Context: Obama's opponent

[ProSense]

Obama is not running against:

• Democrats who supported Hillary
  
  
• The "angry left"
  
  
• "Snubbed Muslims"

The media seems determined to spin the competition as Obama vs. specific groups. Hell, in some instances they're trying to spin the competition as one between Obama and himself: Can a Politician Be True? (did I miss the reference to McCain in that article?

The media is determined to parse Obama's positions and question what he's going to do for this group or that group, and delve into what this group or that group want from Obama. They're going to try to spin him into a caricature of someone trying to be all things to all people, which only deserves this response.

Meet Obama's actual opponent: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/14/133837/512/16/535937">McBush (video)

When the media mentions what a specific group wants (is going to get) from Obama, they need to weigh that against what McCain is offering.

[ProSense]

1. Comments? n/t

[NYC_SKP]

2. Comments...

Agreed, we're hearing far more about Obama in relation to demographic groups, voting blocks, past associates, etc. than we are about the contrasts between him and John McCain.

It's a not-too-surprising distraction from what voters really need to know: how the two candidates compare and what we can expect under their respective administrations.

You're right--it's really frustrating.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

At first read, I thought your post would be about the important of context to Obama's statements taken out of it.
Like, "Obama's opponent:Context (or lack thereof), which is a whole other conversation and just another tactic of distraction.

For example, today it's, "get over it", Clarke said that Obama said in reference to Hillary supporters.

According to Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., Obama then said, "However, I need to make a decision in the next few months as to how I manage that since I'm running against John McCain, which takes a lot of time. If women take a moment to realize that on every issue important to women, John McCain is not in their corner, that would help them get over it."

Out of context it looks bad, the media loves manipulation of context. The Wright fiasco was a great example.


:thumbsup:

[ProSense]

3. The contrast is interesting

Obama's position on every issue could be scrutinized from now to election day, and people will find fault with some aspect or another. There can be an honest debate about his proposals among Democrats and others who want to join in.

On the other hand, McCain's positions (all of them) on the issues are simply atrocious, there is no debating that.



Thanks for responding.

[NYC_SKP]

4. Bring on the debates!

I look forward to the debates which, if properly moderated, should provide a great opportunity to compare the two on issues.
Of course, if they're done the way the ABC Clinton/Obama debates were done, it wouldn't be much better than the context-free crap that passes as journalism.
That was just awful.

[ProSense]

5. Dept. of private meetings

June 25, 2008

Dept. of private meetings

There was the meeting with Hispanics in Chicago, and now the head of the Log Cabin Republicans -- the gay Republican group -- confirms to a gay blog that he recently met privately with McCain, a meeting that didn't appear on the candidate's schedule.