The American Mind

I saw it first hand when he hustled Waukesha for the Wisconsin primary. He’s managed, all right.

1) It’s become very clear to me that you are obsessed with poking holes in the Obama “new politics” image, and are basically, like many on the right, cherry-picking stories and presenting them in a context that fits the cynical thesis you are attempting to prove. Post after post is like this.

2) It’s unfortunate that this happened, but out of all the posts i’ve seen about this thus far, all of them have hastily added the “um, well, sure, it was a few volunteers, but obviously they get instructed from event organizers, so Obama’s responsible” caveat. Which amuses me, because logical people who aren’t just trying to poke holes in a campaign and play partisan games realize that every campaign is going to attract at least *some* idiots. Find me the document or videotaped evidence of an event organizer saying “hey, we don’t want any Muslim-looking people behind Obama.”

3) Even if those instructions ARE out there, it’s pretty easy to see what the motivation was: not wanting to give any free ammunition to the radical anti-Muslim lunatic fringe of the right wing who have been desperately trying to paint Obama as a Muslim America-hater. Can you imagine the lunatic emails that would have been passed around showing still photos of people in Muslim garb behind Obama, exclaiming “OMG TERRORISTS AT OBAMA RALLY HE IS ANTI-AMERICAN!?” Snopes would have had to add five new servers just to host all the traffic.

It’s easy for you to sit behind your computer and watch a candidate trying to balance a real desire to change the rules of the game with having to fight back against the current rules of that game. It’s easy for you to cynically point and accuse every time his campaign is forced to play defense against the right-wing smear tactics that you know are employed every election cycle. So, you know, keep it up. Y’all can keep braying about these little dust-ups, even though it’s crap like “OMG OBAMAS MIDDLE NAME IS HUSSEIN LOL” that gets started on your side of the fence and, unfortunately, resonates with legions of idiots out there.

It’s very convenient, isn’t it? Your side keeps up with all the dirt and gutter tactics (”Terrorist fist jab,” anyone?), the candidate on the other side tries to rise above, and you guys hold him to a standard that is impossible to achieve in the current American political climate that the GOP Smear Machine helped foster. Very cute. Keep it up.

DJ, if you want to talk about cyncism how about a guy claiming to change politics when he really isn’t. Highfalutin talk about “change” and “hope” makes for effective marketing even when those words are backed by a guy who doesn’t know much about economics and is wrong on foreign affairs and a resume thinner than a Motorola RAZR.

Do you see me obsessing over trivialities like Sen. Obama’s birth certificate or his middle name? Heck, I thought the Michelle Obama video hoax was a joke that said a lot about bitter Clinton supporters. I didn’t think the “new politics” was about lumping the opposition together and smearing them all. I guess I need a little more “audacity.”

P.S. Obama campaign stage managing includes making sure enough white people are in the background.

Do you see me obsessing over trivialities like Sen. Obama’s birth certificate or his middle name? Heck, I thought the Michelle Obama video hoax was a joke that said a lot about bitter Clinton supporters.

I’m aware of that, but you’re ignoring the fact that you’re in the minority. The reality is that the campaign needs to be aware of these things, and you’re conveniently ignoring that point to push your “he’s not authentic” meme.

You may prefer to think Obama is a cold, calculating politician simply interested in image and demographics. Since you’re a partisan Republican, it’s natural that you’d distrust the intentions of a Democrat. But it makes way more sense to me to think that what’s going on is this: in a perfect world, of course the campaign would love to throw up the middle finger at racists in America and not have to manufacture imagery. But the reality is that if Obama’s gonna get elected, a bit of tightrope walking needs to happen.

If those Muslim women had remained in the shot behind Obama, a ton of right-wing blogs and pundits would have lit up with “whoah, that was a bad calculation, what’s middle America going to think about that?” Essentially what i’m saying is, anything he does you will spin to fit your predetermined “he’s a Democrat, so he couldn’t possibly be genuine” meme. So whatever.

You’d be better served, and your blog will be better for it, if you stick to arguing policy and issues, like McCain himself claims he’d like to.

The “Obama had to do it becuz of the reich-wingers!!!” meme is really sad.

It really is, Heather. How about you start helping fight some of the misinformation out there so the campaign doesn’t have to fight back against it anymore?

DJ, I believe you’ve outdone yourself working both sides of the fence.

In your first post you decry cynicism about the audacity of hope meme, but you do nothing to show that there’s more than a young-looking dark-skinned man behind the curtain conjuring those images.

Then you say there’s no proof that anyone of any importance - is that an Obama idea, too? seems to be, when you blame the “little people” - had anything to do with it, but your next point is that they’d be justified in doing it.

In your last post you charge people who don’t support Obama with image caretaking, for which they are neither responsible nor, under the circumstances of Obama’s actions, able.

Obama hasn’t done anything new. Basically, he fits the suit. Click your heels and plug your ears all you want, but if he’s elected I’m betting Hillary will go ahead and run against him in ‘12. And I’d wager she’ll beat him because of his low approval ratings.

The most interesting part about all this is that it practically forces Obama into a photo op with all kinds of “diverse” people. That should be interesting.

“We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers.”

What a load of crapola.

If any person thinks that the backdrop of a pol-in-wanting is not mulled/organized/and decided by top campaign officials, that person is an utter moron. Said officials are PAID to do so.

The above Bill Burton quote is an out-and out lie and anyone who follows politics knows it.

DJ sez: >>>…with poking holes in the Obama “new politics” image,

A screen door has less holes than the so-called “Obama New Politics”.

DJ sez: >>> Find me the document or videotaped evidence of an event organizer saying “hey, we don’t want any Muslim-looking people behind Obama.”

sheesh. Blind as a bat.

We already have the tape. Not that we needed it, what with the confirmations of the two women involved.

DJ sez:>>> …it’s pretty easy to see what the motivation was:

Oh man that is rich, but oh so typical of a leftist: BLAME SOMEONE ELSE (see quote at top for yet further confirmation).

btw, admitting the guy is a wienie is not going to win you or him any points.

DJ sez: >>> You may prefer to think Obama is a cold, calculating politician simply interested in image and demographics.

Gee, what would make a person think that?

His schmoozing with Chicago BigLib insiders, not to mention domestic terrorists and scam artists, to get started in politics?

His “joining” the biggest (anti-American, racist) black “church” in Chi-town to secure the most black votes?

Dissing, not once, but twice, his “father-to-me” pastor in times of political convenience?

His most recent gigantic flip-flop on public financing?

“Obama New Politics”, my arse.