No mandate?
posted at 8:35 am on November 6, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Robert Novak tries to make an argument that Barack Obama’s victory yesterday did not amount to a mandate, the somewhat illusory concept that Americans debate every four years after the elections conclude. Novak insists that Obama didn’t win enough states and the Democrats didn’t win enough seats in Congress to declare a mandate:
When Franklin D. Roosevelt won his second term for president in 1936, the defeated Republican candidate, Gov. Alf Landon of Kansas, won only two states, Maine and Vermont, and Democrats controlled both houses of Congress by wide margins.
But Obama’s win was nothing like that. He may have opened the door to enactment of the long-deferred liberal agenda, but he neither received a broad mandate from the public nor the needed large congressional majorities.
The Democrats fell several votes short of the 60-vote filibuster-proof Senate that they were seeking and also failed to get rid of a key Senate target: Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
In the first place, talk of “mandates” is, and always has been, irrelevant. What matters is whether the winning candidate has enough votes to move most of their agenda through Congress — and Obama clearly does. He may not have enough votes in the Senate to keep Republicans from blocking everything, but he has enough for all but the most radical measures to pass.
Besides, as Jazz Shaw points out, Novak declared 2004 a “mandate” for George Bush. In that election, Bush won fewer states, had a narrower popular-vote margin, and got a smaller Senate majority than the Democrats won last night. Obama broke through the red/blue line that had dominated national politics over the past eight years. If we’re talking mandates, that seems pretty clear.
But as I said, the argument about mandates is pointless. All presidents have mandates — to pursue the policies that won them election. Winning the election gives them that ability. Whether they succeed is another matter entirely.
Addendum: Right or wrong, it’s good to hear from Novak, and we wish him well in his fight against brain cancer.
Blowback
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There are a few fighters out here who will RELISH ANOTHER HUMILIATING REPUBLICAN DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF THE COUNTRY CLUB TYCOONS who have stolen the party of Ronald Reagan.
I will GLADLY vote for ANY CONSERVATIVE BLACK MAN OR WOMAN who will step up when this country’s back is broken by the WRONG first black president. I WILL NOT “UNITE” for the sake of it. THAT IS WHAT THEY WILL COUNT ON US TO DO, you fucking idiots.
I WOULD VOTE FOR THOMAS SOWELL.
I WOULD VOTE FOR JC WATTS.
I WOULD DANCE NAKED TO THE POLLS TO VOTE FOR CLARENCE THOMAS!!!!!
But I will be DAMNED TO THE SEVENTH RING OF HELL ITSELF BEFORE I WILL STOOP TO “WELCOME” AN EMPTY SUITED MARXIST AMERICA HATER into the White House to ruin MY COUNTRY>>>all for the sake of appearing magnanimous in the eyes of LIBERAL HUMAN FILTH.
FUCK. THAT. ON. ICE.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 8:40 AM
***going to take my meds now***
;)
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 8:41 AM
Novak is and always a POS, and nothing he says is relevant!
I Despise Barak HUSSEIN Obama (PBUH); and even despite the Massive Voter Fraud, aided and abetted by he and his campaign, Soros & ACORN, and the Blatant and deliberate Campaign Fund contributions Fraud, Obama has a larger “mandate” in terms of Votes and States that Bush had in EITHER election!
So, Novak can pound sand, and deservedly shut up!
Dale in Atlanta on November 6, 2008 at 8:42 AM
Lord Barry outspent McDole SIX TO ONE and STILL only came up with an EVEN SPLIT in several battleground states?
No mandate there.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 8:44 AM
This is the first time in my adult life that I’ve been ashamed of my country. We have elected a black racist marxist man who for 20 years was under the spiritual guidance of another man who thought God should damm America. America has picked its next president and will get exactly what it deserves.
tocoloro on November 6, 2008 at 8:45 AM
Mandate or not… It doesn’t change the fact that he bought the election.
Anyone is willing to buy a flawed product rather than a decent one if it reaches substantially more audiences.
Palinpuma on November 6, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Sen Demmint needs to run for leadership position.
unseen on November 6, 2008 at 8:47 AM
Let him succeed. Let the nation get a big healthy dose of the economy killing policies that he ran on. Just the thing we need in the middle of a reccession. Higher taxes, deficit spending, less energy, cutting the prime rate, killing trade oh yeah that’s the ticket.
The recovery is going to send gas prices through the roof and very quickly and with massive defecit spending to devalue the dollar and countries will most likely stop buying our dollars we could be seeing stagflation, again. Throw in the expiration of Bush’s tax cuts and viola, nightmare economic scenario.
I can’t wait for the Christmas numbers to come out, and his first press conference thereafter, “Can I eat my waffle?”
Theworldisnotenough on November 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
I have never been ashamed of my country.
It’s a shame that you can be ashamed of your country based upon a majority of Americans voting for the other political party.
You are not a true patriot.
Didn’t realize you were a Hot Air commenter, Michelle Obama.
e-pirate on November 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
Aw, c’mon; stop pussyfotting around, and tell us how you really feel…! :D
Frozen Tex on November 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
on a plus side. No nominee will ever again take public money for thier campaign. So at least Obama got the taxpayers off the hook for that boondoogle
unseen on November 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
As of now, Obama won more popular vote than Bush and it’s not even all counted yet, some states out west, Dem leaning areas have not all reported. So if you think Bush had a “mandate” you have to think that Obama had a mandate. Also the states where he had a near even split victory, Indiana, North Carolina are states that Republicans have not lost in a very long time. He had commanding wins in Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, a huge cross section of the middle of the nation.
But I do hope that the GOP and conservatives continue to pretend that there was no “mandate” and they can keep pushing the same lines against Obama. You called him a marxist, socialist, radical and terrorist sympathizer. And it didn’t work. Conservatives need to figure out what their positive message is. It can no longer just be a negative message.
DeathToMediaHacks on November 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
The only thing B.O. had going for him was that he was being endorsed by a corrupt, totally unethical MSM, and was being directly funded by his True Master, Darth Soros. If this election had been decided on the basis of leadership experience, he would have never even made it on the ballot.
pilamaye on November 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
The Republicans aren’t going to block a damn thing. McCain, Lindsay Graham and the rest are happily going to go along.
BigD on November 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
Senator DeMint is on his way up. He is from my home state and we will boost him the best we can when the time comes. Keep your eyes on him, for sure.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 8:49 AM
That’d be pussyfooting around, of course. I’ve never encouraged anyone to fott in my life.
Frozen Tex on November 6, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Clarence Thomas???
In a heartbeat!!! Beats Obama’s so-called intelligence by gazillions of miles.
misslizzi on November 6, 2008 at 8:49 AM
Call it what you like but 53 million+ Americans did NOT want Obama for President. That’s a pretty good number considering how well funded his campaign was. Throw in the minute percentages of kooks who voted outside either party and you have an even larger amount. Then season the pot with the eventual Democratic in-fighting that will inevitably develop in the House and Senate(especially the House) and the Man has his hands full. We are about to see if the One really can pull off miracles. Of course, if He follows His usual pattern, it will be His staff and Cabinet doing all the work while He “looks Presidential” and talks a lot. Still, any blame and praise will fall upon Him, but I don’t think He’s figured it out yet.
jeanie on November 6, 2008 at 8:49 AM
So, seejanemom, what are you trying to say? /src
Already taken my meds, and you sound ok, to me. Mandate,schmandate, they got the votes, let em show us what they (libs) are really all about. With prez Oblabo in the WH, just how long can they go on blaming all the world’s evil on Bush? Sooner or later O is going to have to make some decisions, something novel and new to him.
Da_Hutt on November 6, 2008 at 8:50 AM
not a total lose in downtickets in NC:
RALEIGH—Yesterday, North Carolina Republicans maintained five seats in the U.S. House. North Carolinians re-elected Steve Troxler and Cherie Berry to the Council of State. Debbie Clary appears to have won the open Senate seat in N.C. Senate District 46 as Republicans picked up one seat in the N.C. Senate. North Carolina Republicans also held the line in the N.C. House and it appears that we will send the first African American Republican to the N.C. House as Pearl Burris Floyd appears to have won N.C. House District 110. Conservative N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Edmunds earned re-election. Bob N. Hunter also earned election to the N.C. Court of Appeals.
unseen on November 6, 2008 at 8:50 AM
The american people will soon find out what marxism ./ communism really is. They deserve it by electing a leftist racist as a president based on their pocketbook.
tocoloro on November 6, 2008 at 8:52 AM
Serious question.
What happens if a President-elect, or even better, a new sitting President tries to appoint someone to a government post and the appointee fails the needed security clearances? Has it ever happened? Does a new commander-in-chief mean new, different, security levels? Can the President overide the failure to grant security clearances?
riverrat10k on November 6, 2008 at 8:53 AM
Polls show that a majority of Americans beleive the media is biased and a vast majority believe that Obama was favored by the MSM. A conspiracy only works when its concealed or subtle. Clearly, MSM bias is not subtle and people still voted for Obama. Time for conservatives to start scapegoating the media. You have FOX you have the blogosphere and people these days choose the media they WANT, the media that will parrot back their own ideas. The problem isn’t that MSNBC is biased, the problem is that MSNBC has increased their share of the market, particularly the youth market, because MSNBC reflects the opinion of those viewers.
Again, conservatism needs a new brand. I suggest the “reform governors” organized around Jindal, Crist, Romney, Pawlenty and Palin. No one from Washington can go anywhere near a national ticket again for Republicans.
DeathToMediaHacks on November 6, 2008 at 8:53 AM
How about a little dirt on the Obama campaign to balance the mud coming out about McCain/Palin?
*crickets*
No wait, here’s one for a start.
Obama campaign workers angry over unpaid wages
Brat on November 6, 2008 at 8:53 AM
And BigD…WE HATE Lindsey Graham, but the Spartanburg GOP Chair (whose name we do not speak)has a VERY strong lock on the South Carolina GOP and will not fund anyone who dares challenge Windsey in a primary. So we are stuck.
If they would just figure out how gay he is, that might strike the churchlady vote…ehheehhhee
But DeMint will redeem us Sandlappers some day, I hope.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 8:54 AM
IIRC, there were calls that Reagan had a mandate in 1984, when he won 49-1. Fair enough, but the Democrats still held the House.
Americans gave Dear Leader a mandate — to given them unicorns and lollipop trees while making the other guy pay. And boy are they going to be surprised when the little red book comes out.
rbj on November 6, 2008 at 8:55 AM
I think that the conservatives MUST purge people like this and reclaim the party The rebuild must start now.
grapeknutz on November 6, 2008 at 8:55 AM
Mandate/Shmandate. All that matters is having a supportive majority in the congress. No matter how harmful or stupid Olahblah’s policies are the libs will support him to their dying breath. Not because they’re loyal but because they’ll never admit they were wrong. Everything that goes wrong during O’s admin. will be blamed on GWB – while everything that went wrong during Bush’s admin. could not have possibly been a result of anything Clinton did.
rightjoyce on November 6, 2008 at 8:55 AM
I always say this. A mandate from an election only goes as far as you were up front about waht you would be.
If you claim you are going to cut taxes for everyone making under $250,000 a year, then you don’t have a mandate to raise taxes for anyone making less than $250,000.
If you claim you are not a socialist, you cannot claim a mandate for socialism.
If you claim you don’t support infanticide… you cannot claim a mandate for infanticide.
So Obama has a mandate to do what he promised to do. And for nothing else. And yes, that cuts both ways.
A.W. on November 6, 2008 at 8:55 AM
I will repeat here something that I posted elsewhere:
The American People Have Spoken
They have elected to the office of the President of the United States a totally unqualified, America-hating racist with delusions of godhood.
To them I can only respond with the words of Samuel Adams:
2008 will be remembered as the year that the greatest country on the face of the Earth self-destructed.
Now it is time for all free men to dedicate themselves to the task of building a New United States from the ashes of the old. This will not be accomplished without pain, without sacrifice. It will be a difficult struggle, but it must be done to provide for the freedom and security of our children and our children’s children.
May we be equal to the task at hand.
Rusty Bill on November 6, 2008 at 8:55 AM
Of course Obama has a mandate. He won, and there’s no sense in being a sore loser about it. Obama has a crystal clear mandate for hope, change, and “getting there.” McCain lost, so “getting America moving again” is off the agenda.
Bugler on November 6, 2008 at 8:57 AM
This will be the biggest disappointment for the lemmings that elected Obama—-they will never realize half the promise’s he made because they were never economically practical. I invision several plates around an average dinner table with only the words “hope and change” while the kids ask “how are we supposed to eat this?”
Rovin on November 6, 2008 at 8:57 AM
The marxist movement in the US put Obama in the White House. Now Obama will have to payback for it by allowing the bastards to slowly make the country a communit country. Some of the Obama’s orders are: cut defense spending, destroy the conservative media, disarm the people, socialize the industries, insert key marxists in all key government positions, help destroy Israel; help Cuba consolidate it’s dictatorship. I’m ashamed of being an american, but agagin, we deserve it for been a corrupt society.
tocoloro on November 6, 2008 at 8:59 AM
The reason Obama doesn’t have a mandate is because he didn’t run on a platform. No details, just change. And that will happen the day he is sworn in.
The closest issue he would have a mandate for is health care, and that issue was largely tabled after the primary.
Spirit of 1776 on November 6, 2008 at 8:59 AM
Yeah, I’ve already been told I need to “rally” behind this man and join together for the sake of unity and “change”. Sorry, I am no cheap Elizibeth Hasslebeck (spell check). I am not going to accept the “Racist” label (as they are going to call that 50% of the country who were against him). This will get ugly.
Mommypundit on November 6, 2008 at 9:00 AM
That is my fervent prayer, Rusty Bill. Thank you for that.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:01 AM
Brat on November 6, at 8:53 AM
Well these fine supporters are getting to feel Barry’s economy even before he takes office.
thomasaur on November 6, 2008 at 9:01 AM
32% of the elegible voters did not vote; 95% of blacks voted for Obama; 70% os hispanics voted for Obama; therefore white america rejected Obama. Geographically, McCain won. Not mandate for the black racist muslim marxist.
tocoloro on November 6, 2008 at 9:02 AM
That’a all well and good, but wht the HECK happened to NC! Geez, where are the patriots? Where are the Conservatives? How could you guys go BLUE!
btw, I’m from TEXAS, where we still have MEN…
Mark Garnett on November 6, 2008 at 9:02 AM
Obama bought the election, but WE are going to pay. Dow futures down -100 right now.
bilups on November 6, 2008 at 9:02 AM
Yeah. VERY, VERY ugly. But I think Rusty Bill has the right idea. Maybe it SHOULD be.
A retrospective appreciation of Planet of The Apes has already begun on CafePress. That is until they get wise to it. Tragic, but funny.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:03 AM
Just keep your bullets dry, your guns well greased and hidden; we will need them
tocoloro on November 6, 2008 at 9:04 AM
Too funny. Drudge is reporting Obama campaign workers are pissed they’re not getting paid. LOL! They’re just figuring out now that it’s all work and no pay in an Obamanation!
Suckers, they are!
ErinF on November 6, 2008 at 9:05 AM
Brat,
that article is too rich!
“I want my money today! It’s my money. I want it right now!” yelled one former campaign worker.
It’s not their money anymore, it’s the government’s money now…
drewmesq on November 6, 2008 at 9:05 AM
I’ve never understood the idea of mandates or “political capital” for that matter. Winning is winning and the voters, as mistaken as they may be, have approved the agenda of an Obama presidency. And God help us all.
God bless Novak in his struggle, but this piece is completely irrelevant.
Congratulations on getting through an entire post without caps, bolds or exclamation points.
SouthernDem on November 6, 2008 at 9:06 AM
Need to let you know that we cubans are loyal republicans. In Miami-Dade where about 25% of the population are cubans, we voted 65% for McCain. We can smell a communist rat from far.
tocoloro on November 6, 2008 at 9:07 AM
I have a caps stutter. You gonna pick on a cripple? NIIIICE.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:07 AM
Read that piece from Novak, and I too raised an eyebrow.
Look, all of us are still in the process of this sinking in, but like it or not, Obama has a mandate.
If Bush had a mandate in 2004, and especially in 2000, then Obama certainly has one now.
It wasn’t a mandate that completely assigned the Republican Party to irrelevancy, but it’s a strong mandate, nonetheless. (Of course, our relevancy depends on the likes of McCain and Graham actually siding with us and not the Dems. When Obama goes for HIS amnesty, anyone want to drop money on that one?)
We can take some solace that with a flawed candidate, in horrendous conditions and with history against us, we managed nearly 56 million votes.
I’d say it’s time to end the intra-party bickering, and focus on how to grow that number, but it seems that we’re content to play the “destroy Sarah Palin’s career” game. What a f!@#ing joke.
To paraphrase Heath Ledger’s Joker:
“Here is my card. Call me when you want to take things a little more seriously.”
Hawkins1701 on November 6, 2008 at 9:08 AM
I absolutely love and admire DeMint. There is presidential material if ever I saw it. He is undoubtedly one of the brightest stars for the future of the GOP. He’s one of the Republicans with the gonads to put up a fight.
ErinF on November 6, 2008 at 9:08 AM
Ha, that made me laugh.
Spirit of 1776 on November 6, 2008 at 9:08 AM
Let the “
buyer’sbeggar’s remorse” begin!Brat on November 6, 2008 at 9:09 AM
While the mandate debate is in the eye of the winners the reality for Repubs is that the Dems will be ruling like they have one.
With all three branches of government, including a filibuster proof Senate in practice, they will pass any legislation that they like. In fact the only thing that will hold them back will be their own in fighting.
I mentioned a filibuster proof Senate because there are several Repub Senators that will sign every piece of Dem legislation. With too many to count Repubs, there is no spending bill or increase in government they don’t agree with especially if it is their design.
I hate to be a downer but we will be shitting in the woods for a long time. We violated our core principles of fiscal restraint and small government philosophy and the voters have thrown us out. Read the voter surveys. They confirm what many of us have said since 2004 and confirmed by Jeff Flake yesterday. They want only two things from Repubs–fiscal responsibility and constraint on government expansion. It’s very simple folks but no one seems to get it. There’s always this long laundry list of what it takes BS.
It only takes two things. Once you start adding to these you dilute their importance and in the woods we find ourselves.
Tip of the day– watch the poison ivy when you squat!
patrick neid on November 6, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Nicely done, Brat…
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Yeah. The soup lines of the depression will be considered light in comparison to the welfare lines of Obamanation.
ErinF on November 6, 2008 at 9:11 AM
For a mandate, you need wide popular support, and a clearly defined program that was presented to voters.
There is wide popular support, but no clearly defined program that Obama presented to voters. What did all those people vote for? Outside of Obama the media celebrity, no one really knows.
indythinker on November 6, 2008 at 9:12 AM
Wow. Obama bought the election for that cheap? And he still can’t pay???
misslizzi on November 6, 2008 at 9:14 AM
OT Putin’s puppet seems to be paving the way for
Vlad to return power for 12 years. I’m sure that Barry will be able to deal well with him.
thomasaur on November 6, 2008 at 9:14 AM
I have forty six acres of arable soil, three water sources and a nice defined benefit pension.
I am dropping OUT.
The suckers who elected him can realize the mess they have made, and the first one who strays on to my land, hungry and theiving gets his head turned into a canoe with my .306 old school.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:15 AM
return to power
ooops
thomasaur on November 6, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Thanks.
Please, everyone, if you find any more stories like that please post the links.
O’s so-called mandate and WH transition are not going to be smooth. He owes a lot of people. Remember the blue on blue we enjoyed after the 2006 election? There may be more of that as O makes his personnel choices. Schadenfreude! I need that to cleanse the bitterness coming out about Palin.
Brat on November 6, 2008 at 9:19 AM
New acronym, thomas?
Obama
Our
President?
Shit.
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Hey seejanemom, left a post on your site a couple of days ago with email info if you want to contact me.
Oldnuke on November 6, 2008 at 9:21 AM
seejanemom:
Agreed 100% (the first comment). As for Triple-0 (Occupant: Oval Office) and his minions, the problem with proving our point is that they have to run the country into the ground while we all suffer through it!
And lest we forget about our friends in Russia, China, Iran, DPRK, Venezuela and Tora Bora, I don’t want to watch a mushroom cloud pop up over Central Park just to prove a point.
Time for Operation Chaos Part 2. Register Democrat. Infiltrate their ranks. Elect local politicians who have either no shot at winning against a Republican primary challenger or who are the least leftist. Then we have a chance at swinging the Dems back towards the center (and sanity) or getting rid of them.
Second, I’m a huge Thad McCotter fan. We need to restore the Republican Party to the Conservatives. Re-branding is for products. We are a movement. As for RINO’s “either you are with us or against us.”
Jeez, Clarence Thomas-Ann Coulter ’12. Leg is tingling……
J.J. Sefton on November 6, 2008 at 9:21 AM
3 o’s jane,
obama
our
obfuscating
pres.?
shit
thomasaur on November 6, 2008 at 9:22 AM
July ’09…the end of the Congressional Session, six months of an Obama Administration….that’s when the wheels will finally come off the bandwagon…and the new President will find it tough going day to day like all of his predecessors. It is called reality.
– The Far Left will see Obama compromise out of necessity with Centrists, and at times, many times, lean toward the Right, and they, the Obama core, will be terribly disappointed, disgusted, actually;
– Pelosi and Reid will find that their “wunderkindt” doesn’t have the LBJ-like qualities needed to force Congress to toe the line, qualities they themselves lack with abundance;
– The second quarter economic stats will be in and we will see either a continued deep worldwide recession or worse, an outright depression;
– Iraq will become a back-page story…generally working well, a few ripples here and there, a small contingent of US advisors and logisticians in country, the rest deployed elsewhere, to places most haven’t yet given thought to;
– UBL will still be running the jihadi show from caves in Waziristan, Pakistan will be working on yet another government.
—GW will have been off stage, hanging out in Crawford, for half a year already.
The honeymoon will long have been over and The Messiah will have to deal with a strong dose of reality.
Fortunately or unfortunately, so will we. But, we’ve done it before.
But there will be a large segment of America that will harbor deep seated angst, perhaps outright hostility, that their Chosen One did not deliver as promised. We can let the Dems deal with them….or we can turn that angst into something positive…and by this time the mid-term Congressional races will have gotten underway.
“Keep hope alive!” :-)
coldwarrior on November 6, 2008 at 9:22 AM
The children will not be able to comprehend why it is important.
nor on November 6, 2008 at 9:24 AM
Even though I probably wouldn’t have been quite as definitive, I totally agree with your thesis and your conclusions.
The Republic is in very serious trouble.
rplat on November 6, 2008 at 9:25 AM
SUPER!!! THANKS!!!!! WILL DO!!!!
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:28 AM
Question: Does Obama have a mandate when millions of people voted for him while knowing very little about him? Whether or not Bush had a mandate, people knew him and knew what the were voting for.
Does he have a mandate despite lying about his policies? And I don’t mean flip-flops or minor shifts, I mean outright lies – denying he said things he clearly said (abortion) and concealing his intentions from the electorate (free trade, bankrupting coal plants, gun rights and more).
Does he have a mandate because in large part he was foisted on the American people by a massively biased MSM?
So no, I don’t believe he has a mandate. As for the opposition thing, I don’t think conservatives should act like Kos kids, but neither should they be the ‘loyal oppostion’. In his earlier post Ed wrote:
How will we present those failures, other than to one another here at HA and at blogs and conservative mags such as NRO? The MSM will attempt to cover up the failures of both Obama and Congress. Remember how they managed to bury years of good news on the economy in the middle of the two Bush terms? Did anyone even read on election day that Palin was finally cleared over Troopergate?
We can argue about policies and candidates all we want, but IT ALL COMES DOWN TO MEDIA BIAS. America has the most biased media of any free nation in the world, and it makes a massive difference.
Whoever is the Republican nominee in four years – even if he or she is the most charismatic, intelligent, worldly candidate in the history of the party – the media will lie about them, and try to destroy them.
Because it goes beyond policy: the MSM is leftist, and the left hates conservative values with a passion.
People might say ‘but the financial crisis was a big factor this year’. Yes it was, but who caused it? Democrats. And why didn’t most of the American people know that? Or about voter fraud and Obama corrupt fund-raising operation? Take the media bias out of the equation and it’s a fair fight, and in a fair fight, with the people having free access to all the information, conservative ideas will win.
This is all tied in with the wider, longer-term culture war, but the media is the priority.
I would like to hear Ed’s and Allah’s thoughts on this. Because as long as the left controls the message, conservatives are going to have a hard time changing anything.
EnglishMike on November 6, 2008 at 9:28 AM
I suggest the republicans do precisely that. It will ensure coverage of the real democrat agenda, and not only aid in 2010 midterms, but leave something worth governing over.
Vashta.Nerada on November 6, 2008 at 9:28 AM
My meds are clouding my concentration..THANKS…yours is MUCH better!!!
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:29 AM
You’re absolutely correct. Hope and channge was his platform. Everything else that we’ve talked about over the months was actually from his writings (supposedly his) and from interviews. His legislative record was mostly present votes. He never actually offered anything during the campaign except “Hope and change”. Shouldn’t be too hard to accomplish that. All that remains is to see whether he changes stuff that his supporters like.
Oldnuke on November 6, 2008 at 9:31 AM
Sorry if this has been said already, but the only mandate that exsists is in the large urban areas. The county electoral map will show, again, that we are ruled by the coasts. The One can have his mandate in the Great Lakes district and the West Coast, with pockets in urban areas elsewhere, but that is all.
How did that almost exact same mandate go for President G.W. Bush?
dish on November 6, 2008 at 9:32 AM
seejane: love your thoughts, and have now bookmarked your site. Thanks…
chai on November 6, 2008 at 9:33 AM
8 million vote margin
19 seat gain in Congress
6 seat gain in the Senate
Took back 8 states
Far more states had growth in dem votes than states had growth in Republican votes
That’d be a pretty strong mandate.
Novack is a stupid dipsh*t crybaby.
Dave Rywall on November 6, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Yeah, Bob Novak, no mandate whatsoever for Obama and insignificant gains in Congress. In fact, Tuesday night was a glorious victory for the GOP.
I mean, come on, people! The GOP will never win the 2010 midterms if it can’t even come to terms with the defeat it sustained in this one.
factoid on November 6, 2008 at 9:34 AM
A mandate is nothing more than an endorsement. In this case, Obama received a simple majority vote of of those actually voting in favor of whatever it is he stands for.
rplat on November 6, 2008 at 9:34 AM
I say we Republicans take the SAME exact stance that the Dhimmicrats did with Bush both times. Fight, fight, fight.
Mojave Mark on November 6, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Obama did not significantly increase turnout on his side, McCain lost a significant amount of turnout from 2004. They did not go to Obama, they stayed home. As far as I can tell, apathy on one side does not equal mandate.
Vashta.Nerada on November 6, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Don’t forget the esteemed Walter Williams!
riverrat10k
riverrat10k on November 6, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Well, with Prop 8 passing in Cali, I think that killed man dating.
Mazztek on November 6, 2008 at 9:39 AM
Here is the 08 maps that were so well done in 04. Scroll down to the county map, it is the most telling.
dish on November 6, 2008 at 9:39 AM
D’oh.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/2008/
dish on November 6, 2008 at 9:39 AM
Well he did pick Rahm Emanuel for chief of staff. That should help smooth things out./sarc
Oldnuke on November 6, 2008 at 9:41 AM
Obama will believe this to be a mandate because of his arrogant behaviour. He will run our country into the ground with his socialist policies. Hold onto your wallets (if you can)!!!
Stocks plunged yesterday the day after his election. I can only forsee this getting worse once his policies begin to be implemented.
I represent the %5 percent of black people who didn’t vote for Obama. Does this make me a racist too?
Scorched_Earth on November 6, 2008 at 9:41 AM
Yeah but BHO has Oprah!!!!!
DJ from MA on November 6, 2008 at 9:42 AM
I think I disagree with Ed on this one. A mandate defined as a pursuit of policy(per Obama; a steep climb), is far different than a mandate defined as a pursuit of policy with a filibuster proof House and Senate.
midlander on November 6, 2008 at 9:42 AM
My thoughts on the race factor as it’s cropping up again:
If Obama had been elected on the strength of his achievements, in spite of his colour, it would truly have been a great day for America.
The fact that Obama was elected in large part because of his colour, in spite of an almost complete abscence of achievement is very troubling indeed.
EnglishMike on November 6, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Mandates are over rated. If you win, you win.
What Obama needs to remember is that he won by running as a center-left candidate. He’s free to move anywhere along the spectrum now that he’s in, but he does it at the risk of angering millions of people that voted for a centrist.
JadeNYU on November 6, 2008 at 9:50 AM
EnglishMike on November 6, 2008 at 9:49 AM
I wish we could have a show of hands for the people who actually voted on the content of character as opposed to color of skin….and have them be HONEST about it.
It may be that many voted for the One for the ‘change’, but many, many more voted for the color.
The only mandate the One has received is that he won the election. Now the battle begins. Get in touch with your congressional representative, and STAY in touch.
dish on November 6, 2008 at 9:52 AM
***deeeep curtsy***
I am truly humbled.
Now that my paid(yes, the GOP actually PAYS!)campaign work is petering out, my blog might actually get the attention it deserves.
I look forward to seeing you there. I HEAVILY moderate comments because of the DKos kids who love to hate me, but I know who my friends are.
;)janie
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 9:54 AM
seejanemom on November 6, 2008 at 8:40 AM
You said exactly what I have been thinking since about 9 pm Tuesday night.
All due respect to Allah and Ed, if it makes them feel better to be above the fray – more power to ‘em.
But I vow to get in the trenches and fight this non-mandate and be an activist for the right.
I’m mad as hell, and I am not going to take it anymore.
tru2tx on November 6, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Ed,
Robert Novak is right here. Do not forget that we are, by definition a republic. As such, the electoral college is what really drives a mandate from the people, as in the majority in almost all states voted for the person. This hasn’t happened since Reagan. That was a MANDATE.
To define wining the majority of the electoral votes as a mandate blurrs the definition. Certainly winning the majority of the votes is a form of communication, but to give credit where credit is due, EnglishMike really hit the nail on the head.
Marine_Bio on November 6, 2008 at 9:55 AM
This election was like being in a car race and one driver gets to the finish line 7-8 minutes early, but his car cost $500-million more than the other guy in the race.
Was the winner a better driver or that he bought a better car?
If McCain had the extra $500 million how would the Presidential race have been different?
Ronald Reagan received a mandate, Barack Obama
wonbought his victory.albill on November 6, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Don’t get me started on the Oprahization of the culture. We had Alice Walker (The Color Purple) on English TV last night. She was like the Dali Lama on ecstasy. Truly scary.
Never mind hope and change. Walker and others were talking about Obama ‘taking us there’. They didn’t explain where ‘there’ was, and the interviewer didn’t bother to ask them.
My girlfriend interviewed Walker a few years back. Apparently, after getting rid of conservatives she wants to get rid of men, and she’s absolutely serious.
EnglishMike on November 6, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Of course he thinks its a mandate. Its the same mistake Bush made when the Republicans gained control. They assume all their crazy ideas of a better world are what the people want. That killed Bush, Clinton did the same thing in his first 2 years, I would expect Obama to do that as well. He ran on making change, if nothing changes, they are going to hang him. They are a lot of hateful people and if he doesn’t deliver you are going to see some serious rage.
indyrowe on November 6, 2008 at 9:58 AM
We need to stop predicting Dem failure and work toward GOP success, which we have taken for granted the past 8 years. If there is one thing I’ve learned from this election it’s that we need to take off the rose-colored glasses. If anything, we need to be more pessimistic like AP about how conservatism and the GOP are percieved, we need to fight to persuade people and change perceptions every day.
Being convinced in the rightness of your beliefs is fine, and conviction is all good. But it’s destructive to just assume others see things the same way. Conservatism doesn’t offer any handouts, it’s simply a moral philosophy of government, so it’s incumbent upon us to constantly educate and inform and change perceptions.
Why do you think we are in this position today? Because Bush and McCain refused to defend conservatism and the GOP. They think it’s beneath their office or dignity to engage in those kind of arguments or partisanship. They allowed the MSM to define us and it’s now the majority view. They destroyed our party and we allowed it to happen.
I try to live my life not caring what others think of me. But in politics, perception may not be reality, but perception determines political outcomes, it gives us Obama. In politics, perception is everything, and it’s our job to make sure people’s perceptions match reality.
If only our elected conservatives in Congress would lead on this. I’m so sick of reading brilliant op-eds and letters by Flake and McCotter, why aren’t these guys making an effort to lead? Rather than just nipping at others’ heels.
commodore on November 6, 2008 at 9:58 AM
So our great airliner will be piloted and manned by the Democratic Party for at least 2-4 years. Since we are all on that plane, let’s hope for the best.
carbon_footprint on November 6, 2008 at 10:03 AM
“The reason Obama doesn’t have a mandate is because he didn’t run on a platform.” There in is the beauty of the gab. The mandate is whatever 000 says it is now.
Without being vile, we can oppose/restrain the looney parade. Won’t stop it, but will expose who is leading it so there will be no doubt later. Just say no!
Da_Hutt on November 6, 2008 at 10:03 AM
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