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Not the Behavior of a Winning Campaign
RedState ^ | August 24 2012 | Erick Erickson

Posted on 08/24/2012 3:04:47 AM PDT by iowamark

The media keeps showing its rear end. Let me just make that clear. If you are a competent reporter, I’m not sure how you cannot be embarrassed by the majority of those in your profession right now covering politics.

From Mark Halperin, to Jake Tapper, to Chuck Todd, more journalists are actually now admitting just how pliable the media is when it comes to Barack Obama’s spin. All week long, as the economy deteriorates, most every anchor at most every news outlet, most every editorialist in most every paper, and most every “centrist” and liberal pundit has been pointing out the GOP’s extremist abortion position.

Few, if any, have pointed out that Barack Obama’s abortion on demand position is extreme. Few, if any, have pointed out how most Americans favor restrictions on abortion. Few, if any, have pointed out that Mitt Romney’s position is actually more mainstream than Barack Obama’s. Few, if any, have wanted to go beyond Politifact’s ham-handed cover for Obama on infanticide and get into what Barack Obama actually said in 2002. Hear him come out for infanticide yourself right here. Remember, the media is hiding behind the left-leaning Politifact (and yes, it does lean left) to avoid having to deal with this.

They cannot help themselves. But why are they doing it?

They are doing it for the exact same reason Joe Biden is claiming the GOP will put black people back in chains and why Barack Obama would rather talk about uteri than jobs — they all know Barack Obama is losing this thing.

Hysteria creeps into campaigns when the campaigns know they are losing. When George H. W. Bush saw the election slipping away in 1992, he took to referring to Bill Clinton and Al Gore as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. The invective went up as his poll numbers went down.

Barack Obama and the Democrats are going to throw in the towel on the tradition of sitting on the sidelines during their opponent’s political convention. In the past, the parties did this with each other. Not now. The Obama campaign cannot afford to. It is too close and polling is about to shift from registered voters to likely voters, which will generate negative numbers for him. He must surrender another tradition to engage in more hyper partisan mudslinging because he is losing.

More and more polls are showing Mitt Romney trending upwards in swing states. More and more polls are showing Americans growing more pessimistic about the economy. More and more economists are starting to worry about the economy. Gas prices and milk prices are going up while take home pay is going down.

The hysterics we are seeing from the Democrats come as reality hits everyone. Even I have been convinced that Romney was going to blow this thing. The stupid statement about the Soptics not having the fate they had if they were in Massachusetts could have been game over.

But then Paul Ryan became the veep pick. He has now given Romney purpose. He has defined the campaign. He has put Barack Obama on defense. Consider this — the sage voices of the GOP were convinced the GOP could not win the fight on budgetary and entitlement reform. They were convinced Paul Ryan would sink the ticket.

Then the Democrats tried to define Paul Ryan and failed. They have been failing ever since. Their attempts to define Mitt Romney didn’t do enough and they have yet to settle on a narrative to define Paul Ryan. They are grasping at straws. Now they’d even fight the Associated Press style book to try to go after Paul Ryan.

And that gets us back to the media. At what point will they finally start asking if Barack Obama needs a campaign shake up? Because if it was Mitt Romney in the same boat, they sure as hell would. In fact, there have already been two different media cycles about Romney needing a campaign shake up and not one about Barack Obama.

Why? The simple truth remains the vast majority of the media is more sympathetic to and friendly with Team Obama and would hate to ruffle the feathers of friends. It’s one of the greatest thing Mitt Romney has going for him right now.


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bho2012
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The simple truth remains the vast majority of the media is more sympathetic to and friendly with Team Obama and would hate to ruffle the feathers of friends. It’s one of the greatest thing Mitt Romney has going for him right now.
1 posted on 08/24/2012 3:05:02 AM PDT by iowamark
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To: iowamark

But Akins used the term ‘legimate rape’ so all is lost!


2 posted on 08/24/2012 3:09:38 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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To: iowamark

I see Romney will be nominated on Monday. Great! Then he can access his $$ to fight back.


3 posted on 08/24/2012 3:13:46 AM PDT by quilterdebbie (We will endeavor to persevere!)
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To: iowamark

Staying on the abortion issue distracts from the more important issues at hand like the economy, Obamacare, the countless lies he has told and promises that he’s broken, the laws he has put on the books that infringe on Constitutional rights, the new technologies and events that have surfaced that will keep him in power (new vehicle mounted heat ray guns for population control, lightning deflection control devices, the new NSA spy station in Utah that will most certainly be used to spy on citizens, over 2500 APCs that Homeland Security has acquired, huge amounts of ammunition that has recently been acquired, etc...), the divisive atmosphere that he has created, etc...

The sooner that Romney wakes up and realizes he has been distracted, led down a rabbit hole and put on the defensive the better. They say Howard Stern is the king of media but he is nothing compared to The Great One.


4 posted on 08/24/2012 3:22:11 AM PDT by jsanders2001 (Make May 2nd Fire a Mexican and Hire a non-Latino Day!)
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To: iowamark

Most media support socialism and communism. they are just to stupid to know it.


5 posted on 08/24/2012 3:33:28 AM PDT by dalebert
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To: iowamark

I just can’t see anything here that looks like a ‘campaign’, in the political sense, at least - with open debate over ideas, ideal, or ideologies (or at least ‘lip service’ to these ends)..

It more resembles a military/revolutionary ‘campaign’ with a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy entailing propaganda, personal destruction of adversaries, and whatever illegitimate tactics feed their ends...

The Pubbies are, of course, bringing marshmallows to a gun fight...


6 posted on 08/24/2012 3:34:45 AM PDT by Uncle Ike (Rope is cheap, and there are lots of trees...)
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To: iowamark

I will probably get boo’d here, but I am just telling you all what I see from my vantage point. I was at a Republican Executive Meetining last night. What you do not see is the ground game going on. Romney and the County RNC’s are very organized. We have had boots on the ground for 3 mos. now, knocking on doors, taking Precinct by Precinct talking to folks. Romney Campaign gave a victory center in the middle of Polk County with 20 phone banks. This center is manned by the local Republican groups. VOLUNTEERS. We are always number 1-3 in the state making phone calls every day! People, the true facts are these, it is a ground game. When we started to get out the registration drive door by door, Obama’s crew went to the Black Churches and spoke and registered them. Meeting our registrations 2-1 at one point. 2- it will be early voting and absentee ballots that wins this thing. Proof? Our primaries. 47% were early and absentee voting. 3- you must get off your asses and stop complaining. Change one mind that is iffy. Bring someone to the polls. If you know an elderly person, help them get an absentee ballot. We only have 74 days and cut that for early voting.
We were told last night that we have to work harder on the 1-4 corridor to make up for South Florida which will be lost to us. Can’t fight it. DWS and her crowd of losers are tough fight down there. That means that everybody will count down there. This must be treated like a military mission and nothing more. Get going!!! Stop complaining and put blinders on! Please, the country truely is hanging in the balance.
Don’t agree with me, it’s ok. But, seriously we are all on this site for the same reason truth be told. We love God, we love our families, and we love our country. God gave us this gift, he gave us family and love. He gave us this wonderful Country. Please help us take the steps to take it back. We can make a change to the Right. We need everybody’s help though. I will not fight anyone on this site over semantics today. I know Romney isn’t the best, but he is what we have. The down ticket needs us all too!
God Bless you.


7 posted on 08/24/2012 3:53:48 AM PDT by marygam (#Hurry November 2012, we might not make it#)
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To: iowamark
I'm not one to say that Paul Ryan was the reason Romney will win this election. I believe that if Romney had picked Tim Pawlenty, or Rob Portman, Romney still would've won....just by a smaller margin.

I believe there are so many people who despise Obama that he doesn't stand a chance this November. Paul Ryan simply makes sure that Conservatives will not only crawl over broken glass to get to the polls, but they'll drag a few friends with them to crawl over that broken glass with them as well.

8 posted on 08/24/2012 3:56:41 AM PDT by MuttTheHoople (Obama does not have the work ethic to be Anti-Christ.)
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To: iowamark

The Akin thing will soon be forgotten.


9 posted on 08/24/2012 3:58:44 AM PDT by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
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To: iowamark
It infuriates me to think about just how much the media is responsible for the destruction of our Republic and way of life over the past several decades.

The purposeful non-vetting of Obama and his very controversial and shaky background is a legacy that should forever tarnish these partisans in journalist clothing.

As we slip into the darkness we can primarily blame not Liberals and Leftists; not even big government statists, but rather the media talking heads, Hollywood superstars, and the rest that have led the rank and file Americans down the propaganda path all these many years.

10 posted on 08/24/2012 4:04:56 AM PDT by Alas Babylon!
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To: Biggirl

Yep. Rush sure survived Fluke. In the end, it was his sponsors who lost.


11 posted on 08/24/2012 4:16:00 AM PDT by jersey117
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To: marygam
Mary, the SEIU is running the most AWFUL LYING AD about Romney Ryan TAKING AWAY Medicare and Medicaid, on AM 1450 in Sarasota, that is a music station for older people. Thos MUST be countered!!!

Someone needs to run ad ad negating EVERYTHING on this ad....it was FRIGHTENING. SEIU is DISGUSTING.

12 posted on 08/24/2012 4:18:38 AM PDT by Ann Archy ( ABORTION...the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Biggirl

Not if Akin stays in.


13 posted on 08/24/2012 4:19:25 AM PDT by Ann Archy ( ABORTION...the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: jsanders2001

I don’t think the distractions being thrown out there by Obama are working, and his campaign seems to know it. Even though fragments of the media are starting to turn on him (only because their blind support had become a point of derision), I will never forgive them for foisting a Muslim Communist on us for president.

They created a country ruled by sexual deviants, unassimilated multi-generationally dependent ethnic minorities, and illegal aliens; the damage will last for decades if not forever.


14 posted on 08/24/2012 4:19:38 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic war against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: iowamark

Call me cynical, but it looks as though the media will develop a spine just in time to ask Romney the “tough” questions.


15 posted on 08/24/2012 4:25:19 AM PDT by folkquest (Nothing is fool-proof because fools are so ingenious!)
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To: Ann Archy

I know Ann. The Union Thugs are out in force all over the Tampa Bay area as we speak. They are pushing their message. Romney campaign has spent their money on manning the campaign headquarters in important demographics. His money will not be let loose until he is declared next Thursday. Then it begins again with ads. He has a war chest ready.
We still need boots on ground. If you know elderly folks, talk to them and help them get to polls or absentee.
I understand the frustration, as I expierence it as well. Just saying we need everyone’s help. By the way, you have a great 912 group in Sarasota and your REC is an active one from what I hear. If you are not involved get involved.


16 posted on 08/24/2012 4:27:23 AM PDT by marygam (#Hurry November 2012, we might not make it#)
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To: marygam
We need everybody’s help though. I will not fight anyone on this site over semantics today

Well said.

Yesterday was a good day for me as I signed up 4 young people to vote for Romney.

Two are still in college and they committed to each getting 2 more of their friends to vote for Romney.

Many young folks are tired of obama's lies, whines and plain bullshit.

17 posted on 08/24/2012 4:28:55 AM PDT by USS Alaska (Nuke the terrorist savages, start today.)
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To: marygam

Wht is REC and 912?


18 posted on 08/24/2012 4:31:06 AM PDT by Ann Archy ( ABORTION...the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: dalebert

“Most media support socialism and communism. they are just to stupid to know it.”
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Or won’t admit it. I have noticed that there are many who will gleefully preach the socialist gospel but cannot admit that it is socialism. They go nuts if you call it what it is.
They are growing though, many of them will admit to being liberals or progressives now, just a few years ago they called themselves moderates or even conservatives while preaching socialism.


19 posted on 08/24/2012 4:40:17 AM PDT by RipSawyer
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To: iowamark
Hysteria creeps into campaigns when the campaigns know they are losing.

And the first sign is disarray, a lack of cohesiveness in the message. The media is part of the Democrat Party message machine. In addition to the three "journalists" mentioned above, we could add Anderson Cooper's dismantling of Wasserman-Schultz yesterday.

The question is: why would the media begin to jump ship? Is it because they are afraid they'll lose credibility? Not a chance. The media know they serve to prop up liberals and liberal tenets for those who need the constant affirmation just to maintain their warped world-view.

No, the reason the media is beginning to turn on Obama is that they realize that their beloved Democratic Party could go down with him.

The media's beginning to see the big picture, and it ain't pretty for the party.

It's either back Obama and cause the whole ship to sink, or put the captain out to sea.

20 posted on 08/24/2012 4:40:17 AM PDT by wayoverontheright
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