The Outrage Campaign

The McCain campaign has the political world transfixed on its parade of falsehoods and culture war attacks on Obama. But the overarching theme here is actually outrageousness. By flagrantly, repetitively lying and putting out anti-Obama ads that run 180 degrees counter to reality, the McCain campaign has exploded the etiquette of presidential campaigns. Or, to put it another way, it's violating what were considered immutable political laws -- and amounts to a giant and risky bet that those laws are no longer operative.

It used to be, campaigns had a message. In making their arguments they routinely stretched the truth, but there was usually some slender factual basis for their statements. They tried to get favorable coverage for themselves and generate unfavorable coverage for the opposition. Finally, if your guy were behind in the last 2 weeks of the campaign, you started lying and sliming with abandon -- and attacking the media.

Now McCain has skipped over all the other stuff and gone straight to the last-ditch, desperate phase. I doubt this will work, because it usually doesn't when employed in the last 2 weeks. But of course, by that time it's always too late. Now, maybe not. So who knows?

But there's one law that, seemingly, hasn't changed -- the law of the news cycle. When a campaign does something audacious and outrageous - no matter how objectionable, or for that matter, stupid -- it dominates the news cycle. The idea is, any news is good news. And with this kitchen sink approach, McCain dominates it on several levels beyond the usual attack-response-counterattack. It's not just McCain attacks Obama. There's also: McCain crosses line attacking Obama. McCain goes where even Rove wouldn't go! Is the media covering McCain well, or does it lack a spine? Obama responds lamely. Obama vows to do a better job responding. McCain attacks Obama even more outrageously/dishonestly/incoherently. And the cycle repeats.

But I doubt this can continue for another seven weeks, because of a couple of other iron laws of media. One, the news cycle always changes, especially in a close race. The media get bored, or impatient -- or maybe, in this case, disillusioned and outraged. Real news happens. The polls shift. A gaffe occurs. The other side "finds its voice." The "narrative" changes. If the race remains close, I don't see how McCain can, in effect, keep topping himself. And that's the final iron law: outrageousness gets old.

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Comments

[endbush]

Wasn't Giuliani's Presidential campaign undone by lies?
Oh yeah, the media wasn't accused of bias toward Democrats for pointing them out.

[wunderkammers]

Yes, REAL NEWS does happen. And because reality is so unpredictable (just ask W) things don't always work out as intended.

[amluvinit2]

The democrats need to stop attacking Palin, and focus on the campaign, and get to McCain, on issues. Even though I could barely sit through the Palin, "interview", with Charlie Gibson, without wanting to throw up, and she proved unqualified. (the Bush Doctrine alone). And it isn't nasty to ask legitimate questions of the could be Vice President. Don't play into their hands, she's trying to draw into what the neocons want. To McBush, and the Hockey Mom, business as usual won't cut it. Your lies won't cut it. Issues people, issues. !!!!

[jmpurser]

I'm not sure which is more appalling: That the candidate for president from one of our two major parties thinks that proving he's completely divorced from reality is a good thing or the fact that about half the nation apparently agrees with him.

[Vurz]

It needs to be shouted from the rooftops - McCain still routinely violates the at least one of the 10 commandments.

How can you call yourself a Christian if you do that?

[jlgcox]

From someone that lives in Houston, TX and currently without power; a failed economy; a war we are spending billions, I find it offensive that McBush/Palin would continue the kitchen sink strategy and not talk about REAL issues.

I am still amaze at how many people are stuck on STUPID!

[jmpurser]

Head's up. The expected final bill for Iraq is around 3 TRILLION tax payer dollars now.

[ladyv]

Well, the Bush administration has spent 8 years flagrantly violating law and custom and asking us "What are you going to do about it?" when we complain, illustrating the fact that we actually do not have any failsafe in place to protect us from that situation because we never actually imagined it. And they violated custom to win the Republican nomination in 2000, and the law and custom to take the Presidency in 2000. Why are we surprised that they'd flout law and custom now? It's what they do. That's why I believe that Obama needs to state firmly and clearly that when he takes office, he will prioritize closing up the loopholes they've exploited. If anything good is to come of the Bush administration, it will be that they showed us where the holes were in our democracy, so that we could stop the leaks.

[GiggidyGeshmoygen]

re: IRON LAWS OF [CORPORATE MAINSTREAM] MEDIA
==========­==========­==========­==========­====

One, the news cycle always changes, especially in a close race.

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and "media" decides which changes to report AND HOW they get "reported".

The media get bored, or impatient -- or maybe, in this case, disillusioned and outraged.

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and "media" makes sure that THE VOTERS get bored, or impatient -- or maybe, in this case, disillusioned and outraged.

Real news happens.

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and either does or doesn't get reported with whatever SPIN AND BIAS serves the needs of the "media"'s masters.

The polls shift.

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and the "media" decides which "media"-generated polls to highlight and which polling numbers to emphasize.

A gaffe occurs

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and "media" decides whether or not to report it.

The other side "finds its voice."

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and "media" makes sure it goes largely unheard.

The "narrative" changes.

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and is driven according to "media"'s biases and objectives.

If the race remains close, I don't see how McCain can, in effect, keep topping himself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>so he peaks early and stays there for the next seven weeks while "media" keeps shoving it down the voters' throats.

And that's [NOT] the final iron law: outrageousness gets old.

>>>>>>>>>>­>>>>>>>and voters become disillusioned, apathetic and just plain sick of the whole sordid mess.

THE FINAL IRON LAW OF MEDIA
==========­==========­=====

THE MEDIA NOW WRITES ITS' OWN "LAWS" WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR TRUTH AND FAIRNESS AND FOLLOWS THEM ACCORDING TO THE AGENDA OF ITS' CORPORATE MASTERS.

[gemcando06]

The "media" is living in the same reality as the rest of us. They had better get slapping themselves and wonder how they would stand in a McCain victory.
An economy failing is no good news to any business in a Depression.

Are the "media" so short- sighted as to ride the McCain bandwagon? What's in it for them except ruin.

[thenextquagmire]

Words like "giant, risky, gambling and betting", especially when applied to the Republicans and those behind the McCain campaign, should be put in it most pejorative manner. It's most. Whatever risks, methods of gambling or assumed "brilliance" assigned to the Republican campaign strategy is nothing more than disparaging, derogatory, and belittling. What the Republican strategy shows is a strategy consumed by an addiction to risk taking and gambling, which leads to decisions and lies that go beyond the pale. They lie to cover up their lies. If their "giant risks" pay off, the only thing accomplished will be a belittling of the American political system and the losers, will be the American public.

[bluevillage]

I've also never seen in another election one candidate (McCain) TAKE OVER COMPLETELY the other candidate's lines, ideas, message: "The change we need" (McCain ad out today); "Enough is enough" (McCain on the stump today); going after CEO's who get golden parachutes (Palin on the stump today). There were others just as brazen -- so many I've forgotten.

[eden4barack08]

Doesn't that qualify as plagiarism?

[BethStuart]

I enjoyed hearing Palin threaten to go after CEO's who get golden parachutes. Perhaps she should talk first to Carly Fiorina ($21 million from HP) and Dick Cheney ($20 million from Halliburton).

[Gabbie]

McCain not only tells lies about Obama his writers are busy stealing lines from Obama's speeches. I thought I was listening to Obama when McCain repeated "enough is enough". Voters should realize all the good stuff is coming from Obama and not the copycat. McCains speechwriters should lose their pay because they are only copying. Well that fits in with all the lying, now its stealing. Maybe Obama has to get a patent for his ideas as surely McCain will steal them and act like they are his own.

[sdonepudi]

Its obvious that McCain has no other option but to go after Obama ,because he has nothing to lose . And infact I think he made a very bold political decision in running a smear campaign and is doing a pretty good job at it. While he slams Obama about sex education etc etc which are nothing but lies , the best that Obama could come with is that McCain is computer naive and that he doesnot understand economy and top of that he fails to explain what the words " doesnot understand economy " mean in simple language . McCain is just doing what Bush did to him in 2000 campaign . I am afraid that it will work again . And yes most people are hardworking but not intelligent to discern this smear campaign just like they failed in 2004 elections . Obama should continue what he started up with . A vision for the future , a better health care plan etc . He should make a very quick decision on going negative about McCain .If he goes for it then it should be full fledged and sharp . Who cares if McCaign knows computers or understands " economy " but most would care about jobs , health care . I have feeling that Obama is losing his focus on the bigger message . Its time to buckle Up !! He needs to connect to people who are losing jobs and cannot afford health insurance .

[Rep0X]

The problem is this; Obama has been talking about economic issues since early 2007... But at that time, he was labelled "too wonky", "professor-like", "no-exitement". Then came the exitement, and he gets labelled with the "no specifics" tab. No matter what Obama says, the media will choose what to put forefront. A stump speech lasts 20-60 min. In that time, don't U think that plenty of issues are mentioned? Of course they are, but the media is more interested in the exiting answers/lines (you know, like the lipstick on a pig remark).
Obama has NOT lost focus on the bigger message (as U call it), because as U see, McCain/Palin are copying him on every front. Rather the McCain/Palin ticket has lost its focus, so they try to feed off Obama's message. Don't be suckered; This is exactly what the repubs and the MSM wants U to feel... This race is NOT even close in reality... But then again, there's a difference bethween a real election and a fictional one...

[sdonepudi]

I hope what you are saying is the truth but its hard to believe when you face the facts from CNN and MSNBC polls which outputs McCain in the lead . I still believe that Obamas camp has sidetracked a little bit . When Obama speaks about policies but then if the media is focussed on smear ads then I believe that its the fault of the campaign in failing to get the better message out . That is what campaigns are supposed to do!

[proreality]

Mr. McQuaid I know you can not be this naive. After what was pulled in the 2004 election and their completely out of bounds tactics against John Kerry. After the way the Neo-con media machine lied this country into war. With that machine operating at full throttle to blunt or mislead the small portion of true journalism that still exists. The question is not if it will work, but, what is the next step. The strategy is, they act in this manner and then simply say that all truth's being pointed out is simply the other side doing the same thing.

Machiavelli/ Karl Rove

What ever deceitful distasteful tactic one use's blame your opponent for doing the same

They will successfully, or judging by posts, are successfully painting the democrats as being just as despotic and deceitful. Because don't you know every truth spoken about Palin is simply a baseless attack by the so called "liberal Media" doing exactly what has been done by the Republicans. This is the alternate reality in which they live.

[ACLUamigo]

The Obama team has to create a T-chart, showing the differences between himself and McCain on the economy and play it over and over. He also needs to have Americans talking about what they fear in a McCain presidency. For example, an autoworker in Michigan: "John McCain is saying the economy is strong. I just lost my job, and the loan I took out on my house to help pay for my son's college is gonna sink me." He also needs to just show unemployment numbers under Republican vs. Clinton administrations: stark, in white letters over a black background. I find it difficult to believe that reasonable people would choose more of the same economic policies. Today, with the fall of Lehman and the sale of Merrill Lynch, Americans MUST know that McCain is going to continue the downward spiral. He is a true nightmare.

Here's a YouTube nightmare to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy2u4LpJHF4

[PumaAnn]

The attacks on Pal are all on the Dems. All of it. And it's nasty. They have no room to complain.

[boing007]

PumaAnn

The attacks on Pal are all on the Dems. All of it. And it's nasty. They have no room to complain.

There is criticism too. And some of it comes from people like Lowry, Frum and others. All Republican supporters.

[zonay52]

We have every right to complain, and people like you who blame all the attacks on the "Dems" are so biased, it could almost be funny. Palin has been attacked by everyone because she is far from ready to step up to the Presidency if something happened to McCain. If you would take the opportunity to review her statements against THE TRUTH, and observe what McCain has LIED about regarding Obama (even ROVE says he's gone too far)--then perhaps you would realize it is not the DEMS attacking; it is the American public seeing right through her.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08

[peterg76]

Palin has *mostly* been legitimately attacked for being unqualified and pathological, but Palin does have talent for drawing out attacks and in some cases the "left" has crossed lines itself.

No comparison, of course, with McCain and his apparent compulsive lying / total detachment from reality.

[CaptainStormfield]

How is questioning how someone performs a public job nasty?

http://captainstormfields.blogspot.com/2008/09/waffles-and-crackers-time-for-snack.html

[nk007]

PumaAnn,

You such a despicable lier. Please point to one lie the Dems. have used in attacking Palin. Just one!
I suppose in your lying mind you think that making an accusations is the same thing as citing evidence to back up the accusation.

[gemcando06]

Yeah, nkoo7. The GOP have also spread lies that the Dems are insulting Palin.
But they don't have one inch of video showing insults from the Dems on Palin. Because the videos dont exist.

[neenj]

I knew it! I just knew it! all this time posing on here as a Hillary Clinton supporter, and now here you are defending Sarah Palin? Except for gender, Palin and Clinton have nothing in common - NOTHING. So how could you have been such an ardent supporter of Hillary during the primaries, but now supporting Palin for the general?

I knew you were a republican plant.

[larry278]

The traditional MSM is acephalic(sp) visa vis McCain's ads. That is good since the MSM also lacks a spine & has a very soft & flexible exo-skelaton(sp). Go back to covering the Wall St melt down; it's going to kill McCain/Palin anyway.