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McCain is Running on the Amnesia Platform, But It's Democrats Who Need to Forget Sarah Palin
During his acceptance speech, John McCain had some very strong criticism of his opponent. I'm not talking about Barack Obama; I'm talking about George Bush. After rushing headlong into the embrace of Bush and the Rovian wing of the GOP, McCain has now decided that he desperately needs to distance himself and try to reclaim the maverick mantle. Not an easy thing to do when you have sided with Bush 90 percent of the time.
But McCain gave it his best shot. After dispensing with the obligatory opening nod to the president for "leading us in those dark days following the worst attack on American soil in our history," he offered a stinging indictment of the last seven-plus years of Bush and largely Republican rule.
He promised to "make this government start working for you again" and to "stop leaving our country's problems for some unluckier generation to fix."
He vowed to "restore the pride and principles of our party. We were elected to change Washington, we let Washington change us. We lost the trust of the American people...when we valued our power over our principles."
He pledged that his administration would "set a new standard for transparency and accountability" and "finally starting getting things done for the people who are counting on us."
According to McCain, "We need to change the way government does almost everything: from the way we protect our security to the way we compete in the world economy; from the way we respond to disasters to the way we fuel our transportation network; from the way we train our workers to the way we educate our children."
Other than that, how did you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
Listening to McCain, you'd think it was the Democrats who occupied the White House the last seven-plus years and it was time to throw the bastards out.
Given that 82 percent of voters believe we are heading in the wrong direction, it's a logical position to take. But for the American people to buy into the notion that McCain, who has raced to Bush's side on tax cuts, on offshore drilling -- even on torture -- is this campaign's agent of change, it's going to require an incredible suspension of disbelief. Or a serious case of amnesia.
And this is clearly McCain's campaign strategy: inducing amnesia about the past and confusion about the future, attempting to hoodwink the American people about what he has become. Which is where Sarah Palin comes in. As a major distraction. In the effort to divert attention from the matter at hand -- McCain's embrace of all things Bush -- Palin is the perfect storm.
Americans love the outsider plucked from obscurity. And Palin provides bucketfuls of the new and exciting. As long as voters and the media are caught up in the latest installment of As Sarah Turns or the Alaska version of All My Children, they aren't paying attention to the lack of solutions McCain is offering to the serious crises that face us.
Forget worrying about the economy or health care or the housing crisis -- think about how many people live in Wasilla, whether Bristol and Levi will live happily ever after, and if Sarah and her "First Dude" really want Alaska to secede from the union.
This is why the McCain campaign wants Palin front and center -- did you notice how much time McCain spent during the speech praising Palin and how quickly the celebratory post-speech music shifted from "Raisin' McCain" to "Barracuda"?
And it's why Democrats need to ignore Palin, and keep the focus on reminding voters about the stark contrast between an Obama and a McCain administration. It's tempting to prime the Palin attack pump. But Obama and the Democrats do so at their own peril.
John McCain wants to distance himself from Bush, cloud the huge policy differences between him and Obama, and hope his compelling life story carries the day. Obama's job is to make sure he doesn't get away with it. Forgetting Sarah Palin is a good place to start.
Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff
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Bush-McCain, More of the Same! Bush-McCain, More of the Same! Bush-McCain, More of the Same!
Good article Arianna - right on the money.
Of course, the trolls across these boards always bring the attention back to Palin, or use their racist, snide or otherwise circular reasoning to keep people off focus and entangled in senseless argument and that is what the media is doing too.
The bottom line is that there is no reason why the Democrats shouldn't win this election. We have the numbers - we just need the action - vote! Talk to others in person, and urge them to vote - some people may be apathetic or discouraged, too busy dealing with their lives or other things, but a little encouragement, especially reminding them how important this race means and what it means to them as Americans, can go a long way.
Looking at the 12 month history of Gas Prices versus Crude Oil, how come the last time Crude Oil was down around $104 per barrel, which was around 4/1/08, Gas prices were at about $3.26 per gallon? That is roughly $0.50 cheaper than gas prices today, with Crude Oil being around $104 per barrel. Why is this not an issue still in the campaign? It seems if the majority of the country would keep an eye on this history it would be pretty obvious that drilling more will not reduce prices. Obviously Crude Oil prices are lower than they were a few months ago, but gas prices are not following the same downward trend as Crude Oil. Are we going to witness record profits again for the 4th quarter of this year?
Good luck ignoring Sarah Palin - it shows how Obama pales in comparison to even the GOP VP nominee in terms of actual experience. In these days of Al-Queda and concerns of national security, the soccer moms and the hockey moms will most certainly go with the new kid on the block. The Democrats had many opportunities to pick a woman Vice President or even a woman President and that chance has now passed them by.
Speculators Drove Up Oil Prices not supply and demand as Republicans would have you think.
http://wcco.com/business/oil.prices.speculators.2.814173.html
And by the way, notice how you addressed a real issue, and the troll immediately brought up Sarah Palin to defect focusing on the issue?
Let's just forge ahead with the issues and ignore the trolls.
the republicans want us to think they are democrats. Why not just vote for democrats? because the republicans who want us to think they are democrats keep insulting them? I actually agree with most of what the republicans tout. But the really important topics are where they have been ruining everything. the things they don't talk about, and republicans I know aren't aware of these things. Some people don't think. They mostly want to fit in with their peers, and agree with other people,
What's the difference between a hockey mom and Spiro Agnew? Answer: lipstick.
Palin will serve the same purpose for McCain that Agnew served for Nixon. The Demcrats spent so much time mocking and attacking Agnew that they forgot it was Nixon who was running for president. Yes, everyone must ignore the circus sideshow that is Sarah Palin and hammer away at McCain and what he did to win the nomination (suck up to the forces of darkness). The Bush-Cheney regime did to McCain what the Vietnamese couldn't. They made him surrender his principles and integrity in exchange for survival.
The results of both the McCain and Palin acceptance speeches demonstrate quite clearly the power of avoiding the issues, lying openly & frequently, the lack of independent media and the lack of basic reasoning skills in the voters. I can't believe the polls say McCain is ahead now. Heaven help us all 4-8 more years of Bush...
Well Arianna, I was always, or maybe still is your fan since you're most of the time right on in many subject. This time, McCain might be in amnesia mode, but then again dems are in coma!
Arianna, you are so right! The proper attitude towards "She Who Must Not Be Spoken Of" is to ignore her.
Today the "Seattle Times" printed a McClatchy Newspapers item on page A4 tiltled "Candidates briefed on lenders' bailout" about the Treasury Department's takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It quotes Obama and McCain's reaction and then they have the nerve to quote "SWMNBSO" (the Alaska governor) without saying a word about Sen. Biden. Argggg!
I also agree. One way is to ignore that moniker "barracuda" and replace it with something that better fits her lightweight status. I call her "PomPom" because she reminds me of that nasty cheerleader in high school who thought she was just so tough but was really just ill-mannered and rude and none- too- prepared for her movement into the real world.........that to me is our "PomPom" Palin
I agree with Arianna. Barack and his staffers must stop responding to Repubs ads and begin to put out ads visualizing their policy changes and the current issues that warrant changes. Americans must see the number of houses in foreclosures, Americans must see visuals of the number of homeless veterans living under bridges and in subways, Americans need to see visuals of homeless middle class families. Americans must see visuals of interviews with working mothers struggling to afford daycare and health care and making decision as if to eat or pay the rent. Dems need to create more ads with interviews of the real life of people at grocery stores shopping and make a comparison of food items then and now. There are many Americans who are not struggling and so the reality of what is taking place in America has not hit home. Barack must appeal to those people. It is true that a picture say a thousand words. Americans must see the number of flag drapped coffins returning from war and the number of limbless veterans who are now an added strain on families for care and the social services because now they are no longer producers but dependent on benefits. Barack must know that he must not be afraid to speak to truth. I agree that a showing lies for what they is not an attack and he does not need to be apologetic at all.
I forgot Sarah one second after I changed the channel.
Now Huffington Post? A must read for me. Keep up the good work!
"PRICELESS"
• The $500 shoes McCain sports as he campaigns in his wife's private jet
• His response to the question of how many homes he owns--"I'm going to have to let my staff get back to you on that one"
• Cindy McCain proudly showing off at last week's convention a $313,000 outfit whose value exceeded the average voter's current mortgage
• The rich symbolism of how out-of-touch they are with the values and needs of the average citizen who McCain cynically purports to champion
• "PRICELESS"
I totally agree. And yet they try to argue that it is Obama that is the elitist? People need to wake up the fact that altough McCain selected Palin (a purely political move, and one that makes me lose respect for McCain), he is the one who out of touch with the average American's struggles. I was not an Obama supporter, but it is evident that Obama as "just a community organizer" has a better handle on what average people need and want.
Red America loves Palin. "She is one of us," they gush with
stars in their eyes. Didn't they say the same about GWB?
Experience doesn't matter to these people. Warm fuzzies
about USA! USA! USA! -- that's all that matters to them.
America will not elect a strong Democratic leader until our
people move beyond their narrow parochialism.
If I could waive a magic wand, every young American would
spend a semester abroad as a condition of graduation from
high school.
This would cost us, perhaps, one percent of the cost of the
mindless Iraq invasion and occupation.
This would also make 100-year occupations much less likely,
much less desirable in the opened eyes of the next generation,
who will, after all, be the ones paying dearly for our profligacy.
.
Wow! Such big words! Profligacy, parochialism. I am impressed. That would really work especially since many of our senior citizens, who have been through the depression, only went up to 8th grade. Maybe, that is what the problem is. Too much education has destroyed the very soul of this country. This nation was created by people from Europe seeking freedom, not affordable education.
I did not cheer for GWB because I was a Democrat. I voted for Al Gore although I thought he was too arrogant and self-centered to walk under Clinton's shadow.
Then, 9/11 happened. I was against the war but my "little" education taught me not to empower your enemies by destroying the credibility of your leader. I did not learn this in the classroom. It is common sense. So, my family rallied behind Bush. We were just doing our duties as Americans. I voted for Kerry, but we lost again. Pelosi's approval rating? 9%, a mile from Bush's! These are the people who can lead us ouf darkness?
So, Semper Veritas, since you advocate the truth, then, I challenge you to learn the truth about your Obama. Obama is in this for himself. Read the book "The Case Against Obama." Meanwhile, I stand by my position: Obama is not the man. He is a myth created by the DNC, Hollywood, and the media.
Since I am done seeking the truth, this is going to be my cry: Semper Fidelis! Country First, before Party!
It's obvious you want 4 more years of Bush. A book did not ruin this country my friend. Go ahead and cast your vote for McBush. If he wins (or steals this one), will you step up and say "ok I was wrong" or will you conjure up some more your chewed-up grass & tankwater? (anyone from Texas knows what that makes). McCain is already stealing Obama's plea for change. Some mavrick... Can't even come up with his own stuff. Some of you so-called intellectuals are the dumbest people I've ever seen. Have you folks been paying attention these last eight years? I guess it's hard to see the real world through doo-doo colored glasses.
The myth of the Obama myth was created by Karl Rove and the Republicans so desperately trying to come up with something -- anything -- to make us forget the trainwreck that the Cheney-Bush years have been. They can't fight Obama on issues. He's too smart for them. So they come up with this horsecrap about him being an "elitist" (like all mixed-race children raised by single mothers).
Oh, and Pelsoi's approval rating? It's low because she took impeachment off the table.
Over for McCain?
McCain Finished?
.
John McCain insults EVERYONE'S intelligence! As a new "senior citzen" (9-6-43 I turned 65 yesterday)I have been consistently apalled that he was chosen as the candidate. OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!!!!!
OK, Little test of your INTELLIGENCE. Since you are a senior citizen, when Carter ran the second time after very nearly destroying the country in his first term did you vote for him. After he and the Democrat controled congress over saw the greatest economic disaster in modern history. Giving us 21% Inflation, 16% Mortgage rates, 12.5% unemployment, lines at gas stations and American Hostages in Iran was he the man you pulled the lever for. If you did you are welcome to keep it to yourself but please know that it disqualifies you to ever share your opinion on political matters. It is verifiable evidence of an unbelievable lack of judgment.
First of, all, stop using the childish adjective "Democrat" when you know damned well the word is "Democratic." You've have shot your credibility to hell with that little exercise in petulance.
But I'll humor you. Yes, I voted for Carter in 1980. As bad as Carter was, I knew Reagan would be worse...and he didn't disappoint me. But it wasn't about one old man not the least bit qualified to be president. The whole Republican philosophy is intellectually unteanble and morally reprehensible. Four more years of Carter would have been preferable to the nightmare for working people that 12 years of a B-list movie star as president was.
Believing the foul nonsense spewed by Reagan and the Republicans is evidence of an unbelieveable lack of judgment, and only someone utterly dillusional can't see that now. Reagan's chickens are home to roost.
Dear Arianna:
Palin isn't the perfect storm! Palin is actually very unimportant to the McCain Presidency, she won't add a single vote to Senator McCain's Ticket. You say, "Given that 82 percent of voters believe we are heading in the wrong direction, it's a logical position to take." it's time to to what? We voters are pissed off at Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for doing nothing! Jesse Ventura said it best on Fox News, "I just want Bush out."
I'm a hockey Mom and take offense to the "pit bull with lip stick" statement, and I'll tell you why..Those Mothers who demonstrate this kind of behavior are not team players and quickly out themselves as only interested in 'I, mine and me'. Listen, there is no 'I' in TEAM.
Ignore her, keep the focus on McCain and tying him tightly to the history of G Bush and the Republican party. As she works to get the spotlight back she'll show her true colors.
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