The Note: The Big Shift

ABC News ^ | Sept. 9, 2008 | RICK KLEIN with HOPE DITTO

[BAW]

He's danced over caucuses and superdelegates, skated past two dozen debates and 19 months on the trail, rolled through Jeremiah Wright and Hillary Clinton -- and a hockey mom from Alaska could be his undoing?

Eight weeks out -- his lead in the polls erased (for now), the money not quite flowing the way he anticipated, women voters impressed by the newest newcomer -- the weight of the race falls on Sen. Barack Obama's shoulders.

(And your real-world alert: President Bush announces Tuesday morning that he's pulling out 8,000 US troops out of Iraq by February.)

Yes, this period of the race has been all about Gov. Sarah Palin -- but how long it lasts is going to be up to Obama. Smart political types are looking for a sharper message -- one that reminds voters of the big stakes in the race, not the little items on a running mate's resume.

(Who usually wins when a presidential candidate takes on a vice-presidential one? How does Obama take on an Obama-like phenomenon? What does it say about Obama's support that it was soft enough to flee this quickly? What, in the end, do women want?)

All that work, gone? The new ABC News/Washington Post poll pegs it at McCain 49, Obama 47 among likely voters -- inside the margin of error, but with a name we're not used to seeing in the lead.

[BAW]

' "I mean, mother, governor, moose-shooter, I mean, I think that's cool, that's cool, that's cool stuff," he said of Palin, just maybe with a touch of condescension. '

Laughing to myself and loving this trend . . . .this keeps getting better and better!!

[goldstategop]

He looks and acts the part of the loser! Whatever happened to the Messiah we were all waiting for? (laughing)

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Puppage]

rolled through Jeremiah Wright

That horse ain't dead yet. Not by a long shot.

[loveliberty2]

Will someone post today’s pumapac article outlining 10 ways he can win? It’s great!

[pgkdan]

Yes, this period of the race has been all about Gov. Sarah Palin -- but how long it lasts is going to be up to Obama. Smart political types are looking for a sharper message -- one that reminds voters of the big stakes in the race, not the little items on a running mate's resume.

LOL!!! Remind the voters what's at stake in this election??? That's the last thing the Obama team wants to do!

[Paladin2]

0bama, voting “present” for over 20 years.

[1Old Pro]

rolled through Jeremiah Wright

This cracks me up, the media DROPPED this major story, that's how he "rolled" thru it..LOL

[Dems_R_Losers]

Quoted from the article: "Bob Shrum doesn't see it lasting: "Sarah Palin is 'Miss September' -- and cultural populism is the Republicans' September song," he writes in The Week Daily column."

Did Bob Shrum really say this? Can you IMAGINE a leading republican strategist getting away with making this comment about a female Democrat, comparing her to a Playboy playmate?

Un. Freaking. Believable.

[longtermmemmory]

Picking a VP is the FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DECISION

McCain picked future (and conservative to boot)

Obama picke past (and the number three leftist, number four is an admitted SOCIALIST, obama is number one)

[truthingod]

The real Americans get it! That is what is finally happening. John McCain’s VP choice provided the dynamite to blow up all the junk that was impeding getting people to hear what their vote will mean in Washington. I say McCain/Palin just need to keep going out and pounding away on the issues at hand—keep talking about what they are here to offer America—a real choice and a real change. I can’t wait until the debates start! We all know the most watched will probably be Palin v. Biden-—I hope the hockey mom shows up!

[FreedomProtector]

notice media still doesn't report connections to Chicago thugs....rolling through Bill Ayres, Annenberg, ACORN, Bernardine Dohrn etc is like rolling through quick sand.

[goodnesswins]

YES! Real Americans see a CHANCE at getting our country back on track!!!

[longtermmemmory]

Palin is not about “what women want”

never was,

It is about what does AMERICA WANT!

They want an American.

They want someone who has lived our life. Someone who is repulsed by urban corruption rather than a full participant.

Someone who knows which way to point a gun. Someone for whom a person standing on the american flag is an adversary not an ally.

ABC still does not get it. (then again ABC is blockading prop 8 for a reason)

[CatOwner]

rolled through Jeremiah Wright

That horse ain't dead yet. Not by a long shot.

What makes you think they're going to pick up this story between now and Election Day? The only media that will attempt to push the story is conservative talk radio, and that will be viewed as being partisan.

Believe me, I would love for this story to get the light of day nationally, but I suspect it will have a limited audience.

[Sadie5]

Michelle Obama is probably pissed off and Palin is now in danger of having her eyes scratched out. Obama is doing the same thing to Palin that he did with Clinton. Run a sexist campaign and lower public opinion of her. Obama is the Messiah,(puke puke) the one we have been waiting for. Call in Odinga to manage his campaign.

[Upstate NY Guy]

ABC News: “He’s danced over caucuses and superdelegates, skated past two dozen debates and 19 months on the trail, rolled through Jeremiah Wright and Hillary Clinton — and a hockey mom from Alaska could be his undoing?”

Of course an Alaskan hockey Mom can be his undoing! She is simply asking the questions the Drive By’s have been avoiding for 19 months. They propped up this empty suit and now act amazed that it is deflated and flapping in the wind. This idiot was never vetted.

[gridlock]

Barack Obama has never faced a real challenge before. In his runs for state legislature, he would have his opponents knocked out of the race by challenging their nominating petitions. When he ran for US Senate, somebody down at the courthouse just happened (Whoopsie!) to release Ryan's incredibly salacious divorce file and he was knocked out of the race. In the primaries, he won by bussing volunteers from state to state, so they could caucus over and over again.

He's never won in a real election against real opposition. Judging from the way things are going now, I don't think he will be able to here.

[loveliberty2]

Although our "public" schools have almost obliterated any teaching or learning of America's founding principles, Sarah Palin seems to understand what Reagan understood, and what ordinary Americans understand by instinct, that "government is not always the answer . . . sometimes it is the problem."

She's in good company. It was George Washington who warned:

"Government is not reason. It is not eloquence. It is a force, like fire: a dangerous servant and a terrible master."

When they hear it put simply (no need to be "eloquent" or "oratorical"), they "get it," and Palin has struck a note that needs to be repeated and repeated.

[vaudine]

And Mr. Shrum has lead HOW MANY winning campaigns? Bob L.(for loser) Shrum.

I just keep marveling at how the cable media cannot GET IT.

There are a lot more real people in this country than there are moonbats. Yet they keep catering to the MBs.

vaudine

[impeachedrapist]

This excerpt says it all:

As for the ground game: "The McCain campaign says Palin's pick has given a 'shot in the arm' to their effort to recruit women volunteers -- doubling their 'Women for McCain' grassroots volunteer lists since her acceptance speech," ABC's Jennifer Parker writes. "Now, the McCain campaign will begin holding 'Mondays for McCain,' when women surrogates and women volunteers in battleground states call women voters, urging them to support McCain."

And I have no data to support it, but I'm quite certain McCain's camp has seen an increase in male volunteers as well. Palin is actually polling better among men than women!