McCain's Campaign of Mockery

Really? The only way he can beat Obama is by making fun of him?

Is this a POTUS election or 7th grade class president?

Whatever happened to Issues, McCain? Did you send those packing with your crippled, battered, and used-up ex-wife?

It may be because the art of the subtle put-down is as difficult to master in politics as it is in life, analysts say -- nobody wants to sit next to the angry guy on the subway, let alone grant him a four-year lease on the Oval Office.

And McCain's renowned penchant for off-putting jabs -- his joke about bombing Iran, his off-color comment about Chelsea Clinton's parentage, his steady stream of sarcastic, occasionally off-message campaign trail asides -- makes it tough for the campaign to distance the man from this style of message.

Those who live by the snark can perish by the punch line.

"The world has changed," McCain's former Senate colleague, Bob Kerrey, told Politico last month, when asked about the Arizona senator's occasionally hard-edged humor. "It's a lot harder to tell jokes than it used to be."

The strategy's possible pitfalls are already on display.

At the beginning of the week, the McCain campaign pounced on a statement by Obama that offshore oil drilling wouldn't be necessary if drivers made sure their tires were properly inflated. Gleeful GOP staffers passed out tire gauges bearing the words "Obama's Energy Plan."

But within a day or so after the tools made their trail debut, McCain himself agreed that properly inflated tires would help save Americans at the pump, though not as much as Obama had suggested.
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Former McCain senior adviser John Weaver -- who exited the campaign last year amid turmoil -- cast aside his usual interview reticence last week, telling the Atlantic magazine that he believed the campaign's embrace of mockery as a tactic "diminishes John McCain," and that the "Celeb" ad was "childish" and "reduces McCain on the stage."

"For McCain's sake, this tomfoolery needs to stop," Weaver said.

full story

[edit on 8/8/2008 by Andrew E. Wiggin]

Issues? You want to talk issues? God knows I do, and McCain does too.

Unfortunately Barry refuses to debate McCain. I wonder why?

Dude....how much does the Obama campaign pay your for your efforts exactly?


Im not trying to be rude or chastise any of the fellow ATS members here, but you certainly do seem to have a one track mind. Like a record that skips over and over and over.


Just wondering, do you actually get compensated for what you do? Do you sleep in Barack Obabama pajamas? Are there Obama bobble heads stuck all over the dash of your car as we speak? Do you and Barack hang out on the weekends?


Im sorry if this is offensive to you, and I admire your vigilance in a sick sort of way. I am just mazed at the tenacity with which you appear on ATS day in and day out and never stray to form.

What do you get out of it?

Originally posted by BlackOps719
What do you get out of it?

2 pleasures:

1.) Hoping that, in some way, i may have helped swing a vote for Obama.
2.) The pleasure in watching someone like you get so angry that you post off topic, derailing a thread, and personally attacking someone.


Oh, and no i don't get paid. Though i wouldn't mind it, and you're certainly not the first to make that accusation

I take it as a compliment. I'm a pseudo 'professional obama supporter'


now do you, or you ilk, have anything....oh...constructive to actually contribute? or do you still feel so afraid that you have to attack me and not the issues?

reply to post by Andrew E. Wiggin




It wasn't meant as an attack mate, I was just genuinely curious.


Thanks for the explanation, happy propagandizing

***Mod. Post***

Let's discuss the topic, not each other...

Okee-dokey?

edit out of respect for mod post.

[edit on 8/8/2008 by Andrew E. Wiggin]

reply to post by seagull




All apologies Seagull for straying from "topic".....I am done here.

Soooooo, now that the circus has left town, we can get back to topic:


McCains mockery campaign.

Is there really no better way mccain can come up with to beat obama than to make fun of him?

Black. Muslim. Black. Muslim. Celebrity.

Does anyone not see the irony in the celebrity thing when you look at other republican politicians like

Sony Bono
Ronald Regan
Clint Eastwood


Seriously. By doing this - he's ridiculing his OWN party.

It must be getting awfully crowded under the "straight talk express" bus.

At least his crippled ex-wife will finanly have some reasonable company.

The more McCain keeps the attention on Obama, the less the attention is on himself. I think that's the strategy here.

This election has become a Yes or No vote for Obama for president. McCain is just kind of the guy who's taking up space. This campaign is all about Obama. People either want Obama to be president or they DON'T want him to be president. So, if McCain can encourage people to vote against Obama, he might win.

That's really his only chance. And I hope enough people are smart enough to see that.

As I have already said. I'd love to move away from this kind of discussion.

Sadly, Obama refuses to discuss the issues and debate McCain. He just wants to keep pushing his slogans and catchphrases and avoid the debates McCain would love to have.

Why wouldn't Obama want to discuss the issues I wonder? Perhaps because there is nothing there...

Originally posted by Andrew E. Wiggin
Soooooo, now that the circus has left town, we can get back to topic:


McCains mockery campaign.

Is there really no better way mccain can come up with to beat obama than to make fun of him?

Black. Muslim. Black. Muslim. Celebrity.

Does anyone not see the irony in the celebrity thing when you look at other republican politicians like

Sony Bono
Ronald Regan
Clint Eastwood


Seriously. By doing this - he's ridiculing his OWN party.

It must be getting awfully crowded under the "straight talk express" bus.

At least his crippled ex-wife will finanly have some reasonable company.

Last I remember, McCain never ever pulled the muslim or race card. The race card was pulled by Obama and nobody else. You are one hell of a propaganda machine and fortunately do a poor job at it.

When McCain was busy talking about REAL issues, in town halls with REAL PEOPLE. Obama was busy attacking McCain.

There is no mockery here, only facts. It's only fair for McCain to use whats given to him, and its obviously working. Now I know your habits, so I know your going to bring up polls, but such polls are ALMOST ALWAYS biased toward the democratic party. Regan Vs. Carter is a perfect example of that.

You obviously have never even considered putting your bias aside to look at the real facts, but that's another story.

Any candidate who thinks there are 57+ states.

Thinks 1 bomb destroyed Pearl Harbor.

Wants Tire Pressure to be the key issue in the energy debate.

Befriends home-grown terrorists.

Wants to tax everyone and everything.
Cuts off a visit with injured troops because there wouldn't be enough media coverage.

Wants to be President of the World. And much, much more.......deserves to be mocked.

It must be working as there has been a 12% pt swing in the polls since Obama's world tour, and McCains effective ads mocking him.

And as you can plainly see in this thread as well as every other Obama thread, no one will answer the question I keep posing.

If Obama has such grand ideas and is so eloquent in relating them, why won't he accept a debate request from McCain?

Why won't the supreme leader of the world have a civilized debate with McCain to express his ideas and solutions?

I think he is afraid. Scared to death.

reply to post by nyk537

This is a bit dated, but easy enough to find.

Possible McCain/Obama debates:

-2008-
September 26, 2008: Presidential debate with domestic policy focus, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
October 2, 2008: Vice Presidential debate, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
October 7, 2008: Presidential debate in a town hall format, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
October 15, 2008: Presidential debate with foreign policy focus, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Full 2008 Presidential Debate Schedule

Actually, I'm still waiting on some swiftboat campaign to start up against Obama. Is Paris Hilton the best they can do?

[edit on 8/8/2008 by Hal9000]

reply to post by Andrew E. Wiggin


Can you explain why you have no problem with Obama's mocking of McCain?

Oh wait, THATS legitimate right?

reply to post by Dronetek


Well lets see. The mocking goes like this:




McCain:
"hehehehehehehhee, Obama wants you to inflate your TIRES!"


Obama:
"Now! They're making fun of the idea that you should inflate your tires to save on gasoline. Its like they love living in ignorance!"

so yeah - there's a big difference.

Originally posted by Andrew E. Wiggin
reply to post by Dronetek

 

Well lets see. The mocking goes like this:




McCain:
"hehehehehehehhee, Obama wants you to inflate your TIRES!"


Obama:
"Now! They're making fun of the idea that you should inflate your tires to save on gasoline. Its like they love living in ignorance!"

so yeah - there's a big difference.

Ahhhhh the quality of your post when you have to think for yourself is just superb!


They are mocking it because it was pitched as a real solution, which is quite sad. Inflating tires does make a difference but is nowhere near a solution.

I get the impression you are quite young.

I really don't see what the problem is. They are giving Obama what he craves the Most.

Attention.


Inflating tires has its merits and Obama should have said it without comparing it to save oil. He left himself opened up to ridicule.

I think it is highly possible to get oil out of the ground.

I don't think it is highly possible to get everybody to maintain their tires properly inflated at all times and get regular tune ups as recommended.

Originally posted by jam321
I really don't see what the problem is. They are giving Obama what he craves the Most.

Attention.

You bring up a great question...

Do the Media fawn over Obama

OR

Does Obama crave attention?



[edit on 8-8-2008 by Quazga]