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6 months ago
in You have Rick Warren officially spooked on AMERICAblog
I wrote about a solution today: inviting Peter Gomes to give a co-invocation with Rick Warren. Now, that would be the message the President-elect was originally looking for.
1 reply
6 months ago
in Hope is fading on AMERICAblog
It's not whether they can be successful or not that matters. Pat Buchanan pretty much torpedoed HW's re-election. Te Kennedy ruined Jimmy Carter's re-election. Ronald Reagan ruined Gerald Ford's re-election. To a lesser extent, Bill Bradley prevented Al Gore's election.
If a consensus candidate--a President or Vice President f a popular administration--faces a serious challenger from their party's base, they will be forced to tact to the fringe after they win the nomination in the name of party unity.
People who could pose problems for Barack Obama in 2010: Gavin Newsom (if he gets elected Governor/Senator of California), Howard Dean, Russ Feingold, Barbara Boxer, etc.
If one of those candidates runs, then Obama will probably lose. Feingold would probably be the toughest for Obama to dispatch. (The one thing Obama has going for him is that Biden may well decide to retire in 4 years if there's a contentious primary, and the progressive opponent can be given the VP slot).
If a consensus candidate--a President or Vice President f a popular administration--faces a serious challenger from their party's base, they will be forced to tact to the fringe after they win the nomination in the name of party unity.
People who could pose problems for Barack Obama in 2010: Gavin Newsom (if he gets elected Governor/Senator of California), Howard Dean, Russ Feingold, Barbara Boxer, etc.
If one of those candidates runs, then Obama will probably lose. Feingold would probably be the toughest for Obama to dispatch. (The one thing Obama has going for him is that Biden may well decide to retire in 4 years if there's a contentious primary, and the progressive opponent can be given the VP slot).
1 reply
Indigo
Good analysis. I'm going to file it and watch as events unfold.
11 months ago
in The Debate That Wasn’t - Smells like Bullshyt on Jack and Jill Politics
Finding common ground wins elections; holding grudges and living in the past doesn't. It's as simple as that.
show all 3 replies
3 replies
msmartin
Well said. I'd like to add that focusing in your opponent in a negative manner will lose it too.
CPL
The "finding common ground" only works when both sides put their cards on the table. We didn't see that yesterday. In fact, the whole "debate" was nothing more than a lovefest between Markos and Harold. For someone who eviscerated Obama's changing on FISA, not to mention raking Harold Ford over the coals for being anti-gay, Markos has sure changed his tune regarding the Dark Sith.
You get rid of grudges when apologizies, restitution and repentence are on the table. Harold Ford brought none of that yesterday - he and Markos are pay for play on both sides of the fence, where there is opportunity to advance their own self-serving agendas.
One is a former ReThug and the other aspires to be a ReThug, under the cover of looking like a Democrat. When it comes to the real deal, both are suspect.
You get rid of grudges when apologizies, restitution and repentence are on the table. Harold Ford brought none of that yesterday - he and Markos are pay for play on both sides of the fence, where there is opportunity to advance their own self-serving agendas.
One is a former ReThug and the other aspires to be a ReThug, under the cover of looking like a Democrat. When it comes to the real deal, both are suspect.
12 months ago
in With Friends Like These…… on Jack and Jill Politics
Not fair, I've been blasting away at the front pagers over at DailyKos. While I understand where some would see race. I think this has little to do with race, and much to do with the assumption that Obama's win is a foregone conclusion so he should be pressured into pursuing their agenda(s). I think that's a huge mistake, and I've told them that pretty bluntly. But it's also a mistake for Obama's African American supporters to be seeing race in everything; that just diminishes the effectiveness of responses when there actually is race involved (see the New Yorker Cover). I think too many people here think the sole goal is to elect an African American candidate. Look that is a goal, and a goal that I share. But we have to win the election to achieve that goal. Winning a general election means working with people you don't like...
1 reply
kenyaw
The Bag,
It is called racial paranoia. It is ineffective as a way to solve problems today.
Your comment was well written. I hope that we are open to the dialogue about racial paranioa.
Have you read the Jackson Johnson book or the same title?
It is called racial paranoia. It is ineffective as a way to solve problems today.
Your comment was well written. I hope that we are open to the dialogue about racial paranioa.
Have you read the Jackson Johnson book or the same title?
12 months ago
in With Friends Like These…… on Jack and Jill Politics
You're wrong about cable news. There's an assumption that everybody watches it. In truth only about 4% of the country and 8% of eligible voters watch it. Cable new has a daily audience of around 8-12 million. Grocery stores where this thing might be sold--90+% of the country frequents them.
Buying them up, and informing advertisers that you bought 30 copies and only read one just to see who to boycott would make it very clear that the hundreds of thousands of dollars they dropped on full page ads were totally wasted.
Buying them up, and informing advertisers that you bought 30 copies and only read one just to see who to boycott would make it very clear that the hundreds of thousands of dollars they dropped on full page ads were totally wasted.
1 reply
Sepia
I disagree with you on all fronts. Cable news can do damage to a campaign as proven with the Rev. Wright drama. And there's also nightly news programs (like ABC News, Nightline, NBC....etc.), morning show programs like The Today Show, as well as local news outlets.
Putting money in the pockets of your enemy is not the way to punish them.
Putting money in the pockets of your enemy is not the way to punish them.
12 months ago
in With Friends Like These…… on Jack and Jill Politics
I called up my Mom who is 59, working class, and white. Her crowd, though not her, are the people who supported Hillary. Her reaction, "Who is that supposed to be, Michelle Obama? Oh my God, that is pathetic and racist."
The bright side is that the public is usually brighter than the left-wing idiots give them credit for.
The bright side is that the public is usually brighter than the left-wing idiots give them credit for.
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kenyaw
Bag,
That is what I was trying to articulate in my other comment. I believe that it will make others feel like they went to far and that it was in sensitive.
But, in all honesty, if we never talk about these feelings, we would all continue to be held hostage by them.
That is what I was trying to articulate in my other comment. I believe that it will make others feel like they went to far and that it was in sensitive.
But, in all honesty, if we never talk about these feelings, we would all continue to be held hostage by them.
12 months ago
in With Friends Like These…… on Jack and Jill Politics
Another thing to do, buy up all issues on your local newsstands so nobody else sees this garbage. Then burn the piece of shit, or wipe your ass with it.
2 replies
TruthSeeker
Er..buy them? No, throw them off the newstand onto the ground and stamp on them. They'll have to return the damaged ones to the publisher for a refund.
Try not to get arrested.
Try not to get arrested.
glaukopis
I think they'd like you to do that - better for their bottom line. Tell the newsstand owner why you're not buying the magazine or anything else there until the magazine's gone. Promise that you will come back and support them if they get rid of it. If they are not responsive, well, if the magazine gets a little frayed from your reading it at the stand, maybe others won't want it.
12 months ago
in With Friends Like These…… on Jack and Jill Politics
Keep denying that Obama's people can do wrong, and watch as he's trounced in November.
2 replies
Michelle
Bag -- It's YOU I am having a problem with here, your persistent rigid Know It All evangelism in comment after comment after comment.
Obviously I don't deny that the Obama campaign can do no wrong, since as you well know because I posted about it in our very first conversation, when they did do wrong in my estimation I complained about it.
But you only see what you want to see. If ian actual fact doesn't fit into your rigid "I Know Everything" assumptions and theory you don't bother with it.
The problem I have is with your approach.
Obviously I don't deny that the Obama campaign can do no wrong, since as you well know because I posted about it in our very first conversation, when they did do wrong in my estimation I complained about it.
But you only see what you want to see. If ian actual fact doesn't fit into your rigid "I Know Everything" assumptions and theory you don't bother with it.
The problem I have is with your approach.
TruthSeeker
Well, I don't think it's a bad as that. But I agree that the communications dept is like molasses when it comes to dealing with this kind of stuff. During the primaries, I thought it seemed that way only because Hillary's team was so aggressive in comparison. But, even with John McCain's ineptitude, they still can't seem to take the lead with the media. They don't quite know how to feed the beast...consistently.
..Ha, maybe someone should write a book: "The proper care and feeding of the media". Then all the Obama people should read it. The media can be a positive force if you just accept their existence and use their stupidity and hunger for a story, against them.
I think Obama personally doesn't like the media, and perhaps looks down his nose at them. If I'm right, and that culture permeates his organization, then they may be too resistant to engage the media enough to control it.
..Ha, maybe someone should write a book: "The proper care and feeding of the media". Then all the Obama people should read it. The media can be a positive force if you just accept their existence and use their stupidity and hunger for a story, against them.
I think Obama personally doesn't like the media, and perhaps looks down his nose at them. If I'm right, and that culture permeates his organization, then they may be too resistant to engage the media enough to control it.
12 months ago
in With Friends Like These…… on Jack and Jill Politics
And that was a more difficult story than this to kill. If they had simply said, "This will endanger the Senator and lead to more threats from hate groups," the cover NEVER would've seen the light of day. It's pretty basic press management there. Apparently, the people Obama has in his press shop aren't bright enough to get that.
2 replies
TruthSeeker
Who are the people in his press shop?
kenyaw
Why would you say that Obama's press management staff is not bright?
Call me crazy -- but I thought that Clinton was a home and Obama was 1 month away from the nomination.
That you would suggest that Obama's staff is some how not as bright as the Clintons is offensive.
The Obama camp has been deliberate about not addressing this type of silliness.
It takes a wise and mature person to let ignorance be ignorance. Eventually, when you don't respond the offender actually grows from the experience. If you respond you give them just what they wanted--validation.
Call me crazy -- but I thought that Clinton was a home and Obama was 1 month away from the nomination.
That you would suggest that Obama's staff is some how not as bright as the Clintons is offensive.
The Obama camp has been deliberate about not addressing this type of silliness.
It takes a wise and mature person to let ignorance be ignorance. Eventually, when you don't respond the offender actually grows from the experience. If you respond you give them just what they wanted--validation.
12 months ago
in With Friends Like These…… on Jack and Jill Politics
New Press Shop now. This cover never should've happened. The Bradenburg Gate flap never should've happened. The Jesse Jackson thing never should've happened. The Press Shop needs to be replaced ASAP. If they had fought this before hand, the cover never would've been printed. And yes, they had to know about this. And if they didn't know about this, they're incompetent. Hire Howard Wolfson. He's an ass, but he's an ass made for that job.
2 replies
99 Percent Sure
Except hasn't Wanker Wolfson signed on with Fox?
Michelle
Wow. A white person who un-self-critically Knows Exactly What Should Be Done and loudly proclaims it over and over and over and over again and again and again in a one-note fashion for multiple days in every discussion it can possibly be inserted into.
That's unusual!
That's unusual!
Wondered if by the same logic it would be appropriate to have David Duke & MLK III appear together.
Y'know... Fair & Balanced.