Jul 05 2008
Obama “Change We Can Believe In”? Seriously Senator, What Can We Believe About You Now?
I think the big question this election year is whether Obama will be tagged with the flip-flop sandal image or the flip-flop ‘fish out of water’ image. Personally, I am of the opinion Obama the neophyte is in over his head, out of his element, and therefore the flopping, gasping fish is more accurate.
Right now the debate is hot and heavy – and completely accurate:
Is Barack Obama close to being shadowed by giant flip-flops and, worse, having the image stick with people all the way to the voting booth?
Four years ago, Republicans branded as a ”flip-flop” even the slightest rhetorical or policy change by John Kerry and sent huge replicas of the casual sandals to bob around the Massachusetts Democrat’s events, feeding an image of him as a wishy-washy panderer.
Fair or not, Kerry never recovered and lost to President Bush.
It’s now the Republican weapon of choice against Obama.
The Illinois senator has excited many with the notion that he is a new, transcendent type of politician. But he is giving the GOP effort ammunition and endangering his ”Change We Can Believe In” motto with several shifts to the center, most recently on the Iraq war, his campaign’s defining issue.
As I pointed out in this previous posts listing all his big flop-flips, Obama’s image has now gone from “Change we can believe in” to “what can we believe about you Senator”?
I seriously doubt Obama is the kind of man that makes clear pledges of intent (unlike George W Bush), so instead of holding our breathe on what Obama stands for I think the debate should ‘move on’ to what is the better symbol for Obama? Is it the casual footwear?
Or is he the slimy fish, out of his element, flopping around in a panic?
Tough choice.
Obama flip flops with such ease that he even flip flops on flip flops. It just has to make one wonder if there is trully anything in his head? Anything in his heart?
And, just as John Kerry wouldn’t release his military records……Obama won’t release his Birth Certificate. De ja vu?
The question is: has Obama built up his brand sufficiently and convinced enough people that electing him is going to make the world a better place so that his 180 degree shifts on positions won’t matter? It’s obviously what the Obama campaign is banking on. Has there been a candidate at this level of American politics do this much shifting? If so, I haven’t seen him/her. This guy makes the Clintons look rock-solid.
It’s almost gotten surreal. It’s reached the point where there is almost no point in debating Obama’s stands on a variety of issues, because there’s no way to know what his positions are. And if it seems clear (like on the DC handgun ban), he’ll just change it to suit the present situation.
The dynamics of race are beginning to take shape, though. Obama’s strategy is a risky one. It seems as though he is going to try to neutralize most of the important issues in this election cycle. The risk is, though, that he will lose all credibility with voters.
I don’t think it is going to possible for McCain to defeat Obama on issues like the Iraq War or gun ownership, and probably not even taxes by the time November roles along.
Obama’s current position on Iraq: doesn’t really have one. He has vowed to get the U.S. out of Iraq in 16 months; he has said that we need to have a stable Iraq.
His current position on gun control: doesn’t really have one. He is apparently in favor of cities being allowed to restrict access to handguns for ordinary citizens; he supports the Supreme Court overturning the DC ban.
Late-term abortion? He has strongly supported it in the past, but recently said that their should be a demonstrable physical harm to the mother (prompting outcries among abortion rights groups). His current position: unclear.
Public financing of elections? Well he is a long time champion of the public financing of elections. He turning down public financing this election.
I’m sure more could be added to this list easily.
The only chance McCain has is going to be to go right at Obama’s character; that is, to argue that Obama is essentially ‘full of crap’ and you can’t trust what he says. But, by October, it’s probably going to be difficult to find a lot of distinction McCain’s and Obama’s positions in a lot of areas.
Flipping and flopping
By: Jack Kelly
IT’S A good thing many of Barack Obama’s supporters don’t care much about issues, because their candidate has been changing his position on them with dizzying spee.
Dominic Lawson, writing in the left-wing British newspaper the Independent on Tuesday, described Mr. Obama as “the master of the U-turn.”
Some Obama supporters are experiencing buyer’s remorse, Mr. Lawson said, but most think “Obama doesn’t believe any of the things he is now saying to woo the ‘redneck states.’
“To this group we must address a simple question,” Mr. Lawson said. “How do you know what Obama really believes in?”
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080705/COLUMNIST14/807050328/-1/COLUMNIST
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I don’t think moderate Democrats are too happy with Obama flip flops either. A recent CNN poll shows Obama losing support among Democrats.
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/05/cnn-poll-shows-obama-going-backwards-with-democrats/
Peace Activist Hayden: Iraq Flip-flop Puts Obama at Risk
By Noel Sheppard | July 5, 2008 – 09:58 ET
More anti-war figures are voicing their opinions about contradictory and confusing statements regarding Iraq made Thursday by presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama, and the news is clearly not good for his campaign.
One such concerned party is Tom Hayden, the famed ex-husband of Jane Fonda who, along with Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, was part of the Chicago Seven that incited riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Are you beginning to realize just how serious this issue is becoming? Just imagine if Hollywoodans like Sean Penn, Susan Saradon, Tim Robbins, and Hayden’s ex-wife Jane Fonda start voicing such views about the junior senator from Illinois.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/07/05/peace-activist-hayden-iraq-flip-flop-puts-obama-risk
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I guess it should also be noted that Jodie Evans, one of the Code Pink founders met Obama recently and was assured that he shared their “end the war today” goals. Even she questioned him about wheher they could ‘believe’ him or not.
It just goes to stress that if you don’t have convictions, and truthfulness to go with it……you start losing everyone (even those who want so hard to believe you).
Obama’s flip flops are gonna “cost” him, too, it seems……
No money till you keep your word,’ fans tell Obama
5 Jul, 2008
NEW YORK: Stop giving money to Barack Obama! Don’t volunteer for him! That’s the biting message from some unhappy precincts of Obama Nation.
A New York Obama backer disenchanted with the Democratic candidate’s post-primary lurch to the Centre Thursday launched an Internet campaign urging the likeminded to withhold campaign donations until Obama lives up to his promises.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/ET_Cetera/No_money_till_you_keep_your_word_fans_tell_Obama/articleshow/3200654.cms
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And, more:
Democratic grass roots fret as Barak Obama pirouettes on policies
After a week in which he has campaigned on the themes of patriotism, faith and veterans’ rights, Mr Obama was at it again yesterday.
He told a Christian magazine that pregnant women suffering “mental distress†should not qualify for late-term abortions, a distinction that sets him apart from most pro-choice advocates.
Mr Obama’s aides say that he has always been a centrist politician seeking to unite America rather than divide it.
They suggest that some of the disappointment being felt is a consequence of the Left “projecting their own values†on to him.
Some groups such as Democrats.com are now telling supporters to pay money into special “escrow funds†that will be available for Mr Obama’s campaign only if he lives up to his promises.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4272963.ece
OUCH! And, double OUCH!
Polls are always suspect, but according to a recent CNN poll, Obama is losing ground with Democrats. Not good.