Would the real Obama please step forward?
I have been checking the reactions to the debates on all the partisan blogs and it really is astounding how one-sided the commentary is on both sides. I saw a poll – which I can’t find again 🙁 – saying 95ish% of democrats and republicans claimed that ‘my candidate won the debate’.
I wonder if the problem is group think? You are in a crowd watching your guy when someone shouts ‘Hell yeah!’ and you are like ‘hell yeah!’ and ‘that’s bullshit!’ and then you watch the remainder of the debate through partisan-tinted glasses.
Over at The Corner, they seemed to be watching an American Super Hero take on a North Korean Fifth Grader in a wrestling match. They certainly weren’t watching the same debate as me. Except one guy…
I have been hanging out at the corner for a few weeks now and they really are an odious bunch. They are allegedly the cream of the conservative intellectual movement but – with two shining exceptions – you’d never guess it to read them. The worst of the whole bunch is Jay Nordlinger who is from the Why do liberals hate America school of conservative thinking.
So I was mightily surprised to read his debate summary which had gems like these
35. If I were an ordinary American who didn’t know anything, I’d say, “Hmm, Obama sounds okay; a moderate fellow. And don’t we need a change? Bodes ill.”
39. Amazing to have Obama, a left-wing Democrat, denounce tremendous spending and an orgy of spending. He’s a very good campaigner, sadly.
43. Obama said, “General Petraeus has done a brilliant job” will that sit well with the General Betray Us people? But I imagine they’ll sit still for anything in a general election, just to get Obama in.
and his conclusion…
70. I think many people will take away the following impression: They would both make a good president. They’re both solid, centrist, centered, informed, capable. But if I want a change, and Lord knows this country needs a change, I should vote for the Democrat.
It was almost as if he had convinced himself that the conservative talking points about liberals were true and – for the first time ever – he was hearing a real liberal speak. What? They don’t hate the troops? I thought that liberals were all tax and spend !! Why does he want to kill Bin Laden when everyone knows the democrats love terrorists!
I wonder if this…
As is my custom, I’m writing my comments without hearing any other commentary. I am unaffected by other opinions.
…made any difference?
Apparently many of his readers were shocked too.
Many, many readers have written that my quick points on the debate depressed them why did they have to be taken down, after being so up after McCain’s impressive performance? No one need be depressed: McCain did very well. He held up our end, as I said at the bottom of my notes. Of course, he has the advantage of the better positions.
But Obama’s more like a pro — more like a professional debater — than a politician who happens to do all right in such settings. Not that that is necessarily the most effective thing, politically: There is such a thing as being too smooth.
And his rationale – when he is finally exposed to liberal policies instead of conservative talking points about liberal policies?
Obama is pretending!
What’s depressing, to a person like me, is that Obama has mastered the trick of coming off as perfectly moderate…
Wait until he finds out that we really DO love the terrorists and we want to tax the middle class and give the money to crack whores and we really DO want the government controlling your doctors! Mwuhahaha!