The Perils of Pinata Politics
Have you ever been to a child's birthday party in which there's a pinata? It's a pretty straightforward exercise -- the birthday boy/girl gets blindfolded, is handed a big stick, is spun around to cause minor disorientation, and is then encouraged to swing the stick wildly in every direction, in the hopes of hitting a target and getting a prize.
John McCain's campaign has been operating under a similar framework for quite a while now. Under McCain's version of Pinata Politics, the senator and his team swing wildly in every direction, hoping to hit Barack Obama. There's no real consistency to the attacks -- and there's even less honesty and integrity backing up the attacks -- but McCain appears to be blindfolded, allowing Karl Rove's operation to spin him in circles.
Want to read something funny? I mean, genuinely hysterical? Take a look at the memo distributed by the McCain campaign in early March, immediately after the Arizona senator officially secured the Republican nomination.
"It is critical," the memo explained, "as we prepare to face off with whomever the Democrats select as their nominee, that we all follow John's lead and run a respectful campaign focused on the issues.... Throughout the primary election we saw John McCain reject the type of politics that degrade our civics, and this will not change." The memo added that "overheated rhetoric and personal attacks" only serve to "distract" us, and that it was imperative that the campaign hold itself "to the highest standards."
That was nearly five months ago, and it's hard to imagine even the most sycophantic McCain supporter agreeing that the presumptive Republican nominee is meeting the standards he set for himself in March. Indeed, since McCain brought in Karl Rove's team to run the campaign operation, the swings at the pinata have become even more reckless, occasionally hitting the target, and occasionally hitting everyone else watching the festivities.
Just this week, McCain took a swing at the race card. And towards Britney Spears. And at wounded U.S. troops. To fully appreciate just how wild McCain's swings have become, take a look at this list, which is too long to reproduce here, of McCain aiming unsuccessfully at that pinata. There's no coherent thought; just an angry man with a bat.
Since the general-election campaign began in earnest, McCain has attacked Obama's integrity, honesty, character, and patriotism. Last week, the McCain campaign even hinted that Obama is weak on genocide. Hitting that pinata is apparently pretty difficult.
"They're doing it because the candidate, and the campaign, is not happy with where they are and they're lashing out," a Republican strategist recently said.
That may be true. And who knows, maybe voters will find all of this compelling.
But at this point, most of us are pretty anxious to see McCain take the blindfold off -- his tactics are starting to make us dizzy.
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Lots of pretty words in here and intelligent assessment. It gives me no sense of ease, however, because these aren't the people who will decide this election. It is the great horde of made-afraid, vulnerable, manipulatable sheeple so carefully shepherded and corralled by the right over the last several years. Don't let your own intellect fool you. This isn't about logic or brains. It's about jingo-ism and catch-phrases and smear campaigns and Rove-ian tactics all over again. A truly scary dystopian creation that's being made out of what's left of America.
Right you are!
I tend to disagree with your comment that there's "no real consistency to the attacks". I think they are consistently ridiculous and disgusting.
I think so too!
Anyone with half a brain should be able to know that McCain is not capable of becoming president. His errors/mistakes/flubs and recent campaign is proof of my first sentence. He is grabbing at straws for sure...but then.....check out how many idiots voted for George W. Bush, and twice at that!
Problem is FOXYLADY,... there are a substantial number of potential voters out there that are missing that 'half a brain'. You hit the problem on the head (or squarely in the piniata) there.
That's who McCain is aiming at.
Rove is behind the dirty deeds!! Google Rove and read about the lowly stuff he's done, from his college days on. The campaign of 2000, Karl Rove, for GW Bush, created a phone poll survey. Asking, "Would you be more of less likely to vote for John McCain if you knew he had a black baby out of wedlock, yes or no?" Bush magically was ahead in the polls (McCain's adopted their daughter). They also suggested the five years he spent as a POW made him unstable. Now Rove is his advisor!! I say John McCain will compromise is own soul to get into the White House.
We've seen nothing yet from Rove. Hopefully Obama is holding certain cards close to his chest. There is ugly stuff ( factual) to be brought out about the McCains. Dirty, yes! Sorry to say some voters just seem to want to hear the dirt, and worst of all, want to believe it. Rove knows what it takes, and he is the guy to do it to Obama, no matter if it's true or not. Sadly if you don't fight fire with fire, you lose. Ask John Kerry!
I pray the low stuff doesn't continue, as McCain promised months ago. The debates should define the two because McCain can't seem to project unless he reads from a script, and can't match Obama's speaking abilities. Hopefully the news media doesn't fix that, like the AP did with Obama's views on alternate fuel answers.
The McCain campaign can now be characterized as a 'campaign of desperation'. What it really reflects is that, having no credible proposals of his own, he wants to win by 'destruction'. That is truly sad to see from one who has attempted to 'bill' himself as a man of honor, integrity and honesty. The campaign he is now conducting would indicate the exact opposite.
Naturally, one should not be at all disappointed as he has hired those whose specialty is in that field, namely the Atwatter and Rove acolytes, those whose only standard of measurement is 'winning elections', even if the country suffers for their efforts.
I wonder how many fail to see these same tactics and will fall for it, once again!
One can expect ad hominen attacks from the Rightists because if this election is run on issues alone, they will lose 70% to 30%.
If Republican policies worked, after 7+ years of total Republican rule we should all be in great shape, with good paying jobs, lucrative portfolios and plenty of cash for vacations. Instead, everybody's living hand to mouth, about to lose their ever devalued homes, up to their chins in debt, and praying they don't get sick or lose their jobs. We are at war in two countries, and our good "friends" the Israelis are threatening a third war. Gasoline is sky high, and there are no plans to do anything about it. Our country is a mess, and our government has been politicized and emasculated, unable to do anything. The Republican failures are obvious everywhere you look - and still, the right wingers blame the Democrats ! John McCain can only liken Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton - both are Republicans who supported George Bush ! For that they are ridiculed by the Republican candidate, who obviously thinks they are total losers. C'mon, Americans - you can't be this stupid ! Don't vote for the people who made this mess !!! Not AGAIN !!!
Wild or not, they connected and they managed to douse cold water on the flames of Obama's, should have been, triumphal trip to Europe. They won the sound bite war this week. They have forced Obama on the defensive. They have dictated the conversation. On a day Exxon had obscene profits, they made the conversation about "Obama the racist." These folks are evil geniuses and the Dems had better find somebody to map a strategy to fight back or it's 2000 and 2004 all over again. Anyone remember Willie Horton?
McCain has a new ad out mocking Obama as "The One"
And O should come out with an ad saying..."McCain...the NONE!""
Yes, and Pappy exploits poor old dead Charlton Heston for his purposes, too. How sad, the way he's throwing good loyal Republicans like Heston, Spears and the Hilton family under the bus just to win an election!
The truth stings a bit, eh Libs?
What most people fail to realize is that all politicians, regardless of party affiliation, work together to cheat the American tax payer. Obama has attracted the uninformed, uneducated and the inexperienced. The attacks on him are valid, worthy of a listen and seem to make him uneasy. His race card nonsense confirms my suspicions that he is just another phony who has a small set of gonads. I don't know one well educated person who is voting for him and I am anxious to see the rush to the voting booths in November. My fear is that he has stirred up racism amongst the non contributors and we all know what that will produce.
You seem to feel that all that government does to help people are for people who don't contribute. Government over the last 7+ years have given only to those that are the wealtiest. All those bailouts are corporate welfare. The welthiest in this country pay less than 15% in taxes as apposed to those of us who pay 25% or more.
By the way, I am a very educated person and I don't know any well informed person who is voting for McCain. But then, we don't cast are vote based on who has the biggest gonads, we are looking at who is the most intelligent. McCain just doesn't cut it.
I support Obama, and I completed nine years of college, earning 2 degrees, and have a good twenty friends that I can think of in 10 seconds or less that all have college degrees who also support him. And of those, all are bright, mature (in their 50's and 60's), politically sophisticated, experienced from living productive, full lives, not easily swayed by BS, and are certainly not uninformed. (And, just incidentally, white . . . in case you have an interest in that demographic.)
What a pathetic campaign the McCain people are running. We have watched McCain win his nomination as the maverick war hero who was going to run a respectful campaign to what we have now. A George Bush mini-me, slinging mud from the hip, "mis-speaks" that have turned into outright lies, and a campaign run by lobbyists with Rovian tactics. If the American people can't see through this sham, then we deserve what we get.
I think the Republicans see the hoplessness of all of this and will make a switch at their convention. I don't see any rush on their side to pay back Romney the $23 million he invested in the campaign. He'll get that back when he takes over.
My, you must live in a world of ignorant citizens who do little thinking for themselves. I have a graduate degree in the medical field, my wife practices medicine in Psychiatry, my sons have graduate degrees in very difficult fields ie bio-chem and they all are voting for Obama. I know many others who also are voting for Obama. I served in Viet Nam and researched the the events leading up to that war and it never had to happen. McCain should have known the war was built on phony issues and didn't. He killed another pilot on an aircraft carrier.(do the research) due to his temper. He is flip flop master and tells lies when they are convienant and then gets caught. This man should never become president. Obama might have his faults but if McCain wins you'll prey for Bush to return! If you are smart start thinking for yourself.
Wait til they start teying to play "Pin the tail on the Donkey" and get their ass kicked!
my friends, i've done whatever the lobbyists have asked, so i'm entitled to be president. i will not be beaten by the likes of brittney spears, jessica simpson's or that rock star headline grabbing obama.
Well put!!
They/he can spin him all they want as it won't affect the perpetual daze he's in. But don't forget, he could make a great Commander In Chief (of what I can't imagine).
When one candidate depends on lies and hubris to try to damn his deserving opponent , it is pitiful.
It also makes one parse McCain’s words and behavior – and background -- more carefully than one might otherwise do. So I have and I did and I do, and my observations of McCain’s repeated factual errors, his constant blunders, his lack of knowledge about the world’s political geography, his often bizarre presentations, etc., sends one question zooming high on my radar screen.
Are these all signs of, as his campaign reps says, “senior moments” (bad enough), a “breezy personality” -- or are they signs of a cognitive illness? And why is the press not asking this important question? This is information that is urgently needed by the American voter. Big Mac's not being vetted to be our dear old Uncle Mac who dleivers Meals on Wheels. He’s being vetted to be the president of the most powerful nation on the planet. The man who will determine all our futures. The man who says "Boom, boom,boom Iran."
As for McCain “deserving the role of leader of our nation “ because he is a military hero – 40 years ago --he’s not the only military or former POW in our nation; he’s just the only one who raises that fact constantly. Perhaps he was once a courageous and honorable man. I don’t see that man today. And it’s today that counts.
A Military veteran for Obama for President.
Thank you for this post! I wish Obama would use people like you in his ads!!!
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