In The Blogs

Obama's 30 Minutes of Primetime Air Mentions McCain Not Once: Why

| Thu Oct. 30, 2008 8:58 AM PDT

Just want to add a note to Elizabeth's thoughts on the Obama infomercial. A reader at TPM observes, "Obama can go on TV for 30 minutes and not mention John McCain even once. No way would the reverse be true." He or she is obviously correct: the McCain campaign has spent most of its time these past few weeks making a negative case for Barack Obama, instead of a positive case for itself. Everyone knows that's a product of Barack Obama's unique background and associations (has a previous presidential candidate ever had a relationship, no matter how insignificant, with an unrepentant terrorist?). It's also a product of the Republican Party's bankrupt credibility and discredited ideas. No one believes Republicans have policy proposals that will help the middle class, and no one would trust them to implement them properly if they did. The only thing left is to go after the other guy.

But I want to make one other point. John McCain has a much harder time making a positive case for himself than most candidates because he simply has zero warmth factor. I don't believe I've ever seen tape of him sitting down at a middle class family's kitchen table. I can't imagine him holding a child or posing with a monkey backpack. Outside of the POW factor, which may not have the currency we all imagine, there's little he has to sell. Certainly not enough to fill a 30-minute infomercial.

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Comments

Submitted by Douglas McClean (not verified) on Thu Oct. 30, 2008 10:05 AM PDT.

Regarding whether any previous president has "had a relationship, no matter how insignificant, with an unrepentant terrorist," I submit to you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party (not the only example, but perhaps the best known?). There really is some truth to the saying "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

Of course, if you aren't inclined to accept this example, consider http://www.hermes-press.com/bush_kiss.jpg.

If you still aren't sure, consider that a generation of Presidents were closely connected with both sides of the civil war.

Of course, there's also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_of_marque_and_reprisal#United_States.

In short, terrorism is a tactic, not an ideology.

Submitted by Mark R (not verified) on Thu Oct. 30, 2008 10:18 AM PDT.

I'm sure almost every presidential candidate has had as much to do with terrorism as Barack Obama does. McCain associates proudly with G. Gordon "Between the Eyes" Liddy and various Cuban nationalist extremists, but it's kind of hard to perform that secret-Muslim + friend-of-terrorist = Muslim-terrorist magic trick with the Original Maverick.

Submitted by ehboy (not verified) on Thu Oct. 30, 2008 10:26 AM PDT.

Jon, I had the same exact thought when I turned to my wife and said, "you know what? I think people who vote for obama are voting FOR something, while those who support McCain are voting AGAINST something."

This begs the question- if you vote FOR something, and you get it (like an Obama presidency) you will probably stay involved, keep supporting it, etc. An Obama presidency will revitalize the spirit of at least some of America...
If you vote AGAINST something (like an Obama presidency) and you get it, then what? Will McCain supporters just go home, a job of Obama-preventing well done? How does that help us long term?

Submitted by bha (not verified) on Thu Oct. 30, 2008 10:41 AM PDT.

Part of the reason McCain is behind is becasue he does not come up with any ideas on fixing anything (and then follow through to make sure people understand). He keeps harping on how bad Obama is and wants people to vote for him based on that alone. Ideas! ideas! ideas!!-- lack of it.

Submitted by Carol In Texas (not verified) on Thu Oct. 30, 2008 10:54 AM PDT.

Why would Obama want to??? It only diminishes who he is and what he wants to do to help this country to carp on McCain in a positive ad. He has run a wonderful campaign and I am proud he did not stoop to the Republican lows that McCain/Palin have. You may not like him or his politics but I see him as "uniter" more than McCain will ever be.

Submitted by Kris (not verified) on Thu Oct. 30, 2008 11:52 AM PDT.

(has a previous presidential candidate ever had a relationship, no matter how insignificant, with an unrepentant terrorist?)

Don't the Bush's have ties to the bin Laden family?

Submitted by TarGator (not verified) on Thu Oct. 30, 2008 1:38 PM PDT.

"has a previous presidential candidate ever had a relationship, no matter how insignificant, with an unrepentant terrorist?"

They were called the Founding Fathers here, but certainly Britian saw them all in the modern sense of the word "terrorist". It is all in the eye of the beholder.

Also, ditto to examples above.

Another, Jefferson's ties to the French revolution.

A fourth, our support through the 80's of Latin American dictators.