush was sols as a good ol boy, how many want to drink with him now? I think that Bush blew this act wide open he’s loathed by most. Mc Cain is going to have a hard time convincing anyone except the 30% and they don’t even like him.
of ‘going off'(as I believe he very much is being and is his nature). All we need is a sound bite played up ad infinitum by MSM, Repug 527’s etc that “THEY FRAME” as angry black man! We know they will try to frame him that way. The only variable is what sound bites do they have to choose from. I do not think he needs to ‘tee one up for them'(bastages).
Of all the VP discussions I have read, I Like Richardson and Hillary was a last choice for me. But I had nor considered the idea of needing ‘attack dog’ capability, not only in the campaign, but to fight the goulish devil minority in the long battle that will be needed to turn the tide from the PIT we are mired in.
“These incompetent hack weasels are beneath my dignity” + the facts + a little passion = winning approach IMO. All in all, I think the dems push back was successful on this.
The real issue is will he bring out the economic populist approach to appeal to Six Pack? This is necessary–and correct.
. . . and was pretty much soundly and roundly e-beaten by the nuts at orange for even daring to simply ask/diary the question. They never got that I was (and remain) for Obama and hoped (heh) that by asking the question I might stir-up something in the Pro-Obama Community that would, eventually, positively infect that campaign.
Mu. . .
speech in response to the offensive bushit spewed by bush a “hysterical diatribe”:
McCain went on to tell even more lies about what Obama said. When I saw the Headline quote (hysterical diatribe)I was baffled–wondering what speech McCain had been watching. It obviously wasn’t Obama’s low key, understated but intelligent, articulate and spot on response. He never raised his voice, never was in any “hysterical” and what he said certainly wasn’t a “diatribe”.
So, Obama is in a no win situation as far as appearing “tough” in his speeches or Q & A sessions. On one hand the repub. propaganda apparently plan to paint any rebuttal of their BS as “hysterical diatribes” or “rants”. On the other hand, they want to paint him as “too week to keep us safe”.
IMHO, he will probably be best served to continue just as he has been in his speeches, responses–& yesterday’s speech was excellent, but he must make sure that he has a few bulldog defenders. Though Biden has his faults, he did a righteously angry defense of the latest BS. If Edwards would, he could also be a surrogate responder. I’m sure there are others. Hopefully, the Obama campaign & the Dems will come up with a winning strategy on offense & defense.