- BIG NEWS:
- Bill Clinton
- |
- Barack Obama
- |
- Dick Cheney
- |
- Terrorism
- |
Obama Bomaye!
Read More:
2008 Election, Barack Obama, George Foreman, Muhammed Ali, Rumble In The Jungle,
Politics News
"He's got to hit back," experts implore. "He's losing!" cry observers. Punishment is delivered over and over by a tough opponent, virtually unopposed by the brash and formerly confident competitor. Having survived bruising contests to get to the main event, concerns rise that he's lost his toughness, that an inability or unwillingness to attack will doom him against a hard-hitting opponent.
The scene, of course, is Zaire, 1974. George Foreman, a fearsome puncher and overwhelming favorite, had Muhammad Ali on the ropes from the beginning of their legendary "Rumble in the Jungle," and Ali put himself squarely in Foreman's sights, literally taunting Forman to hit him harder. It seemed a crazy strategy -- most boxers simply cannot survive the pounding of leaning back against the ropes and taking punch after punch. But Ali was working from a well-designed strategy, and he had the skill and the endurance to make sure the punches just barely missed their intended target. The glove instead of the eye; the temple instead of the jaw. Ali realized that if he could tire Foreman, get Foreman to punch and chase himself out of energy, he would have an opening. Viewers, perhaps especially the experts, were horrified that Ali refused to go on the attack in the initial rounds.
Through those early rounds, Ali did little to counter Foreman's onslaught, except for the intermittent jab or straight right to the face of an increasingly agitated Foreman. As the rounds dragged on, though, Foreman became visibly exhausted - and when Foreman threw everything he had at Ali early on and none of it worked, Ali made his move. Foreman, taxed by Ali's few but precisely landed early shots and drained from his movement and punches, was vulnerable to an increasingly aggressive Ali, who landed combinations in the later rounds. Eventually Ali went in for the knockout in the eighth, using a left hook to set up a straight right to Foreman's face, dropping him to the mat and ending the fight. Ali later dubbed this strategy the "rope-a-dope."
Senator Barack Obama does not seem to be angling for the political equivalent of a decision in the presidential race. His campaign is looking strategically over the coming months, recognizing that the campaign is just now moving past the early rounds, with "swing" voters still largely tuned out. Rather than letting loose his full arsenal, he is letting McCain punch himself out -- and McCain, like Foreman before him, is falling right into the trap. As long as McCain keeps diving to the gutter, he is neutralizing his most valuable attribute: a reputation for honesty and integrity. Meanwhile, as McCain destroys his own brand, Obama is dodging the punches. McCain and his surrogates are trying a new negative narrative practically every week, but according to the polls, nothing is sticking. Inexperienced, uppity, elitist, unpatriotic -- these rotating smears all fit under the general umbrella of "Other," but despite this barrage, the Obama campaign is deflecting the blows, readying themselves for the late rounds, the time that really matters.
It would be different, of course, if McCain were landing his punches. If Obama were trailing in the polls, if the narratives had erased his lead, he could not afford to lean back against the ropes. But McCain is throwing everything he can think of and Obama isn't even behind in the polls. There has been, admittedly, a small but measurable shift in the national numbers, with McCain narrowing the deficit from five or six to two or three, roughly, but overwrought pundits are underplaying the strategic angle. It's understandable, as the story of the race is one of consistency and stability, neither of which increase TV ratings or newspaper circulation, so to make it interesting we have a constant Obama falter watch.
When pundits and commentators make hyperventilating claims about Obama's alleged campaign appeasement, it is vital to note that Obama has played this game before. It's not that he won't hit back -- even in the rope-a-dope it's important to mix in a few shots in the early rounds -- but those who are calling for an all-out assault against McCain have short memories; some of the same observers were saying the same thing when Obama trailed Senator Clinton in the Democratic primary. In that contest his campaign proved its ability to wait for the right moment, which should have earned it the benefit of the doubt for the current race. Obama has an unprecedented amount of money, an unprecedented ground game, and virtually all the fundamentals are in his favor. With all that going for him, progressives should be cheering that he seems to be playing for the eventual knockout, rather than calling for him to lower himself to meet McCain in the dirt for the short-term benefits.
Democrats learned an important lesson about fighting back in 2004 when Senator Kerry thought ignoring the shameful "Swift Boat" attacks would disarm them; this is not an exhortation to turn the other cheek, but rather to recognize the importance of time and place. In boxing and in politics, when an opponent is overreaches, it is vital to choose the right moment to counter. Ironically, Senator McCain is a self-described boxing fanatic, and someone with his appreciation for the sweet science should recognize the danger of punching so hard so early. Having thrown roundhouse shots this early (his immediately infamous claim that Obama is choosing to lose a war to win an election comes to mind), he'll likely have nothing left when the critical moments arrive.
Meanwhile, Obama has slipped in well-aimed shots occasionally, like Ali did in the early rounds, as with his recent "Original" ad, tying McCain to President Bush. Even as I wrote this piece over the past few days, the campaign's ads are increasingly tough on McCain, and the intensity will only increase after the convention. Some early hits are important to land occasionally, to further soften McCain's image, but an onslaught from Obama over the summer would have only served to tarnish his own reputation -- and without the benefit of having swing voters yet paying attention.
Even if Obama does not play it exactly right, he's still likely to win. But so much the better if he can head into office as a politician who didn't go negative early and often, who won on the strength of his ideas and his character rather than by dragging his opponent through the mud. It's a risky strategy, to be sure, but patience is often rewarded, especially in the face of an aggressive opponent. Obama is relying on a strategy that has already worked once this cycle, this time against an opponent who is increasingly flailing and desperate. In September and October, in the late campaign rounds, the knockout blow will come.
Loading comments…
Most Popular on HuffingtonPost
b%2F07pnqL9vIQgy98UjW8EjTlPcR8D1QENB83SAUeB0cwkpi41C6y5O8umcxlwSGNuznIHiAtOZENc%2BlgX%2F4AAA%3D%3D
ewd0bS2xfllFvOxk5TbgBnjzKhHb%2FQsW8NpMMrrnzXNiVBiHYH5TZfMgyAPePI%2B5NfUxZwS%2BI6QpRVObKxvmeA%3D%3D
1 of 2
HuffingtonPost Reporters
lGalTQX%2FW%2BYo%2BVzkhe4JnT9RxkUDPOI8
rp9ykyUYbbG8tsjFRRh4M63V7elYoKoW
1 of 2
Don't Miss HuffPost Bloggers
1 of 2
Huffington Post Apps and Feeds
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
I think most of us who support Obama realize this is his strategy, but the media needs to fire up the others and so they will. I think Obama knows exactly what he is doing, and since its so different than traditional methods are, the traditional politicians and pundits are getting anxious. Lets just sit back, wait for the games to get out of preseason and watch the show
aaaaah! It's like a breathe of fresh air - this article. I am puzzled by all the panic going on in the blogosphere. We all bash the MSM for their relentless pursuit of ratings and bash mainstream America when they fall for it, but lookey lookey, you guys are doing the same thing. You all fell into the trap. Fell for the hype. I understand though - you guys are scared that the Repubs will screw us again but we give them too much power. They must be snickering at us right now about how they have Obama's base panicked . I'm no political expert but what I do know is that Obama beat the Clinton machine - she was supposed to be the best and he beat the best.
many of the people with panic attacks are actually tr0lls trying to sow fear among the ranks
you are probably correct in that assessment
"As long as McCain keeps diving to the gutter, he is neutralizing his most valuable attribute: a reputation for honesty and integrity.
The most important thing is: "Obama has an unprecedented amount of money, an unprecedented ground game, and virtually all the fundamentals are in his favor". But if Obama let the negative portraits of himself by McCain dig deep into voters' memory then he would have been waiting too long to counter attack and donations will dry out.
It seems now he has started to expose McCain's lies and that is not too soon. The convention is next week so hopefully his team will attack McCain, with the truth, not lies as McCain team had done to him. McCain only has won so far due to his lies about Obama. McCain has many faults to be attacked so it should be easy for Obama to do so.
Interesting analogy.
I sincerely hope that you are right, and Obama doesn't wind up his back on the canvas November 4th, wondering if "anyone got the number of that truck that hit him," as Kerry did four years ago.
Personally, I think Obama can effectively counterattack without sinking to McCain's level.
One of the differences between them is that people consistently UNDERestimate Obama while they OVERestimated Kerry.
Obama '08
You're quite right.
Obama's strength is that people ALWAYS UNDERESTIMATE HIM ..........
kind of like people are always mis-underestimating Bushie.
aaaaah! It's like a breathe of fresh air - this article. I am puzzled by all the panic going on in the blogosphere. We all bash the MSM for their relentless pursuit of ratings and bash mainstream America when they fall for it, but lookey lookey, you guys are doing the same thing. You all%
Remember Bill Clinton's campaign?? When he got hit, he hit back within a 24-hour cycle. He won twice! I am sick to death of sitting around listening to the bullshit McCain is saying day after day with hardly a word back. Even if there is, it is couched with "We all know McCAin is an honorable man." Bullshit! He is no longer honorable if he ever was. I have been mad as hell for 8 years running and if Obama bends over like Kerry and lets this premo opportunity go by with things to work with like: a neverending war draining our treasure that could be spent on financing an alternate energy gird, a lackluster economy, the housing crisis, sanctioned torture... I could go on and on. McCain is already ahead in one poll. HIs negative campagning is WORKING!
Go to CNN.com and read James Carville's advice. This is it! I am effing sick of losing! I am sick of the country getting progressively worse. Remember what it was like? Do you?
""Even if there is, it is couched with "We all know McCAin is an honorable man." He is no longer honorable if he ever was" , "HIs negative campagning is WORKING! "
I didn't understand why Obama said this also. Why do you have to pretend that McCain is an honorable man when he lied about you?
Obama: forget about being nice to your opponent who kicked you in the butts!
EXPOSE THE REAL McCAIN WITH THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM.
"Why do you have to pretend that McCain is an honorable man when he lied about you?"
Absolutely.
And why do you have to pretend that Republicans are wonderful patriots who want what is best for "America" when they have been hell-bent on turning government into a weapon of the industrial cartels and their ultra-rich owners against the working class? They are plutocratic extremists and the Democrats just help them.
Call it what it is! Attack and destroy them!
The centrists make me sick. The reason that they pretend to honor these plutocrats' patriotism is because they are plutocrats themselves.
Where is the spirit Roosevelt?
AND we all know and love James Carville, after all he is never wrong. Is he?
AND who did James Carville advise in the primaries?
AND who does James Carville associate with?.....
AND CNN is so fair and balanced, right?....
Obama definitely needs to take this advice!
Obama '08
The day I read James Carville's "advice" is the day I've given up on the idea that a life of integrity is possible. Hopefully, that will be never.
What Clinton did at the time was exactly right....d
Get over it - it's WORKING!
You're exactly right,some of our supporters seem to forget Sen. Obama limped to the finish line and if Hillary had started her attacks just a month earlier she would be coronated now.Sen McCain knows that and his withering attacks remain constant which persisted while Sen. Obama was on his overseas tour and on vacation.T
If I have a choice, I would rather lose by banking on people being smarter than they are than believing most people are dunces and should be treated as such.
Excellent way of looking at it.
"If"
If, if, if, if. If I only picked the right 6 numbers on my lottery ticket, I'd be rich!
It only matters what happens in November.
Smartness of the people doesn't really matter. it really only matters how smart Obama and his advisors are. I trust them. They won. That is the bottom line.
Obama '08
I hadn't thought about it that way, thank you for making me see a different strategy.
Why are people always so anxious? I swear most of America's populace are anxiety prone and fear based. God forbid, ye of little faith.
Punditry is based on speculation, exaggeration and spin ......all to attract!
A little patience would be well appreciated.
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton dueled over Democratic primary voters and the few independents active enough to take part in the primaries. Now, Barack Obama is dueling with John McCain over a much larger population, and a much more important one, because it will decide the election and not just the primary. To try the same strategy in this general election is not, no matter how nice it sounds, a smart move. Especially not against the GOP attack machine.
So while Obama is ducking and dodging, what happens if McCain actually lands a hit? Even just one? What happens is that Obama is wounded, right before the election, and will have no time to recover.
This strategy is polite and "new" and whatever, but smart? No, it's not smart.
And you are an expert on what works because...
I am presuming that all of these people who know exactly how to win a Presidential election have won many elections of their home, even if it's for President of his or her country club. I presume they have great knowledge of people in general and can psych anyone out so that they do just the right thing at the right time. All of their social and family and work lives are perfect because they know exactly what to do at all times. What a fortunate culture we live in to have so many members with perfect people skills.
A little pessimistic about your candidate, if Obama is your candidate. If he's not then find another less hopeful blog to whine on.
Hope should not emanate from Obama alone. We need to participate, even if that only means being positive about his abilities. Of course, ACTIVE participation is always better (whining doesn't count). So get up or get lost.
Well said Zen!
You forget so easily that this is the team that fought the CLINTONS AND WON! The possibly greatest Democratic Political Machine of the 20st century. And did so without loosing too much of his "shine" and enthusiasm. 2 MILLION DONORS? Of whom would gladly spend almost any amount to ensure McCains defeat?
One of the main tenants of what Obama supporters like about the man is his ability to think ahead, act rationally and never loose his cool. Do you honestly think a group of top notch CHICAGO politicians are going to roll over and allow McCain to win when they are sitting on top of MILLIONS of dollars?
It's more than 2 months to the election. An eternity in political lifetime. Most stuff doesn't stick to your common voter till about a week before. They know what they are doing.
...silly me. From the title, I thought you were talking about the primaries! lol
"...an onslaught from Obama over the summer would have only served to tarnish his own reputation -- and without the benefit of having swing voters yet paying attention.
Nicely put. I did a lot of traveling this past month and, excepting the occasional political junkie, the election was definitely not the first thing on people's mind. Unlike the last presidential election, when Kerry should have defined himself earlier and attacked earlier and more concisely, Senator 0bama had a long primary that allowed people to get to know who he was. And, thankfully, there are is no Mark Penn on his staff.
Thank you for writing this. The only thing I wish would happen would be for the media instead of just reporting what both campaigns say, is to do some fact checking and call them on crap. That way Obama wouldn't have to fight back.
Agree!
The MSM no longer acts as anything but stenographers. Truly scary. Keep the internet relatively free of corporate interests, it is the only place that people can really understand both sides.
Obama '08
Nice load of crap. The npast couple of weeks McCain has been landing with his punches unlike Foreman. Some of the stuff McCain is selling is crap, but we have no real surrogate or the candidate saying anything. Unlike the primary, where the Media pack that hates anything Clinton, the media is choosing to ingnore any foolish thing that McCain says. McCain says that the middle class ends and the rich begin at 5 million a year. No media follow up. This should have been echoed around the country by the campaign. It hits his lack of understanding of economics, the actual middle class and the meaning of money. Since he married rich (second time) he has not had to deal with a living wage. Response from the Obama camp, nothing. That is why you need a real fighter on the campaign trail. You need a Biden or a Clinton out there, not only defending against attacks but bringing the fight to them. If the campaign repeats something enough the media eventually reports on it. Right now McCain has a free ride. The idea that the lack of campaign response while losing the small lead in the polls is actually a virtue. That is true only in the world of Kerry Edwards fantasy.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
