Obama Goes Feisty

By Jon Cordeiro

Filed Under Race for White House 2008 on Aug 20 

The past few weeks have not been kind to Barack Obama. He’s still reeling from his disastrous Saddleback performance and has seen his former double-digit polling lead on rival John McCain evaporate into a five-point deficit.

Say what you want about John McCain, but he’s been landing some pretty solid hits the Dali-Bama lately. Underneath the PR blitz is the unmistakable foundational theme: Barack Obama is not ready to lead America. That theme is starting to resonate with America because it has the added value of being true.

There are many ways Obama could choose to refute the various attacks being leveled at him from several sources. Obama showed his inability to establish a coherent train of off-prompter thought during Pastor Warren’s interview, so the open press conference isn’t really an option. His press-room’s attempt at line-by-line refutation of Corsi’s attack book has been less than stellar.

Well, it looks like Obama has looked to recent history as to how to best answer the attacks that come with any run for the Oval Office. Evidently Obama has consulted with Massachusetts’ Junior Senator and Presidential Loser John “Lurch” Kerry and decided to take Lurch’s same strategy employed during the 2004 Race for the Oval.

 In other words, Obama is going to whine and claim his opponent is attacking his “patriotism” – even though the basis for such whining is as ethereal as Obama’s presidential resume. Here’s Obama’s opening salvo in what has been describe as “feisty campaigning“:

These are the judgments I’ve made and the policies that we have to debate, because we do have differences in this election. One of the things that we have to change in this country is the idea that people can’t disagree without challenging each other’s character and patriotism. I have never suggested that Sen. McCain picks his positions on national security based on politics or personal ambition. I have not suggested it because I believe that he genuinely wants to serve America’s national interest. Now, it’s time for him to acknowledge that I want to do the same.

The latter half of Lurch’s failed bid for the Oval was highlighted by his constant whining about alleged attacks on his “patriotism”. He spent a good chunk of his convention speech whining about it. As evidenced by the 2004 election results, Lurch’s whining strategy was not successful. Obama has co-opted this same strategy – the results of which are as yet undetermined.

whining.jpg

Obama reminds me of an offensive lineman in a long ago played high school football game. Said lineman spent the entire first half of the game whining to the referee about being held, clipped, spat-upon, and other indignities common to the interior line. Midway through the third-quarter the referee pulled the offensive lineman aside and told him that he wasn’t “suffering”. The other players weren’t cheap-shotting him – they were, in the words of the ref, “kicking your [insert descriptive term for hindquarters here]“.

Here’s the basis from which spring Obama’s claims that McCain is “questioning his patriotism – from McCain’s VFW speech this week:

Thanks to the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines and to brave Iraqi fighters the surge has succeeded. And yet Senator Obama still cannot quite bring himself to admit his own failure in judgment. Nor has he been willing to heed the guidance of General Petraeus, or to listen to our troops on the ground when they say — as they have said to me on my trips to Iraq: “Let us win, just let us win.” Instead, Senator Obama commits the greater error of insisting that even in hindsight, he would oppose the surge. Even in retrospect, he would choose the path of retreat and failure for America over the path of success and victory. In short, both candidates in this election pledge to end this war and bring our troops home. The great difference is that I intend to win it first.

Behind all of these claims and positions by Senator Obama lies the ambition to be president. What’s less apparent is the judgment to be commander in chief. And in matters of national security, good judgment will be at a premium in the term of the next president — as we were all reminded ten days ago by events in the nation of Georgia.

In short, Senator Obama, your opponent is not questioning your patriotism. He’s questioning this omniscient judgment you claim to have. By all available information, that powerful judgment is, at best, lacking. You may think John McCain “doesn’t know what he’s up against”, but I’m pretty sure you have no idea what you’re up against.

Perhaps Obama should give this guy a shot at being his press secretary. At least he employs the proper pitch for Team Obama’s message. (Warning – gratuitous profanity).

*Diagram credit to Jessica Hagy at Indexed.

Comments

  • toby

    hmmm… a few weeks ago, people were whining that Obama DIDN’T have a double digit lead, and saying he should be doing better…

    now we’re hearing that that phantom double digit lead has evaporated…

    outlying polls notwithstanding, most polls show the race to be about the same as it was before- a modest lead for Obama with a great number of states up for grabs

    • Troy La Mana

      The liberal polls that say Obama has a 4-5 point lead have in small print that it’s within the margin for error. In other words, it’s a dead heat.

      The polls show that at this time last election Kerry had a massive lead.

      That is why Dems should be scared as Hell. Their canidate is trying to dig out of a hole with a couple of months left to go. The odds are that Obama is going to get a small to zero bump from the convention because McCains convention is going to overwhelm the media. I expect McCain to have a 7 – 9 point bump.

  • Alaina

    I like it… “Now, it’s time for him to acknowledge that I want to do the same.” If McCain believed Obama wants to serve America’s interest, instead of his own, he might acknowledge it.

  • kristen

    Maybe if Obama actually visited the troops instead of doing his publicity shots, he’d have a clue about what is going on in Iraq.

    That quote from McCain is great.

  • Dominick

    Very interesting how Obama, who has been rather scripted and on message throughout the primary and general campaigns in pretty much every public venue, seemed to be winging it at the Saddleback forum.

    It was the first day back from his one week vacation in Hawaii. I have a hunch that his campaign team wanted him to get bakc a couple days before Saddleback to prep, but that he said “no problem,” I’ve got it down, because he promised the family a free week.

    Goes to show you that although campaigns can be intense for candisates in ways non of us really know, that sometimes breaking that intensity for a week off is a negative thing to do, despite needing it. That same intensity keeps on on therir toes–Hawaii is too relaxing in other words.

    I would agree McCain did the better of the two at the Sadleback forum–but would not gush that he “Won” and such. I supported McCain in 200 for the primary nomination, saw him a number of times. Had not seen him in-person until about a month ago at an event.

    Wow–he has really aged and deterierated since 2000. To me that was evident watching him at the Saddleback forum on TV–but not anyware as much as when I saw him last month.

    On the one hand a young looking VP like Romney–or an actually yound VP could help with this age issue. On the other hand, Romney and nearly every other potential VP candidate except Liberman (who actually makes McCain look younger) could also remind voters McCains age, especially when side-by-side.

    I didn’t think his age would be a big issue–but am amazed how many people I’ve talked to recently bring it up, including Republican seniors in the late 60′s to early 80′s.

    And, is it really a good idea to pick your VP candidate on your 72 birthday?

    • Eric

      “I supported McCain in 200…”
      AD or BC?

      The age thing just makes it more important that the VP is the real thing, ready to lead on day 2.

  • Fabs

    I’m sure their debates (sad to say I missed the recent one) are going to have far more entertainment value than those of previous elections. Let that mud fly!!!

  • Eric

    Yes. McCain is winning/has won this round. But it’s certain Obama will find his way again soon (next week?). Obama has the advantage in the convention setting. But McCain is scrappy. I’m enjoying this.

  • Redstate Eddio

    Patriotism, shmatriotism. I’m not complaining when the Oba-wan makes the following statement on a daily basis “[blah, blah, blah]…the failed policies of the McCain-Bush administration”. Do I agree with him? No. Do I think it’s an “out-of-bounds” statement to make? Of course not. It’s not working, but let’s not tell Mr. B that until Nov 5th.

    It’s very simple: J-Mac’s pass rush is beating the tar out of the “O-line”.

    This is the kind of traction I was wondering if McCain was going to get started at some point in the election. By golly, he’s bringing it, and the Oba-wan is just melting under the glare.

  • Gary Russell

    Good thoughts.

    Its about time for another “IF THE ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY” update.
    Have you seen Realclearpolitics today?

    SWEET!

    Now, if McCain just won’t blow the Veep choice…