Regardless of Obama's neo-marxist policy agenda, you gotta concede that he absolutely slaughters McCain/Clinton on communicating with voters, working a crowd, having that common touch. McCain is really gonna struggle if put up against this guy: Lap it up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzXcNgCr0nk
This is true, but the electoral map is weighted heavily against Obama. I don't see how he can win Ohio, MI, and PA (he is going to need all three). He will slaughter Mac in many of the big states like Cal and NY, which may give him a large popular vote victory, and yet still lose the general. The true swing states favor Mac, and he only needs a few of them. See the map here. This version is off on a few states (FL for example isn't close), but it sums things up pretty well. http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Obama/Maps/May11.html
Yes, Obama's "mouth" is carrying him this whole way. The only hope for McCain is his humor and he does seem to be a normal everyday guy. Also, Same issues were there with articulate Gore and bumbling Bush., yet Bush won the debates. Obama did not look good in his last debate. Obama talks in suggestive statements. Example....Obama is for change,.......Obama voters are for change, but in their minds they all have their own ideas of change and they start thinking it is the same as obama's, so as long as Obama never defines his "change" . He will let that definition be formed in the minds of his supporters. I would like to see a project where everyone writes down what change means concerning policy, and you will see many variations, because Obama will not define change.
Obama's problem is that people are gradually coming to the realization that he is an elitist who has contempt for ordinary americans. Voters in important swing states have already rejected obama in favor of Hillary, and McCain's views are not that different from hers on most issues. Plus, he appeals to voters who may like Obama but are wary of taking a chance on an inexperienced leader when we are in such dangerous times. Will blue collar workers in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia really vote for a black metrosexual who calls total strangers "sweetie"?
He is going to have a hell of a time in those states. Also, in debates, Mac may be able to hold his own. Obama is brilliant in prepared speeches, but just average in debates imo.
Not that the democrats are smart enough to keep it simple... But what is required is to pick a couple of simple phrases that the average dumbed down American can grasp, and repeat them over, and over, and over again. It is a proven fact that if people hear something repeated enough times, whether or not it is true, they will come to believe it is true. Personally, I would hammer on McCain's relationship with Bush. Show the photos of McCain hugging Bush over, and over, and over again. In debates, Obama should call McCain, John McBush. Associate McCain as much as possible with Bush, and hammer, hammer, hammer it home. The details are unimportant. Americans obviously don't focus on details or facts, they don't care about facts or details...they just need to be programmed to know that 4 years of McCain are another 4 years of Bush. That's all they need, and they need to take Ohio. It really is that simple. People don't need to be told the economy is bad, they are living it. They don't need to know gas is high, they are paying. They don't need to know Iraq is a colossal screwup, it is obvious. All they need to know is that a vote for John McBush is a vote for 4 more years of Bush and his failed policies...
Yes, I realize the elite right wing wants to convince the average American they need to vote for a president who they could have a beer with, someone who isn't smarter than they are... The reality is that when you have a leader who is dumber than the followers, you end up with the rich getting richer, and the middle class and the poorer getting poorer. How about electing a president who is smarter than the average American...
Why Is Bush Helping Obama? By David Corn | May 16, 2008 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (69) Please, President Bush, please attack me some more. That must be what Barack Obama is thinking after Bush's speech in Jerusalem, during which the president blasted those who want to talk to America's enemies as appeasers. Forget that the policy substance of Bush's speech was illogical--or idiotic: Bush's own administration talks to North Korea's tyrants; his defense secretary, Bob Gates, has discussed engagement with Iran; his lead military and diplomatic people in Iraq have spoken with Iranians; the government he supports in Baghdad is in close contact with Iran; and significant members of Israel's national security community support talking to Hamas. But just on the politics, the speech was a boneheaded move that ought to make John McCain howl. Bush is about as unpopular as a president can be. If Barack Obama could run against him, he would probably win by 80 points (or maybe a few points less than that). Consider what happened when the Republicans sent Dick Cheney to Mississippi to campaign for a Republican candidate in a special House election this week. Not only did the GOPer lose in this Republican stronghold, turnout was down in GOP precincts. Bush and Cheney are a pair of lame albatrosses for any Republican candidate in 2008, including McCain. Which is why Obama and the Democrats want to depict McCain as running for Bush's third term. Casting McCain as the Spawn of Bush is not a slam-dunk. Though McCain has become a Bush clone on Iraq and the economy, he is quite different in character and biography than W. and boasts far more personal appeal. McCain also has that supposed maverick-thing to cite (Look--omigod--a Republican talking seriously about global warming!) So a day like yesterday was a boon for Obama. While McCain was giving a speech about what his presidency would look like--that is, if he had a magic wand (victory in Iraq, prosperity at home, lower health care costs for all!)--Bush was stealing the thunder by implicitly bashing Obama as an appeaser before a foreign audience. Such a stunt is toxic and perfect fodder for cable news. Bush probably thought, "Well, I showed him." But any Bush versus Obama narrative assists Obama tremendously. Most Americans clearly would relish voting against Bush, were they able to. If Bush makes it seem that a vote for Obama is a vote against Bush, McCain is screwed. You'd think the White House would be aware of this. But recognizing reality has never been this bunch's strong suit. After all, the White House thought it was a good idea to dispatch Cheney to help that faltering Republican in Mississippi. One question is, will McCain ask Bush to knock if off and lay low? Another is, if McCain does, will Bush listen? Whether most Americans like it or not--and they don't--Bush is still the president. And he's probably not eager to leave the White House on all fours or through the back door. Obama ought to try to exploit that, anything to provoke Bush. Obama should be saying to Bush, "Bring 'em on."