Tuesday, April 15, 2008

"Us vs. them" for pros - So when Barack was belittling religious voters in front of a San Francisco crowd, he was "getting past the politics of division." Because when you're trying to raise cash from the Pelosi set, it's OK to rag on those gun nuts in flyover country. Uh-huh.

More - John Dickerson at Slate:
Obama supporters should know just how offensive it is to hear this line of argument. They've been on the receiving end of it for months, as Hillary Clinton and her allies have described them as deluded cult members who are marching behind the inexperienced senator because he gives a pretty speech. Obama supporters don't like it when their well-thought-out reasons for following Obama are dismissed as emotional, irrational, and thoughtless. They should understand, then, why people who don't support Obama - or in the past haven't voted for Democrats - don't like being told that they've drunk some kind of crazy Kool-Aid.
That's "politics of distraction" talk. (HT: Betsy)

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's also stupid talk. It may have escaped John Dickerson at Slate (and others in the media create-a-crisis biz) that Obama didn't offer his unremarkable remarks as a "why dummies should therefore break free of their hypnotic coma and support ME" precept. He's also overlooked Obama saying that Democratic leaders were equally culpable in fostering this bitterness.

What a week. We haven't heard so much talk about "drinking the Kool-Aid" since we were kids watching Saturday morning cartoons. But what's wonderful is that the stupid talk is not registering, and that there may even be a blowback.

Obama's comments vs. the instant misrepresentation of those comments (Joe Lieberman invoking Marxism was especially choice). You wouldn't know it from the jibberjabber circuit, but the "belittled" voters seem to have a handle on which "elitist" side is talking to them as if they're complete morons.

Rightwingers have worked very hard to undermine people's faith in their media. Won't it be funny if their efforts help to elect President Barack Obama?

Brian said...

Yep, don't trust your lying ears.

Anonymous said...

What do you think about this? Is this viable?

The L.A. Times references a poll saying that a majority in Penn, Indiana & N.C. believe "superdelegates should back whichever candidate won the popular vote in the superdelegate's state", not necessarily just for whoever wins the overall popular vote. It would radically redraw the superdelegate picture, possibly in favor of Hillary, handing here the superdelegate votes from California, New York, Texas, Ohio & other big states. Can we help Hillary take this to the hoop?

http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2008/04/i-havent-checke.html

Snoop-Diggity-DANG-Dawg

Anonymous said...

Yep, don't trust your lying ears.

Does anything more contextual than a 3-word catchphrase make your ears feel stingy?

Seriously, the poll numbers indicate that most people know the usual yammermob is eagerly extrapolating all sorts of B.S. from Obama's simple, obvious, and accurate observation.

Those who don't/won't get that are clapping very, very, VERY hard for Tinkerbell to come to life. Or else they have a perfectly good reason for thinking "elitists" look down on them wherever they go.

Anonymous said...

Even the New York Times get it: "Small-town people of modest means and limited education are not fixated on cultural issues. Rather, it is affluent, college-educated people living in cities and suburbs who are most exercised by guns and religion. In contemporary American politics, social issues are the opiate of the elites."

Sound like any anyone you know, kzd?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/opinion/17bartels.html?_r=1&ex=1366171200&en=d5a708ef7390069c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Snoop-Diggity-DANG-Dawg

Anonymous said...

So much for the right's "cultural war," then. That's gonna leave a pretty big crater in the ol' talking points.

Anonymous said...

Judging by ABC's debate questions last night, small-town folks are fixated on the enduring significance of little metal flag pins, and how their modest means will be impacted by the capital gains tax.

Sound like anyone YOU know, troll?

Anonymous said...

It was their 21st debate, you stupid shit. What do you expect them to talk about?

Another endless session of softball questions from former Clinton appointees on who 'cares' more? Hmmm, which one-term senator has more experience?

Barak, what's your position on puppy dogs?
Hillary, what's better, sunshine or rainbows?

Ohhh, controversy. He thinks puppy kennels are bad, and Hillary prefers rainbows but we really need to do something about all that darn rain.

Snoop-Diggity-DANG-Dawg

Anonymous said...

"Jumbo shrimp." "Non-stick glue." "Deafening silence." "Full-time hobby." "Almost certain." "Conservative humor."

Anonymous said...

It's not humor, Moron. It's the truth.

Anonymous said...

You're a Republican, and 7 years into this laughable era, you're suddenly worried about "the truth"? Don't try it too quickly. You're way out of practice. We wouldn't want you to pull a muscle.