G.O.P. Now Sees Obama as Liability for Ticket

[onehandle]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama is starring in a growing number of campaign commercials, but the latest batch is being underwritten by Republicans. In a sign that the racial, class and values issues simmering in the presidential campaign could spread into the larger political arena, Republican groups are turning recent bumps in Mr. Obama’s road — notably his comment that small-town Americans “cling” to guns and religion out of bitterness and a fiery speech by his former minister in which he condemned the United States — into attacks against Democrats down the ticket.

Republicans say the new focus on Mr. Obama reflects their view that he remains the more likely Democratic presidential nominee since he continues to lead Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in convention delegates. It also shows that Republicans, who have for months characterized Mrs. Clinton as the contender who would most energize Republican voters, now see vulnerabilities in Mr. Obama that could be liabilities for other Democrats on the ballot.

“There were times when Republicans reacted with just horror that he would lead the ticket,” said Stuart Rothenberg, a nonpartisan political analyst. “Now there is not the sense of him being invulnerable, the magic bullet. I think there has been a major change.”

The growing Republican emphasis on Mr. Obama could also help Mrs. Clinton plead her case that she is more electable, bolstering her argument to superdelegates that Republicans are poised to pounce on her relatively untested opponent. Her advisers have been frustrated that some top Democrats rate Mrs. Clinton a greater liability for the party’s candidates in conservative parts of the country — a view still held by some strategists — even though she has shown a capacity to withstand Republican attacks.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/us/politics/26ticket.html

[sellitman]

1. Translation: They are scared shitless of him.

Good. They need to be.

He will rock their world.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Your right, they are scared shitless of him and thats why they have been pushing...

as hard as they can to make sure that it is Hillary as the nominee and not Obama and she and Bill have been right there with the Repubs. knocking Obama as well.

[Demeter]

26. And This Panic-Driven Move Will Backfire Big Time

This isn't Ronald Reagan's America, any more.

[grytpype]

4. Yep

This is just a disinformation campaign. They are still pulling for Hillary to be the nominee!

[ckramer]

12. totally agree

Go Obama!

[Faygo Kid]

13. Exactly. Not a peep about Hillary.

They desperately want to stop Barack.

[caledesi]

15. I agree! NT

[Frank Cannon]

21. Completely agree, and what's more, it's obvious (n/t)

[BigDaddy44]

29. I don't think so

When Obama got only 25% of the vote in some of the white, working class enclaves of PA......that says something. How many of those votes is he going to pick up against McCain?

[bemildred]

2. We always knew this was going to be a very dirty election. nt

[blue sky at night]

5. the growing dumb ass electorate....

had better do some real homework to discover the vulnerabilities of the Freaking Republicans up and down their ticket. This whole idea that somehow ANYTHING the Democrats have done in anyway compares to the horrible things the Republicans have done to us over the last Seven Years Plus is utter nonsense. Obama goes to church, Bushco kills people, lots of people.

[nolabels]

8. Best thing to do when you don't like the reality that you see?

Ignore reality and then have the make believe thing of making it up as you go as your best companion. $4+ a gallon gas and milk with inflation, unemployment, financial markets in meltdown mode. Unbelievable rampant criminal type behavior littered throughout the federal bureaucracy and on an on.

My estimation is that they will run out make believe much too early for their own good :evilgrin:

[Rose Siding]

6. Right. He's such a "liability" that they have to "help" dems by attacking him now

[joeybee12]

7. Interesting...what some of here have been saying...and what others

have been dismissing outright to the party's peril come November.

[pinkpops]

9. What kind of bizarre world is it where you let your opponents pick your candidate?

[truthisfreedom]

11. That's exactly what McCain is trying to do... Let Hamas pick our candidates.

McCain wants Hamas to decide this election... and he's all for giving them their voice.

[NJmaverick]

10. HOW DOES THIS QUALIFY AS BREAKING NEWS?????

It's an OPINION piece.

[pinkpops]

14. Yes - It wasn't an op-ed but it does seem to have been planted in

the politics section as "news".

[cloudythescribbler]

16. Yes, just because it comes from a NEWSPAPER doesn't make it NEWS

Malcolm X once said that if you put a cat in the oven, and it gives birth to kittens, that doesn't make them biscuits

[blayne]

24. Did he say that?

He should have said if you put a cat in an oven, and it gives birth to kittens, that doesn't make it a good place to have kittens. I'm sure his context was quite different though.

[onehandle]

19. It's not an opinion piece.

Opinion pieces are from a single individual's point of view. This is reporting what many people are saying about the campaign.

And as another said, it's not in the op-ed section.

If you think this is an opinion piece then all news is simply opinion.

[NJmaverick]

20. One opinion or multiple opinions makes no difference

there is ZERO news content.

[lisa58]

17. NYT loves its Hillary

[seafan]

18. This is the actual meaning of the title: "G.O.P. Now Sees Obama as Liability for (GOP) Ticket"

That's what instantly flashed through my mind.


It's all about destroying Obama as a candidate. For their girl Hillary's benefit and for themselves.

It's also about dragons staying on top of their treasure, you know.



G.O.P. Now Sees Obama as Liability for Ticket

By CARL HULSE
April 26, 2008

WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama is starring in a growing number of campaign commercials, but the latest batch is being underwritten by Republicans.
In a sign that the racial, class and values issues simmering in the presidential campaign could spread into the larger political arena, Republican groups are turning recent bumps in Mr. Obama’s road — notably his comment that small-town Americans “cling” to guns and religion out of bitterness and a fiery speech by his former minister in which he condemned the United States — into attacks against Democrats down the ticket.

.....

Republicans say the new focus on Mr. Obama reflects their view that he remains the more likely Democratic presidential nominee since he continues to lead Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in convention delegates. It also shows that Republicans, who have for months characterized Mrs. Clinton as the contender who would most energize Republican voters, now see vulnerabilities in Mr. Obama that could be liabilities for other Democrats on the ballot.

“There were times when Republicans reacted with just horror that he would lead the ticket,” said Stuart Rothenberg, a nonpartisan political analyst. “Now there is not the sense of him being invulnerable, the magic bullet. I think there has been a major change.”

The growing Republican emphasis on Mr. Obama could also help Mrs. Clinton plead her case that she is more electable, bolstering her argument to superdelegates that Republicans are poised to pounce on her relatively untested opponent. Her advisers have been frustrated that some top Democrats rate Mrs. Clinton a greater liability for the party’s candidates in conservative parts of the country — a view still held by some strategists — even though she has shown a capacity to withstand Republican attacks.

.....

Mr. Obama was considered a crucial asset in a House election in Illinois earlier this year when his endorsement helped a Democrat, Bill Foster, gain the seat vacated by former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, a Republican. And for months Republicans have looked with dismay on Mr. Obama’s ability to draw new voters and on the force of his call for change.

.....

“Our presidential candidates are spending so much time firing at each other that we haven’t focused enough on the big differences between the Democrats and John McCain,” said Mr. Van Hollen, the House Democratic strategist. “We are going to make it very clear to voters that John McCain is George Bush all over again.”

This is a slow-motion GOP train wreck. Step back, everybody. The worst is yet to come.

[sellitman]

22. You win the prize.

They know they can't beat him.

Why is Rush having repiggies jump party to vote for her? Because of his love of everthing Clinton?

Hardly. He is scared of Obama too.

[SlingBlade]

23. Its Obvious who the GOP Fears, Obama

Its also curious that the GOP and Clinton camps use many of the same talking points. Hummmmm.

[santamargarita]

25. If these assholes steal the election again, they better fear us!

-

[remember2000forever]

32. They Need To Keep The November Election "CLOSE",

The elite powers who really run our government do not, at any cost, want a November presidential landslide. Then they couldn't steal the election again. Imagine that! The will of the people prevailing. That's why every one is piling up on Obama. His JFK persona have the Rovians SCARED!

[eringer]

27. Oh Yeah...Just wait for the Manchurian Candidate Ads to Air this Fall

Nobody will vote for McBush, except his rich wife.

[bushesass]

28. Sorry to bust your bubbles.

The repugs are going to have a field day with Obama. Nobody will even hear his message of change in the GE. They(repugs) have enough ammo(Wright,flag flap,hand over his heart bullshit,god and guns crap,his wife saying this is the only time she's been proud,Rezco,Ayers etc) to destroy Obama in the general election. Hillary is the one they are scared of and if you can't see that you are in denial. McCain never has to say a word becuse the 527s will make sure of that. repukes love to see what is happening in the primaries because Hillary is doing what they don't have to. Obama is damaged just look at the battleground states.

[rocktivity]

30. Candidate for this month's "You Call This NEWS?" award

Republicans say the new focus on Mr. Obama reflects their view that he remains the more likely Democratic presidential nominee since he continues to lead Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in convention delegates. It also shows that Republicans, who have for months characterized Mrs. Clinton as the contender who would most energize Republican voters, now see vulnerabilities in Mr. Obama that could be liabilities for other Democrats on the ballot.

TRANSLATION: "Republicans say the UNEXPECTED focus on Mr. Obama BY DEMOCRATIC VOTERS reflects their FEAR that he remains the more likely Democratic presidential nominee. It also shows that Republicans, who have for months characterized Mrs. Clinton as the contender who would BE EASIER TO DEFEAT, BUT EASIER TO CONTROL THROUGH HER DLC TIES IF SHE WINS ANYWAY, must now INVENT vulnerabilities in Mr. Obama that could be ASSETS for THE REPUBLICAN on the ballot."

You're welcome.

:headbang:
rocknation

[bemildred]

31. Gosh, when has the NYT ever lied to us before? nt

[leveymg]

33. "Mrs. Clinton a greater liability for the party’s candidates in conservative parts of the country"

Underline that. She mobilizes the Right-wing, and turns off more than half the Democratic base.

Hillary is the GOP choice.