Obama showed today how to effectively sink a swiftboat....

[scheming daemons]

THIS is how you address it. THIS is how you take hold of the high road and never let it go.


THIS is how you shine the light on the roaches of the right wing's 527s and make them scurry for cover.


People were afraid that Obama didn't have what it takes to "fight" the right-wing..... he showed that the best fighting isn't actually fighting at all.


America needs President Obama.... whether America is smart enough to realize this will decide whether America deserves it.

[Life Long Dem]

1. BigTime!!

[redstate_democrat]

2. I'm still speechless.

[NJSecularist]

3. Nobody can say whether or not Obama has effectively "sinked a swiftboat" yet

Let's wait until November to say that.

[uponit7771]

34. McCaint can't use Wright, his pastor issues are bigger and more devisive

[NJSecularist]

38. Hagee and Parsley are minor issues compared to Wright.

Hagee and Parsley are not McCain's pastor or spiritual advisor of 20 years...

[kwenu]

46. Catholics might not agree with you.

[NJSecularist]

49. I'm an agnostic.

I don't tilt either way. I simply say it like it is. Wright was Obama's pastor for 20 years. Hagee and Parsley haven't been McCain's pastor for 20 years.

[kwenu]

69. Right. You're agnostic. Doesn't change anything. Catholics might not agree with you.

[blm]

47. Well, the biggest difference so far is that newsmedia BROADCAST this speech AND is giving

it indepth discussion.

Kerry's counter to the swifts in his speech to the Firefighters Convention on Aug 19, 2004, was refused by the networks who had originally expected to carry that speech till Kerry directed the first part against the swifts and challenged Bush to stop hiding behind the swifts and publicly debate their services during Vietnam. Then they barely even reported the speech occurred.

But now the newsmedia isn't as frantic to protect the Bushboy now.

And the swifts should never have even been elevated to the level as an issue in the first place, as race has long been and is now.

The media elevated the swifts and Kerry HAD to counter them though he shouldn't have had to.

Obama was always going to HAVE to make this speech at some point, and this was a good point to do it.

[ClayZ]

4. Reminding us that we are all in the same boat!

K and R

[polichick]

5. Exactly! :)

[EFerrari]

6. So true. He reframed the entire discussion and in positive terms.

He deserves all the credit in the world for doing such a difficult thing.

[JuniperLea]

9. Or his media trainer deserves all the credit

One or the other;)

It's really too soon to tell, but he followed PR 101 for sure.

[EFerrari]

25. The trainer wasn't dealing with his relationships or his feelings

or the consequences to the campaign, though, just with a performance.

On the other hand, sometimes it's helpful to think of a moment like that as a performance. Helps you get through it. :)

[JuniperLea]

42. You're kidding, right?

I work with media trainers every day... Clinton has a staff of media trainers... Obama has a staff of media trainers... Bill Clinton had a staff of media trainers during his campaigns, and while in office... if you think any politician goes before the media without training, well, quite frankly, that is naive.

[EFerrari]

43. No and I have been a trainer myself.

There's stuff we can do and stuff we can't do. Believe me, I know the limits of what I can do.

lol

[JuniperLea]

53. Unless you've actually worked with the person in question...

You don't know the limits... not at all.

[EFerrari]

54. I disagree. Once you've worked with enough people

the limits present themselves very clearly and your job is to recognize them and work with them and in fact, use them whenever possible.

[JuniperLea]

64. Right, but that has nothing to do with being able to judge whether...

Obama's media training had any particular effect on any particular portion of his speech. No two speakers are exactly the same, some take direction very well and some need a lot of coaching. I don't know anything about Obama's innate abilities, and neither do you.

[EFerrari]

73. Well, not in the same way as when you work in the same room

with a person, for sure.

But there are things we can deduce or observe from his performances. Do you remember early on in the debates when he seemed to overthink everything? He took too long to answer, there was stammering, he used too many words. That kind of thing?

He seems to do better when he's moving -- even pacing back and forth. (Most people do, granted.) He's more natural, seems to access his sense of humor more easily. Did you notice he didn't smile at all behind that podium today?

There are lots of "notes" like that and taken together, they amount to about as much as I've ever had when I begin to work with someone.

The main thing that Obama has going for him is the way he has credibility with his audience. That's very difficult to teach or to acquire. There are people who just have to show up and people believe them or want to believe them. That's already a foot and a half more than most performers have going for them.

[JuniperLea]

79. I couldn't disagree more

I've seen some real assholes pull off beautiful speeches. I've seen the hesitation stop when the speaker was given a short non-verbal sign to stick to talking points. This could be a sign his trainers tried a different tact too.

The points you make could be his own, and they could be the result of very good training.

[EFerrari]

82. I'm not clear what you are disagreeing with.

Sure, if he has trainers, they could have helped him with the debate performances. That's their job.

Let's say, his good performances are the result of training.

You don't get these results without a gifted trainee.

And, being an asshole has nothing to do with being talented or not. In fact, it may be a minor requirement.

[JuniperLea]

85. I'm just saying I've seen too much...

And I'm fairly jaded, and rather cynical to get all giddy or all aglow over any political candidates speeches. The curtain has been drawn and the wizard's ass is showing.

[EFerrari]

90. Oh, tell me. I was married to a wiz for 12 years.

(Okay, that's not fair but it make me chuckle.)

That I can agree with. People like good performances.

[JuniperLea]

110. Made me chuckle too...

Yes, they certainly do. And they get what they want... politics ala American Idol... all the way around.

[saracat]

7. BS. He stood by a racist and America will remember.

[scheming daemons]

11. You need some quiet time alone to examine your soul.......

....

Obama won the election today. I'm sorry that hurts you so much - not snarkily, either. You need to examine why it is that you hate this man so much.... what your internal motivation is.

[saracat]

67. Perhaps you need to examine why you think he "won" and what it really says about you.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

118. You're one, what am I?

What are you? Twelve?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

12. Actually, I thought what he did was rather clever...

...in a love the sinner, hate the sin sort of way, pointing out that his own grandmother had also been a racist, and pointing out that he didn't think Ferraro's remarks were cause for any great gnashing of teeth.

[cali]

14. baloney and your pathetic wishful thinking.

Wright's comments are not racist though I find some of them offensive, and odds are very good that he defused the wright issue today. tough shit for you that your second choice is going down the same way St Johny did. And not for long will you be able to make your nasty comments.

[JuniperLea]

52. Well, you won't be able to make nasty comments either...

So neener neener...

Sheesh...


:eyes:

[saracat]

70. Odd. Your hatred of Edwards colors all your defense of Obama. Wonder why that is?

[JuniperLea]

88. Touche!

Very good~!

[ClericJohnPreston]

106. Oh look...it's Cali

How is that food obsession, cupcake? Or is that kumquat? Saint Johnny, you say? Well, at least you got that right. Speaking of right, how about that right-wing of the Democratic Party, you know, the pathetically indifferent to the fact that Obama's policies reek of moderation everywhere you turn. That would be fine, but coming off 8 years of Conservoscum, a DRASTIC left turn is needed. Guess we'll have to wait a few more years for that, huh.

Much problems with syntax, huh? I don't think saracat will be have to be muted in the not too distant future. As a futurist, I don't think I've been wrong much recently. By the way, her comments aren't "nasty". Thats your providence Cali. Mine is to answer for my friends.

Later, muffin.

[buff2]

19. Wait until they put side by side

the clip of him saying he never heard his pastor speak that way......it must have been when he was not there. Then today,he ADMITS he heard the racist rants and he ADMITS he was sitting there in the pews. WHY DIDN'T HE GET UP AND LEAVE if he's so concerned about racism? LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE.The repukes will hold field day on this.

[CJCRANE]

26. He didn't admit he heard those specific rants.

He admitted he had occasionally heard controversial comments from his pastor over nearly 20 years but not the ones that the media are concentrating on.

[buff2]

33. That won't work

We are not stupid.It is what it is. Period.

[high density]

51. Clinton supporters who are going down this guilt by association road are short sighted

That is all

[JuniperLea]

68. What about non- Clinton supporters who feel the same way? eom

[NDambi]

29. Bitter much?

[buff2]

35. Yep!

I don't like BO's flip-flops.

[NMMatt]

95. Of course that will appear petty in the face of this speech

Which is the point. They had the rhetorical upper ground until today. Parsing what he knew and when about Wright is not going to work. They are going to have to address the premise of the speech now (that an honest and frank discussion of race is what all sides need), or appear to be divisive in the face of a call for unity and openness.

Your (and the Republicans) only hope is that this speech misses the majority of Americans - that the format (and legnth) doesn't make for easy enough sound bites. He put his cards down on the intelligence and grace of the American people (as has been the whole premise of his campaign). You along with the Right Wing continue with a cynical disregard for America - assuming that the sound bite and YouTube video are the ONLY viable medium for an ignorant public. Thus far, despite the expectations and odds, betting on "our better angels" has proven to be a boon for Obama - as I expect it to continue to be.

But you can always hope that the Right Wingers win.

[Botany]

21. I hope you find peace

Obama's speech was a once in lifetime show that will be part
of our country's if not the world's history.

[DearAbby]

24. I feel badly for you...

to continue to clutch onto that, we can walk together to make this country a better place. Or we can continue to clutch onto the old divisive ways. I want to look forward. Don't terry to long Sara, I don't want you left behind.

[NDambi]

27. Bitter Much?

[DemGa]

28. It's funny that Obamas feel a politically motivated speech will make them forget -- NT

[DemGa]

30. Dupe

[Hepburn]

39. This is really hard for me to do.

I used to really admire you and read your posts whenever I saw them. I thought of you as one of the better posters and people on the DU. But not now.

IMO, you really need to re-examine your values. They suck at the present time. When you are over what the hell ever turned you into a real schmuck, then it is time for you to come off IGNORE. I miss the person you used to be before you got Hillaryized. I hope that person comes back.

JMHO

[Lerkfish]

61. oops, you maxed the meter

[woolldog]

104. saracat, did you hear that noise just now?

That was the sound of history passing you by.

[saracat]

8. Deletee Dupe

[DinahMoeHum]

10. Let's see McCain do the same thing re pastor John Hagee.

<crickets>

[eleny]

13. It's humorous how the people who demanded he respond now complain about the response

I agree with your assessment. He has what it takes to fight albeit in an even tempered way that we've come to expect of Obama. Very nice and refreshing.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

60. Kinda sad really.

[eleny]

66. You're right, of course

But I have to admit that I watched a clip of Rush L. on MSNBC. He was writhing in his chair trying so hard to put a negative spin on the speech. He looked and sounded ridiculous and he made me laugh - at least for a moment.

[beachmom]

15. Hopefully. I think right now we are testing the theories borne out of the 2004 election.

I really hope that Obama's response does the trick. But this is a test case, and we won't know if it worked until the Denver convention and the general election.

[jlake]

16. BS. He proved he has no scruples by continuing to stand by an America hating racist.

[scheming daemons]

22. jlake... just change your Hillary icon to a McCain one... that's where you're headed anyway.....

...

I know today is a hurtful day for you. Most of America is realizing that they saw their next President today...

[jlake]

23. I'm sorry, but if you think Obama will be elected president you are either

in deep denial or very unwell.

[Life Long Dem]

40. 'My friend" "my friend" where is my teleprompter!!

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[NDambi]

31. Sorry, Lakey...he hit it out the park. Hard pill to swallow, I know, but you'll be okay

[jlake]

36. Meh I'm not worried what some on DU think.... Here in PA

people aren't buying it.... look for a 35 point blowout landslide for Hillary... it's all over for Obama.

[NDambi]

44. Hill needs a miracle...and she ain't no saint..so don't expect no rescue..and she need need more

than PA--she needs a divine intervention and an exorcism..and she ain't gonna get either of of those either. PA is not the end of the race Lakey...your girl is so done you can stick a straw in her!!!

SLURP!!!

[jlake]

48. If she doesn't win this time, she'll be elected in 2012

[NDambi]

50. Okay...you hold on to that because no way she wins now..and IMHO then either..she's not the one.

[4_Legs_Good]

71. Good luck with that 35% blow out!

But it really doesn't matter.

Still, enjoy it while you have it, seriously! She'll have a big night and you can all :party:! But the :party: will be short lived, I'm afraid.

Still, it's good to go out on a high note!

David

[Kahuna]

105. HELLO!!!! PA isn't the center of the universe, and he doesn't need it to

win the nomination. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

[jlake]

108. It's all about the delegates.

[buff2]

41. It's perfectly OK to hate America

and to hate white America. No wonder BO's supporters are so giddy. :eyes:

[NDambi]

45. I'm black and I certainly don't hate white America...got white folk in my family and in my

friendship circle.

That must really disappoint you.

[NorthernSpy]

58. you think you can't love something and be angry with it?

You must not have a family.

[Forkboy]

63. For a guy who doesn't have time to back up your up charges the other night...

...you sure do post a lot today.

Why don't you just admit you have nothing so we can move on...because I promise you that I WILL keep reminding you until you do one or the other. Post the links or admit you have nothing. I would think you'd be thrilled to have an opportunity to put me in my place, and this is the PERFECT chance for you to do it.

[jlake]

84. I will post it - keep on reminding me, but I may not answer you again until

I make the post....I'm out of them until tomorrow, so your harping isn't really helping.

[Forkboy]

91. You could help yourself and not look like a liar.

I'm giving you the perfect chance to back up a charge YOU made, which for two days now you've run like a frightened rabbit from doing. YOUR harping is what got you into this spot. And whether you respond or not, I'll still remind you, and I'll keep reminding others of how you and the truth have a distant relationship.

[jlake]

92. I made the charge yesterday.... that is 1 day......

[Forkboy]

94. OOOOOO...you got me there!

And how come you have the time to keep responding but not backing yourself up? You're so transparent. :rofl:

[reflection]

119. That's a lie!

I have NEVER seem Obama cavorting with the likes of Geraldine Ferraro.

[jlake]

120. No, he hangs with the likes of Lieberman and McClurkin.

[Jensen]

17. Driving home from work I was wondering the same thing.....

Is America smart enough to elect a President smart enough to lead US ??? For me is Barack Obama, no questions, no regrets! GOBAMA 08

[DearAbby]

18. Standing ovation

:applause:

[PlanetBev]

20. Nail meet head, Daemons

What was so terrible about the Kerry Swiftboating four years ago was that Team Kerry knew this nightmare was coming down the pike. When it hit, Kerry listened to his handlers and sat on his thumb, hoping it would go away. We all know how that worked out.

Sure, Obama might have made a mistake by not neutralizing this a year ago, but he charged forward when fired on, meeting the enemy head on. Reminds me of a famous Harry Truman quote, "Always bring the fight to them and don't apologize for anything."

[Ian_rd]

32. You said it. No more FUCKING RUNNING AND HIDING! GOBAMA!

nt

[backscatter712]

37. One swiftboat, torpedoed!

Rove's running for the lifeboat!

[stillcool]

55. This entire campaign...

has shown why we need President Obama.

[Bullet1987]

59. Is Obama vetted now? LOL....

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

56. Obama gave a clinic on how to rebut RW Swiftboat tactics. He made me proud to be a supporter.

[NJmaverick]

57. Obama is a great man, who will be a great president

IT is as simple as that

[grace0418]

62. That is the way Kerry should've responded to his swiftboating.

Thank goodness Obama has stepped up.

[4_Legs_Good]

72. Yup. Except Kerry lacked charisma

and his speeches were never very moving.

He was a fine debater, though. I wish he could have better countered the swiftboaters, but maybe he just didn't have it in him.

Obama, clearly, does.

David

[politicasista]

89. Kerry isn't running this time, and...

He has been a strong surrogate for Obama.


I am a fellow Obama supporter, and I for one appreciate the hard work of Senator Kerry and others are doing to help Obama. He will need them and us to help him spread the truth, destroy, refute every lie, smear the GOP hatemongers throw at him.

We need him, but he will need US.

[4_Legs_Good]

65. Very well said

And I agree wholeheartedly.

Take a stupid manufactured controversy and turn it on it's head.

Bye-bye Rovian relevance.

David

[DerekJ]

74. kick

[knixphan]

75. Also, Kerry didn't have US.

WE THE PEOPLE will not allow swiftboating to work this time.

We will bot be cowardly craven little rodent weaklings, scurrying away when rightwing blowhards get loud at the water cooler and on the talk shows.

We will get loud right back, as an angry mob, and we will BACK our candidate!

He deserves that.

We are the change here.

[politicasista]

80. Bingo! n/t

[depakid]

76. You're naive if you think that all he has to do is give a speech

It's a first step in the right direction- damage control- but there's a whole lot more to be done if you want to win. or even tackle this one issue.

[rucky]

87. This is a speech that'll be referred to again and again

it addresses everything, and much more. He's on record now, which were my expectations going in, but the speech exceeded expectations. The message will sink in for enough people by the time the 527's take hold.

[depakid]

97. It'll be referred to, that's for sure

and spun up, down and sideways.

It was a pretty fair speech- yet it's too early to know how it's going to play out in the give and take -and how he'll respond when the issue comes up in interviews.

Another thing for sure -we should all be thankful that he had to make that speech now, rather than in September.

[meow mix]

114. get ready for more!!

woot

[meow mix]

77. K&R

[mzmolly]

78. Absolutely!

THIS was a defnining moment, he has proven that he can "overcome" - politically speaking. ;)

[Rosa Luxemburg]

81. The GOP and their Hillary's Swiftboat repair yard will be working overtime

how are they going to put the Swiftboats back together when they are being shot to pieces by Obama?

[knixphan]

83. rightwingnuts need ignorance in order to thrive

Ignorance and fear are oxygen for them.

Barack deprives them of their precious resource every time he drops truthiness on us.

[cooolandrew]

86. America has learned a lot since 2004. I notice it on voice chat I am optimistic.

[jefferson_dem]

93. Silly Swift Boats don't work on a "Jedi Master"

From Rich Lowry of righwing NRO blog ---

***

I've been caught up in the fervor of the last few days of this Wright/Obama controversy and definitely thought the 'toast' analysis was right on the money.

But darned if I don't see him beautifully executing jedi mind tricks – “These are not the droids you're looking for" - as this speech is delivered.

And the crazy thing is, it's working on me!!

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MmM5OWE2NjQ4OWFkZjJlNGI0ZmZiYTMzNWI5ODEzODc=

***

[Uncle Joe]

96. I believe Obama does have one advantage.

The Internet has continually grown in power and influence and as such I believe has contributed to a better understanding of prior corporate media malfeasance with the American People in general. This makes it easier to put pressure on the corporate media to at least behave in a somewhat more responsible and professional manner.

This is not to say the fight is over by any stretch regarding the sheer brain washing power of the traditional one way mega phone style corporate media, but I believe Obama; whom I'm leaning toward has an advantage in this regard.

I also believe this was the primary reason the corporate media slandered, libeled and trashed Al Gore; the primary political champion for opening the Internet to the American People for so long, while giving Bush a free pass to the White House. They saw the writing on the wall regarding the Internet's long term effect on their own waning power, influence and loss of money that goes with that dynamic. I don't believe it was a coincidence that Bush started his warrant less wiretapping shortly after coming to power and before 9/11. I believe he was aiming at neutralizing the growing political people power of the Internet and at least some in the corporate media were aware of this, while they knew Al Gore would do no such thing.

[DeadElephant_ORG]

98. Absolutely. Imagine what Kerry could have done if he had understood this...

[IsItJustMe]

99. K&R

[Megahurtz]

100. Kick.

[Tribetime]

101. turned it around 180 degrees

I think any continuation of this by 527's will now backfire

[apocalypsehow]

102. Exactly right - your post is spot-on. K & R.

n/t.

[NorthernSpy]

103. they were expecting him to cringe and disassociate and do damage control...

You know: what we usually do.


Instead, he called their bluff by stepping forward and taking charge of the conversation. He gave them something far more forthright than what they had been expecting, and now they can't chase him, because he ain't running. He's standing tall, and they're milling about confused. He looks earnest, and they look small.


If only Kerry could have done something like this, instead of trusting people to be smart enough to figure it out for themselves -- until it was too late.

[Auntie Bush]

107. Congratulations!

You are the first person to say something positive about this situation and blame the Clintons. Glad to see you realize it was the Right Wing. I'm also glad to see he can fight back as he might be our nominee. I certainly don't want him to be like Kerry. I want a fighter!...like Hillary! That's good for us Dems. That's what we NEED to do if we want to beat the sh** out of the Thugs and McCain.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

109. "whether America is smart enough to realize this will decide whether America deserves it."

Amen, we shall see if American is worthy of someone as honest and forthright as Barack.

[scheming daemons]

111. self-kick

[meow mix]

112. K&R

[Tatiana]

113. TAKE THEM DIRECTLY ON! K&R. n/t

[mhatrw]

115. Whatever.

The Rev was right. The cock is crowing.

[Perry Logan]

116. Deleted.

[Magleetis]

117. Agreed

He has what it takes to take on the morans. He is simply smarter.

[boston bean]

121. He sunk his career, he didn't save it. nt