If we allow the GOP to turn this into an Election on Culture Wars and personalities, we Lose.

[FrenchieCat]

But yet look at this forum. We are exactly playing into the war of personalities. Palin this and Palin that is not the answer. And if you think it is, you will be rudely awakened. Like Obama said, this can't be a big election about small things. That's what the GOP wants it to be....and we are playing right along with it.

Bottomline is that the Republicans in an attempt to have the American people forget about the economy and how it is affecting them, would much prefer to discuss wedge issues. They can't win on the real issues that should matter, which is why their convention is devoid of any real discussion on the economy and what they, the Republicans, will do about it. They understand that screaming tax cut for the rich and for corporations isn't doing it for them. They suspect that not offering any reform on the health system, and certainly not offering universal coverage isn't going to do it for them. Even war and national defense and playing on our fears isn't going to make that dent. So, in reality, John McCain had no choice but to go there, to the politics of division, in his attempts to win. That is why John McCain isn't about Country first, no how, now way. John McCain is about himself and about his last chance of gaining the White House, and he'll do whatever it takes to win, including tearing us Americans apart from one another. This is why it is important that we follow Obama's lead on what the topic of this election must be; it's the economy dumbass because 8 years is quite enough!


So I stress that McCain/Failin' and crew want to make the elections about the politics of the division, by using "Guns, God and Gays". That is why the Republicans are so excited as well as the media; they want to drag us back to the past into the politics of hate. They want to keep the electorate divided on, as Obama stated.....a Big election about small things. That's why we have been gifted with Palin by the extreme right.


Certainly, Palin and her philosophy may awaken their 26% base to become rabid and donate, but to some extent, Obama always knew that this is what the Republicans were going to try and make as the topic of the election, which is why he spoke those unartful "Bitter" comments that he did....because he was speaking truth. It's unfortunate that his words were used against him during the primaries, because it has given the Repugs some ground against him that they shouldn't have gotten. But such is as it is, and there's not much that can be done about that now. Perhaps, it may even help at the end, when folks go into the voting booth and have to really decide what issues are important to them; their favorite wedge issue, or the direction that the country has gone in the last 8 years and the real possibility of a new direction for our future.

[FrenchieCat]

1. What is it? Have we been infiltrated here with folks who are pushing

the personal?

[Nikki Stone1]

18. I've wondered the same thing, FrenchieCat

What I don't understand is why the mods don't moderate, but maybe they don't think the pushers are molls?:shrug:

[napi21]

2. I think the majority of voters now realize that picking a Prez because

he is a religious guy is a really dumb thing to do! Shrub taught them that lesson very well! Sarah will get the RW supporters to vote this year instead of just staying home. The Indies and the Hillary supporters they were hoping to get are NEVER going to vote for that ticket!

[emulatorloo]

3. Apparently her speech is going to declare CULTURE WAR tonight. They have to avoid REAL ISSUES to win

[FrenchieCat]

5. Yep. God and Guns. Abortion and the 2nd Amendment.

Family values bullshit and the likes.

This is exactly what Obama was expecting....So I believe him and Joe Biden are prepared.

It is about the economy and reestablishing our credibility in the world. The rest is bullshit, and if we don't get a handle on what we, the bloggers are doing, we are going to fall in the trap of promoting elections based on the personal. The media is playing too, suggesting a Backlash, which is what they want.

[weezie1317]

10. Bingo! Obama knew this when he told everyone to lay off. Let's get back to the real issues now.

[Mike Daniels]

26. The last time the Repubs pushed a Culture War during the convention

was in 1992 and we know how that ended up for them.

Palin is an extremist who's vision of how things should be will likely scare any undecided moderates directly to Obama/Biden.

The press seems to be getting to the McCain camp given his little hissy fit today. I don't anticipate it changing after the convention.

[Marsala]

4. Don't worry, what "we" do doesn't matter.

Ultimately "we" are just a bunch of people talking on a webboard. The Obama campaign is smart. They will stick to issues.

[FrenchieCat]

8. You are wrong about that. We actually do matter.

To say otherwise is not to have followed this election to date.

We have to stick to the issues as well, or else, we become a choir to the GOP's chant.
They welcome us talking about personality non stop.......like dumbasses.

[Neshanic]

6. Yes we are, and not responding in any logical fashion.

[FrenchieCat]

7. So why are we so fucking out of control? Are there trolls here fermenting

the bullshit personal?

We should be talking about why isn't there any talk of economics at the GOP convention.

This is nuts.

We could control the conversation, and we are letting it get away from us, for some Inquirer story, that will not help us win a goddamn thing. How frustrating.

[denem]

9. Obama is running radio ads on THE OFFENSIVE on arbortion.

in all the key states. With every dinner table in the country discussing teenage pregnancy, this is a losing issue for the GOP.

[CakeGrrl]

11. The blogosphere may be out of control, but I believe cooler heads prevail on Team Obama

MUCH cooler heads with their eye on the real ball, not the shiny objects.

I doubt they're going to heed the Repubs' cries to lay off their corrupt, extremist pick of a Veep candidate. If they insist on foisting her on the American public, I suspect Team Obama will do what they can to educate the voters where they know the MSM will not. We just have to keep donating so they can do that.

[Alter Ego]

21. Obama has the perfect answer for any question he gets about left-wing blogs.

"Well, I can sit here and condemn them until I'm blue in the face, but in the end they can write whatever they want, true or not. I don't control the liberal blogosphere, Mr. McCain--much as you do not possess the power to stop the right-wing blogosphere calling me a "Secret Muslim" or implying my wife and I are terrorists."

[kwolf68]

12. Not if we fight them on it

Last time they declared culture war the Pigs were summarily shown the door.

Challenge their morality

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. How can they? Barack Obama has been an outstanding husband and father.

McSame has cheated on his wife, has been utterly disgusting to his current wife and has no respect for women overall.

But you're right. As astonishing as this is, it's the wedge issues which always leads us to lose. Despite everything we've been through. With all the corruption, crimes and moral failings of the Republican party, we *still* lose.

[JVS]

14. We're just bloodying her up a bit. We've had to because she was new to the nat. pol. stage

[Nikki Stone1]

15. Thank you , Frenchie Cat. I am complete agreement.

You have better political acumen than a lot of people here and I wish they would listen and stop focusing where the GOP wants us to focus. Dammit, we have a real chance to win this one!

:grr:

[depakid]

16. So you think most Americans are religious NUTCASES?

The reason we so often lose is because we let them slide and even pander to them rather than DEFINING THEM IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS for the whackjobs that they are.

And if we lose this go around, that will be one of reasons.

[BlueIdaho]

17. Boy Howdy!

Gov. Failin matters only in how she fits into a broader narrative. I don't care about her family issues but I do care that she seems to be another stark example of republican executive abuse of power. Her declaring "executive privilege" - involvement in troopergate - and love of earmarks are just more of the same old failed policies of the past. Her selection is just the most current example of McCain's frightening lack of judgment and temperament. We need to keep beating the drum - social issues, our world standing, and the FUCKING economy. John McCain and his little sidekick are just four more years of the last eight years. If we can learn to stay on message we might just win this thing.

Leave the bedroom scandals to the National Enquirer - we've got more important work to do.

[Alter Ego]

19. Meanwhile, Obama and Biden are out campaigning. Talking about issues.

You know, the shit that matters.

And here we are, kvetching over whether we should act like Swift Boaters or not.

Want to focus on Sarah Palin? Then talk about her supposed "maverick" status when in fact she's just as drunkenly wasteful of money as all Republicans. Talk about the fact that she used to be a member of a party that wanted to take Alaska and FUCKING SECEDE FROM THE UNION. Talk about the fact that she abuses gubernatorial power to fire state employees she doesn't like. Talk about her extremist, far-right religious nutcase policies and beliefs. Talk about the fact that the initial impression she's giving off is that of a vapid airhead who looks like she'd fit better in a sorority house than in the Vice Presidential chair.

Obama and Biden know this. Why don't we? John McCain is still their nominee, remember?

Barack and Joe are out there talking to real people who have other worries besides whether one of Palin's kids is hers, or that her teen daughter is pregnant. And they're focusing on the correct target--John McCain. I suggest we do likewise.

[FrenchieCat]

20. Hear here!

[skooooo]

22. I disagree..

I think the majority of Americans are sick of this stuff - after Terri Schaivo, and the recent numbers showing support of a woman's choice being up 8%.

Those days are over. I hope they continue full steam ahead.

[flamingdem]

23. Recommend - democrats have to stay on message and that means the economy nt

[leftynyc]

25. The campaigning Democrats need to stay

on message. If it's really the left leaning blogs that are forcing the hand of the media on vetting palin, I have no problem with that continuing. And I'd like to remind the OP that the last time the pukes called for a culture war (1992), their incumbent president lost.

[anigbrowl]

24. Relax, and here's why

It's the GOP's convention week. They are laying out their agenda, and to an extent owning the news cycle. That is just fine with me - after all, they have a platofrm to lay out too. When the convention closes, battle is joined.

Now regarding Palin, all the talk is of how she fires up their base (for obvious reasons) while throwing McCain's judgment into question (for obvious reasons). She's been discussed to death and so I won't recap, but it's obvious that she was picked to shore up McCain's lousy popularity with his base, and that her ability to attract swing voters is very debateable.

So I think we can allow the GOP to hog the headlines for another 24 hours, because the GOP does noit look that good under a microscope. tomorrow John McCain accepts his party's nomination (probably to less-than-wild enthusiasm)...and his acceptance speech will be refuted by Barack Obama himself on O'Reilly. And Obama is going to say nice things about McCain and Palin as he must, and then point out that the GOP is living in a fantasy land as if gas were $1/gallon and we had full employment, and gently point out that McCain and his VP don't agree with each other on much, from earmarks to global warming.

I am pretty confident that we are going to be able to turn the GOP's wedge right back on them and use it to split their party. Already I am seeing Republican voters saying things like 'I like Palin...maybe I'll buy a McCain voodoo doll'. I kid you not. They are running a split ticket with McCain pulling to the center and Palin pulling to the right. In short, let them have their little kickoff party tonight and tomorrow, let their base wallow in the belief that it's all about character and they have more of it yadda yadda. Because after they're done, swing voters are going to look at our platform and convention, compare it to the Republicans, and notice just what a crap alternative the Republicans are presenting.

[flamingdem]

28. Your analysis is fine except for two things: M$M helps Repukes & you are too logical nt

[southern_dem]

27. You are right on

the personality thing, but I disagree on the culture war part. I think Americans are sick and tired of the devise crap the GOP has been running on for the past 8 years. The amount of voters identified as pro-choice is up and the amount of people supporting GLBT rights is much higher than 4 or 8 years ago. The 2000 and 2004 issues are not going to work. This will be an election about the economy first and secondly a referendum on the last 8 years. The latter especially will sink the GOP.