Letters to the Editor
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Re: Ana Had Wolves
I've decided it's about time someone hit on Obama's negatives head on. Let's see just how significant these will be in the general.
1)OBAMA IS UN-PATRIOTIC: He refuses to wear an American flag lapel pin. He won't put his hand over his heart when the national anthem/pledge of allegience is delivered. He didn't serve in the military, but, thinks he knows whats best for the military. He wants to overturn "don't ask/don't tell." He wants to pull our brave men and women out of Iraq precipitously without regard for what will happen next. He's soft on terrorism. He wants to talk with our enemies with no preconditions. He would cede GitMo to the Cubans. He would open the floodgates to Cuban emigrees and would end the boycott of traveling to and from there. He would open the borders completely to any and all from Mexico with no regard for our safety. He supports his pastor, the Rev Wright, who proclaimed "God Damn America", and refused to renounce him completely. His middle name is Hussein >>wink, wink<< and we all know where his loyalties are. He attended a madrassa in Indonesia...where terrorists who hate America are trained. His sympathies lie in Africa...because he is an African first and an American second.
Lots of stuff here. Well for starters, that flag pin thing? They tried it. It failed. The most that'll do is be fodder for the committed. That military one is going to be hard to pull for a party that elected Bush twice to say nothing of the fact that at this point the majority of citizens want us out of Iraq in a reasonable fashion, something that McCain is not going to provide. The Muslim thing also didn't work so well for the Republicans (or, for that matter, for Clinton), and if there's one thing that the Wright controversy did, it pretty much put that to bed. Speaking of which, the Wright controversy is going to be pretty hard to keep burning for the next eight months. Obama addressed it in his speech last week. The people liked it. If he sticks to that message, he'll be fine.
(He can also turn the spotlight on some of the fine folks McCain has been trying to court, Mr. Haghee included.)
The Cuba thing? We'll see, but I can't see that being a huge issue in this campaign. (This also may be a non-issue if McCain sticks to his principles, and continues to reject a policy of torture. If he doesn't, I hope Obama trots out more lines such as "The Straight Talk Express has run off the rails.")
2)OBAMA PLAYS THE RACE CARD: He appeals to black "folks" as one of them and disparages whites by saying "typical white people". He attends a church whose pastor, by his videotaped sermon-rants, is violently and vehemently anti-white and racist. He demeaned his own grandmother...who is white...for her white "ignorance". He gives secret winks and nods to black radicals who hate America's whites.
Fortunately, Obama has tackled this issue in a very reasonable manner. You see, the plus side of Clinton's cornered cat routine is Obama is facing attacks and handling them very honorably. There's not a whole lot McCain can do that Clinton and her supporters haven't done so far. He'll come off as a bad sequel trying to bring this stuff up again. Can you imagine McCain trying to talk up Farrakhan in a debate? I'd love to see a Reaganesque "There you go again..." or something to that effect.
But again, Obama made his speech. He knows how to handle this issue. He did so to great praise. Fox News is the one outlet that will hit these issues again, and Fox News has lost their edge over CNN and MSNBC, who like Obama and won't be as inclined to give these issues heavy duty airplay.
3) OBAMA HAS TIES TO LAWBREAKERS: His ties to Tony Rezko are well-known. he received sweetheart loans and land deals from Mr. Rezko; what did Obama give Mr. Rezko in return? Mr. Rezko gave thousands to Obama's campaign; how much of that money was dirty? What else is there that we don't yet know about Mr. Obama's sleazy friends?
Eh... this is basically a wash going if we're comparing him against a Clinton. Fortunately Obama also tackled this issue very well in an extensive piece in the Chicago Tribune. There's smoke, but where's the fire? Besides McCain's record ain't exactly clean here, what with the Savings and Loan Scandal and this dalliance with a female lobbyist.
Don't know that anyone will agree with me, but I actually think Obama has further proven his electability over the past few weeks. He dealt with a major blow to his campaign with dignity and integrity, and managed to twist it into 35 minutes of free air time in which he tackled race in a powerful and unique way while staying on message and pushing a little Democratic populism as well.
Clinton claimed to misspeak on the Bosnia issue, and wobbled on the Ferrarro controversy. She appeared weak, dishonest, and calculating. That says a lot.
4)OBAMA IS A DRUGGIE: He freely admitted to smoking an illegal drug...marijuana...and snorting an illegal drug... cocaine! What more will we learn about him should he win the Presidency? Will we find that he shoots heroin, drops acid or eats magic 'shrooms? WE CAN'T TAKE THAT CHANCE!
In a perfect world, Obama would use this as an opportunity to advocate for the legalization of these drugs. But alas, I'm in the minority on that issue.
Two more points, though. This didn't work against Bill Clinton, and I doubt that it'll work against Obama. But in the event that it does become an issue (maybe tied with some race-baiting ads or something) Obama can frame it as a youthful mistake. I doubt anyone can claim to have not made mistakes.
(Worse come worse, use it to attack the Republicans. McCain has happily endorsed and is willing to follow the policies of the only president with a DUI.
5) JOHN MCCAIN IS A WAR HERO; OBAMA NEVER WORE THE UNIFORM! 'Nuff said about that one; get ready to see a sea of flags with every campaign ad or appearance by McCain.
Damn. Better close up shop, people. The Republicans have this election sewed up. They have... a WAR veteran! All we have... a black guy and a woman.
But wait... anyone notice a trend the last 16 years? Bush I- stunning war record. Lost to Clinton who didn't serve. Dole- stunning war record and Senate record. Lost to Clinton. Gore- average war record, but running against AWOL Bush Jr. Umm... kinda lost. Kerry- stunning war record. Lost to Bush Jr.
War service ain't a silver bullet, people. It doesn't cancel out continued unrelenting support of a highly unpopular war, or the hope that it continues into the next century. It doesn't cancel out "Bomb, Bomb Iran." It definitely doesn't cancel out a clear lack of knowledge about the economy during a recession.
I think Obama is going to be just fine.