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Is Obama Crashing?
Victor Davis Hanson thinks so. But that opinion is so at odds with my own, that I had to take a closer look. And while I have the greatest respect for professor Hanson, I think his political analysis is wrong here. Here is what Hanson wanted from the Obama speech.
There is nothing to be offered for Rev. Wright except my deepest apologies for not speaking out against his venom far earlier. We in the African-American community know better than anyone the deleterious effects of racist speech, and so it is time for Rev. Wright and myself to part company, since we have profoundly different views of both present- and future-day America.
So Hanson wanted Obama to throw Wright under the bus? That may have been the right thing to do (no pun intended, ha!) but in the context of the Democratic primary it would have been disastrous. The very next move from the Clinton campaign would have been to chide the Obama camp as not sensitive to race relations and those working hardest in the Black community. And Obama would have found himself on the other side of that fight. Great fun, but not a winning move for the primary.
Instead Obama moved to say a lot of pretty things that meant everything to everyone and all were happy because they heard what they wanted to hear. He will have Wright problems in the general, but first you have to win to even be in the general.
Another point:
Even elites will wake up to the fact that they've been had, in a sense, once they deconstruct the speech carefully and fathom that their utopian candidate just may have managed to destroy what was once a near-certain Democratic sweep in the fall. And a number of African-Americans will come to resent that they are being lumped into a majority akin to the Rev. Wright, millions of whom the majestic Sen. Obama has nobly chosen not to "disown," despite their apparently similar embarrassing racialism.
They won't wake up, and since when liberal elites carefully deconstructed anything logically, much less one of their own saviors of the Democratic party? And I have doubts about the prospect of minorities to suddenly become outraged at the usual business of civil rights leaders like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.
But here is the biggest problem:
No, actually he's not. In fact he's plateaued after a long rise, but a plateau is not a crash, and his poll numbers are still above or even with Hillary. Good enough, and it's most likely this speech that stopped the bleeding. Obama did exactly what he needed to from a "win the Democratic primary" perspective. He'll worry about the general election later.(1) Obama is crashing in all the polls, especially against McCain, against whom he doesn't stack up well, given McCain's heroic narrative, the upswing in Iraq, and the past distance between McCain and the Bush administration;
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 7)rebekah8:53AMMar 24th 2008
I think we were all ready for change and that is why obama did so well with so little known about him. everyone blacks and whites alike said it's time for change. and it is. just not this man. he is a pied piper that this country will hopefully wake up in time to recognize.
nick9:07AMMar 24th 2008
it is completley rediculous to think that barack obama does not share at least some of the smae views his pastor rants about. you do not go to a church for 20 years if you do not agree with what the pastor is saying. you do not have your children attend church and get baptised unless you want them growing with those kind of ideas that they were being exposed to sitting in that church. for obama to attend that church for 20 years mean he liked going there or else he would have stopped going a hell of a while back. his speech that he gave just continued to give proof that he is infact racist, same as his wife.
if obama wins the nomination, winnin the election will be like a walk in the park for mccain.
i myself am not racist against obama, i'm saying this as an african american who does not like someone just becuase they are black. personally this man disgusts me
Isabella Ardolino9:12AMMar 24th 2008
The reality is that neither Senators Clinton nor Obama has won anything to this point. Neither one will reach the magic number before the convention.
Over the next few weeks we will continue to hear more from political prognosticators calling for Senator Clinton to drop out. For some reason they continue to ignore the facts. Senator Clinton won most of the states that matter, including Florida and Michigan. Even if a re-vote could have been managed in both Florida and Michigan, she would have won them again. Political prognosticators should concentrate less on mathematics and study history; particularly the history of the Democratic Party. The DNC can not expect to win a presidential candidate if they pass over Florida and Michigan. Besides, I believe the Democrats and the Super Delegates have already begun to awaken from an Obama induced hypnotic spell and will soon come to the aid of their party. Someone has to be the voice of reason.
At this point, if anyone should be dropping out of the campaign, it should be the junior senator from Illinois whose political resume is a “Tabula Rasa”, a blank slate on which the history of our country could be written. Hillary’s not quitting. She is a fighter and will continue to fight all the way to the convention if need be. Hillary’s doing quite well, thank you. She knows it, her supporters know it and come November John McCain will know it too.
Victor9:13AMMar 24th 2008
I don't think the media will allow Obama to crash. He will crash in the general election big time. I agree with rebekah this country is looking for a change and Obama seemed to be that change. I'm a conservative Democrat and never supported Obama. He is far too liberal for my taste. I think the Republicans made a huge mistake not nominating Romney.
Jeannette9:15AMMar 24th 2008
WOW! WOW! WOW!
EVERYONE SHOULD SEE TO THIS! LETS SEE IF THIS GETS MEDIA ATTENTION!
http://obamatruth.org
Isabella Ardolino9:15AMMar 24th 2008
The reality is that neither Senators Clinton nor Obama has won anything to this point. Neither one will reach the magic number before the convention.
Over the next few weeks we will continue to hear more from political prognosticators calling for Senator Clinton to drop out. For some reason they continue to ignore the facts. Senator Clinton won most of the states that matter, including Florida and Michigan. Even if a re-vote could have been managed in both Florida and Michigan, she would have won them again. Political prognosticators should concentrate less on mathematics and study history. Particularly the history of the Democratic Party. The DNC can not expect to win a presidential candidate if they pass over Florida and Michigan. Besides, I believe the Democrats and the Super Delegates have already begun to awaken from an Obama induced hypnotic spell and will soon come to the aid of their party. Someone has to be the voice of reason.
At this point, if anyone should be dropping out of the campaign, it should be the junior senator from Illinois whose political resume is a “Tabula Rasa”, a blank slate on which the history of our country could be written. Hillary’s not quitting. She is a fighter and will continue to fight all the way to the convention if need be. Hillary’s doing quite well, thank you. She knows it, her supporters know it and come November John McCain will know it too.
Jeff9:23AMMar 24th 2008
I think that when is said and done, Saturday Night Live will be known as the little child that said "the emperor is wearing no clothes" when it comes to Sen. Obama and the media. For the longest time, the media treated him with kid gloves less they be accused of being racist toward an African American candidate. And then SNL reminded them to be journalists by making them ALL look like idiots. Now the journalists have to be as tough on Sen. Obama as any other candidate, and look at such things as his association with Rev. Wright, because had it been Sen. Clinton being associated with a racist minister, she would have been hung out to dry in an instant-look at how fast Geraldine Ferraro got booted and disavowed because of political correctness, vs. political reality. If the media had done its job in the first place by scrutinizing Sen. Obama, and reported reality in the first place, the primary results could have been different, but then we might Dennis Kucinich as the leader, ICK!
Hugh9:27AMMar 24th 2008
I really feel the american people are tired of politics as usual, the war in Irag, the recession I do beleive we are in, and the debt the country is in. Obama came on the scene as a good looking, suave speaking individual, and the ability to convey the changes needed to turn this country around. I think what they really missed was his entire background, qualifications, and his associations. The media gave him a free ride by not checking him out, but was taken in by him like so many other Dems and Independents. I can't help feeling being a member of Trenity Church for so many years that he didn't hear the Rev. Wright give sermons such as what we have recently heard on tape, and also I can't help but feel that Obama also has some of these feelings.
Jebinb9:33AMMar 24th 2008
THERE ISNT A SINGLE WHITE PERSON
IN THIS COUNTRY THAT CAN CAMPAIGN
AGAINST OBAMA HUSSIEN
IT DOESN’T MATTER
IF THAT PERSON IS FEMALE OR MALE.
BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT THAT
TYPICAL WHITE PERSON SAYS OR DOES
OBAMA OR HIS CREW IS GOING TO PICK IT APART
OR TURN IT INSIDE OUT OR TURN IT AROUND
OBAMA OR HIS SUPPORTERS MAKE IT OUT TO BE RACIAL
NO TYPICAL WEHITE PERSON STANDA A CHANCE
BECAUSE OBAMA IS ACTING LIKE A
NO I WOULDN’T SAY OBAMA IS ACTING LIKE A
TYPICAL BLACK PERSON BUT HE IS ACTING LIKE A
TYPICAL NIGGER
GO AHEAD CALL ME RACIST I KNOW YOU WILL
BUT WHAT I SAID IS THE TRUTH
Jeannette9:37AMMar 24th 2008
THE TRUE AMERICANS WILL VOTE FOR ANYONE BUT OBAMA! HE FOOLED ALOT OF PEOPLE, BUT HIS VIEWS ARE COMING OUT NOW AND AMERICA DOESN'T WANT THAT KIND OF CHANGE! THAT WASN'T THE CHANGE PEOPLE THOUGHT HE MEANT! OUCH! IT CAN GET WORST FOR AMERICA IF HE'S ELECTED! WAKE UP AMERICA! NO OBAMA!
Jebinb9:47AMMar 24th 2008
THANKS TO MOST OF THE NEWS STATIONS
THEY HAVE PUSHED OBAMA DOWN OUR THROATS
MSNBC AND CNN DID NOT PLAY FAIRLY.
THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO SAY
THAT THEY TOTALLY SUPPORTED OBAMA BEFORE EACH NEWS CAST
A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS THAT THEY ARE PARCIAL TO ONE CANDIDATE
THEY CAUDLED OBAMA THEY PROTECTED HIM
THEY ROAD THE HELL OUT OF CLINTON AND HER
CAMPAIGN TEAM THEY TORE APPART AND TURNED ARROUND
EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING CLINTONS DID OR SAID.
THE NEWS MEDIA RAILROADED OBAMA AND GAVE HIM A FREE PASS
THEY WITH HELD NEGATIVE REPORTS ON OBAMA
THEY WOULDN’T GIVE AIR TIME TO ANYTHING AGAINT OBAMA
WE THE VOTING PUBLIC WERE DUPED BY THE MEDIA
OBAMA GOT AS FAR AS HE IS NOW BECAUSE OF THIS.
HAD THE MEDIA BEEN FAIR AND REPORTED A LOT OF THIS INFO
OBAMA WOULDNT HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR.
PERHAPS JOHN EDWARDS OR ONE OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES
WOULD STILL BE RUNNING.
NOW WE ARE GOING TO BE FORCED TO KEEP OBAMA
Sharon Cauldwell9:48AMMar 24th 2008
re--all ye perfect anti-obama piss-ant. Just shows to go ya that Bias and Bigotry is alive and not well in America. When it gets down to hanging your non-plus hat on every itsy-bitsy word or hangnail Obama may or
may not have, shows the piss-ants are really down to bottom-barrel desperation. Pity Pity! Piss-ants are known for not seeing beyond their nose; cross-eyed.
That is why they can't see that desperate Hillary's
nose grows longer every day.
Grant069:48AMMar 24th 2008
Personally, the more I read about Mr. Obama, the less I like. I suspect this was why he was so vague in his campaign rhetoric.
Although the media slamming of Hillary was very effective during the first half of the primaries, now that it has become so obvious, it appears most decent Americans have been replused by their tactics.
Diane9:54AMMar 24th 2008
Jeanette, There was an article on Michelle Obama in The New Yorker. Her salary increase was mentioned in the article.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/10/080310fa_fact_collins
I sent it to several news stations, no one mentioned it. I also saw on Obama 2006 tax returns Tree House
listed.http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2007/04/baracj_obamas_2.html
rebekah9:56AMMar 24th 2008
ms. cauldwell,
name calling isn't enough to shut us up anymore. you cannot embarrass us into believing we are stupid racist if we don't do as the liberal media would have us do.
Mary9:58AMMar 24th 2008
The best change we can have is to get rid of Obama...he is not loyal to the country and his hatred is to embedded; he is not working to keep people united, just divided
bob darcy10:08AMMar 24th 2008
oH SuRe....you FeW small-minded deadbeats got it all hammered out. Thank God, you're not the majority.
In case you do not know, being your head is obviously in the sand, politics as usual is out this year. That spells HILLARY AND JOHN. Both whom have a scandalous history a mile long that you small-minded want to avoid looking at. Course, you are too worried of Obama to have time for that. It is a big compliment to Obama. Sticks and Stones won't break his bones or break his lead. Obama still leads. Hillary has no math left. John McCain is a Republican, that is enough to deem him a loser in the General Election. A Republican will not win this year due to the past dreadfull reign. Finally about to see the tail end of that draggon based on lies, corruption, failing economy and a war that had no reason to be fought. John Quincy Adams said, 'not to go abroad looking for monsters." Well, Bush did. And, the other lying monster, the screeching whinning HUN, is near out of cash flow; emails fly in my box daily begging and begging. Stick a fork in her and tell her she is done!
pattiw10:12AMMar 24th 2008
Hillary is calling a meeting to try to curb the forclosure issues. What is Obama doing? absolutely NOTHING!!!!! We need a president that is going to act on the issues at hand, not a president that is going to keep whipping out the "RACE" card
Hillary "08"
Katherine10:14AMMar 24th 2008
Is Obama crashing? Yes. Obamamania has quieted down a little bit. It's a beginning at least.
I don't know if it's money, corporate pressure, sexism, republicanism, Obama-lovin'or WHAT...but the media LOST THEIR MINDS and brought almost everybody with them. CNN and MSNBC are corrupt. The media favoritism for Obama is downright scary, and for a while there I felt like I was in a communist country and being force-fed propaganda. I watched the Obama supporters develop a new level of fervor for someone they didn't even know...they chanted...cried...fainted..and stared glassy-eyed...like millions of INSANE PEOPLE. And they STILL do. It's very disturbing.
I think it's every American's duty to see to it that Obama does not become our next President, by all means necessary, (except ilegal ways, of course). If Obama is President, our country will CHANGE in ways that most cannot fathom. Don't let it happen. Write the DNC, contact all politicians, post on blogs, write newspapers, contact all media: radio, magazines, tv, and internet sources (they are not ALL Obama-drunk), and even write to our "allies" around the globe--their newspapers, and describe how the media is bamboozling America.
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Davidg8:42AMMar 24th 2008
It's going to have to me something much worse than Rev. Wright for the liberal elites to disown their saviour Obama.
I have no doubt the truth is out there. The only question it will it come out before it's too late?
Even 1 year of Obama in office would be a disaster we would never recover from.