Here Come the Scripts
Cernig at Newshoggers notes that the long-prepared scripts for the upcoming general election are already falling into place. The Democratic candidate (about 60/40 likelihood to be Obama) will be cast as a cowardly surrender monkey. The Republican candidate (certain to be McCain, in spite of Huckabee’s continuing pathetic ego trip) will be cast as a monstrous warmonger intent on killing as many people as possible.
While I almost never agree with Cernig about anything, he is right about this one. These scripts have been almost exactly the same for over four decades. They were written long before anyone knew who the actual candidates would be.
Well, it is time to tear those scripts up and fire the writers. And it is possible to do it with these candidates. Obama is uniquely inspirational, able to appeal to both centrists and moderates across the partisan aisle (much to the frustration of firmer partisans). Indeed, the anger and divisiveness of the partisan scripts that are being brought out to combat Obama’s charisma are likely to continue to accelerate the backlash in Obama’s favor, as moderate conservatives tire of being ordered about by Rovian enforcers hurling “liberal” as an all-purpose epithet.
The same goes for McCain. The coming effort (already telegraphed among many partisan Democrat blogs) to cast him as “Bush on crack” is likely to backfire, as moderate liberals in both parties take note of hard-right conservatives evident distaste for McCain and his various underlying departures from right-wing orthodoxy.
The very emergence of McCain and Obama over more traditional partisan avatars is testimony to increasing weakness in the power of the standard partisan scripts. The dramatic failure of anger-driven fringe candidates in both parties shows that rage against the ideological other is not a sufficient motivator for most voters, even in these highly polarized political times. Those who want to oppose either Obama or McCain are going to need to change with the times if they want to succeed in anything more than mere shadow-boxing.
Perhaps they might consider being FOR something instead of AGAINST everything.
Of course, Jason, unlike Obama, McCain has a long and demonstrated voting record of crossing party lines to vote for bipartisan and "centrist" things. Sometimes that’s a good thing (the Gang of 14) and sometimes it’s a bad thing (McCain-Feingold), but it’s amply demonstrated in the record.
But Senator Obama does not have such an actual record. At some point, he’s going to have to be FOR something besides just "change" and "hope," and in forums other than just his website issue statements. When that he begins to do so, as he must, he will face the same pressures and problems that every candidate does, and he will be the subject of the same kind of partisan sniping that happens with every other candidate, and he won’t be able to overcome it any better than anybody else, either.
I don’t need a script to tell me McCain is a belligerent psycho that should be kept very far from the means to wage war. He was a lousy naval officer and would make a worse commander-in-chief. Add to that his ineptitude in economic matters (especially damning as we approach a recession) and his shaky relationship with the Constitution, and you’ll find a lot of Americans all over the spectrum who would rather lose a hand than vote for him.
Script: McCain is old. Think Cheney, but this guy is actually a headliner.
And let the swift-boating commence.
Prediction: Most partisan Democrats won’t have any objection to it this time.
Mayhaps. Not being a Democrat, though, I can’t say with any certainty how they’ll react. BTW, Kerry was attacked with false accusations. McCain’s record is a matter of public record, and it sucks.
I see the Paulites are bitter in their disappointment.
Tully, you missed the real doozy.
Tully, I think you misread many of us.
Yes, we are naturally disappointed at the course of events – so far. Most of us however are far from disheartened.
First of all there is the fact that McCain’s "done deal" is actually no where near as done as the MSM would have you believe. under a different thread.
Second, there is the fact that our fundamental message of Liberty, Prosperity and Peace through minimal constitutional governance has not received this much interest since the penning of Declaration of Independence.
Third, many "RP Republicans", including the Dr. himself are running and winning in local elections.
This is a movement which is much bigger that RP and it will surely outlive him and flourish for many years to come.
Yet another new definition of "constitutional governance" from the Voldemorts: using trojan horse delegates to steal the nomination against the express will of more than 90% of primary and caucus voters.
ROFL — the true colors burst forth at last.
But the spamming and thread hijacking are consistent. Posts get written about McCain, Hillary, and Obama and then here come the Voldemorts….
Jason,
It appears that you are confusing "constitutional" with "democratic". The convention rules are decidedly constitutional and as such most definitely undemocratic. You may thank the Founders for that small blessing.
Right. I keep forgetting that the original intent of the Founders was to have a candidate that consistently finished in fifth place in primary elections receive a shot at the Presidency because his supporters are fanatic enough to lie about who they really support in order to get a vote at a nominating convention.
Silly me. Glad that we have the constitutional experts among the Voldemorts to keep reminding us that the true constitutional way involves deception and mass disenfranchisement. But I suppose a few eggs will have to be broken to stop that evil NAFTA superhighway, right?
Seriously, with this bizarre scenario, you’re making Hillary’s contortions in her attempts to win at any cost by using arcane back-door procedures to circumvent the express will of the voters look positively idealistic. I mean, I’ve been critical of the Voldemorts for long time because I thought I detected a vein of authoritarianism within their spam-filled, thread-hijacking "movement", but I never expected that one of them would go as far as you have to so clearly and absolutely confirm those suspicions. Proposing to steal the nomination at the convention by using lying delegates really takes the cake!
Oh, wait. You didn’t propose that. You just said it was possible.
Riiiiiiight.
I believe that any candidate who attempted what you suggest would be resoundingly rejected in the general election by voters in all 50 states. I doubt they would win so much as a single congressional district. And BTW, isn’t Voldemort about to lose his?
Jason, I have no idea who Voldemort is and doubt that I should care.
You keep suggesting that the delegates have to resort to lies. That’s news to me. The rules are clear. During the first round "pledged" delegates are bound to vote for the candidate who won their primary. During any subsequent rounds they are free to vote any way they like at that time.
Frankly, I never meant to suggest that RP would somehow come out of that process as the winner. The single point I wanted to make, is that McCain’s "victory" is far from being a done deal. A lot can happen at the convention and I for one am more than willing to concede that I have no idea what the end result will be.
PS, Jason.
In most of the primaries so far a majority of voters voted against McCain. If you win with 35% of the vote, that still leaves 65% who voted against you. This may turn out to be a crucial distinction, come convention time.
Not that this will likely change much for RP, but it may very well rob McCain of his prize.
Robert, Voldemort is their "secret code word" for Ron Paul. Cute, huh?