Tuesday, May 13, 2008

It's Tuesday Night.... Again

Will the primary season never end?
Hillary Clinton won by a landslide in West Virginia. but it raised only one question. Can Barack Obama win in November?
The pundits say "No." At least that's what they say tonight. Not unless Obama can begin to connect with blue collar, middle to lower income Americans.
I believe that Obama cannot win without picking Hillary Clinton as his running mate. The pundits are mixed on that one tonight. But it's my opinion.
I have some real concerns about the next six months, especially about the role the media might play in Obama's effort to appeal to these voters. But the problem will not be a lack of media support. It will be the absolutely clueless media continuing to talk down to the American public.
This week Newsweek has a very strong pro Obama cover story. It's a gigantic load of shit. It's factually incorrect and horrifically skewed. And it's arrogant. It talks down to America. It is elitist.
I hate to tell the folks at Newsweek, but the American public is not stupid, in spite of what writers Richard Wolffe and Evan Thomas might believe. Wolffe and Thomas made two things perfectly clear: First, they are geniuses even if they know nothing about the last 40 years of history and second, the American voters are prejudiced, cowering idiots.
I realize Wolffe and Thomas thought they were doing Obama a big favor, but they merely painted him into their highly prejudiced elitist corner.

14 comments:

Utah Savage said...

Mumm. back to elitist are we? Well I for fucking one do want someone who is elite. You don't think Hillary is every bit as elite as Barack? What planet are you living one? Hillary claims she will campaign for whomever the nominee is, that means she and Bill will be out there every second getting those poor crackers in West Virginia to vote for Barack. If she doesn't, she's a lying bitch.

Barack's appeal to a lot of us is that his candidacy is not tarnished by voting for the war in Iraq. Hillary and Bill represent the old politics. I never want Bill back roaming the Halls looking for quail at three AM in the morning. And the only call Hillary will get is from someone informing her where her horndog husband is sniffing around. Her negatives are as big as Bush's. Why would he want her on the ticket? Tell me again? Hope? Change? A new way of conducting the nation's business? Not so much.

Bob Keller said...

Utah, You're completely missing my point. I'm on Obama's side. I'm not the one with a problem with Obama.... it's the blue collar voters who have a problem with Obama, as tonight's election results prove.

If we want Obama to win, he must reach out to the middle and lower working class voters like those who overwhelmingly voted against him in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

He doesn't need to reach out to me - I'm already on his team.

I genuinely believe Clinton could really help him win.

I genuinely believe that the media isn't helping him, they're hurting him.

Bob Keller said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Utah Savage said...

She better help him win, but she won't be doing that as his running mate. I'm an old white, feminist, with a lot of education and no degree. On top of that I'm poor. I'm supposedly Hillary's exact demographic. And she makes me cringe every time i see or hear her speak. She can help him by doing what she said she would tonight. she can work her ass off campaigning for him. He brings so many new voters to the booth--the young for instance. I know young people in their early thirties and younger who have never voted, period. This year they voted in the primary. Fancy that. Those racist crackers in West Virginia can shove it. I don't thin we really need them this year. Hows that for elitist.

Utah Savage said...

Boy, we are a couple of old farts with nothing to do late at night to be talking to each other. Glad you're there. You were so sweet to come imbed that clip for me. I gave you all kinds of compliments on my site, then I come over here and give you a load of shit. What kind of friend is that?

Bob Keller said...

A good friend.... Glad to have you.

DivaJood said...

Found you off of Utah's site. First, I think your assessment of American voters is quite fair.

In the years I worked for former US Congressman Abner Mikva, I learned that Democratic voters outnumbered Republicans almost 3 to 1. Problem is that most Democrats don't vote on election day. So in all likelyhood, a lot of Obama supporters will not come to the polls on election day because, well, they're working.

Where I don't agree is on the point that Obama cannot win without Clinton as his running mate. She's too divisive. She was divisive BEFORE the primary season began. He does need someone who really appeals to blue collar America, but she's not it. Talk about elitist, my god, she's at the top of that heap. Those images of her drinking boilermakers are so patronizing - ugh. She's the last person I'd want to go drinking with.

So where's the solution? I dunno. But I like your blog, so I think I'm gonna list you on my blogroll.

K McKiernan said...

Its amazing how little people get it? You are spot on. Thankfully, you support Obama, so they do not attack you and twist your point. I support Hillary first, Obama second and have said the very things you have. The fact that people see Obama as elite and use that against him does not mean that you or I personally think him elite.

Perceptions are constructed and very difficult to shake.

Whether someone admires Hillary or not... or whether she makes them cringe or not, she knows how to construct the sort of persona, perception etc that it takes to win. Period. And, she has been through the mill and has survived. Moreover, she still pulls out massive wins and is just shy of his delegate count on a fraction of the money he has.

Math, people. Do the math.

Its ironic... I want a democrat, but when I talk about why he could fail, people get so irate... I think he is a brilliant man and I would love to see him be our President.

I am not wanting to win the first down, I want to win the entire game! We need to win this come November. We need to analyze the best way for that to happen.

I have said it a million times, and I pray I am wrong... but if Obama is our nominee, I think we might lose. And it breaks my heart and scares me shitless.

Bob Keller said...

K McKiernan, Thank God. We have an immediate mutual admiration society here.

You are completely correct and, trust me, I have endured the same attacks that you have. Just handle them all with a smile.

But, occasioinally, we run into folks who are so deeply invested with a candidate or situation, or a political party, or movement that they cannot take a step back and look at the big picture.

Barack Obama might just be the greatest leader, the greatest President in a generation, but no one will ever know that IF HE CAN'T GET ELECTED.

But what distresses me most is the recent DEMONIZATION of Hillary Clinton. I, for one, think she would make an excellent President. Why must some Obama fanatics drag Hillary through the mud? And, why must some of these same fanatics treat those with a different opinion like igonrant pond scum?

I hope you'll also read and contribute to my post on Partisanship. I think you will understand the point I was trying to make.

P.S. I really like your Cinema Squared Blog. I've just spent about two hours reading there.

K McKiernan said...

Oh, I am in heaven. Finally. Someone besides my husband gets me/it. You said it perfectly when you said:

"Barack Obama might just be the greatest leader, the greatest President in a generation, but no one will ever know that IF HE CAN'T GET ELECTED."

I have never one time, on any site I have frequented, said one bad thing about Barack Obama. However, so many Obamites just cut her to the bone and bring up irrelevant, sexist comments about her sexuality and her husband's private life--democrats. How can they?

Anyway... thank you. I really appreciate someone not telling me I am voting for her 'cause I want to bowl or drink a beer with her'. Geesh.

Thank you for going to my site. I hope to find some comments from you there. I also hope to start a sexual politics page very soon as well.

Take care, K

Utah Savage said...

It's over. Edwards endorses Obama.

Utah Savage said...

Diva, I think Jim Webb would be just about perfect as a running mate for Obama.

K McKiernan said...

Yeah, Savage, you are right... It is over... I just hope you know what "over" could mean.

Don't you dare cry come November.

J McKiernan said...

I agree with you, Wizard...Hillary needs to be Barack's running mate. After this arduous, prolonged primary season that has divided the Democratic party, there might be no other way. However, do I think Obama will select Clinton to be his VP? Not a chance. And the consequences will be what the consequences will be. We will find out when the time comes. And I hope my fears are proven way wrong.

I have the issue of Newsweek you mention sitting on my kitchen counter. I need to read the story...eager to get a feel for what you are describing.