Patrick Ruffini, a John McCain supporter (natch), has stopped worrying about the disporportionate attention Barack Obama gets from the establishment media (by a greater than 2:1 margin last week):
It’s probably not a wise use of the McCain campaign’s time to try and dominate the news cycle and the public consciousness in the same way Obama does, but rather to ensure that in an election that can easily be summed up as Obama vs. Not Obama, Not Obama wins the narrative.
Ruffini finds support for that thesis from (Clintonite) Democratic consultants James Carville and Doug Schoen, as quoted in the Politico yesterday. For example:
Longtime Democratic consultant Doug Schoen said that for many voters questions about Obama’s identity, faith and patriotism are metaphors for a broader doubt and uncertainty about somebody who, until four years ago, was an unknown even in much of the political community.
“It’s Obama against Obamaâ€â€and Obama’s narrowly winning,’ Schoen said. “He’s only five points ahead running against a shadow when he should be up 15.â€Â
“If he’s acceptable, he’s president. It’s that simple.â€Â
This analysis is similar my early characterization of the Democratic campaign:
The central dynamic of the Democratic presidential nomination has been known for years. It is a referendum on Sen. Hillary Clinton. It is a race between Clinton and NotClinton. Thus, the only real issue in the campaign would be whether NotClinton could reach critical mass to defeat Clinton.
The difference here is that NotObama is already pretty centralized, with only a slight chance that Libertarian candidate Bob Barr will be a factor in a state like Georgia. Thus, I disagree a bit with Ruffini’s suggestion that “McCain’s relative strengths and weaknesses with various segments of the electorate will matter little.” Attitudes toward Obama may drive the campaign dynamic, but I think Ruffini is mistaken in thinking that it Obama’s image is damaged, it will not matter if voters still see McCain as a worse choice. That is a mistake the Bush ’92 campaign arguably made.
It may be more useful to start from the premise that this cycle is shaping up as a “change” election. From this perspective, the basic problem for each candidate is laid out in recent Gallup polling. Roughly two-thirds of Americans worry that electing McCain would effectively lead to a “third Bush term.” Conversely, about half say they are concerned that Obama would go too far in changing Bush policies. Moreover, those percentages remain almost identical when looking at independent voters.ÂÂ
Obama has spent the past week or so adjusting his positions and flip-flopping on some, presumably to convince people he will not bring radical change.  While Ruffini suggests that the GOP strategy should be the opposite (to bring NotObama sentiment to critical mass), it could be argued that McCain also has the larger task of sufficiently getting out the message that he will retain popular Bush policies and jettison the unpopular ones (with the notable exception of Iraq, where he would need to argue that Obama’s positions have been consistently wrong since 2003).
For real, I don’t think people are factoring in just how damaging to the Baracky personality cult simply having to pick a runningmate will be. Jesus didn’t never have no runningmate. It’s going to be very confuzzling.
Well happy how about he picks an apostle instead?
Just the idea that someone could possibly replace him, it shakes me to the core.
More blasphemy from Priggy. (We assume happyfeet was tongue in cheek.)
Baracky should promise to raise taxes. A lot. For fairness. If he just keeps hammering that message it’s gonna be a cakewalk I think.
Is this election all about the O?
Yes.
(But I think there is some other fella with short arms and an even shorter temper running as well.)
Lisa you can stop rubbing it in their faces Obama is going to win by a landslide and I think they all realize it.
O! may win by a landslide, but as Schoen suggests, he’s currently underperforming “generic Democrat.” Not exactly a Messianic showing yet.
McCain’s arms are longer than Randy Moss when he goes across the middle.
Also, O! supporters probably should not be reminding people about McCain’s arms. It’s like Billy Jeff’s comments on PSTD; sure to backfire.
It’s really not fair to use football analogies, what with Obama being a Muslim and Muslim’s not being able to touch pigskins and all.
Haters!
Although I am sure that Obama would be able to prevent LT from sacking the QB via meaningful dialog. Failing that he could just offer to share some of his coke.
JD!!
(waves)
It’s not a ‘slight’ chance that Barr will be a factor in GA. It’s “zero” chance that he’ll be a factor in GA. McCain will lose AZ before he loses GA.
No freaking way the state goes back Dem in the foreseeable future. Hey, they always manufacture the ‘get out the black vote’ in Atlanta (Cynthia McKinney, John Lewis) so any news you see on ‘excitement in the black community’ in the ATL area is something that was said about Kerry, Gore & Clinton. Heck, Bill couldn’t win the state in ’96 & he was popular & won the nation in a landslide.
Of course, that was back when folks like Zell Miller were welcome in the party, whereas nowadays he’s a right wing zealot.
Edu Guy – I denounced myself, internally.
Lisa – How is my favorite sugartitted moonbat?
Decisions, decisions. I think I’d rather take the 3rd Bush term than the 2nd Carter term.
JD – You’re a good man to self hate so willingly.
Wow. How utterly classless.
Rob, I was not aware that I was supposed to be upholding the Classy Code of Commenting.
Feel free to denounce at will.
I am great JD, how are you?
Crimso, that is funny – made me giggle. I do, however, denounce you.
Edu Guy – I do so to save everyone else the effort. It is all about efficiency.
Lisa – doing well, thanks for asking. All of my girls are wonderful, happy, and healthy, so all is good in my world. The Better Half just had a birthday and by some stroke of genius, I picked out a present that made her say WOW, and she did not return it. Our 6 year old is adjusting to being a big sister, and is taking golf lessons with her uber-proud Dad. Our 3 month old is fat, I mean very healthy – a shit-producing factory in and of itself. Plus, she smiles at her Daddy. Yeah!
Yeah, Obama gets slammed for being a mendacious, inexperienced marxist, and so in response the lefties just HAVE to make fun of McCain’s war injuries.
You know who’s going to defeat Obama? His supporters, that’s who.
I generally expect people to not make fun of crippling war injuries. War injuries inflicted by real torture. Inflicted by people whose asses the left kissed at every opportunity.
His weirdly short arms are the result of a war injury? I never knew that. It does not say anywhere that his arms were shortened because of his war injuries.
Interesting. I probably would have said “Hey, you know his arms are strangely short because of his war injury, Rob, so that is not something to joke about.” But that is just how I am.
Anyway thanks for so classily informing me of something that I heretofore didn’t know (and since the only reference to his arms are that he can’t lift them above a certain point – you are probably making it up…but I will allow you to feel morally superior because I don’t particularly care anyway.)
Cheers.
Inflicted by people whose asses the left kissed at every opportunity. yeah yeah we are all Jane Fonda (yawn).
Where’s Thor???
I can’t be here as I am ‘banned’.
I agree that Obama lurching to the right is a bad thing. Dukakis did the same thing and so did Gore at about this time in the election cycle. Obama needs to go Left and keep up the heat on the economy…..not dither about welfare reform. Everybody knows this country spends next to nothing on welfare (less than 1 percent of Fed budget). Obama needs to point out that financial companies are stealing from our 401Ks as we speak. Needs to talk about fairness and not welfare. Jeesh, if he does a Gore/Dukakis turn to the right he’ll lose the public’s interest!
but the money’s on Obama
I didn’t know you were banned. Solidarity, brother.
Thor was banned? You know, every Monday I ask you guys what I missed…
Was Maybee banned too? Where’s she been?
I was banned too, Carin. Dan Collins had me banned.
weird Jeff banned me, for getting a little pissed at his making history up but a few days later the ‘banns’ was off my ‘net address. I usually just use the reader. But given the testy environment, can’t waste time on someone’s ego trip. It’s just been a good place to vent even if I don’t agree with much here. You folks have a sense of humor mostly.
I don’t think thor was banned was he? (this is datadave btw..)
really JD can you be a little nicer to the lady?
Oh. I thought you were thor. No offense but I’m gonna kind of discretely rescind the solidarity thing. But you hang in there, datadave person.
Why did I think you were a Vermont person? And thor is I think a texan, stalwart and true. There should be a study guide.
Also Jeff is not weird. That sounds like pique. You’re better than that, datadave person.
I haven’t had anything to do with banning anyone, except for MayBee. She hurt my feeling.
Sometimes when y’all touch the honesty’s too much is all it is I think.
u’ve got it feets. But where’s thor? He been back here once in awhile?? I hope Jeff showed a little humor and tolerance for him as he was genuinely funny and actually much more conservative than I. As I mention O is looking very Dukakis-like playing to the Reagan democrats.
Obama, raise your Freak Flag High, Baby!
ah, that’s a mild epithet and I kept the grammar loss as usual, not an adjective, more as an adverb.
oh. thor is missing. here’s all I’s gots to go on.
too bad. I like the milk cartoon though.
Jeff was helping me out of my addiction. So I even sent him a 20 dollar bill for all the entertainment. via amazon. that’s serious money for me.
I’ll be going out to Utah again in a few days so like thor maybe only in for a visit or so.
pique is a good work. Like Fussin’.
oh. Utah. Drink plenty of fluids.
from my 15 y.o. son’s blog, his reading list:
Taking the cue from Hannah, I am posting my summer reading list. During the school year, I almost never have time to read. Fortunately, I have about 1 hour after work where I go the park and read to my heart’s content. So far, this is the favorite time of my summer and I really value the opportunity to reflect upon a good book in the beautiful outdoors. I have been meaning to read many of these books for months, but never got the opportunity. Without further ado, I present to you my meager list:
1. The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
2. The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
3. Wikinomics by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams
4. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
5. The Future of the Internet–And How to Stop It by Jonathan Zittrain
6. The Illiad by Homer
7. 271 RSS feeds by you
just out there with my dying father in a assisted living place. last week. 100 degrees seems mild as the humidity is low. I’ve been to Alpine Texas and Big Bend. Great time! especially the burro’s leading us to the whorehouse across the river in Santa Elena. I knew about HOT! Used to run track in Utah and So. Cal. in High School. But the 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity in Vermont is worse unless the wind is blowing and then it gets tolerable.
g’nite, y’all.
oh. goodnight. Have a safe trip and we’ll see you when you get back.
I just read “The World is Flat”. It was good.