Posted on 10/14/2008 12:07:20 PM PDT by Chet 99
Who's in control of McCain's campaign?
By: Roger Simon
October 14, 2008 10:51 AM EST
John McCain’s campaign is pretty much a shambles right now.
If you don’t believe me, just listen to John McCain. His chief goal these days is calming down his crowds, not firing them up.
And that is an honorable thing to do. It may not be a winning thing to do. But it is honorable.
Sarah Palin, once seen as a huge plus to the ticket, is now increasingly emerging as a liability.
Forget that an independent legislative panel found Friday that she had abused her power and violated ethics laws as governor of Alaska. Forget that with the possibility of Palin being a heartbeat away from the presidency, McCain gives up the argument that his ticket represents experience and a steady hand on the tiller.
The real problem for McCain is that Palin is running a separate — and scary — campaign that does not seem to be under anybody’s control.
She storms around the country saying: “Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country.”
She also says: “This is not a man who sees America as you see America and as I see America.”
Get the drift? Obama is not only different, not only an alien incapable of loving his country, he is an actual friend of terrorists who would attack America.
The great benefit of putting Palin on the ticket, we were told, is that it would excite the Republican base. Maybe it will. But the Republican base has never been smaller. And it is insufficient to carry the McCain-Palin ticket to victory.
To win, the Republican ticket must attract a significant number of independent voters, swing voters and even some Democrats. Do Sarah Palin’s attacks really help achieve that?
Her attacks certainly appeal to some. Cries of “traitor” and “terrorist” and “off with his head” are heard at Republican rallies when Obama’s name is mentioned.
And Palin is not the only one who is fear-mongering. Karen Tumulty of Time magazine was invited by the McCain campaign to visit its operations in Virginia on Saturday. So Tumulty was there when Virginia Republican Party Chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick “climbed atop a folding chair to give 30 campaign volunteers who were about to go canvassing door to door their talking points — for instance, the connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden.”
“Both have friends that bombed the Pentagon,” Frederick said. “That is scary.”
At Tumulty points out, “It is also not exactly true — though that distorted reference to Obama’s controversial association with William Ayers, a former ’60s radical, was enough to get the volunteers stoked. ‘And he won’t salute the flag,’ one woman added, repeating another myth about Obama. She was quickly topped by a man who called out, ‘We don’t even know where Sen. Obama was really born.’ Actually, we do; it’s Hawaii.”
(And, actually, John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, a location at least as exotic as Hawaii.)
This is scary stuff. And you know who is getting scared by it? John McCain.
When a crowd member said at a town meeting in Lakeville, Minn., on Friday that he feared what would happen if Obama were elected, McCain said that Obama is “a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared of as president of the United States.”
The crowd booed.
Why wouldn’t it? McCain says there is nothing to fear from Obama, while McCain’s running mate says Obama pals around with terrorists who target America.
Is there a little confusion here?
At the same event in Minnesota, a woman in the crowd told McCain that she doesn’t trust Obama because “he’s an Arab.”
Taking the microphone from her, McCain said, “No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man, a citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues, and that’s what this campaign is all about.”
Maybe that is what McCain would like his campaign to be all about. But others are telling him to forget that “fundamental issues” stuff.
The polls stink, they are telling him. The voter registration numbers stink. And Obama may have the most effective ground organization in Democratic history.
So how can McCain close the gap? There is a playbook that tells him how. It is a playbook that the Republicans have used for a number of cycles now: Promise low taxes, promise to better defend the country against its enemies, and then attack, attack, attack.
Willie Horton. Sighs and lies. Swift boat. Attack. Just do it.
But McCain is hesitating. “If you want a fight, we will fight,” McCain told that crowd in Minnesota. “But we will be respectful.”
The crowd booed again.
“I don’t mean to reduce your ferocity,” McCain said. “I just mean to say you have to be respectful.”
Is that possible? There are those whispering in McCain’s ear that if he gets into the gutter, he can get into the White House. Ads are not enough, they tell him. He must launch the attacks personally and without reservation.
But honor is still an important word to John McCain. He would like to win the presidency and retain his honor.
Some tell him he cannot do both. At this point, however, he is trying.
Shut up, MSM. We know you’re all Obama’s kept women anyway.
Hey look, an article that fits the indoctrination template perfectly.
Bunch of retards.
Yeah, Palin’s a real liability. I wish she could draw 25,000 or so to a rally like Biden does. Sigh.
This is a typical straw-man argument. The truth is that the attacks continue and Palin is getting huge crowds. Let them play that game - they are in for a big surprise because the pubbies are pumped to vote.
McCain’s message is bipolar. Palin is suppose to be an attack dog but its suppose to be a tight message and narrative that will blast through the bias of the media like Bush did in 2004.
Instead McCain just throws a bunch of ad hoc attacks and jumps from issue to issue.
I give McCain the next debate to draw a narrative but I’m not holding my breath.
I just pray to god we can still hold the senate filibuster.
McCain-Palin will win this election!
That's not even something that can be disputed, it's the truth. For the MSM and these Politico people to deny it is a total abdication of responsibility.
Take Roger Simon with the least grain of salt. This moron was columnist for the ultra-liberal Baltimore Sun for years.
They said the same thing to hillary after they stole her nomination. :)
Piss off MSM!
Another troll post. Okay guys, this is getting old. Go back to your beloved Huffington Post.
Palin just drew at least as many people in Scranton as Joe Biden did two days ago. Since when is she a liability??? She has completely gotten under Obama’s skin. No wonder the MSM is shrieking!
Because of Gov Palin we will win this year and odumbo/media know it
Sarah Palin, once seen as a huge plus to the ticket, is now increasingly emerging as a liability.”
*********
Only in your fevered mind Roger. BTW that liability outdraws 0 by an order of magnitude.
“I wish she could draw 25,000 or so to a rally like Biden does.”
Is Biden even campaigning? I haven’t heard anything out of him. I’d be interested in knowing how the crowd compares Mac/Palin v. obama/Biden but haven’t seen any numbers reported.
>> Get the drift? Obama is not only different, not only an alien incapable of loving his country, he is an actual friend of terrorists who would attack America.
Not “WOULD” attack America.
DID attack America.
I suppose because they bombed the Capitol building, no an abortion clinic it’s ok.
“Lose with honor”
dunno `bout that, but I plan to get drunk with dignity....
When you’ve had too much to drink
there’s certain things to keep in mind.
Like when you find your hand and underarms are bleeding
your beer bottle might not have a twist off cap
and don’t ever go home with a woman they call Moose
or Vince
And never bet that you can fit your head inside a glove compartment
Get drunk with dignity
Keep in mind that just because a bulldog licks your face
its not necessary to lick him back
Stay away from drinks with names like
brain seizure or hippo laxative
Get drunk with dignity
If a bar has human ears nailed ot the walls
don’t pass out there
and if your homemade jello has some goldfish in it
you used the wrong bowl
And there are phrases you must learn to avoid
phrases like
“that badge looks stupid”
and
“I can prove these shoes are fireproof”
Get drunk with dignity
try not to drool on bikers
Don’t moon a nun
unless you got a real good reason
dont get romantically involved with farm machinery
Get drunk with dignity.
by Tim Cavanaugh
wow
says one woman said we don’t know where he was born, yes we do HI
er lets report media born there we do not know for sure
another one they said was he won’t salute the flag but we know it is false
er wrong again media he did not salute the flag at all and only recently has has been wearing a pin
Politico are becoming just as bad as the media lately
this article just shows the bias about obama and how much they really are for obama
If any journo is reading this then you are a complete waste of time now.
You’re pathetic and should be embarrassed by your disgusting acts of amateurism.
For the BS!! Thanks - that explains it. What a rag the BS is.
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