We're Gonna Frickin' Lose this Thing

"Stop saying that!" my wife says to me. But this is not a high school football game and I'm not a cheerleader with a bad attitude. This is an election and as things stand now, we're gonna frickin' lose this thing. Obama and McCain at best are even in the polls nationally and in a recent Gallup poll McCain is ahead by four points.

Something is not right. We have a terrific candidate and a terrific VP candidate. We're coming off the worst eight years in our country's history. Six of those eight years the Congress, White House and even the Supreme Court were controlled by the Republicans and the last two years the R's have filibustered like tantrum throwing 4-year-olds, yet we're going to elect a Republican who voted with that leadership 90% of the time and a former sportscaster who wants to teach Adam and Eve as science? That's not odd as a difference of opinion, that's logically and mathematically queer.

It reminds me of playing blackjack (a losers game). You make all the right moves, play the right hands but basically the House always wins. I know what you're going to say " But I won twelve hundred dollars last year in Atlantic City!" Of course there are victories. The odds aren't tilted crazy, but there is a 51%-49% advantage. And in the long run, the house has to win. The house will win.

So what is this house advantage the Republicans have? It's the press. There is no more fourth estate. Wait, hold on...I'm not going down some esoteric path with theories on the deregulation of the media and corporate bias and CNN versus Fox...I mean it: there is no more functioning press in this country. And without a real press the corporate and religious Republicans can lie all they want and get away with it. And that's the 51% advantage.

Think this is some opinion being wryly posited to titillate other bloggers and inspire dialogue with Tucker Carlson or Gore Vidal? Fuck that. Four corporations own all the TV channels. All of them. If they don't get ratings they get canceled or fired. All news is about sex, blame and anger, and fear. Exposing lies about amounts of money taken from lobbyists and votes cast for the agenda of the last eight years does not rate. The end.

So one side can lie and get away with it. Now let's throw in one more advantage. Voter caging and other corruption on the local level with voting. Check out the article here on HuffPost about Ohio messing with 600K voters. If only five thousand of those voters don't or can't vote that's a huge advantage in a contest that could be decided by literally dozens of votes. That takes us to about a 52 to 48% advantage.

I'm not even getting into the fact that the religious right teaches closed mindedness so it's almost impossible to gain new voters from their pool because people who disagree with them are agents of the devil. I just want to look at two inarguable realities: A) we have no more press and B) the Repubs are screwing with the voters on the local level.

I'm telling you, we're going to lose this thing. And afterwords we'll blame ourselves the same way we did with Gore and Kerry (two candidates a thousand times more qualified to lead than W Bush.) Just watch.. McCain wins by a point or two and we all walk around saying things like "Obama was too well spoken." "Biden wasn't lovable enough." "I shouldn't have split those eights." "Why did I hit on 16? Why?!"

So what do we do?

1) We give definitive clear speeches like Biden and Obama gave the other day about how no one talked about any issues at the Republican Convention and how they outright lied. But we do them over and over again. 2) We use the one place where it's still a 50-50 game -- the internet -- as much as we can. 3) But most importantly we should bring up re-regulating the media and who owns it and what that conflict of interest is a lot more. By pretending there's no conflict of interest we're failing to alert the public that they're being lied to or given a looking at a coin at the bottom of a pool slanted truth. Every time a pundit or elected official is on any TV news program it should be a polite formality to mention that GE has made such and such billions off the war in Iraq by selling arms or that Murdoch is a right-wing activist with a clear stake in who wins and who taxes his profits the least. Disney, GE, Viacom, and Murdoch -- all want profits and the candidate and agenda that will get in their way the least.

Obama and Biden should also create a "master sound bite sentence" and repeat it hundreds of times. It should be so true that even the corporations can't screw with it when it makes the airwaves. Here's my attempt: "Katrina, four dollar gas, a trillion dollar war, rising unemployment, deregulated housing market, global warming...no more."

This race should be about whether the Republican Party is going to be dismantled or not after the borderline treason of the past eight years. But instead it is about making the word "community organizer" a dirty word and a beauty queen who shoots foxes from a plane. Someone is not in any way doing their job and it's the press. Or more specifically, that job no longer exists.

Probably the worst offenders are the pundits who take the position that it's all just a game and say phrases like "getting a post-convention bump" or "playing to the soccer Moms." This isn't a game of Monopoly or Survivor. There are real truths that exist outside of the spin they are given and have an effect on lives. 250,000 Iraqi civilians are dead because we let our reality be distorted by the most effective propaganda machine in fifty years, the corporate American press. Money and jobs are flying out of this country as our currency becomes worthless and we're talking about the fact that McCain is a veteran. If someone busted into your house and robbed you would you then forgive them if you found out they were a veteran? Of course not. So why are we forgiving McCain for selling out his country by supporting the Bush agenda?

This is it folks. If McCain takes power we fade and become Australia in the seventies: a backwoods country with occasional flashes of relevance. Except we've got a way bigger military and we're angrier. People will get hurt and we'll pay the bill for the bullets. I'm telling you, unless we wake up, we're gonna lose this frickin' thing.

Comments

[FreedomFries]

Obama should have parked his pride and chosen Hillary as his VP nominee. Now he's got Biden publicly stating that Hillary was a better choice and complimenting Palin. Obama is not going to win this with Biden undermining him, and his own awkward rambling method of communicating what are otherwise common sense ideas and plans. He has turned out to be a great disappointment in his political gamesmanship.

[tlhwraith]

Bull.

If Obama had chosen Clinton, McCain would have just chosen another VP. I'm sick of all this after-the-fact prognosticating about how wonderful things would be if Clinton was on the ticket. Truth is, the bile raised in many Obama supporters (including mine) mouths would have led to his polling numbers tanking faster than a 747 running out of fuel.

Let me not wince words, the Clintons basically pooped all over Obama in the primaries and if he had chosen her he would not only have shot his entire message of "change" in the foot by appearing like an opportunist, he would have had to effectively watch his back every day because I'm sure Hillary would have been more than happy to stab him in it.

The problem isn't Obamas VP opponent, its the nature of the game the GOP is playing. They don't care about the issues, never really have. The Dems problems are fundamental and we've seen it time and again the last 30 years, we try too hard to be right when we should try harder in the fight.

So replace Hillary with Joe and all you would see is a different attack tactic coming from the GOP (and no need to choose Palin because the base would have been fired up at the announcement of Clintons name!).

[tottie2001]

I agree!!

[mfgillia]

Exactly. If you want to win then one usually goes with the person that came in second not fifth. Also I suspect this may hurt Obama's perception as a unifer. Afterall, if he couldn't put his ego aside and go with Hillary to unite the democrats then how is it plausible he will unite the country? Still expect Obama to pull it out and win though he is making it more interesting than needed.

[shep1900]

Yeah, that's the key point. If Senator Obama can't unify his own party, it does beg the question of how he could pull a gravely divided electorate together, if he were elected.

[Eoin45]

Double bull.

[Swerinjer]

Yeh he should have gone with Hillary.

[ctmommy]

Maybe it would help if O bama would release his health records. It worked for Mc Cain.

[trudem2]

And when Hillary asked the essential question - "but can he close the deal?"-- she was villified.
How dare she even GO there with her crass, unprincipaled, unbridled ambition. And those pantsuits........!!!!

The reality is, she had the pulse of this country even then, she knew about that which she spoke, - but she was kicked to the curb along with her huge following. I guess 80 million voters were a mere mirage.

I hate to see this country go down the tubes, but I am delighted to see Obamazoids get kicked in the nuts!

[achildofiam]

I am guessing you are not a Republican.

[psych101]

80 million - you mean 18 million. Its Democrats such as yourself that feel they are entitled to something and panic when they realize that there is never a clear path to victory. Comments such as yours are understandable given your frustration over Hillary's loss, but all they do is bring the Republicans one step closer to victory.

[tottie2001]

You should be ashamed. That you would rather see Obama lose and risk no healthcare, ongoing war,recession and escalating gas prices just because he didnt pick Hilary. You PUMA's are beginning to sound just as ridiculous as the Repubs. Give me a break!!

[nton]

Great post.

[trudem2]

How is it possible Disney, GE, Viacom and Murdoch own all tv stations?

Who fell asleep at the wheel and let that happen?

Could it be we, the people?

[XCITIZEN]

I blame you, trudem2.

[MsLourdes]

Adam, share your feeling. Just today, my Sunday paper included a DVD titled: Obsession Radical islam War Against the West, funded by The Clarion Group and distributed in newspapers in swing states. Supposedly, non-protit. I believe this is propaganda, with the intention of scaring people. It is so sad. I can even begin to imagine this country governed by this thugs for another 4 years. Unfortunately, most Americans are not very bright and they get hoodwinked all the time. Let's hope not this time!

[achildofiam]

Does this Thug have a name? I don't see any candidate running other than Palin running who isn't already part of the Federal Government.

[ahasak]

everyone relax and take a deep breath...

let's give a little credit to the obama team in chicago...

and forget these national polls...

check out the local polls and get out the vote operation...

and prepare to celebrate in nov...

adi

[antaeus]

Should we ignore the Irish bookies, too?

[achildofiam]

Obama loved the Polls untill the latest ones come out. I saw them waved every day in the news. That is like the hat I saw at the DNC that said "Trust teachers not test scores".

[Anthony712]

THANK YOU!

[StellaRay]

HE'S BACK! Watch this video of Obama in New Hampshire yesterday, particularly last 3 minutes. You'll stand up and cheer. Watch and then E-mail Obama campaign that they should make :30 ads out of the stirring end of his speech. Gone the policy wonk, back with the man who knows how to touch a heart and a hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzYHcT2n_U4

[elizaW]

Watched it. Same old, same old. Stale as can be.

[kayla9170]

This is just my two-cent comment.

Like it or not, even the Daily Kos polls states that it is close Obama 47-McCain 45. This is worrisome and I believe, tells a sign of things to come.

I believe that unless something major happens in Obama's favor the next two weeks, we are going to lose this thing. I am beginning to worry that maybe the party should have just nominated Hillary Clinton. This hurts to say as a African-American female but I am more than beginning to think that Obama might cannot pull this out.

In the end, I believe the larger issue is that Obama is African-American. One too many White voters will not let a African-American man have, as they perceive, to much power unchecked. See, if Obama was the Vice-Presidental candidate, not the Presidental candidate and any White person was in the other position, White Candidate Unnamed and Obama would be leading this race by 10 points plus.

Will America ever change? I doubt it in my lifetime. Instead, they would prefer to see themselves in front of a soup kitchen than vote for the "Black" guy.

This is reality!! We need to face it. Obama is a great candidate but unfortunately great African-American leaders are not looked as great leaders by some White People, until they are dead and gone. Think Martin Luther King..........................

[MadeinAmericaProud]

That is the facts. This nation is broke also known as bankrupt, banks failing every month. stock market with hugh losses, to include our retirement accounts. millions becoming homeless, we in hugh debt and the wars are sucking us dry and the few nickels we have left, big business wants to take most of what we have with masses bailouts.

This nation voted for million of jobs transfer out, so why will this years vote be any different.

[TheDriftingMind]

I understand everything you are saying, but please lose the pessimism and help this sometimes ignorant country get Obama elected. The Republicans are doing the same things they always do, the difference right now is that they are succeeding in distracting the American public with Sarah Palin. This is not about Hillary. I am a white male voter who supported Hillary in the primaries. I always liked Obama as much as Hillary, but I was concerned about his electablility. That's over, he won the nomination. Joe Biden is a great pick and I am fully supporting this ticket. This is one (of many, many, many) white voter who enthusiastically supports Obama. We don't need people buying this crap about how he should have picked Hillary. We NEED to get him elected.

[neverontheright]

I agree. The race issue is still a dirty little secret that many folks just don't want to address.

Given the last eight years, everything that's happening right under our feet given the economy, and by all accounts, the absolute joke that Palin appears to be as presidental-worthy, the Dem brand should win by a landslide even if we had a microwave oven as a candidate.

But, yet, we'll say its the media (partly true), the lies, pin-up girl Palin, etc. But nobody wants to admit that we have lots of bigots that still call themselves independents and Dems.

There is no other real plausible explanation.

[achildofiam]

This comment is like someone saying a Black person will not vote for a Republican. Both sides need to drop the color filter.

[MyNameIsJames]

It is NOT the media's fault although they are complacent.

It is the Democratic Party and the Obama campaign who have not done the work necessary to maintain momentum.

1) Obama's whole persona is coming off too soft and reactive in his public appearances
2) Obama's campaign decided to play to the middle - they lost their focus with that strategy and now they don't know what to do next. This was in fact their greatest mistake.
3) The Obama campaign has actually allowed McCain to claim to be the REFORMER - again that is because Obama decided that the terms "reformer" and "reform" were too strong and populist for his taste a few months ago.

In short, the Obama campaign has outsmarted itself with a lot of miscalculations about the American Political Mind.

If he loses this race it is because he and his campaign brain center disregarded the obvious openings to REALLY engage the American public about systemic change. He chose instead to play it safe and play to the middle with boring policy speeches that no one listens too except for political junkies like most of us on Huff Post.

How is that working out for you Barack!

[Pinky2]

I prefer a candidate that thinks I can think. I prefer a candidate that treats me like a grown up. I prefer a candidate that recognizes this election is about us and not him. I prefer a candidate who is willing to take it on the chin - even from his own people - rather than go down into the mud with the pigs - uh pit bulls? I prefer a candidate who thinks, believes, and states that we are better than the last eight years. I prefer a candidate who will look beyond the finish line to the next race.

If you don't then you don't.

But stop putting negative energy out there. It only comes back on you.

[doza]

Wanna get really scared? haveyou seen this video ( curiously taken down by YouTube) of her church and thier beliefs.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/98698/palin%27s_%27heretical%27_church%3A_censored_video_the_mccain_campaign_doesn%27t_want_you_to_see%3A

[theatine]

Are you high? The MSM is now, has been and always will be (to the extent it remains in existence, which is becoming more questionable by the day) lock, stock and barrel in the hands of the center-left. You don't have to have an ideological axe to grind to see that, just a modicum of objectivity.

[antaeus]

I would have said you were overreacting . . . until I watched Bill Maher last Friday.

[imright606]

hello?