The Obama Rules

RCP ^ | May 13th, 2008 | Rich Lowry

[The_Republican]

If Barack Obama gets his way, the Oxford English Dictionary will have updated its definition of "distraction" by the end of the campaign: "Diversion of the mind, attention, etc., from any object or course that tends to advance the political interests of Barack Obama."

After his blowout win in North Carolina last week, Obama turned to framing the rules of the general election ahead, warning in his victory speech of "efforts to distract us." The chief distracter happens to be the man standing between Obama and the White House, John McCain, who will "use the very same playbook that his side has used time after time in election after election."

Ah, yes, the famous distractions with which Republicans fool unwitting Americans. Ronald Reagan distracted them with the Iranian hostage crisis, high inflation and unemployment, gas lines and the loss of American prestige abroad. Then, the first George Bush distracted them with the notion of a third Reagan term, as well as the issues of taxes, crime and volunteerism. After a brief interlude of national focus during two Clinton terms, another Bush arrived wielding the dark art of distraction.

Forget "bitter"; Obama must believe that most Americans suffer from an attention-deficit disorder so crippling that they can't concentrate on their own interests or values.

Obama has an acute self-interest in so diagnosing the American electorate. His campaign knows he's vulnerable to the charge of being an elitist liberal. Unable to argue the facts, it wants to argue the law -- defining his weaknesses as off-limits.

The campaign can succeed in imposing these rules on the race only if the news media cooperate. Newsweek signed up for the effort in a cover story that reads like a 3,400-word elaboration of the "distraction" passage of Obama's victory speech.

[MovementConservative]

Obama the uniter indeed. The buck stops with his staffers. Never him. No one has spoken out more forcibly than him on (fill in the blank). If it offends you, he denounces it.

[Once-Ler]

Obama has an acute self-interest in so diagnosing the American electorate. His campaign knows he's vulnerable to the charge of being an elitist liberal. Unable to argue the facts, it wants to argue the law -- defining his weaknesses as off-limits.

Holding a mirror up to Barry Hussein Osama has never feed a hungry child, provided the elderly with medicine, or empowered the meek. I'm sure he doesn't appreciate having to wait for his coronation either.

[NutCrackerBoy]

FYI: link to an Andrew Romano blog entry that closely examines that blatantly biased Newsweek article.

[Prole]

There you have it.

According to Obama, the people of Florida and Michigan are "efforts to distract" his people. What of the other big states like Ohio, Texas, New York, California etc???

It is simply amazing how stupid the democrats are for following Obama, while knowingly betraying the significance of Florida and Michigan.

I thought the democrats said every vote should count? I see that matters only when Obama says so.

What a dangerous hypocrite this Obama is.