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July 07, 2008 Obama and the 'Image Thing'By Miguel A. GuanipaAt a fundamental level, elections hinge upon the most trusted intuitions voters have about their candidate's character. In most cases these intuitions are seldom aligned with the truth, as they are loosely based on external appearances and whatever the media chooses to put on its daily feed. Nevertheless, the labeling of a candidate that gains the most currency - in other words, the one that sticks - is the one that, given enough circumstantial evidence to support its tenuous correspondence with reality, will play a significant role in determining either victory or defeat for that candidate. In the game of politics, the label that is used to pigeon hole one candidate may not necessarily work for another- but the principle of perseverance until a fitting label sticks works almost every time. For people who get paid to breathe life into a viable caricature of the candidate from the opposition, their work at pointing out his gaffes and consistently highlighting the negatives may in time yield the desired results, and soon enough a candidate may find that the very strengths for which he is so admired by his followers have almost overnight become his greatest liabilities. A case in point that probably haunts many of Obama's advisors is the 2004 presidential campaign of John Kerry. In hindsight one can almost pinpoint the time when the downward spiraling of John Kerry's campaign began to gain serious momentum. It was not long after diligent republican strategists had done their work of helping to make the eviscerating tag of the flip-flopping candidate frame the national conversation. The overriding perception of an endlessly vacillating candidate became a powerful tool in the hands of republican strategists to sway many undecided voters in the 2004 election. The fact that Kerry had not addressed emerging doubts in the consciousness of voters about the legitimacy of his military service also contributed to the imminent collapse of what was once considered a high-spirited campaign by many accounts, though in the end it became merely a peripheral concern of the voters. This failure to stay one step ahead of the rumor mill and quickly defuse any allegations of misconduct or character weaknesses has served as a valuable lesson for the crafters of Obama's campaign strategy; a strategy that - not surprisingly - puts a premium on providing a timely response to negative publicity and unfounded characterizations from the opposition. And it is not entirely unwise for Obama to heed the promptings of his trusted advisors to seize every opportunity to silence any potentially damaging rumors and squelch any unsolicited misrepresentations that may sometimes even come from loose cannons within his own contingency. But while he is being assured that this approach will only help to project an image of honesty and strength, the impression he is giving to presumptive voters is an altogether different one than that which his advisors have in mind. In other words, there is a distinct possibility that he may be actually perceived as a supremely selfish man; the consummate politician who is more preoccupied with safeguarding the luster of his public persona than with the support from those whom he will readily disown should they in any way become a hindrance to the fulfillment of his life long dream. Not a label that Obama would intentionally embrace. And therein lies the supreme irony. Barack Obama, lionized by his peers as the silver tongue candidate, eulogized by his followers as the fresh and untainted spirit in Washington, but seemingly oblivious to the fickle nature of political winds, may actually be helping history repeat itself. For John Kerry, failing to quickly neutralize his foes' negative spin on his record meant the end of his presidential bid, which is why Obama can't be blamed for choosing an entirely opposite course of action. But as he aggressively tries to do his best to avoid mimicking the unresponsive approach that eventually sealed his predecessor's fate, he may actually be setting the stage to face a strikingly similar finale.
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bam·boo·zle Audio Help /bæmˈbuzəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[bam-boo-zuhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, -zled, -zling.
-verb (used with object) 1. to deceive or get the better of (someone) by trickery, flattery, or the like; humbug; hoodwink (often fol. by into): They bamboozled us into joining the club.
2. to perplex; mystify.
-verb (used without object) 3. to practice trickery, deception, cozenage, or the like.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Origin: 1695-1705; orig. uncert.]
--Related forms
bam·boo·zle·ment, noun
bam·boo·zler, noun
--Synonyms 1. gyp, dupe, trick, cheat, swindle.
Posted by: Jon | July 7, 2008 01:57 AM
Martin Luther King, Jr., a man I admire greatly, once said: We are not makers of history. We are made by history. Within this context please consider:
Will Our Children Be Able To Trust What "History" Says About Senator Obama?
Found at:
http://zachjonesishome.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/will-our-children-be-able-to-trust-what-%E2%80%9Chistory%E2%80%9D-says-about-senator-obama/
Posted by: ZachJonesIsHome | July 7, 2008 05:27 AM
Why does anyone vote?
Posted by: Matthew Dickinson | July 7, 2008 05:51 AM
I mentioned in a blog comment the other day that Obama will be visiting Berlin at the end of the month and has asked to make a speech at the Brandenburg Gate. He obviously wants to draw on memories of JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" and Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall" speeches. The fact that he is not president and has not even shown enough interest in Europe to call a single hearing in the Senate subcommittee he heads suggests that he is more interested in the TV images that will arise from such an event than in any concrete achievement. I am appalled at the arrogance of this man who thinks he can appeal to the young uninformed Berliners before he has even met with the country's elected leaders. We all know how he feels about America's clingers, but do we really want him to be taking his arrogance abroad? Obama's problem is not his policy changes; it is the fact that his initial positions are uninformed and are prsented as messages from on high. This is what needs to be addressed by his political opponents.
Der Spiegel International has the story.
Posted by: vb | July 7, 2008 06:22 AM
I don't think the Kerry/flipflop/swiftboat comparison holds. Kerry didn't lose the election, Bush won it. Karl Rove was instrumental in securing a victory only by getting a massive Republican turnout - by getting 4 million more votes than Kerry's phenominal 59 plus million votes. That was a lot of motivated Democrats.
Who does McCain have whipping up the Republican base to match the '04 turnout?
Posted by: George S | July 7, 2008 06:23 AM
To avoid the fate of the Kerry candidacy, Obama is going to have to keep his mouth shut from now until November.
The man is a liar and a phony. And it should be pointed out by the McCain campaign at every opportunity.
If this man becomes our president, I hold little hope for the future of our nation. We'll have shown we can be duped by anything and anyone.
It would show such stupidity, so little discernment, that we would rightfully deserve the mess that would follow.
Posted by: Lulu | July 7, 2008 06:38 AM
The truth is that if there was no such thing as Cult of Personality, Obama would still be a state senator, at best.
Posted by: Mojo | July 7, 2008 08:46 AM
The problem isn't that Obama is arrogant and not to be trusted, the problem is McCain and his trusted advisors (?) don't know how to campaign, are afraid to call Obama out, and will probably go down to defeat for not reaching out to conservative voters. I am sick of watching the debacle.
Bev Gunn
East Texas Rancher
Posted by: Bev Gunn | July 7, 2008 09:03 AM
If this man becomes our president, I hold little hope for the future of our nation. We'll have shown we can be duped by anything and anyone.
It would show such stupidity, so little discernment, that we would rightfully deserve the mess that would follow.
Lulu and Orignal Article poster
Mr O is following a script, paid for and delineated by his controllers. Make no mistake, the Smear Site, the shifts to the Center, recent recants via press conference, seemingly lost focus speeches, all are designed to fog the issue.
1. Obama has a Leftist Controller campaign staff.
2. Obama has this election mostly in the bag, due to ineptness and a younger naive generation.
3. The Left has the bit in thier teeth and h... has no fury like a delayed goal from the 60s.
ALl this is to say. We, the USA, will indeed reap the whirlwind of "obama's Change" if we allow him to succeed. Make no mistake. Our cherished Four Freedoms are at stake in November. January 10, 2009 will see the demise, one by one, if Mr O gets his Oval Office Sofa Sitters in control.
The first to go will be our First Amendment. Freedom of Speech.
end
Posted by: Volunteer | July 7, 2008 09:32 AM
Let me point out I despise McCain. I think he is a pandering RINO who has sold out the Conservative wing. I hold little hope he will be any different than Obama in ideological terms.
That said, I am a business owner and business is about risk mitigation. I have 2 choices and the least risk lies with McCain. I could expound upon all the reasons but I hope it is obvious.
There is only one way we can win and that is to get engaged (yeah I know, McCain) but if we sit on our hands we get Obama.
Also, we need to get involved in the local elections. Obama will be severely limited in scope should he win and not have majorities.
It is up to us to prevent this disaster because it does not appear McCain will.
If we hand Obama the golden keys and majorities I expect a flurry of Freedom taking the likes we have never seen.
So are we going to sit around and moan about that as well?
Posted by: DaveT | July 7, 2008 11:10 AM
It looks like this season we have only one candidate, and this candidate is Mr. Obama. As one of my friends said this candidate may loose (as we hope) but he may win either. By voting for Mr. McCain most people will vote against Mr. Obama but not for Mr. McCain. Like it or not but Mr. Obama has an image and Mr. McCain has not. It is very indicative that most of materials on this conservative website are about Mr. Obama and only few about Mr. McCain. It is highly unlikely that Mr. McCain will get any image significantly different from a liberal RINO maverick one. There is nothing bad in being a maverick in legislative body but you cannot be a maverick president in this country YET. It is still a democracy and you need to find consensuses, to unite followers in government, and on the Hill, etc. Maverics are notoriously bad at that. There is a possibility that in future we will have maverick presidents if we elect Mr. Obama. There are plenty of mavericks who were at helm in totalitarian countries - Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Ho Che Min, Pol Pot, you name them. Thanks G_d, we are not there yet but I do not hold my breath anymore.
Posted by: Leon | July 7, 2008 11:42 AM
When will this country wake up? Is there no one in this country looking at our history? The main stream media thinks we're at the very bottom/life in the gutter, but no one give us a reason why! History gives us the answer, the results of Liberalism!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 7, 2008 11:55 AM
I have begun to think that the Republicans should allocate some of their money to Obama,with the stipulation that he must use it to fund more of his speeches. It is becomming more and more evident with every speech BHO makes, just how slimey he really is. The more he talks the more that voters pick up on his outright lies and deceptions.
Posted by: BobF | July 7, 2008 12:00 PM
I thought the Kerry campaign went downhill early on when that teen showed up at one of his townmeetings with the t-shirt that read "I see your lips moving, but all I hear is blah blah blah!
Posted by: Don L | July 7, 2008 12:14 PM
Don L. brings up the teen vote and how critical it is to a liberal's campaign.
Young people need to get educated.
First, about what a phony Obama is - that he's lied about being a different kind of politician and innumerable other things - enough to discourage them from going to the polls. Remember, we're dealing here with the MTV generation and a 30second attention span.
Once that's accomplished, then move on two Step Two:
They need to get educated on the extreme liberalism - socialist/marxist - ideas Obama and his pals think are the "change" our nation needs. And this, from the mouths of those who've lived the nightmare those ideas become. They aren't going to listen to you and me, the average American who's only known the blessings of freedom.
Posted by: Lulu | July 7, 2008 02:27 PM
Re: "It would show such stupidity, so little discernment, that we would rightfully deserve the mess that would follow."
Well, unfortunately, most voters are ill informed and turn out only when whipped up emotionally to make a statement. So, our politics gets cruder every year.
Modern persuasion is based mainly on crude non-substantives. The best persuaders seem to be the non-substantives most skilled in only seeming to be substantive.
Truly, we get what we deserve. Let's just hope there are enough actual thinkers (and patriots) to turn the result, so we can live with what we will deserve to get.
Posted by: Dlanor | July 7, 2008 02:32 PM
I think McCain and the RNC are taking the right course at this time. It is a little over 4 months until the election and the conventions have not yet taken place. Add to this great job being done by the bloggers, talk radio, and O'Rielly, Ingraham, Beck, ect exposing every flip flop, every slimeball such as Ayers, Klondsky and others in Mr Obama's fellowship. Now along comes the connections between his house loan and Countyside. This just gets better and better.
The GOP is just keeping it'spowder dry. Timing is everything in this election cycle.
PC is Thought Control
LEE
Posted by: Lee Hazel | July 7, 2008 05:10 PM
I have very prosperous and obviously brilliant people that speak that the coming election is fait accompli' as if we are now a Zimbabwe with our future decided and rigged.
Nevertheless, I ask them this simple question: "Name one - just 1 - redeeming quality relative to Barrack "Barry" Hussain bin O'BoomBox (nee: Obama?
Besides smiling silence I have received nothing in reply.
Posted by: REILLY ACE OF SPIES | July 8, 2008 01:10 AM
Because of my work I have practically lived in Europe during the last two years. I have kept up with the political discourse thanks to information obtained on political blogs such as this one. Just recently, while passing through LA international terminal I caught a glimpse of Obama speaking in a CNN report. That was the first time I heard his baritone voice, but just there and then it was confirmed to me that Obama is a fraud, a phony. You know it when you hear a person lying through his teeth and speaking about something which is contrary to his core beliefs. What a crock of deceipt this man is!
Posted by: Richard V | July 8, 2008 05:43 PM