DEMS LOSE ELECTIONS because fair weather 'supporters' go into panic mode

[carpe diem]

and start to pick apart their own candidate/campaign over ever perceived flaws or mistakes, often times playing into traditional media or RW attempts to 'define' the Democratic candidate.

Barack Obama is winning this race because he and his campaign have kept their cool and their heads when all about them, esp. fellow Democrats, were losing theirs. There have been numerous occasions over the last 19-20 months when people associated with the campaign (including Barack and Michelle) have gotten off message. It happens, people being human and all. Sometimes it's not the mistake, it's how the candidate/campaign reacts that creates the story.

One of the reasons I have such confidence in Obama and this campaign is the skill they have shown if dealing with perceived mistakes or misstatements by the candidate or surrogates of the campaign. The one thing they definitely don't do, is lash out and start screaming "THIS IS WHY WE LOSE!". It only serves to highlight whatever the mistake may have been,adds fuel to fire, and creates anxiety among staff and supporters.

One thing I always find interesting is 'supporters' who ALWAYS look for something to be 'concerned' about and seem to prefer having the most negative perception of the candidate/campaign they supposedly support. Constant negativity and pessimism can also cause 'Dems to Lose Elections'. Esp. when they feed into TM and RW narratives.

Joe Biden was not my first choice as a possible running mate for Obama, but I thought and still think he was a solid pick. Eric Holder, who along with Caroline Kennedy, led the vp selection process said in an interview with NPR that they understood Biden's loquaciousness would lead to the occasional gaffe but that they 'wanted Joe Biden to be Joe Biden'. And that overall, he brought far more to the ticket if he could just be himself rather than trying to constantly parse and censor himself. And Biden said the same thing in his interview with CBS last night. He and the campaign know that the Republicans are going to take anything he says and try to make 'something' out of it. Esp. as the McCain campaign becomes more desperate.

The Obama campaign has come a long way and survived storms and assaults and the occasional self-inflicted injury that would have ended a lesser candidate or candidacy. I think they have earned a measure of confidence from their supporters to not fly into 'the sky is falling, were gonna lose!' panic every time somebody says something that the media or the opposition (often the same people) try to convince us is some sort of gaffe.

[lligrd]

1. I Think Biden Has Been Given More Than The Support He

deserves from DUers despite having voted against the beliefs many of us share. I for one don't think his gaffe was particularly important but neither do I believe it should DUers should not discuss it.

[MrModerate]

2. I'm witnessing an incredibly low-error-rate campaign by someone . . .

Who's running for national office for the first time. Amazing. It's one of the reasons why, ultimately, I think he was a better choice than my previous favorite, Clinton. Who did *not* run a low-error-rate campaign, despite all of her experience. And look at McCain -- brain-dead gaffe after brain-dead gaffe, topped off with a rotting moose carcass on the top.

I'm looking forward to a (reasonably) low-error-rate presidency. Sometimes brains really do matter.

[wyldwolf]

3. ... and then they point fingers at everyone but themselves

[No Elephants]

4. Not picking anyone apart, but Biden needs to stay on message, period.