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Edited on Sun Jul-13-08 01:34 AM by Median Democrat
You probably read that tag line, and thought what the heck? Yet, if any of them were the nominee, and not Obama, I guarantee that this would be the discussion we would be having on this board. Why? Big media spin, and none of them are immune.
In 2000, Al Gore was running as President following 8 years of economic growth and peace. Gore should have been a slam dunk. However, Gore was spun as Gore the liar against George Bush. We are talking George Bush whose only real claim to fame was a failed attempt at running a baseball team, and a Governorship that was handed to him by virtue of his family name. Indeed, Bush was giving pretty good marks for the environment, and the media was pushing the idea of compassionate conservativism. Liberals were drawn to Ralph Nader because Gore was not liberal enough and they believed that there was not much difference between Bush and Gore. Worse, despite the success of the Clinton years, those eight years were spun as a time of shame! Remember Bush campaigning on the need to start over, change all the policies that brought success, and bring integrity back to the Presidency? Well, how did that work out?
In 2004, John Kerry - a war hero - was spun as a fraud and coward against 2 guys who dodged the draft. John McCain actively argued that military experience did not make 1 qualified to be President. Zell Miller, a pissed off democrat (much like the Democrats on this board), supported George Bush and argued that John Kerry would be defending this nation with spit balls if he was elected. So, George Bush won another term.
In 2008, Obama is being spun as a flip flopper based on 1 vote and John McCain is giving a free pass. A army of DUers (GOP Plants) have started debates regarding whether he is a true liberal while others argue that he is African American sell-out who is merely appealing to whites because it is wrong to discuss the high rate of father less African American children even though Obama grew up without his father present. The media repeatedly pounds the theme that Obama is flip flopping while ignoring the issues that directly affect us like the economy, the environment, and the war. McCain make criticizes Obama for calling for a timetable, but the media gives him a free pass when Iraq's president asks for the same thing. Liberals threaten to abandon Obama based on the FISA vote even though Obama has an 89% rating with the ACLU compared to McCain's 17%.
The media is great at whipping up emotion to overwhelm logic and facts. It is okay to critique Obama, but if you are not working hard to get him elected, then you have either been mislead by the Media.
The other great deception being spread is the idea that alternative Democratic candidates would not be facing the same type of spin. However, it is worse than that. Its not just a matter of your candidate being called a flip flopper again and again and again while the GOP candidate is given a free pass. Rather, its the fact that your candidates strengths will be attacked directly and without any basis in ethics. Fox News will offer high pay to Democrats to criticize your candidate. If your client is a woman, women from never before seen Women's rights groups will call your client a sell out.
What I am saying is that Gore, Kerry and now Obama were and are fine candidates. It is not a matter of finding the perfect candidate. Rather, it is a matter of Democrats stopping from passively waiting and hoping that some perfect candidate falls into their laps and working to take back the Presodency.
What does this mean? This means that each of you need to spread the word. Notice how the RW goes out, defaces your Democrat stickers, and tears down your signs as people have mentioned on this board. They did that to Gore, Kerry and now Obama, and the RW will continue to do that. Those are the tactics of facism. The question is whether we will display courage, or passively blame the candidate, and hope for some new candidate to walk on water for the new election?
The issues are vitally important in this election. It is time to fight back, and that means it is time to spread the word. Focus on the issues. Try to convince at least 1 undecided or McCain lean to vote for Obama. It will be hard, because Big Media has people emotionally invested against Obama and for McCain. Even when McCain fucks up, he is portrayed as a sympathetic figure. Cut through the emotional ties. Focus on the facts. It will be hard, because even on this board, people are reluctant to deal with facts, particularly to the extent that they suggest that they are going to sit this election out and wait for a candidate to walk on water in 2012.
Sorry, change is not just given to you. You have to work for it. And given the importance of the issues facing us, we do not have time to spare.
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