Anatomy of the "Obama Tape" and why it won't work.

[RBInMaine]

First, this was five years ago and will be seen largely as "old news" that was in fact already covered and simply a desperate attempt to divert attention from Romney's far more damning video which is MUCH more recent. Next, it will be seen largely as "stuff we already went through over Reverend Wright" and most folks won't want to return to that VERY OLD issue which was beat to death way back then. Next, it debunks the idea that Obama is a "Muslim" since it shows him praising Jesus. Next, it will mainly only appeal to those who will already vote for MittTwit and hate Obama anyway. Next, it will only inflame African Americans to hate the Republicans more than they already do. The more the right wing does this crap, the more they reinforce their own negative image of a party that is all white, all angry, all fearful, and wants to divide via race. They do it all the time in code by attacking over "welfare" and "affirmative action" and so on.

All that said, how do we explain four things: 1) The comment about not caring as much about New Orleans which didn't get the matching funds waiver. 2) The comment about needing to focus on the inner cities and not the suburbs. 3) The shout out to Wright. 4) The accent.

Here are the explanations on each: 1) Put it in context. There was WIDESPREAD dismay and shock over New Orleans not getting more help and faster, not getting that waiver when others had, etc. Maybe he should have been a bit more careful with that, but if I had to respond it would be the deep sense of frustration and disappointment that so many people regardless of race had over that issue and just trying to understand why they weren't getting the same waiver and priority as other disasters given that this was so massive.
(* I wrote a LTE at the time in Maine about how Katrina put urban blight and the disparity between the "haves" and "have nots" right before our very eyes in a way that should be starkly shocking to every American and open our eyes to this American reality in a very serious way. This event was about as shocking as any disaster we have ever experienced nationally.)

2) Again, put it in context. He was specifically addressing long-neglected urban needs as amplified by Katrina. Again, yes, a bit sloppy and probably should have just said, "We must stop neglecting our inner cities. We need to invest in them once and for all." Even during the boom times of Clinton, Bill talked about how we still needed to focus on poor inner cities, Indian reservations, poor rural areas, etc.

3) The Wright matter is DEAD AND BURIED. It was beaten to death four years ago. You don't respond to it. Ancient history. People don't want to go back there. It just shows that the Republicans only think BACKWARDS and hurts THEM more than it helps.

4) While Obama always has the inflection (I hear it all the time on his word endings regardless of audience), yes, here it is more pronounced. Well, shit, we often adjust our tones and vernaculars to the audience we are in front of to better connect with them. Remember when Hillary did it campaigning in the South. Bill's accent would come out a bit more in the South. Even the MittTwit tried to use some Southern vernacular but of course made a mess of it. Yes, Obama did amplify his inflection to connect to the audience, but again, you must consider the CONTEXT. People do that all the time. When I canvass and speak to voters, I get into their world and their manner all the time. I don't canvass a banker the same way I might canvass a construction worker or lobster fisherman. They come from very different socioeconomic worlds. We ALL do this. Not that big a deal.

Finally, if they listen to the ENTIRE tape they get mostly another inspiring speech about how we need to help urban America by "taking the bullet out." THAT was good stuff.

[RBInMaine]

1. So whadda ya'll think. Is the Obama Tape already sunk?