Obama's manufactured image campaign - why he won't debate

[OzarkDem]

Obama has taken a page from the Karl Rove's playbook, and an interesting one at that. Remember when Rove defined the reality of Hurricane Katrina's devastation and the Bush administration's failures by denying failures, blaming victims, etc.? Remember Karl Rove told us that, through media manipulation, he was in control of reality and we all live in the reality that the Bush administration decides for us?

Like Bush, Obama's handlers have decided that the best way for him to campaign is by "defining the reality" of Obama and the 2008 election. It relies on complete control of Obama's manufactured image in the media. Obama wants only his campaign to decide how he should be covered and defined, whether in the newspaper, on the internet, on the television or at staged campaign rallies.

Debates don't fit well within "Obama's reality". He has no control over how his image is presented. He is uncomfortable engaging in public discourse that isn't scripted and controlled to the nth degree.

Obama isn't avoiding debates because he is at an advantage, but because he is at a disadvantage and because debates don't allow him to control his reality, his manufactured image.

Is this really what we need 4 more years of in the WH? Someone who wants to define reality for us instead of asking what we want them to do?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Obama just agreed to a debate.

LOL @ U

[Nitrogenica]

2. We just need to make sure we don't get defined by the right.

Doesn't matter if it's Hillary or Barack.

[jackstraw45]

3. They've debated TWENTY-THREE (23) TIMES ALREADY...

...but nice try anyway.

[creeksneakers2]

20. Not twenty-three times of one on one

Most of the debates were gang ups against Hillary. Let's see how Obama does when he's on his own.

Obama isn't leveling with the public on his health care plan. That should come out.

When Hillary was the front runner, she gave the underdogs an equal opportunity. Why can't Obama?

[chimpymustgo]

24. James Baker III: "The votes have been counted, and counted, and counted..." sound familiar?

Very familiar.

[DJ13]

4. If 18 debates arent enough to see Hillary solidly in front

More debates arent the answer.

[HeraldSquare212]

5. Thanks, I remember Hillary declining to debate even once in her 2006 Senate primary

I won't be listening to any lectures from her side on that issue.

[Botany]

6. What are you gonna say now?

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/02/obama_agrees_to_debate_clinton.html

Obama agrees to debate Clinton in Ohio

Barack Obama said he will debate Hillary Clinton in Ohio before the March 4 primary.

"I think we said we will do two more debates, and at least one of them will be in Ohio," he told Plain Dealer editors and reporters Thursday afternoon during a phone interview. "I'm not sure exactly what communications have been going on between my staff and Sen. Clinton's."

[OzarkDem]

27. The pressure got to him and he reconsidered

[Tennessee Gal]

7. Looks like they are intentionally ignoring your point.

I get it and I agree.

[REDFISHBLUEFISH]

8. kick1

[ElsewheresDaughter]

10. because they are all blinded by his Holy light

[Adelante]

9. I wonder how Jonathan Tasini would respond nt

[Tom Rinaldo]

17. Well I've taken a consistent line on this

I supported Tasini's position then and I support Clinton's position now. That is because this is about more than the shifting political needs of various candidates. This is about the constant political need of the voters to be informed. Politicians will lean for or against holding debates in different situations based on their read of their narrow political self interest in getting elected. Those who believe debates have the most to offer them want the maximum amount of debates that they can have. Those who believe they have the most to lose from debates want the minimum number of debates they can get away with.

Any politician engaged in a head to head political contest who tries to sharply restrict the number of future debates they engage in is just showing me that they are a politician. Hillary Clinton showed me that in 2006, Barack Obama is showing me that now. I however am a voter, and much like the League of Women Voters, I think public debates between the candidates serve the public interest.

[gateley]

25. Yes, and I think they're needed now when there are just the two of them

left, those of us who supported others realize we may actually be called to vote for either/or (rather than write in our soul mate) and for those Romney supporters (or any other Rep) who may turn their attention to the Dems because of dissatisfaction with the remaining Rep candidates.

EDIT: This never-ending sentence is giving Lee Mercer a run for his money. :eyes:

[cali]

11. bwahahaha. you're the one doing the kkkarl rove number, honeybuns

slime and shit. You're covered in your own excrement. And you're wrong. He's debated some 18x and he's agreed to another debate.

you are a piece of s***

[Iceburg]

12. and You have a potty mouth. Back to the subject --What is he afraid of? /nt

[Donnachaidh]

14. link to *proof* he's agreed to debate?

We want him to do it till he gets it right. :sarcasm: He's been sub par in so many of the previous ones.

[cali]

16. It's right on the front page, genius.

Find it youself. And he's done just fine in the debates, particularly the last one in which virtually everyone gave him good reviews. He's obiviously not afraid of debating, as doing so has helped him far, far more that it's hurt him. And he hasn't had an utter debacle yet- unlike Clinton who melted down under pressure in October.

[jackson_dem]

31. He agreed to one but rejected having a debate a week

[Proud2BAmurkin]

13. David Axelrod's lab project

[SKKY]

15. Didn't the other 18 debates make it to the Ozarks?

If not, you should join us all in reality. What would one more debate tell us that we don't already know about our candidate? Hillary has already "almost cracked" twice- I don't want her put into the position of possibly doing it again. I know it's Carville who's pushing for this, and I think it's a very bad idea. As far as your "Obama's reality" assertion, it's comical at best. Don't you think HRC has manufactured her own reality? Isn't that what all these candidates do?

[Tennessee Gal]

18. Only ONE debate has been Obama v. Clinton only.

The American people deserve more ONE ON ONE.

[SKKY]

19. Ok, so lets have a debate one one one, and let them rip eachother...

...to shreds. That'll push the independents away from McCain, huh? We're losing sight of the goal people. :eyes:

[creeksneakers2]

21. I'd like Obama to be cornered into giving the details of

his health care plan. He'll either have mandates or won't have universal health care. When cornered, his people admit this. They ought to be asked about it in a debate.

[southern_dem]

23. To make it fair

how about a debate with nothing but healthcare questions for Obama and IWR questions for Senator Clinton. Considering it'll take 90 mins to spin their answers on those. :eyes:

[creeksneakers2]

26. Or one debate dedicated to each

We haven't had nearly enough substance.

[Cameron27]

29. I agree.

[NightWatcher]

22. Hillary wants debates because she cant afford commercials. it's just a way for her to get tv time

[OzarkDem]

28. Living in Obama's "reality"

Sorry I didn't have time to follow up on this post. I was interrupted at work and had to finish at home.

[stillcool]

30. I guess you didn't get the memo:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/02/07/lets_debate.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101

Obama agrees to debate Clinton in Ohio
Event will occur before March 4 primary
Thursday, February 7, 2008 4:40 PM
By Darrel Rowland and Jim Siegel
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Barack Obama agreed this afternoon to debate Hillary Clinton in Ohio before the state’s March 4 primary, and he is dispatching the man who managed his successful Iowa campaign to lead the Buckeye State campaign.
-----------------------------
Even though Obama has agreed to the debate, his focus will be “traveling around the state and listening to Ohioans’ concerns about the economy, outsourcing and the mortgage crisis,” said LaBolt, press secretary for the successful 2006 Senate campaign of Sherrod Brown.

“We should expect a full-scale campaign in Ohio…We’ll have a full team in place within a week."

[OzarkDem]

32. It came out after my post

But I'm glad to see he got the message.