you Rock,John...this electionshould have been a landslide in any reasonable country,alas America has been severly dumbed down...only 20% of the country recieves higher education,and thats how the REPUKES like it..status quo baby!
grandma
· 1 year ago
Point taken, John........and I give Sullivan credit calling them out on all their lies and bs....
I think Obama knows to be careful of the 'angry black man' image.....with all the bait being tossed out there by McRove.
jimfromthefoothills
· 1 year ago
FUCKIN A!!!
Go get 'em John. Do we want to be right or do we want to win?
jmcon007
· 1 year ago
While we're all up here striking lightning and creating thunder, Obama's team is confidently monitoring the electoral college beneath the clouds and allowing Geezer and Gidget to pitch their daily fits and continue to dig their own graves. The media seems to be starting to get it. I personally believe Obama's gloves are coming off during the debates and every day thereafter until the election. McCain and Palin are no Bush and Cheney. Ain't the same thing. Everyone calm down.
jimfromthefoothills
· 1 year ago
"all is well... remain calm"
thinktwice
· 1 year ago
From an ardent Obama supporter friend:
Does Obama want to be president after all?
In Virginia alone, he has dozens of “paid” (are their pay checks clearing?) organizers directing thousands of well organized, highly motivated volunteers, and they have no message to carry door to door; they have no signs and bumper stickers; they have no apparent place in a plan for winning the election.
It is to Obama’s shame that McCain is prospering effectively unopposed.
If money has been the problem, then the Obama campaign has had an extra two weeks to beg and borrow, and to plan a seven week campaign on the DEMOCRATIC issues with whatever money they’ve got.
If Obama does not unveil a coherent campaign tomorrow, then we will witness a sorry repeat of Kerry’s slog to a photo finish, with the odds favoring the Republicans. If so, shamefully, the only reason that the election will be close, is that around 65 million ordinary Americans will have cared more about the fate of the Republic than the man who claimed the standard of the Democratic Party.
mirth
· 1 year ago
So your "friend" is an Obama supporter?
Bullahshitah
grandma
· 1 year ago
No message to carry door to door?
I found a big 4 page colorful Obama flyer on my doorstep when I got home earlier today.
A very good one too.....Barack Obama's Plan for Economic Security
scottinsf
· 1 year ago
Oh please. You are a lying sack of shit. Either that or you're friends with a lying sack of shit. I suspect both.
In either case, you fail. Now go collect your McCain McPoints.
HereinDC
· 1 year ago
ardent fan? LOL
mpk
· 1 year ago
McCain and Palin ARE the Bridge To Nowhere.
4dogs
· 1 year ago
Thank you for that John. Many of us have been screaming for those 527's. You have to draw blood, or you'll end up a high minded loser. We can win this thing. Obama made a mistake, but mistakes can be corrected. I think every group that can come out and help needs to do so immediately. All hands on deck.
jimfromthefoothills
· 1 year ago
We need offense! How about a Foristel sailors for truth campaign.
Oh, I don't know. I look at a lot of net posts everyday to see what Obama or Biden has said. I will tell you, except for CNN Political Ticker, it is darn hard to find mention of them. I see post after post about Palin or McCain and while I think it is great to attack them for the liars they are, it would be nice to see something positive about Obama.
For instance, did I miss the post here where Obama said McCain would rather lose his integrity to be president. That would have been a great lead in for lack of McCain character but I didn't see that.
I know if you don't point out the crap that McCain spins it will be accepted for truth but I do think a little positive reinforcement for Obama is not a bad thing. There are still plenty of independents out there reading and trying to make up their minds.
sittenpretty
· 1 year ago
FYI
,if you know Texans without enuf drinking water...8 drops of Clorox (plainClorox) in a plastic gallon container RENDERS IT SAFE TO DRINK
Andrew
· 1 year ago
It was really getting long in the tooth since the end of the Republican convention in coming to America Blog and seeing nothing but McCain this and Palin that. Enough time has been spent on the personality contest. let's get down to the real issues confronting the American people for which the Republicans have no viable solutions. If liberal blogs would spend less time on the shape of Palins glasses or whether she looks like Tina Faye or who she screwed in her home state, we might get somewhere. The American public is dumbed down enough.
4dogs
· 1 year ago
Obama and his team need to come up with a real clear message. Since McSame grabbed the "Change" mantel, Obama needs to come up with something else that will resonate with the desparate American people who need help. Then every surrogate has to repeat that message. It has to be clear and concrete. Something even simple minded people will get. Maybe it has to be around the idea of "What I'll do for you as President". Then have a list and make real promises. Maybe it can be Obama's 10 Pledges to the American People.
fostert
· 1 year ago
"But I get a little annoyed when people castrate our best fighters and then 6 weeks before the election suddenly realize their mistake."
We need to calm down a little. I'm getting tired of everyone freaking out because Obama is down one point in the polls. He can come back, he has before. Maybe nobody remembers, but Obama was once much further behind Clinton. And who won? Oh yeah, Obama. We can bitch and moan all we want, but that fact is that Obama has so far run the best campaign I've ever seen a Democrat run.. And, yes, that includes Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. Have you considered the possibility that delaying the negative ads until the very end might actually be a good idea? I have, and I do think it's a good idea. It makes Obama look like the underdog just when he's about to strike like a pit bull. His strategy may not increase your profits, but maybe winning is more important than your profits. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see you get good profits, but I'd like it much more if Obama won. Until you run a presidential campaign as effective as Obama's, I'll stick with Obama's managers. They've done one hell of a job so far. Perhaps we should wait for what's coming next before we criticize them.
fostert
· 1 year ago
Have I been banned permanently, or was it just the last comment?
fostert
· 1 year ago
I gues it was just the last coment. I'll try again:
"But I get a little annoyed when people castrate our best fighters and then 6 weeks before the election suddenly realize their mistake."
We need to calm down a little. I'm getting tired of everyone freaking out because Obama is down one point in the polls. He can come back, he has before. Maybe nobody remembers, but Obama was once much further behind Clinton. And who won? Oh yeah, Obama. We can bitch and moan all we want, but that fact is that Obama has so far run the best campaign I've ever seen a Democrat run.. And, yes, that includes Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. Have you considered the possibility that delaying the negative ads until the very end might actually be a good idea? I have, and I do think it's a good idea. It makes Obama look like the underdog just when he's about to strike like a pit bull. His strategy may not increase your profits, but maybe winning is more important than your profits. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see you get good profits, but I'd like it much more if Obama won. Until you run a presidential campaign as effective as Obama's, I'll stick with Obama's managers. They've done one hell of a job so far. Perhaps we should wait for what's coming next before we criticize them.
jmcon007
· 1 year ago
I completely understand the fear of unanswered swift-boating of yet another Democratic candidate for president. But, if we hammer back too hard now, we'll lose the contrast between the hysterical neo-cons and the cool, unflappable Obamans. Call me naive. I've been called much worse.
Yeah, we should just be nicer, and not mention racist shit like that.
Politics of the past my ass. No,No! Lets just give 'em a pass! Really, It will be alright, lets not even bother to fight. When nasty repubs, pull this shit. Wiser men tell us-just get over it. Obama has a plan for us now Don't have a cynical cow. just be nicer,54 days till the election, Lying john is winning and getting an erection.
sukabi1
· 1 year ago
low rent crackers.*
*and no it's not racist, I'm white.
ebuckley
· 1 year ago
This all about John's ego and what he thinks Obama should be doing. RAPE KITS! And if Obama doesn't follow John's suggestions he's a loser (which is pretty much what Arianna has been saying in her idiotic column). While I admire a lot about this site, when John gets stuck on an issue, this blog is close to unreadable (and seems to attract a lot of concern trolls). I think the Sullivan writer is onto something, especially when it comes to the big ego bloggers like Kos (who petulantly wouldn't donate to Obama for awhile) and who are still a little stung because they weren't given their due by the Obama campaign as the always-right progressives. And does anyone remember the godawful Move-On ads? I think some of the independent ads are good, but they are not from the "best fighters." The best fighters so far have been members of the Obama campaign who, unlike a lot of the people sitting on their butts and giving advice, are on the ground in the key states. You remember--they're the team that beat the Clinton slime machine by running a smart, disciplined presidential campaign.
Fireblazes(CheetohsandCatfood)
· 1 year ago
What good would it do to post all the happy Obama news here? Sure, I like to read that too, but if we do not keep hitting hard at McCain, we are going to be wondering what happened on election day just like back in 2004. Remember, Kerry tried to run a similar high-minded campaign. Besides, the latest commercials from Obama, call Big John out, yeah there is weird happy music playing in the background. It is there to catch your attention. But at least Obama is calling him a liar in front of everyone. That must really piss big John McC the pow off. Angry men make big mistakes. I actually agree with John (I know big shock) on this one. Keep it up John Aravosis!
Ellie
· 1 year ago
I wish that there was more coverage in the MSM and blogosphere about what Obama/Biden are doing from day to day - I do not have the bandwidth to watch their videos, but I want to know what is really going on from people who are attending their events, the things they are talking about for our country's future, etc.
This country is divided - there are many who want to make race, gender and religion the core of why we should pick the candidates we chose; but this is really an election about what our future and that of future generations will be like.
(speaking of which, where is the text from the O man asking us to donate to Hurricane Ike?)
4dogs
· 1 year ago
For some reason, I just thought of Colin Powel. Wasn't he going to wait until the VP picks before endorsing either candidate. After looking at the difference between Biden and Palin, I can't imagine what he thinks about McCain's pick. It would be nice to see Powel come out now for Obama/Biden.
sukabi1
· 1 year ago
Rove's got him tied up in the basement... I doubt he'll endorse anyone.... Rove and Co. have enough dirt on him to guarantee his silence.
quasar
· 1 year ago
Yes, we won in 2006 because "our math beat his [Rove's]" in that Rove underestimated how much he needed to hack the electronic voting machines as he did to place Bush in the presidency twice. He didn't wan't to add and/or switch so many votes as to make it obvious that the votes had been hacked (although hacking in 2000, 2002, and 2004 is obvious in retrospect, but we weren't alert enought to catch the hacking then).
BLOGGING BITCH!
· 1 year ago
Obama needs to print out some rape kit coupons.
Everybody like to save money and you never know when you'll get raped in Alaska.
Alaska has the highest rate of rape in the 50 states.
quasar
· 1 year ago
Yes, we won in 2006 because "our math beat his {Rove's}", but only because Rove underestimated how much he needed to hack the electronic voting machines as he did to put Bush in the presidency twice. He did not want to add/change so many votes as to be obvious (although the hacking in 2000, 2002, and 2004 is obvious in retrospect, but we were not alert enough to notice it.)
tlsintx
· 1 year ago
John Cole keeps tabs on the wingnuts for us... talk to your conservative friends and family who may be susceptible to this crap:
No offense, but in this and similar comments recently about blog advertising, you seem more than a little self-serving. Lots of us out here are volunteering our time and sending money, and having to scrimp elsewhere to be able to.
dad
· 1 year ago
Writing a blog takes time. A good blog, full-time. If you want blogs to fight and do the good work that they do there must be a mechanism, a model for them to survive. Advertising helps good blogs survive. This blog is not run by volunteers. It is run by good people who must make a living doing it. Making a living running a good blog is at least as hard as writing a good blog.
cowboyneok
· 1 year ago
We get back to that old definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Sad thing is, didn't we SAY ALL THIS a long time ago?
gonzalez
· 1 year ago
I agree. We need to fight the asshole republicans at their level. That is all they know. They know nothing else and the people of this country are to dumb to know any better. We need to call the liers, liers and take it to them. They are the world people in the world and we have to fight back for our country.
bettie
· 1 year ago
John, could you also please encourage the Obama campaign to ask for equal time from ABC news. I think Joe Biden's story is sooooooo much more powerful than Palin.... this is FREE MEDIA! The DNC and Obama campaign should play a little hardball and ask for the same setup with interviews on Nightline, GMA, and 20/20.
Biden will be very relatable to older and middle class voters with his modest Deleware home and his "drop dead gorgeous" teacher wife. I would call ABC out on this and demand free time. all they can do is say no.... Biden would do so much better than her. Where is the DNC on this?????????????? Let's play hardball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4dogs
· 1 year ago
Look here's my thought for what it's worth. I'm almost 60 years old, and although I love going on the computer a lot of my friends don't. They only know what they see on TV. Then you have older American's like my 89 year old Mom who doesn't even own a computer. They don't watch Keith Olbermann, or even know who he is. There is a whole population out there that needs to be reached though ads on TV. There has to be more 527's sending out messages about what John McCain really wants to do to their Social Security. It should be run on regular TV and not just cable. I know a whole bunch of these folks who don't even have cable. This is why 527's are so imporant. These people have no idea about McCain's economic plans for them. This to me can be a very important voting block. It's great Obama has energized the younger people, but older people vote too. It's a mistake to ignore them.
Ellie
· 1 year ago
I definitely want to see more commercials. I have only seen the same Obama commercial twice, and I watch tv 12 hours a day *smile*
Reason0Politics1
· 1 year ago
I continue to believe that this election is the the MOST BLATANT evidence of Tammany Hall control, ever. Obama is the lesser of the two evils for me, but that s about it. I'll certainly do hat I can to see him succeed, but frankly, he has let me down in many ways already. FISA, AIPAC, the list goes on.
This election is the most obvious effort by the shadow group to offer us a loser and a sell out, something we can waste our time spinning our wheels, all the while not seeing what the real man behind the curtain is up to. The Illusion of participation
fostert
· 1 year ago
Calm the fuck down. Please. Look, I'm forty years old and I haven't once seen a candidate that agrees with me on everything. But I vote for them anyway. Why? Well, it's better than the alternative. I'd like to see a better FISA bill too. But the one that was signed wasn't as bad as the Republicans wanted. And if you think McCain would want a better one, you're fucking crazy. And if you think a presidential candidate can get elected without kissing AIPAC's ass, you're really fucking crazy. Obama is the best we've got. And he's pretty much the best I've ever seen. He might actually be the first president in my lifetime to actually make a real difference. Except for Johnson, of course. But I was ten months old when he left office. And even he didn't do such a good job on the foreign policy front.
So lighten up. No candidate is going to be perfect. Obama can win, but only if liberals don't give up on him. And we shouldn't give up. Look, I thought Gore was doomed from the start, and he still came close. I thought Kerry was doomed before it even started. And he came close too. Obama is the first Democrat since Clinton that I thought even had a chance at winning. Don't give up, he's the best chance we've had in a long time.
bettie
· 1 year ago
I completely agree with you on this one!!! Please let me know which 527 you think we can donate to. I don't have much but I will send money to the one that hits McCain the hardest!! Also, could you post something suggesting the Obama campaign ask ABC
lovepeaceandallthat
· 1 year ago
Just wanted to say that I am not against the 527's, that sounds like a way to hit hard and at the same time leave time and energy for Obama to get to the meat of things.
Notice I didn't say "will make time for Obama to stay positive and be the nice guy". Talking about the issues SHOULD bring up anger and he SHOULD show it!
Sorry the Obama camp screwed the blogs over with the going back and forth on the 527's. That does suck.
--Carolyn
Joneses
· 1 year ago
We should also let the public know that religion doesn't just belong to the GOP. Religion is cross board.
Evangelists are in the Dem party as well, and are voting for Obama. The GOP do not have a cap on the Christian religion. Matter of fact, no one does.
The GOP and Religious Right have disgraced the Christian Religion. Christians in America should protect the Ten Commandments, not destroy it.. The public should know this.
Oh wait, they are destroying the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, who knew.
henrythefifth
· 1 year ago
Here's the deal...we gotta fight. If the popular blogs write enough about Palin/McCain's lies, they eventually get picked up by the MSM. If we get all fluffernuttery and talk about the magical rainbows Obama's going to bring us, we are screwed.
I am happy to be positive...once Obama wins. Until then, I will fight. Crank up the Iron Maiden and go watch Kenneth Branagh's Henry V.
bettie
· 1 year ago
John, could you also please encourage the Obama campaign to ask for equal time from ABC news. I think Joe Biden's story is sooooooo much more powerful than Palin.... this is FREE MEDIA! The DNC and Obama campaign should play a little hardball and ask for the same setup with interviews on Nightline, GMA, and 20/20.
Biden will be very relatable to older and middle class voters with his modest Deleware home and his "drop dead gorgeous" teacher wife. I would call ABC out on this and demand free time. all they can do is say no.... Biden would do so much better than her. Where is the DNC on this?????????????? Let's play hardball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lovepeaceandallthat
· 1 year ago
John,
I really take offense to being labeled an "idiot". This is Carolyn, and I wrote you a long letter explaining my thoughts on this issue. I will give you a pass, but there are a lot of out here who have thoughtfully pondered these issues. People who vote for McCain are idiots. We are not.
It is sad, because we are talking in "either/or" terms. Hello? Can't we at least move beyond that? Get creative.... be mean and nice at the same time for pete's sake.
I think those of us who feel that we are being reactive instead of proactive are being wrongly labeled as "wanting to be nice" and "just write about Obama's speeches". Way to paint with a wide brush! Jesus, we aren't stupid. We want to fight hard. We know this is a bloodsport.
My main points in my longwinded letters to you were two: 1) Obama should stop responding to McCain/Rove because the responder is not in a place of power or control and 2) I suggested that we put Obama on the TV with an different kind of ad campaign (just Obama, in a chair, talking straight at US the PEOPLE "face to face" in our livingrooms about SOLUTIONS he has for our enormous problems.
Maybe my analysis is totally wrong, I will admit that. But I guess by "do not respond" I didn't mean you shouldn't call McCain a liar. It is a subtle point.... reacting to Rove (playing the lipstick game, or the sexist game, or all the crap that has been out there...) just doesn't work at all. You are not convincing anyone to vote for you. I will swear that is true.
Stating simply that McCain is lying about such and such is very powerful and very cool! But it isn't coming across that way in the media. Even with the record amount of blatent lies out there, and even with the MSM coming damn close to using the "L" word.... I don't think all this crap for the last two weeks has convinced people to VOTE for Obama because McCain is a shithead. Yeah, I guess it helps and for god's sake I am NOT saying we should just let the lies slide.
There has got to be some middle ground. We need to define the problem. I think a huge problem is that we don't agree on what weaknesses or mistakes Obama's campaign is making, if any.
Here are the weaknesses that I see:
1) the ISSUES and the SOLUTIONS that Obama would tackle as PRESIDENT is just plain not out there. The main meta-messages aren't getting hammered, over and over. And I don't mean the word "change"! Yuk. I mean the details. The old fashioned "this is what I would do if I was president" meme isn't out there, is it? Yeah, we could amplify his speeches, but that only reaches the blogs and we can only put snippets on an ad. This is why I suggested that we make a totally new kind of ad that is SIMPLE, CHEAP, AND ALL ABOUT THE ISSUES. You can still do the "McCain is not to be trusted for blah blah reasons...." ads. Why can't we do both? I think he needs to engage McCain less, and engage the American people more. It isn't one or the other, black and white, but more like a balance. Those of who are worried are, I think, just pointing out the imbalance.... What is Rove most scared of? Of us saying "Hey! WE aren't sexist! YOU are!" OR Obama on the TV simply talking straight to us about the issues and what he plans on doing? I would pick the latter to throw at Rove, personally.
2) The media is only reporting the back and forth crap (obama's response, then McCain's response....) and it all seems so weak and meaningless. It is a turn-off, not a turn on. I can't see it convincing the voters who we NEED to reach (the independents, the undecided, the fencesitters, and those who don't get off their couch to vote) to vote for Obama by having Obama play this stupid game of words with McCain through the very false lens of the media. People want to vote FOR somebody, not just against the other guy. Hey, I love hearing about the latest Palin lie just like all of us here. But don't you agree that voters that are deciding who to vote for want to hear more from Obama about what he is going to do, instead of hearing from Obama that he is warning us that the other guy is bad news?
3) The Plan To Win isn't real clear to us out here. What is his MAIN strategy for winning? (Besides the ground game, which we all seem to think is awesome.....) To smash Rove tactics whereever we see them? Really? That seems like going out there with half a plan. Perhaps "going toe to toe with Rove" is how you beat Rove, but is it how you win the White House? Is "learning to be mean like the Republican's" really the MAIN way we are going to win? Please explain exactly how this will get us the White House. Is your (Markos and John) main strategy to not let one damn lie get past the filters? It seems like a fear-based strategy: "Oh my God, people are going to believe this crap McCain is putting out!!!". Okay, good point. A lot of people will. But I am not convinced that this can be the whole plan.
I guess my BIG point is that this little debate we are having comes up every damn election and we are all tired of it. The only solution I see is to stop labeling the other guy as "totally wrong" and to see that maybe the best answer isn't "do this" or "do that" but DO BOTH REALLY WELL. I truly don't think anyone really thinks it is simple "be nice" vs "be mean" and yet you and Markos are framing it that way.
We all know that rage, in the context of a good cause, is fantastic. Anger is great when it is done well and at the right time. Obama should get his dander up more and just say it like it is. Rove needs to be smashed and sent to hell where he belongs (the Democratic leadership should have done this a long time ago....) But strategy based on anger in reaction to fear isn't going to cut it, I think.
Honestly, John and Markos, if you were running his campaign what would you do? What would be your plan to win? What would be YOUR creative ideas? You say you want to go toe-to-toe? In the context of THIS election with THIS candiate, what does that EXACTLY mean? Because honestly I don't get it. Would love to hear a response.
Thanks Carolyn
vwcat
· 1 year ago
The essence of the first diary was not about people writing puff pieces but, to watch what we obsess on. Kos has been under alot of lurking by the right and the press and the Diaries for a week have been overly heavy on doomsaying, The Sky is Falling type of stuff. It is one thing to note the polls tightening and that Obama needs to release the 527s, ect. It's another for most of the diaries for the past week to obsess on "We are doomed" and The election is lost! kind of fare. 2 months out from the election and most of the diaries are not just feeding the press and the rightwing with over much doom and gloom but, it is having a very dulling effect on people who should be fired up to fight back and work on volunteering, ect. The diaries were bordering on concern Trollism. And they were hurting the mojo. There needed to be balance in the Yes, We can, kind of spirit and much needed common sense. Like, polls usually do tighten after a convention. McCain had the fortune to wipe out any press Obama would have gotten from his fantastic speech and a convention on the heels of ours. That and the press focus on Palin caused a higher bounce then normal. But, everyone was throwing out common sense and just screaming that the sky was falling. The diarist was saying enough of this. They are playing into Roves hands by depressing the supporters and turning them into hand wringers. The balance was so out of whack last week that it was alarming. I was one who kept saying get a grip people.
SouthernYankee
· 1 year ago
There was a AK rally against Sarah Palin.
go youtube.com/watch?v=G8pewzwBybc
You will be mad when you hear what that fat prick of a DJ said and did to the 2 organizer of this rally. You have to hear it. Than spread it around please.
erykah
· 1 year ago
John, you are right. I thought it was a bad mistake when Obama shafted the liberal 527s. I think it ws the stupidest move of his campaign.
ARCADIA
· 1 year ago
John,
I just registered to be able to post --- AMEN!
My sister and I are aghast at the current strategy of "non-violent" resistance of the Obama campaign. Kudos to Markos for calling it "magic "new politics" bullshit."
And, yes, lots of people are wondering what Obama is doing with the money they sent him. For me, I was planning on sending Obama a contribution, but have since decided to send the $300 (which I need for other stuff) to Defenders of Wildlife Org to finance the wolf ad. Convinced sis to pitch in another $300. That $600 will pay for three viewing.
If Obama had not shut down the 527s - something I never understood - the coffers would be full right now. They'd be ready to go on a dime - but no, we have to start fundraising for effective negative ads less than 2 months before the election.
ARCADIA
· 1 year ago
Obama needs to stop preaching to the choir.
Obama has been campaigning and in the news for over two years, 6 months with daily primary coverage. EVERYONE who will be converted by his message has already been converted. That's why all this - well, "Obama should run ads on the issues, this one is very effective" contains a fallacy.
The people who find it effective are already the converted. The undecideds or weak supporters aren't convinced by it and they have been exposed to it daily for the first 6 months of this year.
What I like about the wolf ad is that it creates a visceral response in animal lovers - who cover are spread across all geo-demographic groups. This will get a response from people who were not swayed earlier.
Butch1
· 1 year ago
" But I get a little annoyed when people castrate our best fighters and then 6 weeks before the election suddenly realize their mistake." =================================================== I don't believe I have heard or read one comment from the Obama camp eating crow and admitting they might have been wrong. It would be nice and I think many of the 527's would be quicker at getting back and launching attacks at the McBush lies.
ARCADIA
· 1 year ago
John, I just registered to say --- AMEN!
My sister and I are aghast at the "non-violent" resistance strategy of the Obama campaign. And, kudos to Markos for calling it the "magic "new politics" bullshit"
Many people are wondering what Obama is doing with the money they sent him - more fireworks? I was going to send a contribution to his campaign but decided instead to send it to the Defenders of Wildlife to run the wolf ad. I am sending my $300 to finance running the ad and I got sis to kick in another $300. This will cover three viewings.
Obama may be Obama, but I am not.
4dogs
· 1 year ago
I think that there needs to be 527's in there trying to hit those sitting on the fence, or those who could change their minds. You have all those older voters who have no idea what McCain really wants to do with their Social Security. Where is the AARP groups. What about the Vet groups talking about McCain's actually voting record on Vet benefits. Most people don't actually know his voting record. We know he voted against the minimum wage over and over, but most people in middle America don't. This needs to be spelled out in real concrete visual ways.
4dogs
· 1 year ago
I also like the Planned Parenhood ad that was done about protecting our children. I loved where the narator says: Doesn't McCain want to protect our children? That was great. We need more of that, in so many other areas.
tomeg
· 1 year ago
I think it would be fun and worthwhile to make dirty stuff up about McCain and put it out there, repeat, deny, repeat, deny. Why not? Guaranteed more than half of what we think we're making up will turn out to be true. Get creative. Seriously. We need to get over being serious about politics in an election dog fight, loosen up, give twice for what we get. In the end the voters and the country will thank us.
KISSman
· 1 year ago
Everyone has given up on covering what Obama is saying about policy. Ever since the day after his speech in Denver, it's been the Sarah Palin show. Even most of the discussion about McCain these days is Palin related. There's A LOT of stuff out there to prove that this woman is a liar and unfit to be president, but all the while, the actual issues and the things that matter are getting lost in the shuffle.
The truth, though, is that the American people will ultimately not vote on issues. For the last two elections, they voted not for their own self-interests, but on things like, "The candidate they'd prefer to have a beer with." There are too many simple-minded people who get caught up in all of the nonsensical things and cast their votes based on the silly stuff.
Let's face it -- Obama's stances on the actual, real issues are more in tune with Americans than John McCain. The problem is that the evil, soul-less Republicans are better at campaigning than we are. And right now, we're trying to beat them at a game that we historically suck at all because we value the truth and have moral core and they don't. We really need to try and get back to promoting Obama and the issues and stop using all of our effort to sink McCain.
Joneses
· 1 year ago
And he will win!
Joneses
· 1 year ago
Looks like the paid people are here.
nikto
· 1 year ago
Jus' wait a minute!
Your talkin' about hurtin' a man's feelin's here.
And a man who was a POW to boot.
Hasn't he suffered enough?
Heck, he was tortured as a POW, so why not let him lie all he wants?
I mean, the man has suffered.
Did I tell you he was a POW?
A POW I tell you!!
Give the man a break, cut him some slack.
Let him lie, smear, crawl on his belly like a reptile, but IT"S OK, OK?
I bet you didn't even know he was a POW!
Well, he WAS, you know...
johnt66
· 1 year ago
I agree with everything you said, but I am taken a back by the way you attack President Obama, this man has walk a fine line.
All Comments
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/13/12029/3...
I think Obama knows to be careful of the 'angry black man' image.....with all the bait being tossed out there by McRove.
Go get 'em John. Do we want to be right or do we want to win?
Does Obama want to be president after all?
In Virginia alone, he has dozens of “paid” (are their pay checks clearing?) organizers directing thousands of well organized, highly motivated volunteers, and they have no message to carry door to door; they have no signs and bumper stickers; they have no apparent place in a plan for winning the election.
It is to Obama’s shame that McCain is prospering effectively unopposed.
If money has been the problem, then the Obama campaign has had an extra two weeks to beg and borrow, and to plan a seven week campaign on the DEMOCRATIC issues with whatever money they’ve got.
If Obama does not unveil a coherent campaign tomorrow, then we will witness a sorry repeat of Kerry’s slog to a photo finish, with the odds favoring the Republicans. If so, shamefully, the only reason that the election will be close, is that around 65 million ordinary Americans will have cared more about the fate of the Republic than the man who claimed the standard of the Democratic Party.
Bullahshitah
I found a big 4 page colorful Obama flyer on my doorstep when I got home earlier today.
A very good one too.....Barack Obama's Plan for Economic Security
In either case, you fail. Now go collect your McCain McPoints.
LOL
How about a Foristel sailors for truth campaign.
New York Times on Palin: Personal Vendettas... Censorship... Cronyism... Secrecy And Lying...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26689925/
For instance, did I miss the post here where Obama said McCain would rather lose his integrity to be president. That would have been a great lead in for lack of McCain character but I didn't see that.
I know if you don't point out the crap that McCain spins it will be accepted for truth but I do think a little positive reinforcement for Obama is not a bad thing. There are still plenty of independents out there reading and trying to make up their minds.
,if you know Texans without enuf drinking water...8 drops of Clorox (plainClorox) in a plastic gallon container RENDERS IT SAFE TO DRINK
We need to calm down a little. I'm getting tired of everyone freaking out because Obama is down one point in the polls. He can come back, he has before. Maybe nobody remembers, but Obama was once much further behind Clinton. And who won? Oh yeah, Obama. We can bitch and moan all we want, but that fact is that Obama has so far run the best campaign I've ever seen a Democrat run.. And, yes, that includes Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. Have you considered the possibility that delaying the negative ads until the very end might actually be a good idea? I have, and I do think it's a good idea. It makes Obama look like the underdog just when he's about to strike like a pit bull. His strategy may not increase your profits, but maybe winning is more important than your profits. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see you get good profits, but I'd like it much more if Obama won. Until you run a presidential campaign as effective as Obama's, I'll stick with Obama's managers. They've done one hell of a job so far. Perhaps we should wait for what's coming next before we criticize them.
"But I get a little annoyed when people castrate our best fighters and then 6 weeks before the election suddenly realize their mistake."
We need to calm down a little. I'm getting tired of everyone freaking out because Obama is down one point in the polls. He can come back, he has before. Maybe nobody remembers, but Obama was once much further behind Clinton. And who won? Oh yeah, Obama. We can bitch and moan all we want, but that fact is that Obama has so far run the best campaign I've ever seen a Democrat run.. And, yes, that includes Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. Have you considered the possibility that delaying the negative ads until the very end might actually be a good idea? I have, and I do think it's a good idea. It makes Obama look like the underdog just when he's about to strike like a pit bull. His strategy may not increase your profits, but maybe winning is more important than your profits. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see you get good profits, but I'd like it much more if Obama won. Until you run a presidential campaign as effective as Obama's, I'll stick with Obama's managers. They've done one hell of a job so far. Perhaps we should wait for what's coming next before we criticize them.
watch. please.
Politics of the past my ass.
No,No! Lets just give 'em a pass!
Really, It will be alright,
lets not even bother to fight.
When nasty repubs, pull this shit.
Wiser men tell us-just get over it.
Obama has a plan for us now
Don't have a cynical cow.
just be nicer,54 days till the election,
Lying john is winning and getting an erection.
*and no it's not racist, I'm white.
This country is divided - there are many who want to make race, gender and religion the core of why we should pick the candidates we chose; but this is really an election about what our future and that of future generations will be like.
(speaking of which, where is the text from the O man asking us to donate to Hurricane Ike?)
Everybody like to save money and you never know when you'll get raped in Alaska.
Alaska has the highest rate of rape in the 50 states.
talk to your conservative friends and family who may be susceptible to this crap:
http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=11300
Biden will be very relatable to older and middle class voters with his modest Deleware home and his "drop dead gorgeous" teacher wife. I would call ABC out on this and demand free time. all they can do is say no.... Biden would do so much better than her. Where is the DNC on this?????????????? Let's play hardball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This election is the most obvious effort by the shadow group to offer us a loser and a sell out, something we can waste our time spinning our wheels, all the while not seeing what the real man behind the curtain is up to. The Illusion of participation
So lighten up. No candidate is going to be perfect. Obama can win, but only if liberals don't give up on him. And we shouldn't give up. Look, I thought Gore was doomed from the start, and he still came close. I thought Kerry was doomed before it even started. And he came close too. Obama is the first Democrat since Clinton that I thought even had a chance at winning. Don't give up, he's the best chance we've had in a long time.
Notice I didn't say "will make time for Obama to stay positive and be the nice guy". Talking about the issues SHOULD bring up anger and he SHOULD show it!
Sorry the Obama camp screwed the blogs over with the going back and forth on the 527's. That does suck.
--Carolyn
Evangelists are in the Dem party as well, and are voting for Obama. The GOP do not have a cap on the Christian religion. Matter of fact, no one does.
The GOP and Religious Right have disgraced the Christian Religion. Christians in America should protect the Ten Commandments, not destroy it.. The public should know this.
Oh wait, they are destroying the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, who knew.
I am happy to be positive...once Obama wins. Until then, I will fight. Crank up the Iron Maiden and go watch Kenneth Branagh's Henry V.
Biden will be very relatable to older and middle class voters with his modest Deleware home and his "drop dead gorgeous" teacher wife. I would call ABC out on this and demand free time. all they can do is say no.... Biden would do so much better than her. Where is the DNC on this?????????????? Let's play hardball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really take offense to being labeled an "idiot". This is Carolyn, and I wrote you a long letter explaining my thoughts on this issue. I will give you a pass, but there are a lot of out here who have thoughtfully pondered these issues. People who vote for McCain are idiots. We are not.
It is sad, because we are talking in "either/or" terms. Hello? Can't we at least move beyond that? Get creative.... be mean and nice at the same time for pete's sake.
I think those of us who feel that we are being reactive instead of proactive are being wrongly labeled as "wanting to be nice" and "just write about Obama's speeches". Way to paint with a wide brush! Jesus, we aren't stupid. We want to fight hard. We know this is a bloodsport.
My main points in my longwinded letters to you were two: 1) Obama should stop responding to McCain/Rove because the responder is not in a place of power or control and 2) I suggested that we put Obama on the TV with an different kind of ad campaign (just Obama, in a chair, talking straight at US the PEOPLE "face to face" in our livingrooms about SOLUTIONS he has for our enormous problems.
Maybe my analysis is totally wrong, I will admit that. But I guess by "do not respond" I didn't mean you shouldn't call McCain a liar. It is a subtle point.... reacting to Rove (playing the lipstick game, or the sexist game, or all the crap that has been out there...) just doesn't work at all. You are not convincing anyone to vote for you. I will swear that is true.
Stating simply that McCain is lying about such and such is very powerful and very cool! But it isn't coming across that way in the media. Even with the record amount of blatent lies out there, and even with the MSM coming damn close to using the "L" word.... I don't think all this crap for the last two weeks has convinced people to VOTE for Obama because McCain is a shithead. Yeah, I guess it helps and for god's sake I am NOT saying we should just let the lies slide.
There has got to be some middle ground. We need to define the problem. I think a huge problem is that we don't agree on what weaknesses or mistakes Obama's campaign is making, if any.
Here are the weaknesses that I see:
1) the ISSUES and the SOLUTIONS that Obama would tackle as PRESIDENT is just plain not out there. The main meta-messages aren't getting hammered, over and over. And I don't mean the word "change"! Yuk. I mean the details. The old fashioned "this is what I would do if I was president" meme isn't out there, is it? Yeah, we could amplify his speeches, but that only reaches the blogs and we can only put snippets on an ad. This is why I suggested that we make a totally new kind of ad that is SIMPLE, CHEAP, AND ALL ABOUT THE ISSUES. You can still do the "McCain is not to be trusted for blah blah reasons...." ads. Why can't we do both? I think he needs to engage McCain less, and engage the American people more. It isn't one or the other, black and white, but more like a balance. Those of who are worried are, I think, just pointing out the imbalance.... What is Rove most scared of? Of us saying "Hey! WE aren't sexist! YOU are!" OR Obama on the TV simply talking straight to us about the issues and what he plans on doing? I would pick the latter to throw at Rove, personally.
2) The media is only reporting the back and forth crap (obama's response, then McCain's response....) and it all seems so weak and meaningless. It is a turn-off, not a turn on. I can't see it convincing the voters who we NEED to reach (the independents, the undecided, the fencesitters, and those who don't get off their couch to vote) to vote for Obama by having Obama play this stupid game of words with McCain through the very false lens of the media. People want to vote FOR somebody, not just against the other guy. Hey, I love hearing about the latest Palin lie just like all of us here. But don't you agree that voters that are deciding who to vote for want to hear more from Obama about what he is going to do, instead of hearing from Obama that he is warning us that the other guy is bad news?
3) The Plan To Win isn't real clear to us out here. What is his MAIN strategy for winning? (Besides the ground game, which we all seem to think is awesome.....) To smash Rove tactics whereever we see them? Really? That seems like going out there with half a plan. Perhaps "going toe to toe with Rove" is how you beat Rove, but is it how you win the White House? Is "learning to be mean like the Republican's" really the MAIN way we are going to win? Please explain exactly how this will get us the White House. Is your (Markos and John) main strategy to not let one damn lie get past the filters? It seems like a fear-based strategy: "Oh my God, people are going to believe this crap McCain is putting out!!!". Okay, good point. A lot of people will. But I am not convinced that this can be the whole plan.
I guess my BIG point is that this little debate we are having comes up every damn election and we are all tired of it. The only solution I see is to stop labeling the other guy as "totally wrong" and to see that maybe the best answer isn't "do this" or "do that" but DO BOTH REALLY WELL. I truly don't think anyone really thinks it is simple "be nice" vs "be mean" and yet you and Markos are framing it that way.
We all know that rage, in the context of a good cause, is fantastic. Anger is great when it is done well and at the right time. Obama should get his dander up more and just say it like it is. Rove needs to be smashed and sent to hell where he belongs (the Democratic leadership should have done this a long time ago....) But strategy based on anger in reaction to fear isn't going to cut it, I think.
Honestly, John and Markos, if you were running his campaign what would you do? What would be your plan to win? What would be YOUR creative ideas? You say you want to go toe-to-toe? In the context of THIS election with THIS candiate, what does that EXACTLY mean? Because honestly I don't get it. Would love to hear a response.
Thanks
Carolyn
2 months out from the election and most of the diaries are not just feeding the press and the rightwing with over much doom and gloom but, it is having a very dulling effect on people who should be fired up to fight back and work on volunteering, ect.
The diaries were bordering on concern Trollism. And they were hurting the mojo.
There needed to be balance in the Yes, We can, kind of spirit and much needed common sense. Like, polls usually do tighten after a convention. McCain had the fortune to wipe out any press Obama would have gotten from his fantastic speech and a convention on the heels of ours.
That and the press focus on Palin caused a higher bounce then normal. But, everyone was throwing out common sense and just screaming that the sky was falling.
The diarist was saying enough of this. They are playing into Roves hands by depressing the supporters and turning them into hand wringers.
The balance was so out of whack last week that it was alarming.
I was one who kept saying get a grip people.
go youtube.com/watch?v=G8pewzwBybc
You will be mad when you hear what that fat prick of a DJ said and did to the 2 organizer of this rally. You have to hear it. Than spread it around please.
I just registered to be able to post --- AMEN!
My sister and I are aghast at the current strategy of "non-violent" resistance of the Obama campaign. Kudos to Markos for calling it "magic "new politics" bullshit."
And, yes, lots of people are wondering what Obama is doing with the money they sent him. For me, I was planning on sending Obama a contribution, but have since decided to send the $300 (which I need for other stuff) to Defenders of Wildlife Org to finance the wolf ad. Convinced sis to pitch in another $300. That $600 will pay for three viewing.
If Obama had not shut down the 527s - something I never understood - the coffers would be full right now. They'd be ready to go on a dime - but no, we have to start fundraising for effective negative ads less than 2 months before the election.
Obama has been campaigning and in the news for over two years, 6 months with daily primary coverage. EVERYONE who will be converted by his message has already been converted. That's why all this - well, "Obama should run ads on the issues, this one is very effective" contains a fallacy.
The people who find it effective are already the converted. The undecideds or weak supporters aren't convinced by it and they have been exposed to it daily for the first 6 months of this year.
What I like about the wolf ad is that it creates a visceral response in animal lovers - who cover are spread across all geo-demographic groups. This will get a response from people who were not swayed earlier.
===================================================
I don't believe I have heard or read one comment from the Obama camp eating crow and admitting they might have been wrong. It would be nice and I think many of the 527's would be quicker at getting back and launching attacks at the McBush lies.
My sister and I are aghast at the "non-violent" resistance strategy of the Obama campaign. And, kudos to Markos for calling it the "magic "new politics" bullshit"
Many people are wondering what Obama is doing with the money they sent him - more fireworks? I was going to send a contribution to his campaign but decided instead to send it to the Defenders of Wildlife to run the wolf ad. I am sending my $300 to finance running the ad and I got sis to kick in another $300. This will cover three viewings.
Obama may be Obama, but I am not.
The truth, though, is that the American people will ultimately not vote on issues. For the last two elections, they voted not for their own self-interests, but on things like, "The candidate they'd prefer to have a beer with." There are too many simple-minded people who get caught up in all of the nonsensical things and cast their votes based on the silly stuff.
Let's face it -- Obama's stances on the actual, real issues are more in tune with Americans than John McCain. The problem is that the evil, soul-less Republicans are better at campaigning than we are. And right now, we're trying to beat them at a game that we historically suck at all because we value the truth and have moral core and they don't. We really need to try and get back to promoting Obama and the issues and stop using all of our effort to sink McCain.
Your talkin' about hurtin' a man's feelin's here.
And a man who was a POW to boot.
Hasn't he suffered enough?
Heck, he was tortured as a POW, so why not let him lie all he wants?
I mean, the man has suffered.
Did I tell you he was a POW?
A POW I tell you!!
Give the man a break, cut him some slack.
Let him lie, smear,
crawl on his belly like a reptile,
but IT"S OK, OK?
I bet you didn't even know he was a POW!
Well, he WAS, you know...