Reactions to story from Time

From the Politics channel »

McCain's 7 Steps to Beating Obama

http://time.com/ time/ politics/ article/ 0,8599,1739251,00.html?imw=Y

204 days ago

Time

http://www.time.com/ time/

view larger thumbnail

The Links: West Virginia's Impact
http://politicalrealm.blogspot.com/2008/05/links-west-virgin...
204 days ago in The Political Realm · Authority: 56

Served fresh (almost) daily... West Virginia Polling Average: Clinton +31.8 McCain vs. Obama: Obama +4.5McCain vs. Clinton: Clinton +4.8Michael Scherer offers McCain seven steps to defeat Obama.Clinton plays up West Virginia's significance. HI Sen
a culture-war campaign
http://how-infotaining.com/2008/07/22/a-culture-war-campaign...
133 days ago in a different take on the news — infotainment rules · Authority: 9

Note: I’m in a rush and don’t have time to add the links required to document my assertions; I’ll fill them in later. Shelby Steele gets at the essence of Obama’s profound appeal: he’s running on culture (i.e., as a celebrity, as I have noted many times over the last six months) rather than on his politics (which are all over the map, as has been well documented all over the interwebs, if not in the MSM (as noted by Pew) in the last two months: [W]hite Americans have also been tormented by their stigmatization as moral inferiors, as racists. An Obama presidency would give them considerable moral leverage against this stigma. So it has to be acknowledged that, on the level of cultural and historical symbolism, an Obama presidency might nudge the culture forward a bit — presuming of course that he would be at least a competent president. (A less-than-competent black president would likely be a step backwards.) It would be a good thing were blacks to be more open to the power of individual responsibility. And it would surely help us all if whites were less cowed by the political correctness on black issues that protects their racial innocence at the expense of the very principles that made America great. We Americans are hungry for such a cultural shift. This, no doubt, is what Barack Obama means by “change.” He promises to reconfigure our exhausted cultural arrangement. The McCain campaign is obviously aware of Obama’s cultural appeal, and it is seeding a “False Messiah” counter-culture campaign against him: The important thematic part of the ad is not the gas prices, but the explicit, if still subtle, use of the False Messiah argument, which McCain’s senior staff has been talking privately about for months. At first it sounds like the rush of a river, then the chants become clear. They are Obama’s minions, chanting his name in a kind of creepy, almost Orwellian repetition. Watch this theme develop over the coming months. As it stands, the McCain campaign already likes citing Oprah Winfrey’s claim that Obama is “The One,” like Keanu Reeves in a trench coat. The McCain campaign is trying to turn Obama’s enormous enthusiasm and crowds against him, to find a kryptonite for his superpowers. This is an arrogance argument, like the one made last week by Charles Krauthammer, but it is also a cultural argument. Subcultures are inherently insular. They have rules, customs and assumptions of their own. They tend to embrace lofty, abstract rhetoric. They also exclude. And in a political campaign, you do not want to exclude. In this spot, McCain is not just campaigning against Obama the man, but Obama the movement and Obama the subculture. He is trying to convince regular voters that Obama supporters are not regular. They are true believers, even worshipers. And it could be an effective attack, for at least two reasons. 1. America has a tradition of seeking out regular people as presidents, not demigods. 2. The conventional wisdom in politics today is you win by tearing down your opponent’s strengths. [e.a.] Shelby Steele notes a further chink in Obama’s armor: But here lies his essential contradiction: His campaign is more cultural than political. He sells himself more as a cultural breakthrough than as a candidate for office. To be a projection screen for the cultural aspirations of both blacks and whites one must be an invisible man politically. Real world politics, in their mundanity, interrupt cultural projections. And so Mr. Obama’s political invisibility — a charm that can only derive from a lack of deep political convictions — may well serve his cultural appeal, but it also makes him something of a political mess. Already he has flip-flopped on campaign financing, wire-tapping, gun control, faith-based initiatives, and the terms of withdrawal from Iraq. Those enamored of his cultural potential may say these reversals are an indication of thoughtfulness, or even open-mindedness. But could it be that this is a man who trusted so much in his cultural appeal that the struggles of principle and conscience never seemed quite real to him? His flip-flops belie an almost existential callowness toward principle, as if the very idea of permanent truth is passé, a form of bad taste. [e.a.] I can tell you that this appeal to the culture is working on the under-30 set (the part of that set which I see, at any rate). They don’t care about Obama’s policy ideas. They like the guy. And they’re not the only ones. Why, on American Morning just today Kiran Chetry reported on the media’s pro-Obama’s bias, then her interview subject Rudy Giuiliani confirmed that pro-Obama media bias, and then moments later Chetry—with no apparentrony—reported the BREAKING NEWS: “any minute now! Barack Obama’s plane will arrive in Amman, Jordan!!!”
The False Messiah Argument
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/07/the_false_messiah...
134 days ago in Swampland - TIME.com · Authority: 2,936

The False Messiah Argument Posted by Michael Scherer | Comments (71) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This The McCain campaign is out with a second negative ad against Obama in four days, or two days if you don't count the weekend. It is ostensibly about gas prices, and it hits Obama for refusing to back new offshore drilling, which would not have an impact on gas prices for another decade or so. Leave aside the claim that Obama is somehow responsible for high gas prices. (Earlier this month, McCain blamed the high prices on Washington politicians.) The important thematic part of the ad is not the gas prices, but the explicit, if still subtle, use of the False Messiah argument, which McCain's senior staff has been talking privately about for months. At first it sounds like the rush of a river, then the chants become clear. They are Obama's minions, chanting his name in a kind of creepy, almost Orwellian repetition. Watch this theme develop over the coming months. As it stands, the McCain campaign already likes citing Oprah Winfrey's claim that Obama is "The One," like Keanu Reeves in a trench coat. The McCain campaign is trying to turn Obama's enormous enthusiasm and crowds against him, to find a kryptonite for his superpowers. This is an arrogance argument, like the one made last week by Charles Krauthammer, but it is also a cultural argument. Subcultures are inherently insular. They have rules, customs and assumptions of their own. They tend to embrace lofty, abstract rhetoric. They also exclude. And in a political campaign, you do not want to exclude. In this spot, McCain is not just campaigning against Obama the man, but Obama the movement and Obama the subculture. He is trying to convince regular voters that Obama supporters are not regular. They are true believers, even worshipers. And it could be an effective attack, for at least two reasons. 1. America has a tradition of seeking out regular people as presidents, not demigods. 2. The conventional wisdom in politics today is you win by tearing down your opponent's strengths. Sphere Related Blogs & Articles | July 21, 2008 10:41
BEAT OBAMA SEVEN WAYS 1.
http://www.edenprairienews.com/community/forums/back-and-for...
202 days ago in Eden Prairie News | News, sports, politics, blogs and forums Eden Prairie, Minnesota • (952) 942-7885 · Authority: 27

BEAT OBAMA SEVEN WAYS 1. Paint Obama as false Messiah 2. Work, Woo and Win the Referees 3.Meet with people and force Obama to follow 4. Claim the high road without leaving the low road 5. Use a Vice President to temper age issue 6. Make inroads with traditional Democratic voters 7. Rely on Historic RNC advantage.... According to TIME MAG, "Sometimes you don't need the secret memo, a Deep Throat source, or the combination to the safe to get the story. Sometimes it's lying right there in front of you, a series of fragments ready to be pieced together. Such is the case when it comes to John McCain's general election strategy for defeating Barack Obama. For weeks now, the Arizona Senator's campaign has been laying its cards on the table, spelling out a strategy for November. Here's a look at seven of their key strategies. " The entire article at: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1739251,00.html
"For weeks now, the Arizona Senator’s campaign has been laying its cards on the table, spelling..."
http://sockpr0n.tumblr.com/post/34793599
202 days ago in sockpr0n: linkjunkie · Authority: 5

“For weeks now, the Arizona Senator’s campaign has been laying its cards on the table, spelling out a strategy for November. Here’s a look at seven of their key strategies.” - McCain’s 7 Steps to Beating Obama - TIME
Can McCain Shape The Narrative?
http://race42008.com/2008/05/14/can-mccain-shape-the-narrati...
203 days ago in race42008.com · Authority: 145

Reed Galen over at RealClearPolitics makes striking connections between Sen. Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and that of President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 bids. Of course, we are not talking about ideology or policy proposals… Ideologically speaking, Barack Obama and George Bush could hardly be more different. Theirs is a dichotomy of Democratic big-government, dovish liberalism and Republican low-tax, free market, hawkish conservatism. But their personalities, when beliefs are removed, are not terribly different to the outside observer. Both shine in tightly-controlled, set-piece environments where the rules of engagement are based on their comfort-level. Although their speaking styles are clearly divergent, their charisma is a defining quality; turning arenas full of people into adoring fans with a turn-of-phrase, wink or thumbs up. Despite their personal magnetism, though, they are also both clearly uncomfortable in more dynamic situations. Barack Obama in front of a teleprompter and well-screened crowd is a far different candidate than the Barack Obama dealing with Charlie Gibson asking pointed questions during a debate. Obama’s reaction to that particular event also points to another trait he shares with the White House’s current occupant: Neither reacts well to criticism from quarters they believe unworthy to bestow it. Additionally, Obama’s infrequent media availabilities and rare trips to the press cabin of his campaign plane tell us we should expect the same type of minimalist dealings with the fourth estate under a President Obama as we have had under President Bush. For all his talk promoting post-partisanship and a style of politics that is responsive to public demands, Barack Obama has ran one of the most controlled and, arguably, aloof campaigns in presidential history. Day in and day out, Obama and his surrogates practice message discipline better than any campaign outside of Bush circa 2000 and 2004. In addition, Galen draws a relevant comparison between the two camps in that their efficiency, loyalty, organization, and relentlessness propelled them past their opposition. Obama supporters have demonstrated their impressive capabilities in both voting (dominating caucus after caucus) and fundraising (record-setting donations) for their man. Yet, what if John McCain can turn these seemingly discouraging factors into positives come November? Like it or not, the media has a soft spot for the Republican nominee. Continuing to offer political reporters and journalists a front row seat on the campaign bus or plane will contrast sharply with Obama’s (relative) reluctance for minimal media contact. As Michael Scherer of Time points out, this certainly does come with added risk. Despite possible pitfalls, however, McCain has an opportunity to paint himself as David to Obama’s Goliath, arguing that the freshman Senator’s dramatic rise to national prestige has clouded his attachment and connection to the everyday voter. Without a doubt, Obama’s eloquence and prose can make McCain look like a stuttering and cantankerous old man (I am sure some will argue that he is already). But, if Obama agrees to such events, McCain could shine in town-hall formats without a moderator. In fact, exposing Obama to audiences that his campaign has not previously hand-selected would truly do wonders for McCain. A few slip-ups may just tarnish the Chosen One enough to cast off the anchor of an unpopular president and overcome Democratic advantages in organization, fundraising, and party ID. Getting Obama to play McCain’s game, however, will be another story…
Tuesday Whip!
http://libertypeaklodge.typepad.com/headquarters/2008/05/tue...
203 days ago in Liberty Peak Lodge · Authority: 23

Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America Funeral in the Rain: Clinton Confronts the Inevitable Blames Bill Clintons Under Seige Clintons is Forever Hamas Hearts Obama! Oh, this'll be good. Irena Sendler Saved 2,500 Jewish Children From Monsters: I continue to have qualms of conscience that I did so little. Under the pretext of inspecting sanitary conditions during a typhoid outbreak, she and her assistants ventured inside the ghetto — and smuggled out babies and small children in ambulances and in trams, sometimes wrapped up as packages. United States Wes Pruden on Pot Holes on the High Road: "He is perceived by many voters as not well-grounded on foreign policy and not tough enough and he has a potential problem, distinct from race, of being an elitist, an intellectual." Just the sort of candidate you might expect to pander to wealthy San Francisco Democrats by mocking the faith and values of small-town America. Post-Crucible Clinton: She defined herself and restored the Democrats' working class roots? Really? I tell you, it's 1976: If Obama Gets Elected, it'll be the Cardigan Sweater Factor. The Obama Rules: Keeping the Voters Distracted Puts on Flag Pin Whoo hoo! Encounters with Racism on the Campaign Trail George Will: Questions for McCain 7 Steps to Beating Obama Thomas Sowell Asks: Are the Issues Too Complex? (Hint: Congress adds more to a gallon of gas than obscene profiteers) Sensei Norris Wonders: Has the US Run Amok Constitutionally? On the Second Amendment: We're All Gun Nuts Now If you think we're on the wrong track now, Wait Till the Leftists are in Control: Do most Americans really prefer Obama's and the Democrats' pledge to leave Iraq to the Republicans' pledge to win this war? No matter how horrific, even potentially genocidal, the consequences would be to Iraqis? No matter how adversely it would affect potential U.S. allies who will no longer trust our commitments to them? And no matter how much it would weaken America's domestic security, given an Islamist victory in Iraq? If so, we are in deep trouble as a nation. War on Terror The sniper never knew what hit him. U.S. Troops to Assist "Deluded" British in Southern Iraq More at Belmont Club. Religion of Peace Trouble in German Town: Some Muslims for Burial of Cop Killer, Others Against Saudi Man Gets 150 Lashes for Reading Liberty Peak Lodge. Actually, he met up with some totty. In Saudi Arabia, getting caught with an unrelated woman can mean arrest, a possible flogging and dishonor, the worst penalty of all in a society where preserving a family's reputation depends on faithful adherence to a strict code of separation between the sexes. And that's why we're all standing in line to convert to Islam! Gonna Die Crisis! Al Gore Feeds on Burma Tragedy McCain Pledges to Stop Global Warming
RezkoWatch HotList 05/12/08
http://rezkowatch.blogspot.com/2008/05/rezkowatch-hotlist-05...
205 days ago in Rezko Watch · Authority: 191

Watch for updates to the RezkoWatch HotList: Headlines Ray Gibson, Ex-state official Ali Ata had state leases despite irregularities, records show. Rezko associate failed to disclose partners in multimillion-dollar deals, paperwork indicates, Chicago Tribune, May 11, 2008. Mike Robinson, Rezko jury to hear closing arguments, Associated Press, May 12, 2008. Susan Saulny and Catrin Einhorn, Corruption Case Testimony Taints Rising Political Star, New York Times, May 12, 2008. Bruce Walker, Operation Chaos and Hillary's future, EnterStageRight, May 12, 2008. Dana Kozlov, Closing Arguments Set For Rezko Trial, CBS2Chicago.com, May 12, 2008. Kevin McDermott, Elected as team, Quinn is now a Blagojevich foe, Pantagraph.com, May 12, 2008. David Beery, What to expect on last day. Final arguments on tap in Rezko case, Daily Herald, May 12, 2008. Natasha Korecki, Rezko replay. 10 key developments in case of gov's indicted fund-raiser, Chicago Sun-Times, May 12, 2008. Closing Arguments Underway in Chicago Political Fundraiser Tony Rezko's Corruption Trial, Associated Press/Fox News, May 12, 2008. Jeralyn Merritt, Closing Arguments Underway in Rezko Trial, TalkLeft, May 12, 2008. Rich Miller, Rezko Trial Watch UPDATED x2, The Capitol Fax Blog, May 12, 2008. Get ready for a showdown in Denver, Sen. Obama Hillary Clinton's Electoral Map Argument, Political Radar/ABC News, May 9, 2008. Ellen R. Malcolm, Quitters Never Win, Washington Post, May 10, 2008. Juan Williams, Opinion: Face it, Democrats: Barack Obama's got a growing problem with whites, New York Daily News, May 11, 2008. Ed Lasky, Obama Abandons American Workers, American Thinker, May 11, 2008. Big Tent Democrat, Facts Are Stubborn Things, TalkLeft, May 11, 2008. Thomas Lifson, Obama campaign lies, American Thinker, May 11, 2008. NYT Trying To Shore Up Obama On National Security, Wolf Howling, May 11, 2008. Deb Cupples, Just Words? Yes, According to a Chicago Tribune Blog -- and Most National Media Haven't Figured it Out, Buck Naked Politics, May 11, 2008. Larry Johnson, Some questions Obama refuses to answer, No Quarter, May 11, 2008. Kenneth P. Vogel, HRC courts media backlash, protest vote, The Politico, May 11, 2008. It's 1984 all over again, Pagan Power, May 11, 2008. Tom Baldwin, Republicans ready to denounce Barack Obama as 'new voice for old ideas', TimesOnline (UK), May 12, 2008. Philip Klein, Stop Believing Obama, The American Spectator, May 12, 2008. Clinton's rural advantage, TexasDarlin, May 12, 2008. Susan Estrich, Could Obama be another Dukakis?, RealClearPolitics.com, May 12, 2008. Jim Kouri, Barack Obama Crusades for Driver's Licenses for Illegal Aliens, The Conservative Voice, May 12, 2008. Mark Silva, Clinton: 'Not over 'til pantsuit lady says', The Swamp/Baltimore Sun, May 12, 2008. Doughas E. Schoen, Opinion: Obama and the Values Question Mark, Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2008. Anne Leary, Obama Nuance, BackyardConservative, May 12, 2008. Michael Scherer, McCain's 7 Steps to Beating Obama, TIME, May 12, 2008. Michael Crowley, Siege Mentality. How impeachment explains the Clinton campaign, The New Republic, May 28, 2008 (issue). WARNING: There is some good information in this article about Bill and Hillary Clinton; however, the bottom line is Crowley sets the stage for the Clintons to be at fault should Obama become the Democratic nominee and lose to John McCain in the general election. On the campaign trail (or not) Joseph Cannon, Team Obama's vote suppression in West Virginia, Cannonfire, May 11, 2008. OMG Obama Wears Flag Pin, Wonkette, May 12, 2008. h/t PM Barack Obama missing in Kentucky (h/t Tennessee Guerilla Women) It IS about the company you keep, Sen. Obama Ben Macintyre, The loose cannon in Team Obama, The Australian, May 12, 2008. Douglas Belkin, For Obama, Advice Straight Up. Valerie Jarrett Is Essential Member of Inner Set, Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2008. Ron Kessler, Obama Embraces New 'Caustic' Pastor, The Cutting Edge, May 12, 2008. James Lewis, Bugged by the miracle of Obama, American Thinker, May 12, 2008. Jake Tapper, Obama's Inability to Hire Good Help Rears Its Head … Again, Political Punch/ABC News, May 12, 2008.