Quote of the Week: First Nominee

David Weigel | October 7, 2008

This is a much better campaign than I ran in 1988, and I’m impressed.

That's maraudin' Mike Dukakis, interviewed by the New York Observer. Dukakis is sort of a folk hero of Democratic loserdom: Around America, liberal parents sometimes hold flashlights under their chins and tell their children the sca-a-a-ry story of how a charismaless goofball blew a 17-point polling lead and inaugurated the Bush dynasty.

Just as imporant as Obama's decision not to throw the election (so far) has been the McCain campaign's utter mania, its panic at falling behind in the polls and protecting half of the ticket from hard questions. (In a full month, Sarah Palin has yet to give a press conference.) From her Clearwater, FL event:

Constantly under the watchful eyes of security, the media wasn't permitted to wander around inside Coachman Park to talk to Sarah Palin supporters. When reporters tried to leave the designated press area and head toward the bleachers where the crowd was seated, an escort would dart out of nowhere and confront him or her and say, "Can I help you?'' and turn the person around.

When one reporter asked an escort, who would not give her name, why the press wasn't allowed to mingle, she said that in the past, negative things had been written. The campaign wanted to avoid that possibility Monday.

All of the coddling and complaining doesn't stop negative stories. It leads to stuff like this:

In Clearwater, arriving reporters were greeted with shouts and taunts by the crowd of about 3,000. Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric's questions for her "less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media." At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."

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|10.7.08 @ 9:15AM|#

I keep hearing this "Palin doesn't give pressers" critique. To be valid, how many PCs have Obama, McCain, and Biden given? I've tried to look that up but to no avail. I'm aware that Biden has given many many interviews, but that's not quite the same.

|10.7.08 @ 9:16AM|#

LANDSLIDE!

I wanted the Republicans to get punished for abandoning limited government, conservative foreign policy, federalism and a barge full of other transgressions.

I didn't expect them to commit electoral seppaku though.

Vote any third party or stay at home. Please.

|10.7.08 @ 9:17AM|#

I'd say their strategery is backfiring on them, neh?

I wonder if that para is true, or if it's a "Fine! How's THIS for negativity!"

I suspect the former, but would still offer up some attaboys if it's the latter.

Bullwinkle|10.7.08 @ 9:27AM|#

Open season on Palin. It's about damn time.

|10.7.08 @ 9:27AM|#

Hmm, any chance those escorts darting out of nowhere were Scientologists? That sounds like their m.o. as well.

|10.7.08 @ 9:28AM|#

Kinda mainstream media? It's official: Sarah Palin in now Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin.

|10.7.08 @ 9:29AM|#

I was watching the talking head shows on MSNBC last night and saw footage of people at McCain and Palin rallies shouting things like "He's a terrorist!" when McCain inquired "Who is the real Barack Obama?" and a local sherrif trudging out the "Barack Hussein Obama" material when given a chance to address a Palin crowd

They are just blowing tires and losing their catalytic converter on their way to a fiery, crashing demise.

|10.7.08 @ 9:32AM|#

When ya gotta run interference for your runnin mate darn it, to protect her from all those gosh dang gotcha journalists,(not to be cornfused with gonzo journalism) there's a certain likelyhood that you chose badly.

|10.7.08 @ 9:34AM|#

Reinmoose, about all that's left is McCain, red in the face, spitting and screaming, "BUT, BUT, BUT HE'S A NIGGER!"

|10.7.08 @ 9:36AM|#

Barack Obama is near?

brotherben -
I think it would be better if, after shaking Obama's hand at the debate, he wipes it on his suit.

|10.7.08 @ 9:39AM|#

What's really interesting is seeing the flagship conservative commentators turning into the lefties in 04. NR has gone into full-blown Chimpy McBushitler mode except their target is Obama. It's gloriously, hilarious to watch. Like Face of Death, without the guilt. The right is completely losing it and using the media as their Diebold. Get out the popcorn, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

What's interesting is in a couple ways McCain won't be like W. The first is that he won't be president. The second, and most damning, is that he didn't learn the lesson of HW Bush's 92 campaign. That lesson is, during economic tough times, you can't win on a character based campaign. People want to hear how you're going to fix the problems.

"Reinmoose, about all that's left is McCain, red in the face, spitting and screaming, "BUT, BUT, BUT HE'S A NIGGER!""

Nov. 1st. Mark your calendar.

cunnivore|10.7.08 @ 9:41AM|#

At this rate, Bob Barr might finish 2nd. How sad for a once proud party.

disgruntled conservative|10.7.08 @ 9:43AM|#

If Obama wins, I'm moving to Alaska.

BakedPenguin|10.7.08 @ 9:43AM|#

Barack Obama is near?

I said, the Senator is a NI-*bell tolls*

|10.7.08 @ 9:46AM|#

The Senator is NIGH?

|10.7.08 @ 9:52AM|#

If SNL can get people to laugh at Fey/Palin attacking Obama on Ayers and Wright, we can stick a fork in this election.

ktc2|10.7.08 @ 9:56AM|#

Awesome Blazzing Saddles reference.

Kinda sums up the whole right wing nutjob establishment atm. They are acting like the lampooned hicks in that awesomely funny movie.

Now we just need Obama to pull the "Excuse me while I whip this out." line at the debate tonight.

|10.7.08 @ 10:01AM|#

"At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy." "

The attack ad strategy is already falling into a very ugly area. This is the biggest risk McCain runs imo. By running these ads and getting the crowd involved, (Who's a good terrorist? Huh? Who's a good muslim? huh? Gimme an O...) McCain is in imminent danger of losing control of the crowd. Inciting a political riot, so to speak. The natural reaction of civilized folks is sympathy for Obama. Especially with Obama staying on task as the distinguished gentleman candidate.

ktc2|10.7.08 @ 10:04AM|#

So if Obama is Sherrif Bart is McCain Governor William J. Lepetomane, Hedley Lamar or Taggart?

|10.7.08 @ 10:05AM|#

ktc2, Hedley Lamar, with Palin as his "teutonic titwillow."

Pete Guither|10.7.08 @ 10:10AM|#

We've gotta protect our phoney-baloney jobs, gentlemen , we must do something about this immediately!

cunnivore|10.7.08 @ 10:14AM|#

W has to be the Governor. The script won't work any other way.

|10.7.08 @ 10:15AM|#

You laugh at Sarah Palin now, but she has a copy of the whitey video and will show it on Hannity after the debate.

I can't see Biden as "the deputy spade."

libertarian democrat|10.7.08 @ 10:16AM|#

|10.7.08 @ 10:18AM|#

So if Obama is Sherrif Bart

Wouldn't that make Biden The Waco Kid?

cunnivore|10.7.08 @ 10:18AM|#

I don't know about the casting, brotherben. Doesn't that mean that Palin is sleeping with Obama?

|10.7.08 @ 10:19AM|#

I see an article on yahoo news about McCains conection to the U.S. Council for World Freedom. Backing the contras and such. His name on the letterhead and recieving over a hundred grand back then in political contributions.
I'd say the Obama camp has been quietly digging up artifacts and storing them for just such an occasion. (sp)

|10.7.08 @ 10:20AM|#

cunni, only if he's ummmm

you know

"gifted"

cunnivore|10.7.08 @ 10:20AM|#

Wouldn't that make Biden The Waco Kid?

He was on the committee that ~~helped cover up~~ investigated the Waco ATF raids, wasn't he? It all comes together now...

|10.7.08 @ 10:23AM|#

That leaves only one question: Who plays Mongo?

|10.7.08 @ 10:24AM|#

He was on the committee that helped cover up the Waco ATF raids

And he shoots his mouth off like lightning.

cunnivore|10.7.08 @ 10:26AM|#

Hey -- I said "investigated". I don't need any Fed trouble, some on this boat were Browncoats.

ktc2|10.7.08 @ 10:30AM|#

Karl Rove for Mongo!

|10.7.08 @ 10:33AM|#

I had to fix it for truth, dude. Don't worry, I have something to help, and I call it Vera.

|10.7.08 @ 10:37AM|#

I'd say the Obama camp has been quietly digging up artifacts and storing them for just such an occasion.

Wouldn't any smart campaign do that? Whatever your opinion of the man, he has run a well-planned, strategic campaign in both the primaries and general election.

Abdul|10.7.08 @ 10:37AM|#

Wow, running a better campaign that Mike Dukkakis! That's almost as good as being valedictorian of summer school.

|10.7.08 @ 10:42AM|#

Doesn't that mean that Palin is sleeping with Obama?

Gosh, is it twoo what they say aboutcher people there?

Also, don't leave!

Gosh darnit, what a nice guy.

|10.7.08 @ 10:43AM|#

Mo, I meant no slight toward Obama. I think he is running a brilliant race.

Abdul, my kid was valedictorian at Vacation Bible School. neener neener neener

This is a much better campaign than I ran in 1988, and I'm impressed.

Errr, I hate to be the one to break it to you Mike, but in 1988, this guy ran a better campaign than you did.

Backtrack Jack|10.7.08 @ 10:54AM|#

Apropos of nothing, I just bought one of these bumper stickers for a certain, ah, car of my acquaintance. I see now they have 10-packs -- I should have planned ahea...

alan|10.7.08 @ 11:09AM|#

Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric's questions for her "less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media."

What newspapers and political magazines do you read is a gotcha! question?

Here is a gotcha question, Sarah:

How do you plan to go toe to toe with
Putin when even Katie fuckin' Couric can rip your face off without even trying?

Thank you ever so much GOP.

|10.7.08 @ 11:16AM|#

All of them, alan. She reads all of them.

Look, this woman knows more about energy than anyone in America. There are something like 310 million people in America. Some of them are physicists and shit.

I don't have any trouble believing someone like that would read all of the newspapers and magazines.

And also, cynicism likek yours is destroying our politics.

|10.7.08 @ 11:52AM|#

Nice bumper sticker- forget the ten-pack, just buy them by the gross.

Syd Henderson|10.7.08 @ 12:22PM|#

Abdul | October 7, 2008, 10:37am | #
Wow, running a better campaign that Mike Dukkakis! That's almost as good as being valedictorian of summer school.

Well, McCain's running a worse campaign than Dukakis. At least Dukakis didn't have to sequester his running mate.

Franklin Harris|10.7.08 @ 12:27PM|#

(In a full month, Sarah Palin has yet to give a press conference.)

Has Biden?

I admit it's possible he's had a press conference and no press bothered to show, of course.

Boston|10.7.08 @ 12:44PM|#

Thundersticks?? are you kidding me?

Also Welch, HOW BOUT THEM ANGELS??

|10.7.08 @ 12:57PM|#

Well, McCain's running a worse campaign than Dukakis.

Holy crap. That just might be true.

|10.7.08 @ 1:19PM|#

One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."

Any visuals or audio for this? Cause it reeks of urban legend.

Oh well. Everyone knows all the white people in Florida are racists, so even if it didn't happen, we should still imagine that it did. It illustrates a larger truth, you know.

|10.7.08 @ 1:22PM|#

First person account by a reporter who was present.

But, also, you know, there's the kinda mainstream media, not liking how they're gonna hafta not be lettin' people should racial epithets.

Federal Dog|10.7.08 @ 1:24PM|#

I am not a person of faith in media narratives. Only a fool would credit Dana Milbank's assertions without reliable proof. Since the crowd allegedly attacked a network sound man, where's the sound?

|10.7.08 @ 1:29PM|#

One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."

We are implicitly invited to attribute this Palin supporter's racism to her, of course, but are lectured sternly that we should not read anything into expressions of support for Obama from the likes of Hamas.

Exactly, Federal. "first person" by a "reporter." No name mentioned in Milbank's piece. And thunder sticks? Really, I want to see photos. Unless all those scary racist rednecks beat up all the photographers.

I think Joe is trying to mimick Southern speech patterns. I have no idea what he's trying to say. Perhaps he should stick to straining sports metaphors until they beg for mercy.

|10.7.08 @ 1:34PM|#

You betcha, I'm picking on Southerners, who kinda rise up into yer airspace.

|10.7.08 @ 1:37PM|#

Oh, I get it. I missed this sentence the first time through. "Worse, Palin's routine attacks on the media have begun to spill into ugliness."

THAT'S the problem right there, folks. Once Republicans are allowed to routinely attack the media, why, racist taunts and thundersticks are sure to follow.

|10.7.08 @ 1:40PM|#

Once Republicans are allowed to routinely attack the media, why, racist taunts and thundersticks are sure to follow.

I'd say it depends on the Republican in question, and the crowd she draws.

|10.7.08 @ 1:41PM|#

Sarah Palin impersonations, like reporting on a guy who used a racial epithet in Florida, is an attack on Southerners.

You know, like everything else.

Boston|10.7.08 @ 1:57PM|#

Thundersticks are those inflatible things that people hit together to make noise, i dont think they can hurt people. These abominations were made popular by, you guessed it, the Los Angeles Angels (their name at the time).

|10.7.08 @ 2:02PM|#

Y'know, the more I think about it - if all we've got for this is Dana Milbank's report, eh. I don't believe it. It's like the "report" of the waitress at some diner in Alaska or California or wherever who heard Palin use a Sambo reference. IOW, bullshit.

Someone needs to ask Milbank for some backup. No one will, of course, but someone needs to.

Boston,

Actually, they were the Anaheim Angels then.

Though to expect someone from Boston to know anything about baseball outside of the Yankees-Sawk axis is to expect too much. They haven't been the Los Angeles Angels since the 60s.

|10.7.08 @ 2:11PM|#

Thundersticks are those inflatible things that people hit together to make noise

And are often handed out to smallish crowds to make it sound like there are more people making noise.

Though to expect someone from Boston to know anything about baseball outside of the Yankees-Sawk axis is to expect too much. All those teams we roll over tend to blend together.

Perhaps he should stick to straining sports metaphors until they beg for mercy.

OK. It's October 2007.

Barack Obama = Boston Red Sox
Hillary Clinton = Cleveland Indians
John McCain = Colorado Rockies

Isn't it just terrific that the Rockies came back and won the penant? Really, they should proud of the job they did.

Boston|10.7.08 @ 2:41PM|#

Arrrgh, that is indeed what i meant to say. But i was correct in what i said about the thundersticks being popularized by the Angels for which they should never be forgiven.

Boston|10.7.08 @ 3:15PM|#

although the PAC-10 may bear some responsibility

|10.7.08 @ 3:21PM|#

All those teams we roll over tend to blend together.

At least the Yankees won an order of magnitude more WS titles than 2 before they became that dickish. Congratulations, in the last 80 years you've won as many titles as the vaunted Florida Marlins.

|10.7.08 @ 3:23PM|#

before they

Should be "before their fans".

Boston|10.7.08 @ 3:30PM|#

Uhh, I messed up the team name i didn't know that was dickish.

cunnivore|10.7.08 @ 4:06PM|#

They haven't been the Los Angeles Angels since the 60s.

They're the Los Angeles Angels now.

cunnivore|10.7.08 @ 4:08PM|#

Or technically the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but no one says the full name.

|10.7.08 @ 4:09PM|#

Boston,

That was directed at joe, not you.

Boston|10.7.08 @ 4:18PM|#

Mo,

Though i think joe was speaking in jest, that does apply to about half of our fanbase. Though a lot of people in Boston take the sport very serious and are quite knowledgeable. For what its worth the knowledgeable fan bases (of not just their teams but the sport itself) that i have encountered are NY's, Chicago's and St Louis'. YMMV

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