Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 20, 2008 - 12:55pm PT
|
http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2008/03/obama-in-freefall.html
I searched many sources today on this topic. There were positive responses to the speech; but, in general, the response across the country has not been good as the polls demonstrate.
It appears he's not going to be allowed to have it both ways vis a vis his pastor. Hillary has made gains against him as well as McCain. If he's going to repair the damage, he better come up with a better strategy, and fast.
|
|
dirtbag
climber
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 12:58pm PT
|
That poll was conducted March 14-18, before the speech had a chance to sink in (or knott).
I don't know how Obama could do much more to distance himself from Wright's remarks. He couldn't up and abandon him all of a sudden.
For Obama's sake, at least this happened in March, and not November.
|
|
philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 12:59pm PT
|
So Woodsie this is obviously more of a problem for you personally. But how do you reconcile the truth of over twenty years of the hate filled rhetoric of Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson et al advising Reagan, Bush sr, Bush jr and now McCain?
Is it ok for them because they are W.A.S.P.s?
Is it not ok for Obama because he is black?
Time to clean your KKK hood.
|
|
monolith
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:01pm PT
|
We deeply respect your objectivity in these matters Woody. Thanks go to you and LEB for starting so many political threads.
|
|
Norton
Social climber
the Wastelands
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:11pm PT
|
Strange, everything I have read and watched on both the regular networks and the cable news shows has been emphatically positive, in fact glowing in praise of what Obama said.
The vast majority of those Americans that will go to the voting booths in the general election in November have not even heard his speech. All they know is that there is something being said recently about his relationship to his pastor.
None of this matters a bit. And neither do the polls, because the polls only ask questions of a thousand likely votors.
The polls do not reflect votor turnout, which has been at shockingly high record levels in every Democratic primary and caucus, and dismal at the Republican primaries.
In short, Obama will wipe the floor with John McCain in the general election. Count on it, bet on it. Americans have seen the ignorance and hypocracy of conservatism for the past seven years, and they overwhelming rejected it in the 06 election, giving both the Senate and House to the Democrats. The November election will be even more devastating to the conservatives.
Deep polling is showing that fully 70% of those who consider themselves independants, or swing voters, are presently much more likely to vote Democrat, the highest percent since the early sixties in that crucial, election deciding category.
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:11pm PT
|
Is it a perfect world? hell no! I do know that as a poor white guy from immagrant parents that came to this country in the 1920s I seriously do NOT like being blamed for black peoples missfourtune. Seems to me that they need to clean up their own house rather than point a finger in my direction or for that matter anywheres other than right back at themselfs. That being said I do take black people on a one by one individual bassis right up to that point where they put me in a group (rich white folk) and lay blame on me for their problems. Heck I got my own damn problems and they ain't nobodys fault but mine...
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:15pm PT
|
I heard parts of of the speach so not suer personaly if he did go far enough . I will still probobly vote for him but I am not as excited about it as I was a week ago.
|
|
Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:19pm PT
|
The pastors remarks rang true in some form. It's his opinion and it is a free country.
Damn if you are not religious enough and damn if you are. That is just not good red neck white america christianity where you need to fear god for your sins.
The pastor has an opinion besides war is good and abortion is bad. Another reason for seperation of church and state. And, another reason these sound bite elections need to focus on the issues at hand.
|
|
HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:31pm PT
|
Considering even republicans thought his speech kicked ass I think once there is some more time people will remember how well he handled it. To be honest I think it was his most presidential moment.
*edit* holy crap an Obama ad just popped up on Supertopo while I was reading this thread!!
|
|
John Vawter
Social climber
San Diego
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:32pm PT
|
My projections based on a sample taken from this thread show the reaction to Obama's speech is overwhelmingly positive.
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 01:54pm PT
|
I can't say that i toitally dissagree with that but I ain't running for president...
|
|
WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2008 - 02:35pm PT
|
Notice how some people commenting here take a rapid tangent away from the issue to go after McCain/me. I don't like any of the candidates so I've no dog in the fight. Trying to change the subject or shoot the messenger won't solve the problem. That's just putting your head in the sand. Better hope his strategists have more sense or Obama is in very big trouble, possibly terminal.
Obama's been hurt, and the polls show it. Deal with it.
His strategists are going to have to come up with a different approach to regain his previous position.
|
|
Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 02:39pm PT
|
Americans have a short attention span, they will be off on the next Youtube sound bite in a couple of days. Remember what Hillary said that was offensive two weeks ago? Probabally not, but we all will remember Bush served McCain hot dogs to congratulate him on winning the nomination.
|
|
WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2008 - 02:45pm PT
|
Except for one thing: Hillary and, later, the Reps will continue to keep it in the public eye. Unless he can defuse the issue, he'll be dealing with it for the rest of the campaign.
|
|
wbw
climber
'cross the great divide
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 02:50pm PT
|
"I searched many sources today on this topic. There were positive responses to the speech; but, in general, the response across the country has not been good as the polls demonstrate."
Woody, I can't say that I really know your political views, but based on the contradiction in the above, I can only conclude that you started this thread to yank peoples' chains. (Don't you have anything better to do than to goof off on the Internet?) Or else you have some secret "sources" that somehow give you a better idea of what people are thinking than the polls do.
Many folks have ambiguous, and often contradictory views on race. Having grown up in the South with parents who expected me to respect everyone, as long as their choices do not do harm, I have opinions on race that are sometimes contradictory. That is what this situation with future-President Obama is about. The fact that he has dealt with the situation in an upfront and seemingly honest way, puts him way ahead of the current president. Pardon the pun, and my patronizing you, but most things are not black and white, but rather somewhere in between the two extremes. The fact that Obama has used this situation as an *opportunity* to express his views on the subject, shows his intelligence and his readiness to lead the country.
|
|
WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2008 - 03:13pm PT
|
Khanom,
You can state it as a valid point all you want; however, those that have to deal with the problem must look at it another way: McCain's relationship with the rightwing religious types isn't resonating much with the general public; it hasn't become an issue with legs. McCain's salient, negative issues are his age, temper and continuing support for the war. Right now, he and Hillary are sitting back and watching the "fun".
|
|
toomey
climber
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 03:21pm PT
|
what do you want barrack to do woody? does he have to publicly beat the revs head in with a baseball bat? would that maybe do it for you? probaly not.
|
|
couchmaster
climber
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 03:25pm PT
|
He nailed that speech right on the money Woodrow. Makes you want to vote for the guy.
|
|
HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 03:27pm PT
|
Woody what I disagree with is that he has to take a different approach. This event should have been DEVASTATING to his candidacy, and instead he made it into a historical moment that will be referenced in the future, and studied endlessly. I think he needs to keep doing exactly what he's doing, and people will continue to respond. You have to be a serious cynic to not be impressed by his stance, actions and maturity in response to this issue.
That doesn't mean he wasn't hurt, he was. He just should have been hurt a lot worse.
|
|
bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
|
|
|
Mar 20, 2008 - 03:28pm PT
|
One of the things I found interesting in the speech is that he wasn't as relectant to throw his white racist grandmother under the proverbial bus as he was his black racist pastor.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!