The Obamafication of the GOP -- Change We Can Believe In?

[Cleverboy]

Now, much has been made of Obama's perceived "movements to the center", as far as his "Faith-Based Initiatives" and his vote on the controversial FISA legislation with its immunity clause in place. But, in a down year for the Republican Party, it is becoming strangely obvious that the GOP seems to have Obama-envy.

This has manifested itself in a number of issues:

1.) GOP chooses a candidate in McCain, that represents an "outsider" to Washington, and promises reform, transparency, and appeal with Independents (mirroring the trend of support on the Democratic side).

2.) McCain publicizes vision of when America may be out of Iraq. When that remains too vague, Bush and McCain recognize the appeal of a "time-horizon" for getting out of Iraq, as Iraqi leadership supports Obama's specific timetable for pull-out.

3.) Bush administration begins to engage in talks with Iran, pivoting very ineptly between being effective and engaging in useful discussion.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=526317

4.) McCain VP Pick removes "experience" as a clear contrast on the ticket, as many seriously begin to question the meaning of "executive experience" in Palin's repertoire. VP pick injects candidate of similar age, and a classification distinction of "gender", combined with a compelling story of that arises to the level of "folk hero".

5.) While Obama supporters have been quick with cries of "racism", the GOP has switched its flagging "war hero" card with a vibrant, FAR more resonant (and more likely to be true) "gender card". Surrogates and not simply supporters, are being given talking points that include portraying Democrats as sexists whenever criticisms become too stiff.

6.) And now... GOP adopts the use of "CHANGE" as a mantra.
"I promise you, if you're sick and tired of the way Washington operates, you only need to be patient for a couple of more months," McCain shouted to an animated crowd in Missouri on Sunday night. "Change is coming! Change is coming! Change is coming! Change is coming!"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090102564.html?hpid=topnews
Maybe the Democrats should erect a privacy screen. Clearly the GOP is peaking at their playbook for winning this showdown. I'm wondering what other similar shoes will drop. Major points of current weakness for McCain, come from his weak "healthcare" initiative.

Also, the "economy" remains a strength of the Democratic ticket (and a huge issue affecting voters). The strongest, unflappable GOP talking point is abortion. With recent revelations about Vice Presidential nominee Palin's family... suddenly the ticket has introduced an elephant in the room, whenever she attempts to mention abstinence-only initiatives, contraception, and family planning. There is little telling where the opportunity to refine their message, to better engage with the moment, will come from.

Looking at current polling, there is an unflattering
trend the GOP needs to reverse to win the White House.
http://www.eyesonobama.com/blog/content/id_28990/title_Poll-Check-Obama-Still-Heavily-Favored-to-Win-White-House/

~ CB

[Cleverboy]

I haven't been listening to the speeches during the GOP convention, but I'm listening to Huckabee right now, and he's doing a good job of swiping Obama's speech notes right out in public view. "You want something to CHANGE" he repeated, over and over... right after getting the entire Republican crowd to give Obama's historic achievement as the first black Presidential candidate a strong round of applause. From the speech experpt, Palin will be adopting the "CHANGE" mantra too.

Back when Romney was caught first coming over to the "change" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W8Vb6ZqffI) message, I'd wondered when this would get old. The whole "change agent" question is still alive and well.

~ CB

[Cleverboy]

Well... the transition continues. It looks as if the culmination of this whole farce ends with GOP candidates up for re-election DISTANCING themselves from the GOP nominee (John McCain) and the sitting GOP President (George "My Approval Ratings are in the Toilet" W. Bush)... and not ONLY adopting the "change" message of Obama... but actually... ACTUALLY.. and this blows me away... beginning to talk about how they've worked with Obama.

WHAT? It's almost like there was a transporter accident and this is some sort of mirror universe.

GOP candidates embrace Obama's message of change
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/30/gop.change/index.html
A sign above Interstate 5 outside of Seattle, Washington, flashes, "Voting for Obama? We Need CHANGE in Olympia too. Vote Dino Rossi for Governor!" Washington state gubernatorial Dino Rossi has mostly de-emphasized his Republican Party ties. Washington state gubernatorial Dino Rossi has mostly de-emphasized his Republican Party ties.

That's Dino Rossi, Republican. Rossi says an independent group that supports him put up the sign.

"They just realize we can't keep doing the same thing in Olympia [Washington's capital] and expect something new to happen." he said.

GOP may be Republican senator's biggest obstacle
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/30/oregon.senate/index.html
With an unpopular Republican president in the White House and the downturn in the economy on voters' minds, Smith is criss-crossing the state to campaign on his bipartisan record.

"I've worked with Barack Obama on fuel efficiency for cars, John Kerry on housing, Ted Kennedy on civil rights and obviously when you want to get something done," Smith said. "It takes a common sense center in the U.S. Senate that's where I've been, and that's where I'll be."

It's getting UGLY... :eek:

~ CB

[Peace]

Pretty sad when a Republican has to use a Democratic Mantra to get elected or publicize them.

[mactastic]

Even the local GOP pols around here are running with the word "change" on their signage.

It's pretty funny when you've got Republicans pretending to be Democrats because they think it will help them get elected...

[rdowns]

Is this a private thread or can anyone post? :D

What do you expect? The ship is sinking and some are trying to save their lives. I'd much rather see them pander like your examples than go crazy like Norm Coleman suing Al Franken for defamation or Elizabeth Dole's godless ad.

[Peace]

Is this a private thread or can anyone post? :D

What do you expect? The ship is sinking and some are trying to save their lives. I'd much rather see them pander like your examples than go crazy like Norm Coleman suing Al Franken for defamation or Elizabeth Dole's godless ad.

Give it a couple of days We ain't seen nothing yet.;)

[Beric]

I think a big part of the current "change" emphasis in the McCain campaign is that all Americans believe America needs change. Both candidates claim to support change, and appear to be very serious about putting it to action, were they to be elected. What kind of change is the issue. Bad change is worse than no change at all. For that reason, I'll be voting for McCain. Although he's not a perfect candidate, I believe he'll get a lot of good things done in helping change our country. Obama just seems too much of a traditional liberal hiding under the guise of "change". I don't view him as a communist extremist or something, but I do view him as a very-much-so left-leaning liberal.

[Anuba]

The question is, are they capable of drawing the right conclusions if they lose big? Or will they just conclude that the problem was that they didn't lie, hate, smear and scare enough, and that they have to go bigger next time?

[bobber205]

I think a big part of the current "change" emphasis in the McCain campaign is that all Americans believe America needs change. Both candidates claim to support change, and appear to be very serious about putting it to action, were they to be elected. What kind of change is the issue. Bad change is worse than no change at all. For that reason, I'll be voting for McCain. Although he's not a perfect candidate, I believe he'll get a lot of good things done in helping change our country. Obama just seems too much of a traditional liberal hiding under the guise of "change". I don't view him as a communist extremist or something, but I do view him as a very-much-so left-leaning liberal.

Lol.
That's like saying "ooooh. I won't vote for 1.5! It's too close to 1. I am going to vote for 2"

Obama is not as far left as you claim he is. And I guess you just admitted that Mccain won't bring any change. ;)

[Cleverboy]

Is this a private thread or can anyone post? :D Well... the engine wouldn't turn over, but I was sure there was gas in it when I started out. :p I just like the word "Obamafication". There's a veritable "Obama-" dictionary out there. It's quite amusing.

~ CB

[NT1440]

I dont know if anyone would agree with me, but i think more leftist policies are exactly what america needs right now. Until then, were just going to be the backwards thinking bully of the world.

[Thomas Veil]

The first thought that occurs to me is, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

The second, which follows from it, is that they're imitating the style without imitating the substance. You can tie a bow around a piece of dog poo and say, "Look! A chocolate eclair!", but that doesn't make it a chocolate eclair.

And yet, in spite of all the imitation, this has been the most schizophrenic presidential campaign I've ever seen. Yeah, they may be trying to imitate Obama, but they're really running on two parallel rails, the other one being the same old fear/smear crapola they've been pushing all along. One day McCain is gonna help us with our mortgages, the next he's screaming about Obama and terrorists. Hell, one day he's gonna help us with our mortgages, and a week of two later he's abandoned that plan. The man is freaking all over the place.

To some degree, whichever Republican ran this year was screwed from the beginning. You can't pretend you're running away from Bush when you're promoting essentially the same old policies, and all of them to one degree or another have been doing that. Democrats had a clear advantage because, while they've been criticizing Bush too, their criticism has some credibility -- it's built into the brand, for crying out loud.

When the Republicans do it, it looks like a wimpy "Me too" argument. It's every bit as believable as Microsoft telling you that Vista is as good as OS X. We know which one works well and which doesn't, and which one is the innovator and which is the imitator.

[Beric]

Lol.
That's like saying "ooooh. I won't vote for 1.5! It's too close to 1. I am going to vote for 2"

Obama is not as far left as you claim he is. And I guess you just admitted that Mccain won't bring any change. ;)

Obama is extremely far left. Have you even seen his views on abortion? The most liberal member of the senate who does everything he can to hide his views? Flip-flopper #1?

McCain isn't close conservative enough for me. However, I do believe he'll bring some positive change (which is a lot more than Obama will). I'm very annoyed McCain believes in human-caused global warming. But what can I do.

The most interesting thing to notice is that compared to George Washington, the only way in which McCain and Obama are different is on abortion. But I'm happy to be a single-issue voter if you're talking about 1,000,000 innocent lives lost every year.

EDIT: And I'm voting tonight (absentee) FOR McCain/Palin, FOR California prop 8 (marriage between one man and one woman) and AGAINST Prop 4 (parental notification on abortion, because it takes away parental rights). Prop 4 is the one main thing I'm voting the same thing as liberals, but of course for different reasons.

[NT1440]

Obama is extremely far left. Have you even seen his views on abortion? The most liberal member of the senate who does everything he can to hide his views? Flip-flopper #1?


Why do you people bring this most liberal crap up every time when its been debunked time and time again.


THERES A FRIGGIN SOCIALIST IN OFFICE IN THE US BUT OBAMA IS SOMEHOW MORE LIBERAL!?

[Blue Velvet]

Obama is extremely far left. Have you even seen his views on abortion?

His views are in line with the majority of the American people.

The most liberal member of the senate who does everything he can to hide his views?

He is not the most liberal member of the Senate, unless you've swallowed the National Journal's kool-aid. How is he more to the left than Bernie Sanders?


McCain isn't close conservative enough for me. However, I do believe he'll bring some positive change (which is a lot more than Obama will). I'm very annoyed McCain believes in human-caused global warming.

Human-caused climate change is an undeniable fact. Get your head out of the sand.


The only way in which McCain and Obama are different is on abortion.

Incorrect in so many ways. Tax policy, education, trade, foreign policy... just a few. I wouldn't call you a single-issue voter, I would call you a blinkered and an extremely uninformed one.

[Thomas Veil]

Obama is extremely far left. Have you even seen his views on abortion? The most liberal member of the senate who does everything he can to hide his views? Flip-flopper #1?Which talking points shill told you that? Fox? The National Review? Rush Limbaugh?

Even Dennis Kucinich is further to the left, and as BV noted, Bernie Sanders is the only one who even comes close to being far left.

And "flip-flopper"? Obama's been far more consistent than McCain.

McCain isn't close conservative enough for me. However, I do believe he'll bring some positive change (which is a lot more than Obama will). I'm very annoyed McCain believes in human-caused global warming. But what can I do.Wow, McCain isn't conservative enough for you? What is it exactly you were looking for? Taliban?

And McCain's belief in global warming is one of the few good things you can say about him lately.

The most interesting thing to notice is that compared to George Washington, the only way in which McCain and Obama are different is on abortion. But I'm happy to be a single-issue voter if you're talking about 1,000,000 innocent lives lost every year.Knowing that won't change, I'm more concerned with the many issues that are facing the 305,000,000 of us that are already here.

I do wonder, however, if George Washington gave tax cuts to people making under $200,000 a year.

[mactastic]

Obama is extremely far left. Have you even seen his views on abortion?
Yeah, he doesn't like it, but he supports a woman's right to make the same choice Sarah Palin was given. That's in alignment with the majority of Americans.

The most liberal member of the senate who does everything he can to hide his views?
This nonsense have been thoroughly debunked by others, but don't you find it a little strange that this same organization has managed to find the Democratic nominee for POTUS to be "THE MOST LIBERAL SENATOR" in both previous elections? What happened? Is Obama so much farther left than John Kerry that he knocked Kerry from the top spot?

Flip-flopper #1?
Don't even go there, it just makes you look uninformed. In case you hadn't noticed McCain has been on both sides of so many issues it's just ridiculous.

McCain isn't close conservative enough for me.
How about Palin? Would you vote for her at the top of a GOP ticket?

[hulugu]

Obama is extremely far left. Have you even seen his views on abortion? The most liberal member of the senate who does everything he can to hide his views? Flip-flopper #1?

McCain isn't close conservative enough for me. However, I do believe he'll bring some positive change (which is a lot more than Obama will). I'm very annoyed McCain believes in human-caused global warming. But what can I do.

The most interesting thing to notice is that compared to George Washington, the only way in which McCain and Obama are different is on abortion. But I'm happy to be a single-issue voter if you're talking about 1,000,000 innocent lives lost every year....

It's interesting that you keep repeating the mantra that Obama is the most "liberal" member of the Senate. How did you come to this conclusion? Did you read the National Journal article?

The NJ article is very interesting, not only does it rank Obama and Clinton as the #1 and #2 most liberal members of Congress, but it ranks Bernie Sanders at #4. Interestingly, McCain isn't ranked because he missed too many votes. Also, Ron Paul is placed in the middle of the House.

Of course, someone taking a jaundiced eye towards such a ranking system would wonder how it is that both the Democratic front-runners ended up at the most liberal end of the spectrum. It speaks to a certain statistical bias at work.

For instance, Obama is considered liberal because he voted "nay" on a call to label Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group. His reason was his concern that such a vote would, like the AUMF for Iraq, give Bush the power to wage war on Iran. Is this a liberal vote? According to the NJ it is, but frankly this smells like a strapped-chicken.

As for abortion, I'll leave you with this quote by Edward Abbey: "Abolition of a woman's right to abortion, when and if she wants it, amounts to compulsory maternity: a form of rape by the State."

[Badandy]

Human-caused climate change is an undeniable fact. Get your head out of the sand.

Any competent climate research scientist would shy away from using such language.


hulugu: I doubt you'll change anyone's opinion on abortion. They both think they're sitting on the moral pedestal from a basic human rights perspective. It's just a divisive issue, and it's one of those issues where unless you bring something new to table besides "baby killer" or "freedom hater", nothing is going to be accomplished.

[hulugu]

...hulugu: I doubt you'll change anyone's opinion on abortion. They both think they're sitting on the moral pedestal from a basic human rights perspective. It's just a divisive issue, and it's one of those issues where unless you bring something new to table besides "baby killer" or "freedom hater", nothing is going to be accomplished.

Oh, I know. I always end up in the middle of these arguments and at some point arguing with both at the same time. It's a hard argument and that's why I appreciate Obama's statement during the debates.

As for Abbey's quote, I had forgotten about it until I was rereading one of his essays, but I didn't expect any sudden epiphanies. I actually thought about removing it.

[solvs]

The most liberal member of the senate who does everything he can to hide his views?

His views are all out there for people like you to ignore so you can instead believe made up crap like this no matter how many times it's been completely and totally debunked.

You also make the bunny cry.

[és:]

Obama is extremely far left.

What a load of rubbish. He's not even left, left alone extremely far left. We all knew before, but that line just confirms just how little you actually know about politics.

Have you even seen his views on abortion?

Yeh. And?

McCain isn't close conservative enough for me.

That's because you're extreme right wing, probably a religious extremist and are ignorant to the facts.

I'm very annoyed McCain believes in human-caused global warming. But what can I do.

What can you do? How about look at the facts.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/climate-change-at-the-poles-is-manmade-980256.html

But I'm happy to be a single-issue voter if you're talking about 1,000,000 innocent lives lost every year.

What about the million innocent lives in Iraq? What about the many millions that will likely be killed in Iran?

I'm against abortion, but not as much as I'm against forcing other people to live their life by your own views.

And I'm voting tonight (absentee) FOR McCain/Palin, FOR California prop 8 (marriage between one man and one woman) and AGAINST Prop 4 (parental notification on abortion, because it takes away parental rights). Prop 4 is the one main thing I'm voting the same thing as liberals, but of course for different reasons.

It's my bet that you're going to lose out on every one of those.