NEWSFLASH TO OBAMA: It's the Message, Stupid

Yesterday, a friend emailed me an article from Credo Action. The writer was offended by Governor Sarah Palin, who said in her convention speech that "a small-town mayor is sort of like a `community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities." This is a "direct affront to the thousands who have dedicated their lives to making America great," the writer said. Governor Palin must apologize.

Aww. Poor baby.

I watched Governor Palin's speech. I laughed at her joke. It was funny because its premise was dead-on. Governing is different than organizing community groups, just like singing in the choir is different than directing one. Rather than trying to deny this truth, we should admit it.

It's not like Governor Palin was there to praise Obama's record. What did you expect? She was at a Republican convention. She was spinning the facts, because that's what you do when you face a candidate as highly qualified as Obama. You force him to fight on your turf.

Who cares about whether or not Governor Palin respects community organizers? If Obama wins, it won't matter. Governor Palin can go back to Alaska and spend more time with Trig, and Senator McCain can go back to the nursing home. Wait. I mean the Senate.

Obama should be pounding home the three primary reasons the Republicans MUST lose.

Story continues below

advertisement

• First, they have proved to any reasonable thinker that they can't govern this nation. It's not that they tell naughty jokes at the expense of community organizers - it's that they care more about business than people.

• Second, the issues they promote that seem to deal with people are fake. Take pro-life. You think most of the Republican elite cares about the unborn? Not a chance. They just know that by using the word ABORTION, it will get the evangelical vote. If Republicans really cared about the lives of babies, either born or unborn, they'd focus on helping any babies they could, legally. They'd fight for impoverished young mothers who desperately need help taking care of the babies they already have. If Republicans were genuinely concerned, they'd support orphanages. But they don't. Because the issue of abortion isn't real to the Republican elite. It's a fake issue - but it's also the American Ace in political poker.

• Third, Republicans need to lose because they don't get fiscal responsibility. They just want tax cuts - and to hell with the country. Look at the facts. Our national debt is going on TEN TRILLION DOLLARS - double the amount it was eight years ago. This means the Republicans have spent more in the last eight years than all of the previous Republican and Democratic administrations put together.

And now we're going to hand the White House to them again - on their promise that they'll behave better with Uncle Sam's credit card? How stupid do the Republicans think Americans are?

Doubt Obama's governing experience, if you will, but McCain's party has actually failed the governing test. Twice. And they'll continue to fail if we re-elect John McCain. By promoting Steve Schmidt to campaign manager, he sent an unmistakable signal to Karl Rove. He's all in.

Need proof? Look at the facts.

Until a few months ago, Obama had a well-oiled campaign, one that Republicans envied. McCain was running an ethical campaign. Then Karl Rove's apprentice sank his teeth into the campaign. Result: the McCain campaign has begun to dominate. And the games have only just begun.

If Obama intends to beat McCain, he needs to become more ruthless. Right now, the momentum is with McCain. The candidates themselves are no longer a major factor: it's all marketing strategy. If you have any doubts, just look at the two candidates.

First, McCain is the oldest presidential candidate ever - you can see this in the way he walks and talks. He's had FOUR operations for melanoma - one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer that exists. He belongs to the party of the most unpopular president in modern history, and McCain's record indicates that he will keep following Bush's policies. His triumphant convention speech put delegates to sleep - and Governor Palin upstages him. McCain even belongs to a party that he probably still hates on some level, because he knows in his heart that Bush's policies have devastated the lives of ordinary Americans.

The fact that McCain is even competitive is astonishing. How did Mr. Schmidt do it? Simple. He believes in his product, so he will tell you it does anything. Seeing that the American people now want change, he's shifted the campaign message: McCain is The One who has the experience to reform Washington. Brilliant.

But a little like asking the most experienced courtesan to reform the brothel. McCain thinks he can pick up his soul again after he's elected. He doesn't realize that he won't be able to get rid of the Republican ruling elite after he gets elected. The President doesn't run the country. The party's machine does. McCain will need the Republican Elite to run the machine.

Whereas, look at Obama. His campaign is disciplined but energetic - they don't do leaks, because the staff is incredibly loyal. He's run the most efficient campaign in modern history. He's authored two memoirs. His inspiring message has won an entirely new generation of voters. His governing ideas - such as using a timeline to bring home our troops and employing diplomacy rather than arrogance - are so good that the current president is stealing them.

Obama has also raised and budgeted more money than any other candidate in history - so much so that he overwhelmed the Clinton machine, which was unbeatable. Obama eliminated all of his opponents, because he understood that to succeed as a black man in American politics, he would have to be Ginger Rogers in stripper heels - dancing backwards.

Yet he's being marketed by the Right as not having the proper experience to govern. This is the reality of politics: your enemies don't give you credit for what you do well.

Newsflash to Obama: Time to suck it up. You're not going to win this election on the strength of your ideas. Besides the normal challenges in a conservative American society - the lure of racism, nationalism, and fear - you're going to have to create a more than-inspiring message. It's got to be so compelling that the American people will NEED to pull the lever for you on November 4.

That's what Mr. Schmidt is doing. That's the strategy Mr. Rove used to elect Bush. It's also the strategy that Clinton and Gore used to win both of their terms. They did four things:
• They crafted a winning message: It's the Economy, Stupid
• They published a book that delivered that message
• They kept telling moving stories and memorable statistics to support that message
• They never lost a chance to remind people of that message.

Obama needs to make his message so clear and understandable that even a high school dropout can understand it. And he needs to stay on it. That's the way presidents earn the Oval Office.

Obama will win if he can let people see that he is passionate about helping people and that his heart is big. It shouldn't be hard to do, because it's true. Obama will win when he convinces people that he will go to Washington to help make their lives better - and that his opponent will continue the Bush legacy. It's that simple.

It's time for Obama to show conservative Democrats like myself that he's up to the task of outsmarting his opponent: by exposing the false promises behind the McCain campaign's latest surge in momentum.

Obama has created a well-oiled campaign machine. His troops love him and would probably die for him. He's got brains and technology and wealth on his side. Now he just needs to show the world that he is ruthless enough to use his political machine to crush McCain - and squash that yapping pit bull from the Radical Right.

That will be the real proof that he can govern.

Comments

[frontstreet]

HuffPost's Pick

I agree wholeheartedly that Obama needs to strike back sharply and drive home a few simple short messages, and he needs to do it quickly - before the Republican attacks become cemented as the new reality. In my mind Obama needs to repeat a few critical themes: (1) the Republicans' ONLY "economic policy" is to cut taxes for the super rich with the hope that those with the most money will spend more of their money and the benefits of their spending will trickle down. Well, we've seen the fruits of that policy. There's something trickling down on the middle class, but it's not more money. (2) The mismanaged war in Iraq has allowed Al Qaeda and its affiliates to regain pre-9/11 strength in Afghanistan and Pakistan (and in countries around the world), and emboldened Iran. Obama will bring a cool head but a passionate commitment to dismantling the vast terror network and taking on America's enemies. (3) Obama will invest in all forms of new energy technology to end our dependence on Middle East oil and spur economic growth at home, (4) Obama will not allow the government to micromanage personal family decisions. He will not be the one to tell the parents of a developmentally disabled rape victim that she must bear a child. These are difficult personal decisions to be made by families with or without the help of religious counsel.

[dreamsmasher]

(1) The Democrats (Obama) will raise taxes across the board which will actually force small businesses to close and large companies to lay off employees, and the rise in fuel taxes will cripple this country.
(2) The war in Iraq is being won and has been successful, the Almighty Obama finally admitted this, I guess you didn't get the memo.
(3) What exactly will he in invest in? Obama is against drilling in ANWR and offshore, Obama is against nuclear power and windmills because the environmentalists, not to mention his puppetmasters Pelosi and Reid have told him no nuclear or windmills but especially NO DRILLING!
(4) Obama wants to grow government! As for personal decisions Obama said "I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right," this sounds to me like he is not for individual rights. As for the abortion issue, the Democrats played the exact same fear card against George Bush and it STILL hasn't happened. Roe V Wade is decided by the Supreme Court not the President of the United States, I am pro choice but when women and young girls start using abortion as a form of birth control instead of using actual birth control then I believe it should no longer be a choice. By the way, where are the rights of the father in this scenario anyway?

[dreamsmasher]

Okay since you brought it up "She was spinning the facts, because that's what you do when you face a candidate as highly qualified as Obama." What exactly are these "highly qualifying" points that conclude your statement? Other than keeping up with the mantra that Obama was a "community leader" and that he was elected to Congress, what exactly has he achieved?
I have been asking this same question for months now and no one wants to answer it so now that you are stating that Obama is "highly qualified" I expect you to put your money where your print is and specify what exactly makes him so "highly qualified" so far I don't see a damn thing that qualifies him to be President of this country.

[BeeOplentee]

Sarah Palin is smart, attractive, knows how to stir a crowd and knows how to fight for what she stands for.

Barack Obama is smart, attractive, knows how to stir a crowd and can't fight his way out of a wet paper bag.

[joanndarc]

Americans like somebody who acts or/and appears "strong" (Thanks, Hollywood!).
Obama has to take the facts, sharpen them and convert them into clear, factually sounding slogans and pound not only McC. but also Republican party on the head with their weight.
Or he simply may not win b/c many voter are looking for a victim to lay a blame onto, no matter who caused the mess.

[bernhart]

Steve: you seem troubled, bud !! I am also a conservative Dem but I am going with Palin and that old dude McCain and I AM VERY HAPPY!! Happy to put Country first, happy I chose a Hero and a young lady who shows guts and strength and consistancy. YOU, got yourself a dilema, you wanna get ruthless but you want "him" to show how much he cares about Americans. You do not mention hope at all, or unity, what happened to them things ?? Your comments about a "black " politician are touching except you fail to mention that Obama screwed so many people in Chicago he probably can never come back here. He screwed Palmer, he stole bills from Ricky Hendon, he NEVER, NEVER challenged the status quo ( you know ,the mantra of the Chicago Machine, "make no waves, back no losers" That is who Obama is, not the personna you ( and many millions ) imagine. HE CHANGES HIS MIND A LOT, YOU NEVER MENTION THAT . Back to Bush: for a Democrat to decry spending is funny!! Remember Johnson and all that wild spending ?? Yes, Busch spent a lot BECAUSE HE WANTED TO MAKE THE REP PARTY THE MAJORITY PARTY, with a war going on ( like Johnson), so don't throw stones . McCain is all about fiscal responsibility and cutting spending, OBAMA IS THE GUY WHO WANTS EVERYTHING (HEALTH CARE, REBATES, DISCOUNTS, STIMULUS, COLLEGE GRANTS, ETC. Why the heck would YOU vote for

[jylnc]

Wow - I appreciated your more balanced outlook on the campaign. As a moderate swing voter, I find the often cruel rhetoric tossed back and forth between the two extremes of the political spectrum disheartening. The posts on Huffington and Daily Kos about Trig's parentage were deplorable and indefensible. I don't care if she is too conservative for the left wing of the Democratic Party. They stepped over the line and were vicious. The internet rumors about Barack being a Muslim were over the line, too. Both sides are showing the ugly underside of America to the world.

I think both sides miss an important point. Swing voters, whether Independent or middle of the road Democrats and Republicans, are frustrated with the discourse in Washington and in this campaign. Mud slinging doesn't impress them.

Obama can become more ruthless and that will please the extreme left of his base. It won't impress the middle or swing voters. There in lies the problem.

[CvillePatrick]

I am not a Republican. The other night I got a bit curious about "the other side"...and spent several hours reading the posts made during the DNC on Michelle Malkin's site. I found it fascinating.

In that world, Obama is not an inspiring speaker...he's just good at reading a teleprompter. The Obamas are elites...because they had the money to attend Ivy League schools. Posts about "the adorable" Obama kids are are followed by statements such as: "It"s also quite sad that even with family displays like this, the Dems leave millions of dead babies in their wake."

The point is: what I found were real, intelligent people who simply interpret events in very different ways than I do. And once I became better acquainted (via everyday language) with the logic behind their interpretations...they no longer seemed so "threatening" to me...just different.

The Obama campaign should put a group of Republicans in a room with Obama (everyone sitting on the floor)...and roll the camera. They should have a genuine, passionate discussion about their mutual hopes and fears and concerns as Americans. Differences are easy to spot (and hype)...but what essential things do they [i.e., WE ALL] have in common?The politics of division is primarily driven by irrational beliefs/feelings that "the other side" is somehow less than human--and therefore nothing like "us." Logic/arguments alone can"t diffuse that. But focus on commonalities can.

[egal]

You must be looking at a different world than, oh, more than 80% of the world population permitted to access foreign political information. But of course, YOU must be the one who's right even when Obama isn't reading from teleprompers at all, even when the Republican stalwarts repeatedly prove they are running on catchphrases with no real understanding of or concern regarding actual issues, when the reason people choose to be so-called conservatives is that their brains ARE WIRED TO BE CLOSED-MINDED AND PREJUDICED.

Go ahead, read all the studies. There is a "type" who are so convinced of their righteousness and of the wrongness of all who thnk differently that they refuse to accept reality, no matter how obviously it disproves them. You may honestly be convinced that those of us who discount the Republicans are the closed-minded ones, but we only believe that because it's true that too many of them believe what they want to believe without looking at the facts, and we've seen our efforts to reason be rejected as irrational stating of opinions when it was simple statement of fact.

Hence, since reality disagrees with you, you won't find many converts for your pov that it's acceptable for thinking individuals to believe someone becomes an elitist by getting a good education, or is a murderer because they support the law due to it being the law, or that it's even remotely valid to interpret lies as "facts" and facts as "opinions".

[coloradosiren]

Amen

[Singha]

Diapers: Agents of change

[erykah]

The reason why O's message isn't getting through is because you all aren't listening. Anybody who does not understand what has happened the past 8 years is a damn fool. It is not rocket science. Stupid!

[bernhart]

erykah: enlighten me , what happened in the last 8 years ?
I thought this was a Republic and we were a free people. YOU DO NOT TELL ME WHO TO LISTEN TO, I LISTEN TO WHOEVER I WANT. This is not Russia , honey.

[JayInDallas]

HuffPost's Pick

This is a Republic. You need to redefine "free". This isn't Russia. More like China. Let me throw some words at you. Katrina. Iraq. Mortgage crisis. Economy. Gas prices. Food prices. Domestic spying. Guantanimo. Torture. 4000+ dead. DOJ scandal. Anything ring a bell? Who's been in power the last 8 years? I rest my case.

[OldSarg]

Your statement is not true "They'd fight for impoverished young mothers who desperately need help taking care of the babies they already have." There are no impoverished young mothers in the United States. Please, prove me wrong on this. The only Americans that go hungry today are those who choose to go hungry. Show us a picture of a child that is impoverished, a disable veteran, a handicapped person or even a mother. No one starved in the United States. Our greatest challenge is being overweight. We are eating ourselves to death. Maybe we should fight for Jenny Craig or Nutra-Systems.

[Herrington]

Try actually looking into the subject rather than rawing vague impressions from TV news.

[JayInDallas]

Spoken like a true Republican. Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't make it untrue. There are 4000+ dead brave men and women who served this country with distinction. Seen any pictures of their returning coffins?

[MrUniteUs]

Obama needs to make sure the publics knows the facts.
The fact is the RNC repeatedly lied in the face of millions of Americans.
I knew something was the amiss when the flag on stage was missing the 50 stars.
Was that because Alaska Independence Party supporters hate the our Flag and the fact
that Alaska is state. Don't but it was strange to see stripes only flag.

If I was a charge I would immediately sent out email highlight Obama's bipartisan legislative
accomplishments. i.e. the Coburn Obama act which set up www.usaspending.gov "Where Americans Can See Where Their Money Goes"

Then there is the legislation dealing with nuclear weapons, veterans benefits, and ethic reforms.
That would have proven the RNC speakers to be liars, and that Obama has the ability to get things done. Paylin was lied to Americans. Is that what Americans want.

www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/gop_convention_spin_part_ii.html

The whole experience argument can be handled by tossing Karl Roves words

Hypocrite Karl Rove On Tim Kaine's Experience
You can't be a valid VP candidate if the only experience you have is being the mayor of a small town and then Governor for only a few years. That's what king-maker Karl Rove said three weeks ago on "Face The Nation" about Virginia's Tim Kaine, when he was on Obama's short list...

[bernhart]

MrUniteUs: I am sorry but , do you have spell check ?? Your article is full of errors. Listen, I am from Chicago so I know of Obama's accomplishments and here is the scoop. Basically, the senate leader, Emil Jones stole bills written by others and he gave them to Obama, so he could build a resume. then Obama went to the US Senate where he worked for I understand about 150 days or so ?? Can anyone do much in this short time ?? Of course he had some bills processed but what we are looking for is "Major Legislation", the bills that have major impact, Obama has none of these. Then he declared his candidacy. Obama is my Senator but for the last year he has done nothing !!! Plus, everything he stood for early this year, well, he is now on the other side. You know what I am talking about. And as for Palin, you said she lied ! What did she lie about ??

[JayInDallas]

Living in the suburbs doesn't make you an authority on Chicago politics. I suspect the only time you spent on the south side was to go to a Sox game. Your reply is full of "errors".
Want to know what Obama did? Look here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633
But of course none of these were "major" legislation, were they?
C'mon. Do a little homework and reply to this with what McCain or Palin have done for Arizona or Alaska the past year. McCain can't be bothered to vote on legislation EVEN WHEN HE'S IN WASHINGTON.

Lastly, read slower. MrUniteUs said we were LIED TO about Palin. That she was vetted. Troopergate, bridge to nowhere and the funds that went with it along with whatever else has yet to be uncovered is proof enough that her "vetting" was a lie.

[WordPusher]

Hear, hear! I agree completely -- the Democrats need to stop bringing knives to gunfights.

But here's a question: What should Obama's pithy "message" be? It's very easy for all of us to sit back and criticize the Obama/Biden campaign for lacking a perfectly pithy phrase (e.g., the GOP's attack message "Ready to tax. Ready to spend. Not ready to lead."), but the GOP has had the advantage of an entrenched media machine for 30 years, and the Democrats have nothing remotely comparable.

So where are they to find this beyond-inspiring message?

[peterg76]

Republicans are masters of distraction. By denigrating community organizers, Palin shifted the focus away from her record as mayor. Her record as mayor included a fascist-style purge of municipal employees such as the library director.

The message should not be Palin was a small-town mayor; it should be Palin was a small-town mayor who couldn't handle even that degree of power.

[TXCourtney]

I agree that trashing community organizers was a low-ball tactic to deflect any scrutiny from Palin's own record. Denlinger is wrong to say that this was just a joke about the varying levels of qualifications for president. Giuliani joked that this was "the first problem with his resume," as if to say that there is something inherently wrong about wanting to organize grassroots action to help one's own local community.

Palin was not "dead-on." Obama tells the story about working as a community organizer--a job in which he helped faith-based initiatives provide job training for the unemployed--to make the larger point that he has been concerned with helping disadvantaged folks for over 20 years. That's in addition to his 12 years of public service at the state and federal level (i.e., the same as Lincoln).

[dmontenegro]

You mention that Obama needs to win on the strength of his ideas. It would be nice to know what those ideas are because all I heard during his acceptance speech was the first 15 minutes used to bash the other guy. Where are those specific ideas? That is besides the whole change idea that doesn't have any substance.

[JayInDallas]

The claim that "change doesn't have any substance" is usually one put forth by those who can't be bothered to check their own rhetoric. Get up off your lazy, spoon-fed backside and do a little research. If you don't find any "substance", there are plenty here who will gladly point you in the right direction. But echoing a lie doesn't make it true.