The swiftboating of Barack Obama

Guardian UK ^ | 7/3/08 | Zach Roth

[pissant]

The Republican party's attempts to portray Obama as arrogant could hurt him in the election.

Presidential races generally hinge on character issues - as Republicans understand. That's why, the last two times out, the GOP has won the White House by hammering into voters' minds the idea that the Democratic candidate embodies a particular negative quality. In 2000, Al Gore was depicted (with the help of a lazy and compliant press corps) as a serial exaggerator. Four years later, John Kerry was portrayed as a weak-willed flip-flopper. Ultimately, it was these personal caricatures, far more than any specific policy prescriptions, that doomed the Democrats.

So it stands to reason that Republicans are trying that strategy again this year - especially given how unpromising the issue climate is for their party. Over the last few months, Barack Obama has been variously labelled an "elitist", a naïve softie and simply "out of the mainstream" in his lifestyle and associates. And lately, in what appears to be the centrepiece of the GOP's attacks, Republicans have focused on portraying Obama as arrogant and self-interested.

[pissant]

He may be an arrogant POS, but if the GOP wants to put a nail in his political coffin, they will need to expose his marxism and corruption.

[skeeter]

If I want an analysis of American politics Fleet Street is the last place I’d look.

[lormand]

Swiftboating - Exposing the truth about your opponent.

[rabscuttle385]

The Republican party's attempts to portray Obama as arrogant could hurt him in the election.

The Republicans don't have to lift a finger. Obama does it all by himself.

[caseinpoint]

Like some guy who doesn’t understand the first thing about the term “swiftboating” is going to have credence?

[Lancey Howard]

He may be an arrogant POS, but if the GOP wants to put a nail in his political coffin, they will need to expose his marxism and corruption.

As well as his propensity to smoke crack while having gay sex in limousines and hotels.

[SoldierDad]

The Republican party's attempts to portray Obama's as arrogance could hurt him in the election.

There, now it makes sense.

[2ndDivisionVet]

He never so much as wore a scout uniform, so how can he be "swiftboated" as was done to Lieutenant John Kerry?! The Swiftboat Veterans for Truth merely told what they knew of Senator Kerry, both during his brief tour of Vietnam and his antiwar, anti-American escapades afterwords. That is what destroyed Mr. Kerry's chances of becoming president, not his response time or "unwillingness to get down in the mud with his detractors" as some in the nutroots claim.

[The Shrew]

[justiceseeker93]

That's why, the last two times out, the GOP has won the White House by hammering into the voters' minds the idea that the Democratic candidate embodies a particularly negative quality.

Hate to alert the lefty writer to this, but there is also the fact that the 'Rat candidate embodies a particularly negative ideology.

[boomop1]

Great tag line, my feelings exactly. DITTO

[pissant]

You mean you don’t want a crack whore for POTUS?

[AreaMan]

A lefty Brit newspaper has it's panties in a bunch because their preferred candidate might lose.

Boo f**king hoo.

[I still care]

He is arrogant. Has anyone else noticed how often he seems to take offense from others in his speeches?

The GOP didn’t need to convince me of this. Obama’s own words told me so. Things like, “He disrespected me” and such.

All that said, I don’t mind an arrogant president. But I mind a marxist one.

[dawn53]

They don’t understand because they’re not your “typical white person.”

[allmendream]

I guess Democrats never lie they just “exaggerate”. Even so Gore “exaggerated” about his mom, his sister and his dog.

His mom sung him “look for the union label” as a lullaby, when he was in his mid 20’s apparently.

He vowed upon his sisters death from smoking related illness to never have anything to do with tobacco again, except that he did, and when talking to tobacco farmers he said he was proud to have grown it.

He said his mother in law paid more for medication than his dog. But his dog wasn't on any meds.

Gore was a serial “exaggerator”, if the press wasn't so lazy and compliant they would have shown them to be repeated lies.

[lakeman]

Obama can’t be swiftboated. BUT he can be Sinclaired.

[pissant]

I think Obama has been sinclaired by more than a few male Lewinsky’s.

[silverleaf]

Cost of the irony of Guardianistas commenting on “attempts to portray” Obama as arrogant?

priceless.

[PGR88]

It’s odd how Swiftboating became a “bad” word - the guys who knew Kerry in Vnam were simply telling their opinion of him - and the facts regarding his service. Every fact they stated was true and verifiable through other sources.