Pretty clear by now that the main effort of the McCain campaign (through, yes, surrogates, of course) is all about searching for the right way to convey the idea "uppity" without actually using that term. It's proving to be much more profitable than actually addressing any actual substantive issues. When Sen. McCain (And Friends) start talking about the economy, the environment, the government - basically anything regarding the physical or social infrastructure - it's pretty easy to see that they have NO IDEA what the problem is, much less what a solution might look like.
Lets see if "Elitist", "The Race Card", "Pop Star Celebrity", "Naive Idealist" will gain traction, at least with a "certain segment" of the electorate. The ones that are looking for a reason not to vote for someone who doesn't look like them.
I agree that Sen. Obama is somewhat of an idealist, which may not be such a good thing for a US president, but naive he certainly is not. I think the statement about not looking like previous presidents is exactly correct. And well phrased. Sen. Obama has shown a great deal of political agility in defusing the so far pretty clumsy attempts to label him as a "Black" candidate. Of course, it may be that labelling a black man as a black candidate was previously an easy thing to do. Jesse Jackson, as the most visible previous campaigners, really had no credibility except as a leader of a social movement largely aimed at a black constituency. Regardless of any other characteristic, it's really best, in the belief of most voters, to go with someone with previous experience in elective office. Someone who has submitted him(her)self as a candidate.
Still it worries me somewhat: When the curtain is pulled at the voting booth this November, there's going to be some level of ... Let's call it "Nostalgia" - people harking to a past that seems nicer than today. Deciding that they really would prefer a president who looks like all the previous presidents. It's an easy way to be a non-racist racist.
For my part, I think that the Old White Guys have had their turn (and I am one, or at least look like one), and they haven't really delivered for at least half a century. Let's go with the new guy. He couldn't do any worse than the present one!
I especially like that Sen. Obama's running from the intelligent end of the political spectrum, even though that's risky. Even the intelligent ones (Clinton comes to mind) generally prefer to reduce risk by running as a good ol' boy. Let's reward the innovative and eloquent Candidate Obama this November.
Although, perhaps, sticking him in the Oval Office, which by now looks pretty much like the Augean Stables may be no reward.
Lets see if "Elitist", "The Race Card", "Pop Star Celebrity", "Naive Idealist" will gain traction, at least with a "certain segment" of the electorate. The ones that are looking for a reason not to vote for someone who doesn't look like them.
I agree that Sen. Obama is somewhat of an idealist, which may not be such a good thing for a US president, but naive he certainly is not. I think the statement about not looking like previous presidents is exactly correct. And well phrased. Sen. Obama has shown a great deal of political agility in defusing the so far pretty clumsy attempts to label him as a "Black" candidate. Of course, it may be that labelling a black man as a black candidate was previously an easy thing to do. Jesse Jackson, as the most visible previous campaigners, really had no credibility except as a leader of a social movement largely aimed at a black constituency. Regardless of any other characteristic, it's really best, in the belief of most voters, to go with someone with previous experience in elective office. Someone who has submitted him(her)self as a candidate.
Still it worries me somewhat: When the curtain is pulled at the voting booth this November, there's going to be some level of ... Let's call it "Nostalgia" - people harking to a past that seems nicer than today. Deciding that they really would prefer a president who looks like all the previous presidents. It's an easy way to be a non-racist racist.
For my part, I think that the Old White Guys have had their turn (and I am one, or at least look like one), and they haven't really delivered for at least half a century. Let's go with the new guy. He couldn't do any worse than the present one!
I especially like that Sen. Obama's running from the intelligent end of the political spectrum, even though that's risky. Even the intelligent ones (Clinton comes to mind) generally prefer to reduce risk by running as a good ol' boy. Let's reward the innovative and eloquent Candidate Obama this November.
Although, perhaps, sticking him in the Oval Office, which by now looks pretty much like the Augean Stables may be no reward.
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