MyDD :: The name of the game is likability

The name of the game is likability

by thezzyzx, Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:35:46 AM EST

This was a perfect first night of the convention. Remember the only plan the right has is to demonize Barack and Michelle. Not only did Michelle give an incredible speech, but the moment at the end where Barack showed up on the video screen and his kid grabbed the mic and started talking... well the Republicans' jobs just became 100 times more difficult. People are just starting to tune in now and that was an amazing first impression.

No, they didn't attack the Republicans tonight but that will come. It's a build. Night one is an introduction, nights 2-3 will be the attack, and hopefully Barack will be on on Thursday. These are the Obamas that I was excited by a few months ago. If this keeps up for a few more days, he will get that convention bounce.

Remember that the battle of most elections is likability. Conservatives won't be swayed, but it'll go a long way towards firming up liberals and winning the people who are just tuning in now. Moreover, it was such a cute and spontaneous moment that it makes great television. There's no way that we don't see that clip over the next few days. It's not everything, but it's a start.

Tags: Michelle Obama, convention (all tags)

Permalink :: 10 Comments :: Post a Comment

Nailed it! (none / 0)

by IowaMike on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:51:26 AM EST

Re: Nailed it! (2.00 / 1)

i definitely enjoy your brain

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. -Plato

by selfevident on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:02:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Nailed it! (2.00 / 2)

zombie?....;)

by IowaMike on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:27:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Nailed it! (none / 0)

I cant find it anywhere but do you know about Obamas zombie control plans?

Because I wont trade humanity for patriotism!

by Drewid on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:45:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The name of the game is likability (2.00 / 1)

Well, the media is locked into the meme...

"A night won't go by at the Republican convention without them ripping Obama..."

Yes, and you assholes will love it.

Because, you have nothing else?

Yes, we wanted terminally ill Teddy going at McCain...

Michelle ripping into Cindy!

Christ, watch these assholes pontificate how TOUGH the Republics are, when they spend 4 days sliming Obama?

They will have NOTHING to say about policy except terror terror Fake Patrotism and lets be scared of Gays...

But, they SURE ARE TOUGH!!!!!!!

On Nov 4th, we elected "the smart guy" and the world celebrated!

by WashStateBlue on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 12:53:59 AM EST

Re: The name of the game is likability (none / 0)

What they forget is that to win you need two messages - why should I vote for you and why is your opponent wrong. In 2004 we ignored the second part. This year I'm fully confident that we'll have balance.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

by thezzyzx on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:07:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The name of the game is likability (none / 0)

The irony is that they are running a storyline straight out of the Mark Penn stylebook, which is to say, they're fitting Barack's story (and Michelle's too, I guess) squarely within the mainstream Norman Rockwell all-American narrative.

Not that I disagree that this is an important task. Something that's struck me in talking to random people is that, as much as I like Barack Obama and find his personality and sense of humor completely accessible, a lot of folks just haven't been getting that vibe. I don't quite understand it, but I guess the lesson is that they have to get him down off that pedestal and humanize him a bit. I was already there, but I'm not the target audience.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 01:07:05 AM EST

Re: The name of the game is likability (none / 0)

No, they didn't attack the Republicans tonight but that will come.

there was some good digs thrown at the republicans in Nancy Pelosi's speech [see: McCain is WRONG! part of the speech] and then Republican Jim Leach's speech went after McCain's continuance of Bush's failed policies. They weren't huge or anything but there was definetly some subtle and classy digs thrown out tonight. Tomorrow I really expect to see some smackdowns.

by alyssa chaos on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 03:53:17 AM EST

Re: The name of the game is likability (none / 0)

Everyone in the media did an outstanding job ignoring the fact that the Jim Leach speech actually happened. It was a good speech detailing who he was and why, as a Republican, he was supporting Barack Obama as President.

The only reason I know that speech happened is because I was watching the C-SPAN version of the convention when he got on.

Flipping through the channels, no one else covered it, or mentioned it in the slightest. Not Fox, or CNN, or MSNBC or anyone that was supposedly bringing live coverage from Denver. The official media meme is "all Republicans are coming home to John McCain, whether they like him or not" and "OMG, the Democrats are horribly divided!!1!". Oh, and the Democrats are week because they haven't devoted every second of airtime in Denver to demonizing McCain.

That was an elected Republican official who spoke yesterday, yet all we heard about yesterday from the "liberal" media was some lady who had her ticket to Denver reimbursed by the RNC. Let's see if that happens next week with Lieberman.

by hello world on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 08:22:58 AM EST
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Re: The name of the game is likability (none / 0)

wow. not even a peep? [i was watching cspan too] thats fucking lame.

by alyssa chaos on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 10:26:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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