Populist McCain, Polite Obama

The progressive Section 527 groups, such as America Votes, have been gathering all this week, determined to save the Obama campaign from its own gentle post-partisanship. They began aggressively recruiting large donors, to finance the tough TV spots that the Obama campaign has mostly avoided to date. I attended one of these meetings on an off-the-record basis. "We need to do a far better job defining John McCain," said one national 527 leader.

Earlier, in the year, the 527 groups had been waved off by the Obama campaign, which had plenty of its own money and didn't want independent organizations complicating its "high road" messaging (or fundraising). But after a week of Obama's sickening slide in the polls, the groups decided to take matters into their own hands, just seven weeks before the election.

"We had a superb system in 2004," one leader of a progressive 527 told me. "Now, we have to start almost from scratch, while the Republican independent committees have a huge head start and are already on the airwaves."

The groups came armed with Stan Greenberg's latest Democracy Corps polls, which show Obama running behind John Kerry's losing 2004 performance in eight key battleground states and among demographic groups that Obama has to win. "He is underperforming [Kerry] among women generally, especially white women over 55, blue collar voters, even among college educated," prospective donors were told.

Advocates of a tougher line have had difficulty breaking through the palace guard of senior advisers -- Messrs David Plouffe, David Axelrod, and Robert Gibbs -- who have reinforced Obama's sometime tendencies to be "post-ideological" and "post-partisan" rather than hanging the Wall Street meltdown where it belongs -- around the necks of the Republicans and their strategy of letting Wall Street wreak whatever havoc it wishes. Obama seems to recover his own voice the further away he gets from his handlers.

McCain himself was very quick to reverse course, rushing out an ad promising "tougher rules on Wall Street to protect your life savings." Speaking on morning talk shows, McCain was born again. The people "have been betrayed by a casino on Wall Street of greed, corruption and excess that has damaged them and their futures," he said. "And we're going to fix it."

"I am a Teddy Roosevelt Republican," he insisted. "Teddy Roosevelt believed that we needed an economy that can function without government interference. But he also said unfettered capitalism can breed corruption. We're seeing Teddy Roosevelt's words come true."

"McCain sounded more populist than Obama," one disgusted Democratic senator told me. McCain's latest turnabout of course was at odds with his entire Senate record, of supporting one deregulation after another. McCain was even a big booster of Social Security privatization -- which would have whacked retirees if the Bush Administration -- with McCain's support -- had managed to enact it during the stock-bubble years. The Obama campaign, having trouble with retirees who usually back Democrats, has managed to keep McCain's views on sacking Social Security a well kept secret.

Obama did a modestly better job Monday and Tuesday connecting the deepening financial collapse to McCain and Republican regulatory policies. But his new ad simply mocks McCain for asserting that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong." McCain has been quicker off the mark, sounding like a leader, despite reversing course 180 degrees. Even with the deepening crisis, the Obama campaign has still largely stuck to fairly bland, generic, and largely uninspired messages about McCain being an out-of-touch Washington insider.

Here is Obama's latest ad. It's a two minute speech talking directly to the American people. Instead of hanging the Wall Street collapse directly around the necks of the Republicans and John McCain, and pointing out McCain's utter hypocrisy a born-again regulator, it's the same laundry list of generic fare. Who writes this stuff?

In the past few weeks, Wall Street's been rocked as banks closed and markets tumbled. But for many of you--the people I've met in town halls, backyards and diners across America--our troubled economy isn't news. 600,000 Americans have lost their jobs since January. Paychecks are flat and home values are falling. It's hard to pay for gas and groceries and if you put it on a credit card they've probably raised your rates. You're paying more than ever for health insurance that covers less and less. This isn't just a string of bad luck. The truth is that while you've been living up to your responsibilities Washington has not. That's why we need change. Real change. This is no ordinary time and it shouldn't be an ordinary election. But much of this campaign has been consumed by petty attacks and distractions that have nothing to do with you or how we get America back on track. Here's what I believe we need to do. Reform our tax system to give a $1,000 tax break to the middle class instead of showering more on oil companies and corporations that outsource our jobs. End the "anything goes" culture on Wall Street with real regulation that protects your investments and pensions. Fast track a plan for energy 'made-in-America' that will free us from our dependence on mid-east oil in 10 years and put millions of Americans to work. Crack down on lobbyists - once and for all -- so their back-room deal-making no longer drowns out the voices of the middle class and undermines our common interests as Americans. And yes, bring a responsible end to this war in Iraq so we stop spending billions each month rebuilding their country when we should be rebuilding ours. Doing these things won't be easy. But we're Americans. We've met tough challenges before. And we can again. I'm Barack Obama. I hope you'll read my economic plan. I approved this message because bitter, partisan fights and outworn ideas of the left and the right won't solve the problems we face today. But a new spirit of unity and shared responsibility will.

The outworn ideas of the left and the right? Jesus Wept! How about the outworn ideas of Republicans?

The Obama campaign sent me several email messages on the past 24 hours trumpeting their latest commercials and their man's comments. I have to say that the most persuasive of these emails was not anything Obama himself said about the financial meltdown, but the campaign's forwarding of Jackie Calmes' Tuesday front page New York Times story on how Obama and McCain respectively would handle the financial crisis.

Reporter Calmes managed to unearth McCain's prior statements cheering on deregulation, and pointed out the utter absence of a prior McCain record calling for stronger regulation. She cited Obama's best speech on the subject, from last March 27, when Obama issued prescient warnings on the deepening financial crisis and calling for tough new regulation. It was literally his last tough speech on the subject.

It's quite a comment on the campaign when a thoroughly evenhanded piece in the New York Times comparing the two nominees' records does a more persuasive job than the candidate himself. We await news of whether donors, or senators, break through.

UPDATE: As of 10:39 a.m. Wednesday, the Obama campaign released the following statement in Obama's name. They're two days behind the curve, but maybe they are learning. I am audaciously hopeful:

"The fact that we have reached a point where the Federal Reserve felt it had to take this unprecedented step with the American Insurance Group is the final verdict on the failed economic philosophy of the last eight years. While we do not know all the details of this arrangement, the Fed must ensure that the plan protects the families that count on insurance. It should bolster our economy's ability to create good-paying jobs and help working Americans pay their bills and save their money. It must not bail out the shareholders or management of AIG.

"This crisis serves as a stark reminder of the failures of crony capitalism and an economic philosophy that sees any regulation at all as unwise and unnecessary. It's a philosophy that lets Washington lobbyists shred consumer protections and distort our economy so it works for the special interests instead of working people; a philosophy that says we should give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to the rest.

"Instead, the pain has trickled up--from the struggles of Main Street all the way up to the crises on Wall Street.

"Despite his eleventh hour conversion to the language of reform, Senator McCain has subscribed to this philosophy for twenty-six years in Washington and the events of this week have rendered it a colossal failure. It is time for a new economic strategy, guided by the principle that America prospers when all Americans prosper, where common-sense rules of the road ensure that competition is fair, open, and honest. That is the strategy I will pursue as President, and I will bring the change we need to restore confidence in our financial markets and strength to our economy," said Barack Obama.

YES!!!

Robert Kuttner, co-editor of The American Prospect and Distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos, has just published Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency (Chelsea Green). He is blogging daily about the election and the economic crisis at www.obamaschallenge.com.

Comments

[Ged2012]

Obama and his team are great strategists. They have NEVER lost their cool--not during the primaries, and certainly not even during the time when most Democrats were worried about the Sarah phenomena. It's their laser-focused discipline which most in the media fail to pay attention to and which most people underestimate. It's this kind of discipline that is needed to make a Presidential candidate win.

If McCain can't even discipline his surrogates from saying that he somehow paved the way to the creation of the blackberry, or that Palin nor he is incapable of running a company, or that his GOP lawyers are going crazy over blocking the Troopergate investigation, the American people would not be in better hands in his administration.

The way one runs a campaign reflects the way one leads. And Obama has proven beyond doubt that he has what it takes to be a great leader.

[Desertmatt]

I think that as you wrote a book that is called Obams's challenge and the economy you have to point out his challenge and your points were valid just a few days ago but as I see it he is kicking a** and taking names the last couple of days I think the collapse of the markets have done what no article or blogger could have.

[StellaRay]

Give it up you guys. while you pick your nose and whine about the best candidate we've had in decades
(and that includes you Robert) ROME IS BURNING. I appreciate your desire to help and how you must like me, feel helpless sometimes in this onslaught from the far right and this nightmare that should be seen only in a movie. But PLEASE pay attention. This election is a day by day event. Obama has totally been on his game lately, and it is showing up in the polls. I too was critical in the crucial Repug convention week and the week following. Felt Obama was too cerebral. But that was then. Of course it's hard to see his great speeches unless you do so on the internet because the MSM does not carry the best sound bites. But HE IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. Really, which imperfect candidate do you want to put on your shoulders?

[FemiMommy]

Hmmm... here's something I've learned as a parent: When your child is screaming or throwing a tantrum, the best thing to do is talk very quietly so they have to stop screaming and make an effort to listen. Maybe in the midst of all of the Republican screaming and hissy fits, Obama's voice is actually being listened to as the voice of a grown-up. Maybe by staying true to himself while McCain flails daily from position to position, Obama is establishing himself as the voice of reason and consistency. Maybe he's giving the McCain camp enough rope to hang itself with. They do seem to be self-destructing.

And maybe all the hysterical lefties should settle down and start talking about what Obama is doing right instead of what he's doing wrong. I am so tired of fair-weather Democrats cutting him down and providing fodder for the right. If he's wrong on policy or ideas, by all means, call him out. But enough with the complaints about tactics. Enough! He's made it this far and seems to know what he's doing. A little discipline is in order here. You want to help Obama? Talk about how great his policies are for America, not how he should have different ads.

Finally, forget about the (*#@# polls. Most people are just starting to pay attention now. For those swing voters, the election is just starting. It's a long way to election day from here. Settle down.

[siditty]

hear yee, hear yee. My sentiments exact. Because the man (Barack Obama) has been taking heat for over a year - yet has ran a better campaign then either of his opponents - yet light-weights keep trying to pick him apart.

[QueenTiye]

I liked it. I don't know if people will respond to it well or not - time will tell. But in this crisis - it seems very reasonable to have a rational person with a rational plan in the center of the storm.

QT

[colette]

HuffPost's Pick

Really, enough is enough! The constant quarterbacking is driving everybody crazy.

There's no "magic bullet" here of ads or speeches or tone of voice or whatever. Obama is who he is, and he and Biden are being straight, clear, direct and right on top of it.

I'm tired of everyone in the world micro-managing. Here's my prediction: if Obama wins, and I think there's more than an even chance of that, everybody will soon appreciate his poise, cool and intelligence under fire. IN contrast to that, McC and P are already behaving very much like very skittish moose in the headlights­....

[JonG345]

i agree, but i don't know if obama would have changed tenor so much recently had everyone not come out swinging for them. when you have the bill clinton political team showing them how its done, then there has got to be input. obama does need to go hard. even harder than he is now. and i'm not gonna shut up about it. because i've seen elections go by where "expert strategists" got it completely wrong. but this also goes to show how unhappy a lot of left wing, populist, average americans want their whole party to go after the other team as hard or harder than if the shoe was on the other foot.

[JonG345]

wrong.

there are strategies that work, and there are strategies that don't.

this happens micro and macro. short term and long term. that means that while a campaign is honorable or doing a good strategy for the long term, there are bumps along the way. and then there are huge bumps that can derail a campaign. we shouldn't have to wait for an economic crisis in order to pull ahead in the polls. what if bush gets his act together and the country starts doing better? what if the missions in pakistan lead to osama bin ladin's head? then what?

[researcher]

the repubs know the magic bullet

the demos dont have a clue

the fact that mc cain is tied with obama after 8 years of bush says a lot

the demos are spineless

obama is about to join kerry and gore

mc cain is trying hard to lose

must keep him on those tent cards

he is a time bomb

the soccer mom well lets just say america deserves her like they deserved george jr

we americans are the laughing joke of the industrialized world

continue mega military as we go deeper into bankruptcy

the repubs know how to win the demos know how to whine

take your pick wars for profits or spineless your choice america

[MrWinky]

Right freakin' on. I am so tired of these know-nothings telling Obama what he should do. If you really are so savvy, run for office, otherwise, sew up that enormous pie hole.

Obama is laying the wood to McCain, what campaign are you watching? McCain suddenly becomes a populist, and you think people are going to buy that? I don't think that McCain crowing about business people taking advantage of the deregulation he and Phil Gramm passed is really going to carry much weight, so why in the Hell do you think it will?

The 527's had an effective operation? Then why did Kerry go down in flames? So many of you expert strategists have told Obama not to do the same old thing, and he isn't, so now you have new and improved advice. I don't suppose you noticed that this "bland" campaign just moved back into the lead, McCain can't draw a crowd without Palin, and that she is falling with women voters, her approval rating, and her negatives are skyrocketing.

This is a really pathetic post

[Gib]

The Obama campaign has to hammer the point, using his direct quotes, that McCain has always been in favour of LESS regulation. Lack of oversight of the financial markets has led to the current crisis. When he had the chance he always OPPOSED policing the financial industry (and every other one). Why? Because he has been hand-in-glove with big business lobbyists for donkey's years, and still is.

[swift goat pet for truth]

He has to hammer at McCain saying anything at all to win.

[mattheweste]

I think I fell asleep reading even the 2nd ad.

[eden4barack08]

I had to look at the date when you wrote this article three times, because it's so outdated even with the story of the 527's, and I couldn't understand how you can say these things if you've been watching the same news cycle I've been watching for the past three days and even the last days of the past week.
If you've heard Obama on the stump speech, on the numerous ads, and campaign statements, they've BEEN saying what you finally saw today, forcefully, clearly, relentlessly, and keeping McC on the run, stumbling, flip flapping and chasing his tail.
Check out the polls if you missed it, they're starting to reflect the past few days, but for goodness' sake stop saying Obama's not doing what he needs to do. They have a plan, and sometimes that means keeping him seemingly out of the mud that McC would like to drag him into, while leaving McC swimming in it.
Today's ad was a balance between the negativity that's been going on and a show of empathy and bipartisanship at a moment that some may be feeling the pain inflicted by the market crisis. It's NOT the only thing he's done, as you seem to believe.

[jdmba]

Here, here! Eden4barack08 worded my feelings exactly.

I, too, had to look at the date of this blog, because it seemed so grossly out of step with reality. I, too, am sick of bloggers telling Obama to go more negative.

So McCain is doing his best Obama impersonation by stealing O's message. And? Obama addresses this all the time. He does it cleverly and calmly. Would you rather O do his best McCain impersonation and call his opponent a c#nt?


Obama has a strong message and doesn't need to resort to smug insults in order to win the campaign. Just because people want to see mud-slinging, it doesn't mean they will be actually swayed by it. Let a politician be a gentleman and don't indulge pettiness as means to win an election.

[trinidadgirl]

Goodness Robert, stop getting so paranoid and support the man instead of pulling him down all the time! The Democrats are the most disloyal bunch of surrogates. Get your finger out and 'do' something.

[RGray]

You are so right, trinidadgirl. Let's think about this too: Obama has a powerful message. He has a good plan. He has an impeccable history and background. He has told his personal story and his plan for the country, yet, SOME people have not, cannot hear him. Why is that? And now, the call for more passion. His message is a passionate one, all you have to do is listen and STOP waiting to be visually entertained. Let go of the stereotypes.

[milo h minderbinder]

So why didn't these groups just go ahead and start running ads without Obama's blessing? It's not like he could stop them, right?

[ebanks84]

Obama's intellectual mind does need a little tweaking every now and then. He can go right over the edge with his vocabulary and the people don't connect.

He needs to talk TO the people on their level instead of AT the people on his level.

[scotia626]

if he doesnt learn to talk in soundbites at an 8th grade level this election is over. to be undecided at this point means you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer!! i fuuly support obama but his UNWILLINGNESS to do what it takes now to win is beginning to piss me off. when was the last time that intelectual finesse won a US presendential election. he can finesse all he wants once he is in the office.

[milo h minderbinder]

I liked that ad. Particularly since Obama also put out a harsh ad blaming McCain and the republicans on the same day.

Sure, he needs to go negative. But that doesn't mean he needs to do it on EVERY ad.

[kgb999]

Sadly, you are audaciously lacking in understanding. It's because former Clintonites don't actually trust the candidate - even though he beat the pantsuit off of your "superior" battle tactic.

Remember back in the kitchen sink days? Remember how Obama would slip in zinger after zinger - some of it pretty harsh stuff? Remember how the media would always call Hillary negative and Obama positive? Remember how much you hated it?

Just like with Hillary - McCain and his supporters are already over the top. As long as Obama is still managing to attack effectively(like he is now) while also making you scream about how he's being too much of a gentleman - we're GOLDEN.

Obama's strategy will ALWAYS piss off Clinton supporters. That was the real conflict in the Primary; the belief that only Hillary's machine of brutality and death could possibly beat the Rovian menace at it's own game. The Obama plan was to be less brutal and change the rules of engagement and not play Rove's exact game. I think it's working.

[ProudLiberalDan]

"The Obama plan was to be less brutal and change the rules of engagement and not play Rove's exact game. I think it's working."

----------------

I disagree. I think what's happened is that they've realized that this polite, ideologically-free "new politics" wasn't cutting it in the general election the way it worked in the primary. I think (and hope) the Obama campaign realized they had to go on the offensive and dare to attack McCain and offend conservatives if they want to win.

[foolchild0]

I think you exaggerate. "Hillary's machine of brutality and death" is not what the writer is asking for- he's just asking for a more assertive statement of FACTS, which are on Obama's side, and which were severely lacking from the Clintons' arsenal.

Assertively stating facts is not "playing Rove's exact game." Only when the truth is sacrificed is that line crossed, and Obama and his handlers seem to think aggressively stating the truth is equal to character assassination, of the "old politics," when in reality it's the exact opposite- it's setting the record straight. There's no need to hold back when the truth is on your side.

[SNT1244]

I agree. Obama parses his words too much, and almost apologizes prior to or makes an excuse before the tepid "zinger". Say it like it is, and get right to the point. Remember the majority of the voting public don't understand big words or long sentences. I love what Obama says and will be devistated if he loses, but many out there can't even understand what he is trying to say. Keep it simple, get right to the point, don't be smarter by half. Now go get them.

[DieboldHacker]

"I hope you'll read my economic plan."

Wow. Now there is a bumper sticker!