"Obama kept agreeing with him". A Democratic jujitsu tutorial

[me b zola]

Some of the pundits keep bringing up that when Obama agreed with a point that McCain made, he would say so before explaining where he differed and why. This is being brought up as a weakness, but those grasshoppers do not possess the wisdom of Democratic jujitsu.

To me this goes straight to Obama's ability to restore our standing in the world and being able to achieve consensus here at home. When negotiating with someone who holds different views, do you begin by telling your opponent that you have absolutely nothing in common with them, or do you begin negotiations by acknowledging what you have in common? Now a cowboy who is afraid of horses--or a bully--would choose the former rather than the latter, but we know how that party ends. A real leader would seek the latter, to make it easier for your opponent to want to reach a consensus with you.

Barack Obama is not only a leader, he is the one leader that can navigate us through these perilous times.

[lapfog_1]

1. They think in 10 second sound bites.

The question is, what about most of the country... sadly, they, too, think in 10 second sound bytes (debates are won by the people with the short clever put downs).

[me b zola]

4. Of course, that is how they have reigned the past 20+ years

My point is made for those who will be called upon to defend against this rw talking point.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

2. I had to drink to watch McLame without blowing a gasket, but I think I understand the tactic.

To me, there are several advantages to Obama using this technique (which, btw, I think is really genuine as well as a good psychological tool):

1. By not attacking McCain, he appeals to people who might think they support McCain - then he shows how McCain is wrong without turning off the McCain person.

2. He looks (and is) a reasonable person, which I think is something that people sorely miss in their leaders.

3. He appeals to people who are SICK of the idiotic partisanship in government and want government to just, by damn, do its job.

[liberalmuse]

6. My fundie background go the better of me...

I kept hitting the tv and cursing him. It didn't work because he didn't drop dead. The bottom line is, Obama treated McCain like a human being, and McCain treated Obama like a dog. People will note this, and it won't bode well for McCain.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

9. I so agree with you. McCain made me want to bitch-slap him. If only I could! nt

[krkaufman]

40. yep, yep and yep.

Pretty simple, really; though it's not surprising that it's lost upon the chattering class.

[liberalmuse]

3. I didn't like it, but I'm an asshole...

and contend that Obama is both smarter and a nicer person than I could ever hope to be.

[uponit7771]

5. I can BE an asshole but only when provoked and McStupidBastard would've provoked me long ago

[me b zola]

10. I've never thought of you as an a-hole

But FWIW, every time I watch Obama I think about how I would like to be a better person. A little late for me, but not too late for me to vote Obama to the WH. :)

[LonelyLRLiberal]

12. Me, too!

Either Obama has me totally fooled, or he is just the most decent person you could find. I saw him get annoyed at McCain, and I was screaming "Keating Five" when McCain was pompously lying about his "reforms" etc., but Obama didn't fall for the bait. I could never do that. I just think Obama will make a wonderful President - Gawd, I hope so. Anyhow, McCain would be terrible!

[Clio the Leo]

7. I swear I only remember him saying he agreed ONE TIME.....

...... but I may have been distracted by how high the CNN rolling line graph was for Obama the whole time and missed some stuff.

[krkaufman]

41. I never fixated on it, because it was obviously just a rhetorical technique for pivoting ...

... and highlighting their contrasting viewpoints. The chattering class spend too much time in their collective bubble, and would benefit from some "me" time before going on-screen. There's far too little thought that goes on before their mouths start moving.

[Cha]

8. I didn't see the debate but from

reading about this I wouldn't be surprised if this was his strategy..'cause you know he has one.

[me b zola]

13. But more importantly it should be the strategy for those of us

who will be hit with that rw talking point. Obama could also use it to his benefit on the stump. :)

And yeah, Obama is amazing. The man with the plan.

[Cha]

16. Yes, thank you,

me b zola..much food for thought:) grasshopper.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

14. He's smarter than the average bear . . . . .

[moonlady0623]

11. Communication tool

this pattern is taught to improve communications. First say something in agreement, something positive about the other person, then bring up the problem. In my opinion it takes a great deal of self control to master - so I admire it.

[me b zola]

17. And this is how Obama surrogates should respond to the rw talking point

Further evidence that Obama is the leader that we must elect as our next president.

[rebel with a cause]

25. It is also taught as a way to talk to children with behavior problems.

I wasn't going to say it until I saw your comment and couldn't resist. Honestly it is, you tell them something they have done right and then go into what they are doing wrong/need to work on.

[mckara]

15. Obama Has Leadership Skills

Our nation will benefit from his ability to build relationships with friends and adversaries.

[me b zola]

21. Exactly. Enough of the brinkmanship.

Strengthen/re-establish our relationships with friends, quit throwing fuel on the fires that are burning under our adversaries.

[Starlight]

35. Obama is a born diplomat.

[gravity]

18. I can't believe that this is their talking point

It is ridiculous

[BrotherBuzz]

19. Huzzah!

Freaky, I was reading your magical words when my wife started saying just about the same thing. Cosmic!

[me b zola]

23. It's great when those cosmic DU moments happen

...and they happen more often then get talked about. Good energy, good people, great results. :toast:

[grantcart]

20. by agreeing with him he contrasted the styles

[rebel with a cause]

22. KO and Rachel said that by agreeing with him he showed

he could be bipartison, while mccain with his angry I'm not looking at you might say he was bipartison did not show it. Instead mccain was disrespectful and angry.

[bdamomma]

24. If you remember the primary debates he used to say I agree

with Joe, or John, that is just the way the guy is. Very diplomatic just what I want to see in a President.

[me b zola]

29. It's like he's transporting us back to the days when we had real leaders

Back before the bad guys killed the Kennedys. Back when we knew who we were.

[seabeyond]

26. exactly. hubby and i didnt see a problem at all, until people started bitching about it

i agree john, a president has to be prudent BUT.....

i often use that form of debate and gets me far. and better received

[depakid]

27. Well that was clever spin

though objectively quite wrong.

Repeatedly valdating your opponent and your opponents position is a foolish tactic- and Obama is very fortunate it didn't come back to bite him any more than it did (we'll see what if any bounce McCain gets in the key rust belt states)

I don't think we'll see much more of that behavior next go around.

[yowzayowzayowza]

30. A less complimentary formulation would have been ...

useful is several instances, ie "Such 'n such is true, but...." rather than "John is correct, but...." Twuz said too often for my taste.

[Phx_Dem]

28. Exactly right. At least that was how I saw it as well.

He did it so regularly, it was clear early-on that it was a strategy and there was a method to his madness. It shows he can "agree to disagree" instead of using nasty snearing insults. It about changing how things are done in Washington by respectfully disagreeing instead of hating.

[afridemo]

31. He agreed a lot with his opponents during the primaries. nt

[me b zola]

33. Turned out okay for him, eh?

It's a sign of strength to be able to acknowledge when your opponent makes a valid point. A stark contrast with bush*.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. he agreed with Hillary alot too..it is just his debating style

[me b zola]

34. It is. But it also reveals a lot about him in the general election

...about what kind of leader he will be as president. Strength. Results. Me likey mucho mucho.

[silverojo]

36. This was a debate, not negotiations

When negotiating, you seek common ground. When debating, you define yourself as DIFFERENT from the opposition, so people know where you stand.

When you start quoting old 1970's TV shows, you're scraping the bottom of the barrel in an attempt to cover for a foot-in-mouth mistake.

[jmondine]

37. ....boot to the head!

Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

[Native]

38. a gentlemen's debate

that kept running through my mind every time Obama would do this. I also noticed that his points of agreement often preceded the barbs & stinging counterpoints.

[krkaufman]

39. And, more importantly, this technique opens the minds of those listening to the debate ...

... who might otherwise be opposed to anything you might say. By saying you agree with a certain point, they listen to what you're saying... allowing you to then slip-in contrasting information they might otherwise resist.

[bdamomma]

42. well a day after the debate and I still think John McCain

was a prick to Obama, not looking at him how disrespectful is that. I hope alot of people picked up on that body language of McCain. McCain was just plain out rude.

Obama did great.