PrintSeptember 12, 2008
Obama takes off the gloves - again
Even the mainstream media is noticing that this is the 4th or 5th time that Barack Obama has declared he is going to "fight back" against those mean, nasty Republicans.
The trouble is, as Allah points out at Hot Air, he may have socked himself in his own jaw - again.
Obama has come out with an ad that denigrates John McCain because the GOP candidate has said that he doesn't use email. Obama belittles this notion - despite the fact that Bill Clinton sent exactly two emails his entire time as president and more importantly, 20% of the country doesn't use emails at all either - mostly older people ... who vote.
Frankly, I thought the previous 15 or so times he "took off the gloves" were much more effective. As it is, over at TNR, John Judis can't hide his embarrassment. What's especially stupid about the spot is that it's a line of attack with a lot more downside than upside: No one outside of The One's core nutroots constituency is going to be offended at the thought of McCain relying on one of his thousand aides or secretaries to answer messages, but there may be some offense taken by the 20 percent of Americans who don't use e-mail themselves - many of whom are no doubt senior citizens.And senior citizens are known for high turnout, aren't they, Barry?
I can guarantee that this will not get the Obama campaign off the defensive and on to offense. Every single tack they try to alter the dynamic of the race has failed utterly and miserably. McCain is still rolling, still on the offensive against Obama while the Democrat sits on his pedestal wondering what is hitting him.
Is it a full blown meltdown or is it simply part of the ebb and flow of a political race? Many Democrats think that Obama is in serious trouble. When even the New York Times notices and publishes a piece on it, you know that the Obama camp is in serious jeapordy:
Mr. McCain's choice of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate and the resulting jolt of energy among Republican voters appear to have caught Mr. Obama and his advisers by surprise and added to concern among some Democrats that the Obama campaign was not pushing back hard enough against Republican attacks in a critical phase of the race.Some Democrats said Mr. Obama needed to move to seize control of the campaign and to block Mr. McCain from snatching away from him the message that he was the best hope to bring change to Washington.After back-to-back attack ads by Mr. McCain, including one that misleadingly accused Mr. Obama of endorsing sex education for kindergarten students, the Obama campaign is planning to sharpen attacks on Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin in an effort to counter Mr. McCain's attempt to present himself as the candidate of change with his choice of Ms. Palin.
It isn't just the Palin choice that has flummoxed the Obama campaign. It is a lack of foresight caused by their enormous, overweaning pride and arrogance in believing the election was virtually won. Overconfidence reached up and bit Obama square on the butt and he doesn't yet have an answer to how he is going to right the ship and get back in the race.
