Specifically Negative: Obama Shows He Is Not Above The Fight
Posted on August 28, 2008 at 11:54 pmI must say I was surprised by this speech. One would have expected at this moment in time, speaking to the largest audience live and on television that he has likely ever engaged at length, Obama would have delivered a high powered version of the inspirational speeches that made him the transcendent political figure he has become.
While the speech was certainly quintessential Obama in parts, in other ways, it was a departure and certainly not what one would have expected for the occasion. Ben Smith has said the speech was an example of both offense and defense, but one stuck out more than the other. Obama made the negative case against McCain a centerpoint in a way I don’t think many would have predicted.
The knock against Obama is that he is too grandiose. The knock against Obama is that his speeches, while inspirational, are, to a certain extent, utopian, sentimental fluff.
Not tonight. Not entirely anyway.
Tonight, not only did he go after McCain in an, at times, angry fashion, he offered far more in terms of explicit policy provisions than he usually does, at least in most speeches I have seen. He laid out, not just the case against McCain, but he laid out his case, his very liberal case, for where he wants to take America.
This speech showed Obama’s pragmatic side. Not ideological pragmatism, not at all. He laid out a more explicitly progressive agenda than is usual for a candidate with half a chance of winning in this country. But tactically, Obama seems to have taken the copious criticisms of his political persona to heart.
Obama took the fight to John McCain in way one would not have expected of a candidate who tries to be above politics as much as possible. This speech reveals that Obama is aware that he cannot rely on purely on his charisma and rhetorical skill alone. He recognizes that he will not coast to victory just on the cult of celebrity which has been created around him.
A normal Democrat, in this political climate, could get away with staying above it all and let the economy and the disaster in Iraq speak for itself and make the Republican try and bring him down.
Obama clearly realizes that he is not just any Democrat. He has deficiencies and and liabilities that are very much unique to him. Yes, Obama has to be Obama and no doubt he will be. He has to inspire and he has to expand the electorate. But he cannot be above the fight.
This speech proves that Obama knows this. This speech was bad news for John McCain.
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Comments
4 Responses to “Specifically Negative: Obama Shows He Is Not Above The Fight”
I think what you’ve seen tonight is a politician who understands pacing. While McCain’s campaign has been flailing out and focusing on what to say in order to get the Gallup tracking poll to go their way, Obama has been letting the low expectations to build up in order to shatter them.
During the Democratic Primary, Obama could never take Hillary Clinton head-to-head simply on policy, because at best he’d draw even, in which case it would be a win for Hillary.
With John McCain, a person whose policy depth is fairly shallow, and where the distinctions are far greater than they could ever be in a Democratic primary; Obama is much more comfortable going on the offensive in a point-by-point refutation of the Bush policies which are so unpopular in America, and so ingrained in John McCain’s political philosophy.
To be sure, this could turnaround in a heart beat, but he’s built a foundation tonight, and the question now before Obama is whether he can continue to reinforce it while the Republicans descend with pick-axes to try and chip away at it.
Excellent analysis AK. Even if I didn’t feel that way I’d say I’m glad Post Politics took up where Volunteer Voters left off. Whether it’s federal, state or local, Republican or Democrat, you provide information and opinions I can’t do without!
That’s really brilliant of Obama. Intentionally sink your poll numbers just so you can come back and stick it to McCain good.
I hope the Titans employ that strategy this year. Get down by 2 or 3 TD’s just so you can come back in the 4th quarter and really impress the crowd.
Oh wait…
[...] Posted on August 29, 2008 by Aunt B. Oh, Tiny Pasture. A truly liberal speech would have included strong language in support of women’s rights [...]