Obama and Kerry...Botched Joke , Take Two

[YvonneCa]

This is JUST how they took Kerry out of 2008 with the 'botched joke.' MSNBC is reporting that Hillary is campaigning today with a "spring in her step", because she knows this is an opening for her to take Obama down. Democrats need to take this VERY seriously.

I am bitter. I am also frustrated and more than a little bit cynical that our politics will improve enough to make the changes that our country needs. But I DO have hope...abd that's because of Obama and Kerry and the Kennedys and the movement that is being built. I am VERY hopeful that we can overcome the politics of 'fear and smear.'

I just heard Hillary on MSNBC saying that Obama needed to 'explain' his remarks. Listening to her reminded me of the day I listened after the joke while she stabbed John Kerry in the back. I wasn't sure it it was on purpose, for political reasons. I now think it definitely was.

So...here's what I would like to hear Barack Obama say:


I DO NOT want him to backtrack or apologize (any more than he already has). I want him to say that people ARE bitter, frustrated and at their wits' end about politics designed to tear the country apart and prevent average (middle-class, working Americans) from having their needs met and their voices heard. I want him to say that he was NOT denigrating their deeply held values of the Second Amendment, religion, etc....or any 'liberal' values (list them) either.

What he WAS saying (as we here know) is that this 'bitterness' and frustration makes us SUSCEPTIBLE to having our values USED against our interests by POLITICIANS. George Bush (with Karl Rove's help) did that to us in 2000 and 2004. They used 'guns, god and gays" to manipulate the system. They used the traditional family values of the religious right for their own selfish political plans. The badly needed and enlightened leadership we needed from Al Gore and John Kerry was denied the country...and look at where we are now! John McCain and Hillary Clinton are using that same brand of politics in 2008. They denied us John Kerry (again) and are aiming at denying us Barack Obama...for their own self interest...over the interest of average, middle-class, working Americans.

To me, that is the very definition of elitist. What Gore and Kerry and Obama stand for is anything BUT. So, American people...a question. What do YOU stand for?

That's what I want to hear Obama say...with all the super delegates (Gore, Kerry, Kennedy, Dodd, Richardson, Carter, etc.) at his side.:patriot:

[karynnj]

1. HRC is ignoring one big difference

In 2006, they were on the verge of starting the 2008 campaign and there looked to be a wealth of people prepared to run. Now, HRC has unfavorables that if she ran would make it very unlikely that she could win. Obama already has a near lock on having more pledged delegates. It appears as though this is not making a difference - it also seems suspiciously timed - right as Bill Clinton started trouble again bringing up Bosnia and being paid by Colombia, a story that hadn't yet blossomed. This was taped a few weeks ago.

The fact is that the awful joke attacks on Kerry were extremely vicious because ultimately it was both the RW and the Clinton wing. This is happening now on the Obama thing, but there are two major differences - the Clinton wing has been downsized and Obama has significant support. Kerry, for whatever reason, had very little strong media support. Even one, who had written well of him in 2004, made a snide reference to the joke hoping it would stop Kerry from a second run. He actually answered an email and in the exchange admitted that he liked Kerry best on the issues and said he liked Kerry and in fact would enjoy having a beer with him. He then spoke of how he didn't support Kerry as the type of campaign run would presage the type of Presidency run.

In fact, George W Bush is exhibit 1 that this is not true - his 2000 campaign was far better than his Presidency. Not to mention, I think if he reassessed Kerry's 2004 campaigns - concentrating on the primaries, which he did an excellent job covering - he should consider why the general election was less good than the primaries. Who exactly was added? How well are they now doing with their candidate of choice? Who was poisoning the well on how Kerry's campaign was run - and even convincing people who had been positive in 2004?

This is not the situation Obama is in. He does have backing both from some parts of the media and from strong people in the party -including Kerry and Kennedy. The Clintons are not really gaining on this - and its happened before. Wasn't Wright suppose to end Obama's chances. Look at Obama's favorable/unfavorables - there was no significant change over that - and the media was at least as confident that that would destroy him. http://www.pollingreport.com/o.htm (Hillary's for comparison - http://www.pollingreport.com/C2.htm#Hillary )

The

[beachmom]

2. Fox News just discovered that people in Pennsylvania ARE bitter:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/13/133215/180/386/494887

Wow. And one guy was obviously a Republican, but said Obama spoke the truth.

[YvonneCa]

4. That's good, but...

...did you see MTP this morning? They spent the first half-hour discussing Democrats...and the last half hour discussing McCain vs. the 'bitter' issue. It was not a balanced discussion. For one thing, the participants were two Republican strategists (Matlin and some other guy), Carville and Bob Shrum. The only one definding Obama (and not very well) was Shrum. It was 3 against one, with Tim the referee. How is that a fair discussion?

[beachmom]

6. I don't watch Sunday shows unless Kerry is on. Honestly, I would rather

read my favorite blogs than listen to the DC elite "gas bags" cow on. We'll find out in a couple weeks when the next SUSA poll comes out on whether this has had an effect.

[YvonneCa]

7. Gas bags...

...is an apt description for the panel. :7

[JI7]

3. check this out, Obama responds

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5488330

[YvonneCa]

5. I think that's a good start...

...because it fits with his 'new politics' vs. Hillary's 'old politics' a la Karl Rove. But I don't think it goes far enough. I think he has to make the case for Americans' disgust and bitterness over how things have been the last 7+ years, how Republicans manipulate issues people care about(guns, God and gays) to win elections, and how Clinton is using their model to run for President.