Wednesday, September 10, 2008

GET SOME ORDINARY PRO-OBAMA PEOPLE OUT THERE

I've read Obama's response to the lipstick uproar and it seems fine* -- but it's not going to be enough all by itself to offset the gazillion print, online, and broadcast words and images that have been devoted to pummeling Obama with this phony crap.

I think he can't do this alone -- and no, I don't think he can count on Hillary Clinton, who looks more and more as if she thinks she's done enough and isn't going to lift a finger to really help get him elected.

I'll go back to the woman I quoted in a post last night:

JoAnn Vicars, a retired Bristol police employee, thought Obama's remark was great: "Loved it!" She and several friends scoffed at the idea that Obama was talking about Palin.

"That's the way we talk, buddy," Vicars said, in a raspy local accent.


Put her in an ad. Put her friends in it, too. If not them, some other ordinary voters.

Have them say something like this:

So John McCain is trying to tell you that Barack Obama was talking about the governor of Alaska when he said "lipstick on a pig"? Give me a break! I was there -- I knew just what he meant. He was talking about McCain's policies, which are just the same old Bush policies. McCain's campaign advisers didn't like the choice of words? Hey, that's how people talk!

And Governor Palin? Relax. Let me give you a word of advice: Everything isn't about
you.

****

By the way, I'm baffled by those who say Obama should just ignore this. Really? If nothing else, don't you realize that this is an obvious table-setter for Charlie Gibson's Palin interview on ABC? You know he'll ask her about it. And you know she'll say she thinks it was about her and she was hurt by it, which will be a baldfaced lie. (I'm sure her reaction was more like "Boo-ya! We can pound him on this for days!")

****

One more suggestion. Joe Biden. Five words:

Shame on you, John McCain.

The longtime colleague should call McCain on his dishonorable campaign right now, when it's at unprecedented depths of shamelessness.

****

*UPDATE: It's better than fine -- it's very strong and forceful. This is Obama in excellent form -- watch.

He needs backup, dammit -- where the hell is the rest of the party? -- but he's doing what he can.

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