AOL Hot Seat Poll: Does getting personal help Obama?
posted at 7:11 am on September 13, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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I wrote this poll question for AOL early on Friday, after news of Barack Obama’s pledge to get personal in the election first got reported on MS-NBC and in the New York Times. Shortly afterwards, his new hard-hitting ad got released that argued that national security hinged critically not on a President’s military background or obvious expertise in military and foreign affairs, but on his ability to send an e-mail. By the time AOL had an opportunity to post the question, though, we found out that Obama can send an e-mail, but apparently can’t conduct a rudimentary Google or Lexis-Nexis search.
Does going personal help Obama anyway? In the linked post for this question, I argue that the more he gets pushed away from his New Politics preaching, the more Obama diminishes himself — and removes what was thought to be special about his candidacy. At one point, he said that a fresh approach to politics trumped experience, but I think Obama is learning a new lesson the last couple of weeks.
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The more personal and nasty they get, the better it is for McCain. I hope he, Daily Kos and the rest of the MSM keep it up.
GoodBoy on September 13, 2008 at 7:18 AM
I hope McCain, as others have suggested, doesn’t spend time, money and effort responding to these ads. Tout the message.
Tom
marinetbryant on September 13, 2008 at 7:24 AM
yes it hurts him. as the days go on, the more Obama’s campaign looks like he’s running for Class President than POTUS. he looks immature, ill-prepared, and like a whiny b….
bloghooligan on September 13, 2008 at 7:26 AM
Today is a perfect time for Obama’s own Sister Soulja moment. He could order that computer ad pulled, apologize directly for having placed it.
Considering how foolish and hateful it makes him seem and how much it distracts from the message in the second half it was a tactical mistake as well as a strategic mistake.
Reclaim the mantle of change and ‘new politics’ and only put ads on that proclaim what he will do. If he does it now he may be early enough to make McCains ads look petty if Obama never responds with anything but positive, “I will,” messages.
He would be locked in though — no replies at all.
That would be as bold a move as Palin was for McCain — for that reason he wont do it. He can’t face the screaming of the left and media.
The flailing is really beginning to show.
David
LifeTrek on September 13, 2008 at 7:29 AM
I’m not sure where he is playing any personal attack ads on McCain, because the only ones I have seen from him here in Southeast Michigan (Detroit area) are three that point out that McCain is going to be the same as President Bush. There is one where they have the quote from McCain where McCain states he has voted with President Bush 90% of the time, more than his Republican colleagues. There is another one where they compare McCain unfavorably to President Bush. And one I saw last night where it is just Barack Obama speaking and he focuses on the “Change” theme and goes after McCain for pretending to be for change, when he really is not. That commercial ends with Obama saying something like “we need change to be more than just a slogan”.
Other that the McCain=Bush themed ads, I haven’t seen any other ones here in SE Michigan. But maybe he bought time during the football games this weekend. We’ll see.
As far as getting personal, it will probably help pacify his base, which is probably pissed to see Palinmania succeed so much in the polling, but I don’t see how it will help him with Independent-registered voters.
Michael in MI on September 13, 2008 at 7:30 AM
I think it helps McCain/Palin – and I also think it’s time for the M/P ticket to stop focusing on O/B in their ads and start focusing on selling their vision to the people. The tide has turned and they need to get out there and let people know why they should be elected. And stop talking about amnesty, McCain – fer cryin’ out loud!
jwehman on September 13, 2008 at 7:30 AM
Yeah, he needs to stay with his Hispandering Amnesty message ads he has been putting out the last week. Those are sure winners.
Michael in MI on September 13, 2008 at 7:32 AM
His “Bob the Builder” “Yes, we can” message gave him an opportunity to claim he wasn’t politics as usual.
His new ads prove that he is just another political hack like all the others before him.
SouthernRoots on September 13, 2008 at 7:32 AM
I thought that was what McCain was doing this week with reminding people about his vision of Amnesty and of anyone opposing it being anti-Hispanic.
Michael in MI on September 13, 2008 at 7:33 AM
I doubt much will come of this for the next several days. Their compaign might try to build on this past week instead. But then again, they ain’t too bright sometimes.
Tommygun on September 13, 2008 at 7:34 AM
my father is part of the “we don’t get nasty enough” wing of the demonrat party. He honestly believes that the reason Kerry lost in 2004 was dirty politics from the GOP and a lack of them from Kerry. He’s already made it clear th me tha the wants Obama to wallow in the mud and throw everything possible at McCain, he thinks it will win the eletion.
And the Kos Kiddies, Huff post, and DU all thing the same. They will cheerlead every nasty post, or ad by Obama, even if it causes independents to turn on them.
McCain has done a wonderful job insulationg himself from attack ads, and so much has already been thrown at Palin that nothing is going to work. Obama has lost the narrative of behing a “New Political, cross party line” candiddate with the independents.
basically, he’s toast. extra crispy. :P
mvargus on September 13, 2008 at 7:39 AM
So, okay. When does all their “flailing” translate into a nose-dive in the polls, and the electoral vote tally?
Let’s see some action!
Mav ‘n Moose ‘08!!!!!!!!!
J.J. Sefton on September 13, 2008 at 7:41 AM
Going personal is a sure sign of desperation.
The messiah is floundering, sputtering and now resorting to the same sort of dirty, Swift-Boating they love to sanctimoniously decry.
and as for the content of this first “attack” all I can say is:
Obama is a total JERK.
Always Right on September 13, 2008 at 7:42 AM
While I agree it’s pretty tough not to respond. Any perceived slight and Obama has the media to jump to his defense. McCain only has us bloggers.
Capitalist Infidel on September 13, 2008 at 7:42 AM
Don’t forget the inevitable ‘October surprise’. The Democrats and the mass media have done it the last two election cycles. First they had the TANG memos in 2004 and then in 2006 they were successful with Congressional page ’scandal’. I’m sure they have something up their sleeves this time as well.
Michael in MI on September 13, 2008 at 7:42 AM
That’s really the key here: electoral votes. Wouldn’t it be ironic if McCain won the popular vote, but Obama sqeaked out a win in the Electoral votes.
Michael in MI on September 13, 2008 at 7:44 AM
Obama has been trained Chicago style politic all his life. The way he won past elections was to destroy his opponents, while smiling and promising new kind of politics.
On the national stage, it would be incredibly difficult to pull it off.
Sir Napsalot on September 13, 2008 at 7:50 AM
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/election_2008_electoral_college_update
Election 2008: Electoral College Update
Electoral College: Obama 193 McCain 189
Tommygun on September 13, 2008 at 7:52 AM
I dont why McCain doesn’t hammer him on that video of his plan to gut the military.
lodge on September 13, 2008 at 7:52 AM
Unless their saving it for the vets for freedom 527s
lodge on September 13, 2008 at 7:52 AM
Continued from above.
Tommygun on September 13, 2008 at 7:53 AM
That is what Obama IS going to do today. Identify another operative for blame, and ‘throw him/her under the bus’.
How many times we are going to hear “that is not the ____ I knew” excuse?
Sir Napsalot on September 13, 2008 at 7:55 AM
I don’t think anything is going to help Obama now. He’s circling the drain and McCain needs to keep the pressure on by questioning Obama’s experience and what he’s been doing the last 3 years, which is barely anything. Obama will get defensive and look like the amateur he is. He’ll be stammering and stuttering as this election slips away.
The Cuda needs to keep being the Cuda.
Metro on September 13, 2008 at 7:58 AM
Unless it is personally tied to McCain and Palin, if the surprise is to tie other Congressional Republican scandals, it won’t work this time.
McCain/Palin could just emphasize their reform ticket.
Sir Napsalot on September 13, 2008 at 8:02 AM
I had to leave my conservative den of East TN for 3 days this week and found myself in the Wash Dc area & Northern Virginia. It is disheartening to see the young people and other lib types with Obama stickers on their cars. Actually I didn’t see all that many but I know this area is in the tank for him. Sheep.
wepeople on September 13, 2008 at 8:09 AM
Question : If neighborliness is the foundation of BO’s policies, why did he select one of the least neighborly senators to be his running mate? My dogs give more to charity than biden does.
Fuquay Steve on September 13, 2008 at 8:14 AM
After all this time of campaigning as “The One” and with the MSM kissing his ring and drooling over his every word, it now appears that all ZerObama can do is go personal. He has no legitimate accomplishments to list and, even though he has pretty ideas, he has no experience or success in implementing ideas.
AubieJon on September 13, 2008 at 8:15 AM
Not sure that an “Octoboer Surprise” will help Obama now. We’ve already seen so much thrown at Palin that unless she murdered someone in secret, its unlikely that a last second revelation is going to change many minds. Its true that some Demonrats think that “TrooperGate” will, but by the time the report is due out on Oct. 31. I really doubt there will be anyone in the nation who hasn’t heard all about Wooten’s misdeeds, and any hit piece then will seem mean-spirited at best, and a political hack job at worst.
And the TANG memo backfired badly on the Dems. October Surprises work because no one expects them, and people recoil, but in 2006 the GOP base was already unhappy, so the page scandal probably only cost the GOP 1 or 2 elections. The others were being lost simply because the base wasn’t motivated before hand. I don’t think all that many votes were changed by it.
This year I doubt any late revelation from the (D) is going to reduce GOP turnout, and the independents usually react negatively to the hit jobs most October SUrprises are. The internet is too powerful a medium for any real surprise to come out of true malfeseance. the page scandal was difty, but Foley had committed no crime beyond stupidity, and the reaction of most independents was to shrug, it was the GOP base that got upset over that one.
mvargus on September 13, 2008 at 8:24 AM
This is where the liberal media echo chamber really, really, really hurts Democrats.
They honestly believe that the reason Kerry lost was that nasty partisans attacked his strongest feature (War Hero) with blatant and transparent lies, but that good and decent Kerry was unwilling to descend into the muck to fight back, and so the repeated lies eventually persuaded a large chunk of the electorate.
When Barack Obama tells Bon Jovi that he’s not going to be bullied… he’s saying that he’s not going to make the mistake that liberals THINK cost John Kerry the election.
It would never occur to most on the left side of the aisle that trying to run as pro-military by trumpeting one’s own military service works far better for candidates who didn’t come home and publicly disavow that service (tossing the medals over the fence) and then star in congressional hearings calling his fellow soldiers war criminals.
And so, we’re going to be witness to a campaign where they do the reprehensible things that they somehow believe cost Kerry the election — telling lots and lots of lies about McCain and Palin and hoping that stupid voters will believe the lies and vote for their guy instead.
ClintACK on September 13, 2008 at 8:26 AM
Not all of them. McCain did pretty well at a Fairfax rally. There are a lot of ex and current military here in Northern VA.
We don’t put McCain stickers on our cars because the Democratic
supportersthugs key cars. But I’m seeing more and more brave souls with McCain stickers.Some of us are doing what we can. I live in Reston, ground zero for clueless liberals, but even here, the Republican Club of Greater Reston has a few members.
Together with all the right thinking Americans, we can win.
NaCly dog on September 13, 2008 at 8:27 AM
Troopergate will be nothing. There’s no evidence of Palin pressuring the Commissioner. She wouldn’t have made it past the vetting if this was gonna be a problem.
lodge on September 13, 2008 at 8:28 AM
Good point. I read somewhere yesterday (maybe here) about a study with conservative and liberal respondents. Each was asked questions about how the other would view/respond to certain issues/questions. The conservatives always understood how the liberals would think. The liberals rarely understood how the conservatives would respond/react to something.
Ex. your teen is pregnant.
So I agree that they are unlikely to find a winning strategy. They are forced to be ultra-reliant on the messenger, and not the message.
JiangxiDad on September 13, 2008 at 8:33 AM
I wonder if M/P would be smart to preempt the October Surprise by teasingly announcing it beforehand, and have some sort of nationwide pool/ guessing game to come up with suggestions for the MSM to use. It would be done very much tongue-in-cheek, and might obviate the sting of the Democrats’/ MSM’s (but I repeat myself) real effort.
Just thinkin’.
Doc Rochester on September 13, 2008 at 8:34 AM
Don’t be too shocked if this year’s October Surprise comes from the McCain Campaign, courtesy of Schmidt. McCain’s life has pretty much been an open book and, as we are discovering about Palin, so has hers. Obama is the cipher in this campaign, and from what we have seen and heard so far, his closet is jammed with skeletons.
ManlyRash on September 13, 2008 at 8:43 AM
Just thinkin’.
Doc Rochester on September 13, 2008 at 8:34 AM
JiangxiDad on September 13, 2008 at 8:43 AM
GOOGLE: SAUL ALINSKY. He was Obama’s mentor and wrote the book, “Rules for Radicals”. He dedicated the book to the original radical….Lucifer.
volsense on September 13, 2008 at 8:44 AM
Obama has been trained Chicago style politic all his life. The way he won past elections was to destroy his opponents, while smiling and promising new kind of politics.
On the national stage, it would be incredibly difficult to pull it off.
Sir Napsalot on September 13, 2008 at 7:50 AM
I’m not sure why you say that, Sir Napsalot. Remember, Obama has the MSM fully in the tank for him and will cover his slimey a$$ every step of the way. Sean Hannity may be right when he says that 2008 signals the death of journalism. Don’t you think this is what Obama is doing with the call in Alaska for an investigation of “the firing” and issuing a subpoena (sp) to her husband? They are going for the Scooter Libbey prosecution thread. Hoping they can get him on a “process” crime by failing to remember things. And even if he takes his fifth amendments rights, they will point to that as a sign of guilt. This is vintage Obama; negate your opponents candidacy or personally destroy them. I am so incensed over this garbage, I am going to work even harder now for McCain.
SKYFOX on September 13, 2008 at 9:05 AM
That’s “amendment” – singular. Fat fingers strike again!
SKYFOX on September 13, 2008 at 9:06 AM
The two words that BO scared ****less:
William Ayers.
When McPalin needs him, out he comes.
Game.
Set.
Presidency.
either orr on September 13, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Proof before posting…
The two words that has BO scared ****less:
William Ayers.
When McPalin needs him, out he comes.
Game.
Set.
Presidency.
either orr on September 13, 2008 at 9:38 AM
The more the Obama (and other Democrat) campaign(s) go this route, they show that their form of “New Politics” is more about win no matter what the cost or who they “savage” in the process. In other words, they are not rising above; instead they are going lower and more base.
Some “New Age” politician, eh?
Wildcatter1980 on September 13, 2008 at 9:46 AM
Those democrats never learn….
I have a feeling that a new Dan Rather Memogate Moment is somewhere out there
wildweasel on September 13, 2008 at 9:48 AM
And this is key. They think they get it because they think we are opposite of what they are thinking. They use the word nuance, and yet have no clear understanding of what true grey area ( or grey matter, for that matter) is.
They don’t understand either personal responsibility, which then entails whatever action it is that we take in a mistake.
Ex: our politicians have to step down in a scandal, theirs are celebrated, lauded, and keep littering the halls of Government.
From that they surmise we think that people that make mistakes should be excoriated forever, hence someone like Bristol Palin must “suffer”. I guess of course the party line is that she is being ‘punished’ by having a child.
We just think that people need to face their mistakes, and when they are in a position of leadership, show and practice much greater self discipline. You can’t tell others how to live, as the government tends to do, and not live better yourself.
We just want our government to remember is it not something special for the elite. It is the people. We just want them to stop abusing that privilege of serving us we have given them. And stop stealing everyone’s money and redistributing it to people that will not work.
Noelie on September 13, 2008 at 9:48 AM
A preview of the Palin-Biden Debate.
ManlyRash on September 13, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Bill Burkett can fire up his selectric II and start firing off some memos. The msm has tons of Mary Mapes to do the rest.
Fuquay Steve on September 13, 2008 at 10:04 AM
0bama must hae some new focus group data. He was up here in NH last night, proclaiming he was backing off of his promise to tax the beejeezus out of all of us. He tries being anti-Palin by his and his flunkies and surrogates pounding on Sarah’s supposed “lack of experience”. It just makes people see he’s the inexperienced one. He denigrates McCoot for not being ‘hip’ enough to use e-mail only to find out that the liberal rag, el Globo, explained this in 2000 by McCoots hands and shoulders being mangled by his Commie captors in North VietNam. HillaryLand’s campaign was often ridiculed by the childish way it was run and the foolish errors it made. 0bama’s amplifies this problem.
GeneSmith on September 13, 2008 at 10:09 AM
I would love to say McCain/Palin has done a great job of definging Obama and whats his name.
But the fallout of the “McCain can not email” ad will be desevtating to Obama with the common decent folk. They will see that he is either a complete idiot or one of the meanest petty politicians ever. Obama will have done it to himmself….and he approved this message.
DVPTexFla on September 13, 2008 at 10:09 AM
1. popular support for personal attacks evident on lib blogs for obama provides evidence that such polls can guide BHO’s campaigns actions.
2. personal attacks are clearly helping BHO . . .LOSE support in this election
I voted YES! Anything to help BHO lose this election.
heroyalwhyness on September 13, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Yes, Obama, please gets personal with a wounded, partially paralyzed VietNam war hero. America is ready to make amends for what she let the Left do to VietNam veterans and that war in general. Electing a veteran of the war, the ultimate “I’m sorry” from middle America.
SouthernGent on September 13, 2008 at 10:21 AM
I would recommend Todd Palin, if he even sniffs a gotcha, develop Hillary’s convenient amnesia…”You know, gosh, I just don’t recall.”
Patrick S on September 13, 2008 at 10:46 AM
I think Barry is too far gone to save his sorry self. McCain/Palin in 08. Barry should slither back to Chicago where he fits in best with all the rest of the nasty, mean, political trash.
UnEasyRider on September 13, 2008 at 10:51 AM
And the mainstream media!
grapeknutz on September 13, 2008 at 10:53 AM
I follow the blogs, but do many Americans?
Are they getting this vetting of the self-appointed vetters?
PattyJ on September 13, 2008 at 12:11 PM
I would recommend Todd Palin, if he even sniffs a gotcha, develop Hillary’s convenient amnesia…”You know, gosh, I just don’t recall.”
Patrick S on September 13, 2008 at 10:46 AM
That might be the only thing that will work. I hope McCain’s lawyers are helping Mr. Palin get up to speed on what to expect and how to handle it. I am truly pissed at this and I hope I’m not just one of a few who see the transparency of this line of attack. What I would give for just one mainstream journalist with a sense of honor. BTW, I just got back from the Republican Party HQ. They were out of McCain/Palin yard cards, so I put my name on a list. I just may have to make my own in our sign shop. I also love the one I read about on Hot Air that says…”Obama? No thanks, keep the change.” Gotta love it.
SKYFOX on September 13, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Today is a perfect time for Obama’s own Sister Soulja moment. He could order that computer ad pulled, apologize directly for having placed it.
Considering how foolish and hateful it makes him seem and how much it distracts from the message in the second half it was a tactical mistake as well as a strategic mistake.
Reclaim the mantle of change and ‘new politics’ and only put ads on that proclaim what he will do. If he does it now he may be early enough to make McCains ads look petty if Obama never responds with anything but positive, “I will,” messages.
He would be locked in though — no replies at all.
That would be as bold a move as Palin was for McCain — for that reason he wont do it. He can’t face the screaming of the left and media.
The flailing is really beginning to show.
David
LifeTrek on September 13, 2008 at 7:29 AM
—–
Life,
Barry won the nomination by not having Hillary’s negatives (his own set were hidden at that point) and by allowing everyone to think he was on their side.
Were he to start saying exactly what he believes, he’d be peeling off his own support pretty fast.
Mew
acat on September 13, 2008 at 2:08 PM
There, I lied on this poll like I do on every other poll I have been invited to participate in. Just doing my part to eliminate any impact polls may have on the process.
Buford on September 13, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Actually, I understand that the way he won elections before now was by removing his opponents from the ballot.
Count to 10 on September 13, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Acat, Obama won the election by preemptively neutering the entire Clinton arsenal of weapons, with the active support of the media. But your right, Clinton — here entire history, persona — was her own worse enemy.
David
LifeTrek on September 13, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Mav’s selecting Sarah for Veep truly was McBrilliant, as coined by Rush.
If Obama gets aggressive and starts getting hard-hitting and personal, it contradicts the very core of the “post-partisan” approach he sold himself on originally. Something that can very effectively be used against him.
(BTW, Liberals reaching out to conservatives and everybody singing Kumbaya and being happy together. Except reaching out with sincerity is the ONE thing Obama and the libs haven’t done ONCE. They’re so blinded by Bush Derangement Syndrome that both logic, as well as any concept of really reaching across an aisle, seem to have totally escaped them.)
On the other hand, if he doesn’t attack, and plays softball, he winds up looking too weak and indecisive to really lead. He really WILL be “Obambi” in that case.
Essentially the selection of Palin puts Obama and the libs into a Catch-22 and they know it…damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.
And they know it. Hence the flailing.
Shirotayama on September 14, 2008 at 9:43 AM
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