Sunday, October 19, 2008

When even Fox News is calling you smooth, you know you're doing something right.


Is it surprising that John McCain has taken to calling Obama's tax relief plan for those making under 250k "socialism"? No. That is not surprising. Is it surprising the Socialism scare tactics seem like they are largely falling on deaf (and mad as hell) ears - and, if anything, hurting rather than helping McCain, who every time he opens his mouth seems to further torpedo his own campaign Lusitania? Actually... yeah, that's a little bit surprising. But the surprise is not in the tactic or its abject failure. It is in the way Fox News described it...

This, from the folks at Fox online...

FAYETTEVILLE, NC - It seems every time the McCain camp launches an attack Barack Obama’s way, the frontrunner dismisses it like a tennis player who is about to smash a softly lobbed ball into oblivion.

Wow. You know when Fox is making you sound like Roger Federer, you must be killin' em softly out there.

However, I should point out that Fox chose a tennis metaphor. As we all know, tennis is snooty and elitist. Coincidence? I report - you decide. On the other hand, I'm surprised they didn't choose a basketball reference. On the other, other hand, perhaps they were just trying to show their forward-thinking attitude - namely that black people have made great strides in this country and not only can possibly be president but are now allowed to even play tennis.

Ah-hem, just not at this country club, mister.

3 comments:

Warm Apple Pie said...

I think you are wrong and getting "cocky" as Obama warned against. This latest barrage of hate is having an effect with a ever-so-slight uptick in the polls for McCain.

You are in landslide mode, like Obama is crushing McCain by 20, 30 points. He's hardly outside the margin of error in some polls. In others, he's within it. Ohio is becoming almost a deadheat again, as is Florida.

I remember some liberal premature gloat in 2004. How'd that end up for you?

Pat Bateman said...

You misunderstand the position of my post. It was in fact Fox News - not me - that described him as swatting away McCain attacks as if they were so many gnats, almost sounding as if they were throwing in the towel over at the Central Unintelligence Agency.

And the barrage of hate generally HAS had an impact, you're right - just not the Socialism bit, as I mentioned. Nobody is interested in hearing about how tax cuts to the middle class is Socialism. When McCain sounds the bell on that, the bell tolls for thee, John. That attack I AM cocky about, and unrepetantly. McCain's discussion of economic policy is like watching two full-retards try to dry hump a deflated football. Sure, they can do it - but it leaves you feeling really awkward if you have to watch.

However, the Ayers/scary terrorist guy bit is NOT without impact. That has been gaining some traction, and on that I agree with you WAP.

Warm Apple Pie said...

Agreed. Negative, but policy-position attacks in code words and phrases (eg, "socialism" or "spreading the wealth") receive a tepid reception at best from typically voter, and serve more to energize the pundit class.

The heartland electorate watches "Deal or No Deal" and read "US Weekly." They want sensationalism and are influenced by it. That's why the robocalling is so damaging in its effectiveness. You can find the word "swiftboating" in the most recent edition of many dictionaries. McCain will do these things because they work.