MyDD :: No More Hugs

No More Hugs

by Todd Beeton, Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 09:43:31 AM EST

Gotta love this headline from MSNBC:

No more hugs as Obama tears into McCain

The article documents a townhall Obama held yesterday in front of several hundred union members in Reno, Nevada. During the townhall, Obama went after McCain for his domestic policies, focusing largely on the economy. From First Read:

"John McCain and I fundamentally disagree on how we are gonna move this country forward. He ran a negative ad -- which is most of the ads he runs -- he ran a negative ad that claimed all my economic plan was was higher taxes and that it would lead to economic disaster," Obama said, before going on to tell the audience that his tax policy would benefit the middle class more than McCain's. "I've got news for John McCain: My plan's not gonna bring about economic disaster. We already have economic disaster from John McCain's president George W. Bush, and we can't afford another four years or eight years of George W. Bush policies and that's why we're gonna beat John McCain in this election to put America on a new path."

Seems to me this is exactly the sort of passion on the economy that Paul Krugman is rightly calling for. Keep it up, Senator.

Tags: 2008 presidential election, barack obama, john mccain, economy (all tags)

Permalink :: 9 Comments :: Post a Comment

Krugman is genious (none / 0)

vote blue in 2008

by sepulvedaj3 on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 09:45:19 AM EST

Re: No More Hugs (none / 0)

It still feels like he's holding his punch. Why can't he just say "If you want 4 more years of George Bush, vote for McCain? The way he words it is still giving daylight- McCain's President. I don't get the wording.

by bruh3 on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 10:12:12 AM EST

I hope it's game time finally. (none / 0)

by SocialDem on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 10:31:18 AM EST

I gotta disagree. (none / 0)

Not about hitting back at McCain, but in the effectiveness of the quote.

1. It repeated the accusation "my plans not gonna bring about economic disaster". That's a basic PR no-no. Remember "I am not a crook!"

2. It's still annoyingly vague. How was the economy disasterous under Bush? What Bush/McCain policies caused or aggravated them? How about "Those prices you're paying for a bottle of pills? You can thank the Bush Medicare part D clause that prevented the government from negociating lower prices as a giveaway to big Pharma." Or even "millonaires are paying less in taxes than ever, while you're being nickel-and-dimed with tuition, vehicle registration fees and grocery bills." Something that shows causality between Republicans and economic pain.

3. More "new path" rhetoric. Obama doesn't need to emphasize that he's new, different and exciting. Voters can perceive that. He needs to show why he'll be better.

Surely a politician with his oratorical gifts can articulate dry or technical economic positions in a way that resonates to target voting groups.

by corph on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 11:28:44 AM EST

Re: I gotta disagree. (none / 0)

The media didnt report everything. For instance on Part 2 he said that under Clinton the average American family's annual income went up 6,000 dollars and under Bush it has gone down 1,000.

I was at the event and I thought he came across great. Obviously the media isnt going to cover all 30 minutes of questions and the 20 minutes of speaking that preceded it, but should we be surprised he sounds weaker and less vague in their 30 second coverage?

"Keep the Faith"

by blue south on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 12:29:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You're right. (none / 0)

It's too bad that they only quote the generic blather. I'm hoping Obama can come up with a zingy punchline that can sum up Republican economic failures nicely. "Culture of corruption" apparently worked pretty well in '06 (corruption came in as the top issue in many surveys, even ahead of Iraq), but I think Obama can do better.

I dunno, something like "greed and bleed" economoics. Maybe even rehashing Poppy's "voodoo".

by corph on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 01:28:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

um, did he say anything ABOUT his plan? (none / 0)

Time to stop acting like everything he says is right on. He lacks specifics for an economic plan and his rhetoric does NOT sound effective. Repeating a charge against you and then saying NOT isn't exactly effective.

Obama needs Hillary as a running mate and the Clinton team for some energy and insight into how to beat the Republicans. He better figure that out in a hurry.

by Thaddeus on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 12:12:45 PM EST

Heh, I beat you to it. (none / 0)

Different conclusion though. If there's one thing I wouldn't call the Clinton team, it's insightful.

by corph on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 01:29:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No More Hugs (none / 0)

I think we're just beginning to see the hard 'hitbacks'. The 'celeb' ads were all that BO needed to see where McCain will go, and he will hit back.

The problem is that most of his hitbacks will actually be thoughtful and less made for sound bytes. But, then, that's what you get when you run a thoughtful candidate. That's simply a handicap most Democrats have vs. GOP demagoguery.

Saxby Chambliss: Asshat

by mikeinsf on Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 01:07:38 PM EST

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