It doesn’t take Rasmussen to tell us that a high percentage of the pronouncements of politicians are projections. Call the other guy what you fear you are. Recently, Obama has called McCain “cynical.”
“In no way do I think John McCain’s campaign was racist. I think they are cynical,” Obama said. “Their team is good at creating distractions and engaging in negative attacks.”
Hmm… but the same AP article where I found this quote had the following but two paragraphs higher …
Obama may have given McCain more fodder [for his cynicism, evidently] in recent days by announcing a readiness to compromise with Republicans on offshore oil drilling — which he had opposed — and apparently rejecting McCain’s challenge to join him in a series of town hall meetings.
Rejecting a challenge to join McCain in town hall meetings? That means not wanting to confront the people or his opponent about the issues in a spontaneous manner. That sounds pretty cynical, non? [Or chicken.-ed. That's what people call me. No, that's a chicken hawk. Oh, right.]
UPDATE: I have been pretty busy all day - back in LA - and somehow missed this (Obama’s rock-star lavish campaign jet). I am stunned at how unsophisticated Obama really is. Does he think that the American public is impressed with a 46-year old with little or no experience, acting like le roi soleil in a campaign plane that already dwarfs Air Force One? It’s as if his people were secretly working for the McCain Campaign, setting them up with one opportunity after the other. All the McCain folks have to do now is make an ad showing shots of McCain carrying own luggage, as he did last summer, juxtaposed with this cushy nonsense. Global warming,my fat hen! Is Obama the new John Edwards… not for his personal behavior (Michelle would brain him upside the head), but for his tone deaf entitlement? 
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David Thomson:“I am stunned at how unsophisticated Obama really is.”
Not me. I realized that Obama was shallow and poorly read almost immediately. Unfortunately, too many people were overly impressed with his Harvard Law credentials. They jumped to the invalid conclusion that Obama was somehow another John Adams. The reality is that he is merely another ambitious yuppie. Obama puts his wet finger into the air to see which way the wind is blowing.
Aug 3, 2008 - 10:40 pm Terrye:I am getting really fed up with all these pundits etc telling me what is and is not racist and who is and is not qualified and all the rest of it.
Anyone with any common sense at all can see that Obama is out of his depths here. He is flying around his big shiny expensive plane talking about bad rich people. He is yammering about dollar bills while he accuses a man like McCain of racism. The sheer audacity of the man’s cynical ploys to buy the White House is breathtaking. It is like watching a bad movie.
Aug 4, 2008 - 4:06 am jedrury:Comrades:
Check out Juan Williams in the Op.Ed WSJ today on the racial pattern of voting blocks in America. Quite interesting.
Aug 4, 2008 - 6:29 am Lightnin' Hopkins:Like John Effing Kerry, Obama seems to think that being the presumptive nominee means he should act as presumptious as possible. Remember the side of Kerry’s plane? “John Kerry, President.” Not “for President” — Now flash forward to Obama’s baby blue faux seal and the flaunting of “O Force One.”
The whole “audacity” angle is coming into sharp relief as the campaign marches on, and not in the way he “hope(d)” it would.
Aug 4, 2008 - 7:20 am Captain Hate:Juan Williams has been surprisingly lucid and credible regarding all things Hopey and Changey throughout this endless campaign.
Aug 4, 2008 - 7:37 am Michael:I was stunned when I saw those plane seats as well…
Aug 4, 2008 - 7:53 am Mike Shuster:Roger, the article you link to also describes McCain’s plane, which sounds exactly the same– leather seats, spacious private compartment for the candidate, etc. What exactly is the big difference?
Aug 4, 2008 - 8:34 am Markus:Dislike as I do the identity politics that has gotten him to where he is today, I support Obama as someone who is marginally better than McCain on most of the issues I care about.
The Republican Party remains a party of which “if it were a dog brand, its makers would take it off the shelves.” Even so, I note that the “kerryfication” of Obama seems to strike an effective chord, and I am frankly “kerrified.”
A Hillary/Obama ticket would have been up by a good ten points right now. Instead, the rookie is in toss-up, against the reincarnation of Bob Dole.
Aug 4, 2008 - 9:47 am jedrury:Markus:
I disagree. What would Hillary bring to the ticket except to beat the fields for the Hillary haters. There are many. They have now disappeared. Juan Williams (see above) points that the Dem voters in primaries are very liberal and active and do not mirror the electorate. So the past nomination elections do not reflect the general in November. A HRC/BO ticket would bring to the fore the rapid Hillary haters and those who dislike BO who has not reached the toxic levels she has in her career.
Aug 4, 2008 - 10:03 am Jay:“It doesn’t take Rasmussen to tell us that a high percentage of the pronouncements of politicians are projections.”
And it doesn’t take a serious reader of your blog to notice how quickly your usual “pox-on-both-their-houses” argument falls apart.
I give you a profile of Mark Salter, McCain’s chief strategist (http://tinyurl.com/6ge6e2). An excerpt:
“I often regret that we didn’t copyright ’serving a cause greater than your self-interest,’ (Salter) cracks.’ ”
I can imagine your reaction if Obama or any one of his staffers had said this.
Then, there’s Saturday’s McCain profile in the WaPo, which sheds a bit more light on Salter’s role in McCain’s political career(http://tinyurl.com/5cl4sk):
“There is an elaborate record of the principles and beliefs that govern McCain’s thinking about politics and policy in the five books he and Salter have written, scores of speeches they have collaborated on over nearly two decades, and countless interviews, including one last week for this article. That record reveals a complicated man whose approach to the world cannot be summed up in an aphorism or two. He is a striver and a combatant, often at war with himself, who has conducted a lifelong struggle “to prove to myself that I was the man I had always wanted to be,” as he has written. (…)
McCain is a figure from an old-fashioned America that is out of fashion in our most cosmopolitan precincts — the America of “Gunsmoke” and Gary Cooper, not “The Daily Show” and George Clooney. For McCain, “Duty, Honor, Country” isn’t patriotic pablum but a credo to live by. And he has worked out a way to apply the credo to politics. He summarized it in a commencement address at Johns Hopkins in 1999, when he gave the graduates this advice:
“Enter public life determined to tell the truth; to put problem-solving ahead of partisanship; to defend the public interest against the special interests; to risk your personal ambitions for the sake of the country and the ideals that make her great. Keep your promise to America, and you will keep your honor. You will know a happiness far more sublime than pleasure.”
“That’s what it’s all about,” McCain said in the interview.”
Thereafter, a blogger responded thusly: “Duty, Honor, Country” isn’t patriotic pablum but a credo to live by”: that’s hard to square with McCain’s willingness to accuse Obama of being willing to lose a war in order to win an election.” (http://tinyurl.com/6qke3l)
I would add, Roger, that the “win an election before a war” jab was ignored by you; but heaven forbid a little-known Lieberman critic types the F-word on a blog.
Face it: all politicians are arrogant, while all candidates for the presidency are extra-arrogant (indeed, that even a single-digit spoiler like Bob Barr can say with a straight face that he will win the election requires an arrogance that exceeds that shown by either of the two candidates, and, in fact, borders on fanaticism). The Kennedys, Bushes, and Roosevelts played their family connections to the hilt and strutted about like peacocks. Kennedy said: “Ask not,” Bush I hailed “a thousand points of light,” Bush II coined “compassionate conservatism,” and yet there was no arrogance there, ever?
I am bothered by Obama’s syrupy, aw-shucks rhetoric when talking about faith; I hear Huckabee and Bush II there. However, I do think that he can and will be an effective advocate for policies that matter to me. When are you going to accept that the vast majority of those supporting the Democrat this year simply came to the same conclusion?
Perhaps, what it boils down to is that the Republican partisans over here are terrified, just terrifed, that a Dem could actually get widespread support. After all, didn’t Daddy Rove promise you all a permanent majority for Christmas?
Finally, I loved Terry’s post. First, are you in Roger’s tax-bracket? That would be the only one adversely impacted by Obama’s tax policy. I say we throw in Damon and Affleck for good measure.
Finally, Obama did not accuse McCain of racism. He suggested his campaign apparatus (not all of which McCain can control, by the way) MIGHT try to instill fear. So, can you assure me there will be no direct mail, chain e-mail, viral videos, blog posts or televised gaffes by any McCain supporters or Obama critics about madrassas, Hussein, or what have you before election day?
I thought not.
Aug 4, 2008 - 10:16 am Markus:jedrury — It seems clear that among those 18 million voters for Hillary in the primaries were a substantial number of people who would have previously would have told pollsters they had a negative impression of her. That is to say, she convinced a lot white working class voters to support her, just as she did in upstate New York in her Senate campaigns in 2000 and 2006. No reason to think she wouldn’t have similar success in the general, given her moderate stance on most policy, her cultural outreach to non-elite whites, and 80% of country thinking we’re on the wrong track. Making Obama the VP would keep most of supporters from revolting, as they could still vote to “make history.”
Aug 4, 2008 - 10:35 am Annabel:>“I often regret that we didn’t copyright ’serving a cause greater than your self-interest,’ (Salter) cracks.’ ”
I can imagine your reaction if Obama or any one of his staffers had said this.<
Obama’s campaign WOULD have copyrighted it. That’s the difference, Jay. Sheesh! Do you have any idea how dopey and humorless you sound in your comments? You do your cause more harm than good. So keep it up — turning more voters away from Obama with each dreary sentence you write.
Aug 4, 2008 - 11:23 am Lightnin' Hopkins:Daddy Rove?
The Fitzmas disappointment still smarts something awful, doesn’t it Jay?
Aug 4, 2008 - 11:35 am Jay:My point, Annabel, is that the two major candidates are, in essence, the same person. They are haughty, their staffers are haughty. We have not had a “happy warrior” type since Al-everloving-Smith.
Read your history.
And Lightnin’, I’m doing fine. How are you taking those congressional losses, chief?
Aug 4, 2008 - 11:47 am Annabel:Zzzzzzz. Admit it Jay, the RNC is paying you. If not, they ought to be.
Aug 4, 2008 - 12:00 pm Captain Hate:“Read your history.”
That just peeled away another layer of undecideds.
Aug 4, 2008 - 12:06 pm Loren Gomez:Good point there Jay. Well, the Presidential campaign TV ads is getting a little nasty, if you happen to see the “McCain’s New TV Ad on Obama’s ‘Celebrity’ like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and The Democratic TV Ad on McCain: Are We Better Off?” videos being clash in clashOrama. Well, sooner or later you knew it had to start! The media is begging for it and the people want to see some fight in their candidates. So here ya go…and I am sure this is only the beginning. So, if I’m going to ask this question, which one is more believable? http://clashorama.com/index.php?id=191
Aug 4, 2008 - 12:07 pm Lightnin' Hopkins:Well, considering that those gaining the seats never really do much of anything once they get to D.C., it could be worse - so I guess I’m doing fine, uh, pal. Buddy? Forget it, I’ll stick with “Jay.”
They sure stopped the war though, huh?
Aug 4, 2008 - 12:11 pm Rocketeer:They sure stopped the war though, huh?
Heh. It does seem like most of their energy has been spent in driving down their approval ratings.
Aug 4, 2008 - 1:06 pm jedrury:Markus:
I understand your point and do not reject it outright. She has a following with the white working class but that support may not hold fast in the face of a campaign against McCain. A % of those voters
Aug 4, 2008 - 1:14 pm Jacque Denise Yap:did not vote for BO because of race. One reporter in Philly (smart guy seen on TV) contend that the percentage was as high as 13% of the Penna primary voters. One might conclude that they would not vote for HRC in the event of a race against McCain. So I am not sure that HRC would do better than BO.
i hope that the Americans will not reject obama about his plan in Iraq,, earlier i saw his video in http://pollclash.com and i was thinking that if Obama has a better plan concerning about plan in the war in Iraq and put America in safe..
Aug 4, 2008 - 1:50 pm Lem:An extended version of McCain’s “The one” has a clip of Moses from the Ten Commandments.
I thought that’s clever - If you remember your bible lessons/academy award winners, Moses never did make it into the Promised Land
Aug 4, 2008 - 1:59 pm Seven Machos:Prediction: in the event that Obama wins, an irrepressible meme will develop that David Axelrod is actually in charge of the White House (along with the vice president), and is doing evil, and has superhuman capabilities to thwart democracy.
Who’s with me?
Aug 4, 2008 - 2:25 pm Lightnin' Hopkins:Seven Machos: You mean like a “Daddy Axelrod” scenario? “Obama’s Brain” Heh. I like it. Maybe they could lease Cheney’s weather machine too - with a little tinkering they might outdo Katrina.
Aug 4, 2008 - 2:58 pm Lem:Is Bill Clinton a stealth McCain supporter?
Here is Bill from an ABC interview.
Did you hurt Hillary’s chances?
…[Politics]“it’s a contact sport…
Any regrets?
“…I’m not a racist ….”
Is Obama ready to be president?
“You could argue that no one is ready to be president”
Should Hillary be Obama’s running mate?
It’s up to him.. it’s none of my business..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_d3KwdneBk
Aug 4, 2008 - 3:54 pm glenn:Leroy Soliel?, I knew Leroy and he was no Barack Obama.
Aug 4, 2008 - 6:13 pm Neo:Time - Verbatim - For the week of Feb. 28 - Mar. 6, 2005
Aug 5, 2008 - 5:56 am AlanC:A very interesting take on BHO that I read recently was that his being the nominee is as big a shock to him as it is to anyone else.
The premise is that his whole run was nothing more than a PR stunt to start positioning his career and he really expected to be done by South Carolina as Hillary cruised on home. This would then have earned him points for a move ahead in either 2012 or 2016 depending on who won; possibly as Hillary’s Veep.
BUT, no one in the Democratic Pary really understood the depths of loathing and negatives that Hillary (and Bill) had accumulated over the years especially with the hardcore loony left that makes of the core of today’s party. When compared to everyone except Hillary BHO was the bright, shiny new toy and a place to put any anti-Hillary protest vote. Oooooops! He took off and now he’s believing his own hype!!
This has the potential to get very, very ugly for the Democrat party if BHO gets the nomination and then gets whooped.
If his polls keep dropping until the convention will the Superdelegates band together and put him over the top in a show of Party Unity? Or will some/enough hold back on the first vote to force a second vote where all the pledged delegates are freed? Is there then a move to Hillary or a totally brokered convention like the bad (good) old days?
Me? I’m thinking of stocking up on pop-corn.
Aug 5, 2008 - 12:19 pm AllanC aka Promoguy:“Me? I’m thinking of stocking up on pop-corn.”
If the convention turns against Obama and turns to Hillary, you better be stocking up for something other than popcorn.
Aug 5, 2008 - 12:23 pm Gary Rosen:“My point, Annabel, is that the two major candidates are, in essence, the same person.”
That kind of blows Obama’s claim to be a candidate of “hope and change”, a “new kind of politician” etc. ad nauseam. Which really undermines his campaign since aside from that he has almost zero accomplishments of substance.
Aug 6, 2008 - 12:22 am Al:“The Boeing 757 is a short to medium range narrow-body commercial passenger aircraft ” Depending on the model it is either 155′3″ or 178′ 7″ and has a take off weight of 272000#.
Air Force One is a 747 200-B is a jumbo jet; it is 231′ 10″ and has a take off weight of 383,000#.
Roger you really seem to think Obama is being uppity in his choice of planes.
If one reads further one find this: “In McCain’s spacious first class area, there are 12 plush leather seats for the candidate, his wife and senior staffers. The “straight talk” area features a long leather bench and another first class seat which McCain sits in when he talks to the press – or would, if he used the area.
Since they acquired the plane with its specially modified area, McCain has spoken to the press there precisely once, over a month ago. All of these sections are separated by curtains, which are always shut as tightly as possible as soon as the plane takes off in order to keep the different sections of the plane from interacting with each other.”
So much for the “straight talk”.
Aug 7, 2008 - 6:50 pm