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Monday, May 12, 2008

The threat that Obama represents to the GOP

James Edmund Pennington puts his finger on something that I believe Republicans would do well to consider. Barack Obama seems like a genuinely likable guy. And Americans like to vote for someone whom they see as a nice guy whom they would like to hang out with. Pennington compares that likability factor to what Reagan had.
It should be no difficult task to convince conservatives of the first (the chasm separating McCain and Obama on national defense, federal judges and taxes, to mention but three simplicities, should suffice). No sane person disputes the wretchedness of the political terrain. But there is disturbing talk among McCain supporters about the alleged weakness of the opponent. One hears and reads about a possible McCain walkover, stemming, variously, from Obama's hard left voting record, his inexperience, his awful associations or some combination of the three. These are all indeed legitimate campaign issues and themes, and they need to be hammered home ruthlessly, but any talk of making an easy case against Obama should cease.

Sensible McCain supporters need to begin this struggle with the following painful acknowledgement: on a personal level Barack Obama is one of the most ingratiating, likeable, least threatening, and intelligent-seeming men to run for the Presidency in the last hundred years.

There. Though I would no more vote for him than for Robespierre, I said it. It is a fact of consequence that needs to be faced.

In personal gifts relevant to political success, only three Americans during the twentieth century merit mention with Obama: Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan. This trio, as the historically well-schooled will recall, shared not only great political talent, but a common destiny: they all won.

So let's have no more talk of how much obviously weaker an opponent Obama is than what's-her-name. He is formidable enough, particularly for the execrable circumstances we confront.

I can almost sense the rage of the convinced rising up in blogosphere : "He is the most dangerous leftist to run for the presidency in a hundred years, perhaps ever;" "His odious associations will sink him like a concrete block." "He has the most Liberal voting record of any United States Senator." "He is a typical academic elitist who can't relate to the common man." Yes, yes, yes. All true. But there's a problem: to me -- a reliably conservative, serious and dour male of considerable vintage -- Obama seems like a nice guy.
I have seen lots of similar comments in the blogosphere about how Obama will be such an easier opponent to defeat than Hillary Clinton would have been. I've just never bought that. People enjoy supporting him. They're proud of their support and excited about voting for him. I don't see many people having a similar reaction to voting for John McCain. And that likeability may well trump any doubts that are planted about his liberal positions, his elitist tendencies, or his angry wife.
In sum, it's been a long time since the White House occupant, or anyone with a serious chance of becoming one, has been easy to listen to. As long as one disregards what he's actually saying, which, as I say, many normal people automatically do when listening to a politician, Obama is pretty easy on the ears. This salutary gift, and the personal likeability that comes with it, is going to be a considerable asset in his coming struggle against (yet another) verbally challenged Republican.
I don't find him particularly likable and I've been immune to his supposed inspiration since I listened to his 2004 convention speech and thought that it all sounded very nice but was just one platitude piled on another. But I have learned that I'm very unrepresentative of how most people react to politicians.

Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised this fall, but right now I'm not blithely optimistic. I'm not sure how Republicans combat that likability factor. I'm not sure that attacks on his positions or past associations will be enough to overcome that thrill that runs up people's legs or the genuine reaction that hundreds of thousands of people have had to Obama.
Labels: Obama

posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 7:02 AM 0 comments

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James Edmund Pennington puts his finger on something that I believe Republicans would do well to consider. Barack Obama seems like a genuinely likable guy. And Americans like to vote for someone whom they see as a nice guy whom they would like to hang out with. Pennington compares that likability factor to what Reagan had.

It should be no difficult task to convince conservatives of the first (the chasm separating McCain and Obama on national defense, federal judges and taxes, to mention but three simplicities, should suffice). No sane person disputes the wretchedness of the political terrain. But there is disturbing talk among McCain supporters about the alleged weakness of the opponent. One hears and reads about a possible McCain walkover, stemming, variously, from Obama's hard left voting record, his inexperience, his awful associations or some combination of the three. These are all indeed legitimate campaign issues and themes, and they need to be hammered home ruthlessly, but any talk of making an easy case against Obama should cease.

Sensible McCain supporters need to begin this struggle with the following painful acknowledgement: on a personal level Barack Obama is one of the most ingratiating, likeable, least threatening, and intelligent-seeming men to run for the Presidency in the last hundred years.

There. Though I would no more vote for him than for Robespierre, I said it. It is a fact of consequence that needs to be faced.

In personal gifts relevant to political success, only three Americans during the twentieth century merit mention with Obama: Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan. This trio, as the historically well-schooled will recall, shared not only great political talent, but a common destiny: they all won.

So let's have no more talk of how much obviously weaker an opponent Obama is than what's-her-name. He is formidable enough, particularly for the execrable circumstances we confront.

I can almost sense the rage of the convinced rising up in blogosphere : "He is the most dangerous leftist to run for the presidency in a hundred years, perhaps ever;" "His odious associations will sink him like a concrete block." "He has the most Liberal voting record of any United States Senator." "He is a typical academic elitist who can't relate to the common man." Yes, yes, yes. All true. But there's a problem: to me -- a reliably conservative, serious and dour male of considerable vintage -- Obama seems like a nice guy.

I have seen lots of similar comments in the blogosphere about how Obama will be such an easier opponent to defeat than Hillary Clinton would have been. I've just never bought that. People enjoy supporting him. They're proud of their support and excited about voting for him. I don't see many people having a similar reaction to voting for John McCain. And that likeability may well trump any doubts that are planted about his liberal positions, his elitist tendencies, or his angry wife.

In sum, it's been a long time since the White House occupant, or anyone with a serious chance of becoming one, has been easy to listen to. As long as one disregards what he's actually saying, which, as I say, many normal people automatically do when listening to a politician, Obama is pretty easy on the ears. This salutary gift, and the personal likeability that comes with it, is going to be a considerable asset in his coming struggle against (yet another) verbally challenged Republican.

I don't find him particularly likable and I've been immune to his supposed inspiration since I listened to his 2004 convention speech and thought that it all sounded very nice but was just one platitude piled on another. But I have learned that I'm very unrepresentative of how most people react to politicians.

Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised this fall, but right now I'm not blithely optimistic. I'm not sure how Republicans combat that likability factor. I'm not sure that attacks on his positions or past associations will be enough to overcome that thrill that runs up people's legs or the genuine reaction that hundreds of thousands of people have had to Obama.

Labels: Obama

posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 7:02 AM 0 comments

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Monday, May 12, 2008

The threat that Obama represents to the GOP

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HOME Betsy neither necessarily uses, nor endorses, the products advertised on this site. The truth about Avesil Cheap Hosting Atlanta Bankruptcy Attorney Dallas Bankruptcy Attorney Wikio Get exclusive travel deals and book discount cheap flights Online Bachelors Degree Comments from an AP history and government teacher in Raleigh, NC. e-mail betsynewmark AT gmail.com Commissions earned from selling items through Amazon will go towards buying materials for my classes. Thank you. Site Feed		Monday, May 12, 2008 The threat that Obama represents to the GOP James Edmund Pennington puts his finger on something that I believe Republicans would do well to consider. Barack Obama seems like a genuinely likable guy. And Americans like to vote for someone whom they see as a nice guy whom they would like to hang out with. Pennington compares that likability factor to what Reagan had. It should be no difficult task to convince conservatives of the first (the chasm separating McCain and Obama on national defense, federal judges and taxes, to mention but three simplicities, should suffice). No sane person disputes the wretchedness of the political terrain. But there is disturbing talk among McCain supporters about the alleged weakness of the opponent. One hears and reads about a possible McCain walkover, stemming, variously, from Obama's hard left voting record, his inexperience, his awful associations or some combination of the three. These are all indeed legitimate campaign issues and themes, and they need to be hammered home ruthlessly, but any talk of making an easy case against Obama should cease. Sensible McCain supporters need to begin this struggle with the following painful acknowledgement: on a personal level Barack Obama is one of the most ingratiating, likeable, least threatening, and intelligent-seeming men to run for the Presidency in the last hundred years. There. Though I would no more vote for him than for Robespierre, I said it. It is a fact of consequence that needs to be faced. In personal gifts relevant to political success, only three Americans during the twentieth century merit mention with Obama: Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan. This trio, as the historically well-schooled will recall, shared not only great political talent, but a common destiny: they all won. So let's have no more talk of how much obviously weaker an opponent Obama is than what's-her-name. He is formidable enough, particularly for the execrable circumstances we confront. I can almost sense the rage of the convinced rising up in blogosphere : "He is the most dangerous leftist to run for the presidency in a hundred years, perhaps ever;" "His odious associations will sink him like a concrete block." "He has the most Liberal voting record of any United States Senator." "He is a typical academic elitist who can't relate to the common man." Yes, yes, yes. All true. But there's a problem: to me -- a reliably conservative, serious and dour male of considerable vintage -- Obama seems like a nice guy. I have seen lots of similar comments in the blogosphere about how Obama will be such an easier opponent to defeat than Hillary Clinton would have been. I've just never bought that. People enjoy supporting him. They're proud of their support and excited about voting for him. I don't see many people having a similar reaction to voting for John McCain. And that likeability may well trump any doubts that are planted about his liberal positions, his elitist tendencies, or his angry wife. In sum, it's been a long time since the White House occupant, or anyone with a serious chance of becoming one, has been easy to listen to. As long as one disregards what he's actually saying, which, as I say, many normal people automatically do when listening to a politician, Obama is pretty easy on the ears. This salutary gift, and the personal likeability that comes with it, is going to be a considerable asset in his coming struggle against (yet another) verbally challenged Republican. I don't find him particularly likable and I've been immune to his supposed inspiration since I listened to his 2004 convention speech and thought that it all sounded very nice but was just one platitude piled on another. But I have learned that I'm very unrepresentative of how most people react to politicians. Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised this fall, but right now I'm not blithely optimistic. I'm not sure how Republicans combat that likability factor. I'm not sure that attacks on his positions or past associations will be enough to overcome that thrill that runs up people's legs or the genuine reaction that hundreds of thousands of people have had to Obama. Labels: Obama posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 7:02 AM 0 comments Comments: James Edmund Pennington puts his finger on something that I believe Republicans would do well to consider. Barack Obama seems like a genuinely likable guy. And Americans like to vote for someone whom they see as a nice guy whom they would like to hang out with. Pennington compares that likability factor to what Reagan had. It should be no difficult task to convince conservatives of the first (the chasm separating McCain and Obama on national defense, federal judges and taxes, to mention but three simplicities, should suffice). No sane person disputes the wretchedness of the political terrain. But there is disturbing talk among McCain supporters about the alleged weakness of the opponent. One hears and reads about a possible McCain walkover, stemming, variously, from Obama's hard left voting record, his inexperience, his awful associations or some combination of the three. These are all indeed legitimate campaign issues and themes, and they need to be hammered home ruthlessly, but any talk of making an easy case against Obama should cease. Sensible McCain supporters need to begin this struggle with the following painful acknowledgement: on a personal level Barack Obama is one of the most ingratiating, likeable, least threatening, and intelligent-seeming men to run for the Presidency in the last hundred years. There. Though I would no more vote for him than for Robespierre, I said it. It is a fact of consequence that needs to be faced. In personal gifts relevant to political success, only three Americans during the twentieth century merit mention with Obama: Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan. This trio, as the historically well-schooled will recall, shared not only great political talent, but a common destiny: they all won. So let's have no more talk of how much obviously weaker an opponent Obama is than what's-her-name. He is formidable enough, particularly for the execrable circumstances we confront. I can almost sense the rage of the convinced rising up in blogosphere : "He is the most dangerous leftist to run for the presidency in a hundred years, perhaps ever;" "His odious associations will sink him like a concrete block." "He has the most Liberal voting record of any United States Senator." "He is a typical academic elitist who can't relate to the common man." Yes, yes, yes. All true. But there's a problem: to me -- a reliably conservative, serious and dour male of considerable vintage -- Obama seems like a nice guy. I have seen lots of similar comments in the blogosphere about how Obama will be such an easier opponent to defeat than Hillary Clinton would have been. I've just never bought that. People enjoy supporting him. They're proud of their support and excited about voting for him. I don't see many people having a similar reaction to voting for John McCain. And that likeability may well trump any doubts that are planted about his liberal positions, his elitist tendencies, or his angry wife. In sum, it's been a long time since the White House occupant, or anyone with a serious chance of becoming one, has been easy to listen to. As long as one disregards what he's actually saying, which, as I say, many normal people automatically do when listening to a politician, Obama is pretty easy on the ears. This salutary gift, and the personal likeability that comes with it, is going to be a considerable asset in his coming struggle against (yet another) verbally challenged Republican. I don't find him particularly likable and I've been immune to his supposed inspiration since I listened to his 2004 convention speech and thought that it all sounded very nice but was just one platitude piled on another. But I have learned that I'm very unrepresentative of how most people react to politicians. Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised this fall, but right now I'm not blithely optimistic. I'm not sure how Republicans combat that likability factor. I'm not sure that attacks on his positions or past associations will be enough to overcome that thrill that runs up people's legs or the genuine reaction that hundreds of thousands of people have had to Obama. Labels: Obama posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 7:02 AM 0 comments Comments: Post a Comment