Unless Obama gets to storm hit areas, Repubs will again hint that he's "out of touch" and "elitist"

[Franks Wild Years]

That he does not want to "get his hands dirty" while John McCain is "out there on the front line, just like he was in Vietnam helping people find relief. Palin will practically be baking cakes. There will probably be shots of her cradling and soothing babies.

They tap into the inherent bias of the media, who - not noting the staggering hypocrisy - will proclaim this move "Presidential" and "front line leadership" from McCain. McCain's whole acceptance speech will be a fake call for help, he'll plug the super GOP telethon number while he's at it.

It's absolutely tragic that they are using it in this way, but using it they are. Defecating on corpses is their game, and they're playing it quite well. Again. They will tap into the misguided patriotism and naivity of the easily swayed and it will work extremely well on a political level for them - Democrats won't be able to speak out against it or THEY will be accused of seeking to make political capital out of the disaster.

It's sad that it comes down to it, but Obama sending out people to help will only see slimey GOP types talk about him sitting in his ivory tower while McCain is there to help. It's gut-wrenching to say, but Obama and Biden need to be there in person or sit back and watch McCain and Palin ascend to sainthood and secure an election win within the next week.

[TwilightGardener]

1. I'm torn. Obama is a good man who is clearly loathe to exploit

tragedies and suffering people for political gain, but the media will never bash a Republican for doing so--and the American people tend not to understand what exploitation looks like.

[Franks Wild Years]

3. It's a hideous truth but a truth it is.

Come on, we can all practically hear the praise McCain and the "motherly" Palin get for this. Obama has to exploit it, or the USA and consequently the world is getting exploited into four, probably eight years of McCain and Palin.

There are too many easily manipulated people out there to leave this to chance.

[DesertFlower]

2. obama said he will call

on his vast network of donators to help people who will be affected by the storn.

[FVZA_Colonel]

5. But compare the practical good that will do to the media's fawning over McCain and Palin BEING THERE

PERSONALLY!!! No one'll care about them being in the way. No one will care that they have no experience dealing with huricanes. All people will see is those two fuck-ups there, and not notice the exploitation.

[vaberella]

22. Hahaha!! They're not going to Louisiana. McCain/Palin are going to Mississippi. Link Below:

Get your facts.

http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUSN1928744420080831

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080831/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_mccain_gustav

[FVZA_Colonel]

34. Ok, thanks for the clarification.

It doesn't change the fact that the media will care a lot more about their "being there" then they would about the practical good Obama's decision will have, if it does not include a visit. It's because the media is made up of psychotics and morons who only care about continuing Republican rule.



On Edit: I don't mean to sound snarky, I'm just concerned the media will do the same damn thing they always do - piss all over Democrats and raise Republicans on high.

[vaberella]

39. De Nada....here are a few links of Obama at the midwest flooding earlier this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_tbjbd1J3c

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6850098&mesg_id=6850389

Exactly what he did here he'll do again.

Don't worry.

[FVZA_Colonel]

40. Thank you.

I guess it's the same problem as someone below posted - jitters. I need to have faith that the campaign will handle this in the right way.

[Franks Wild Years]

6. But he's not there.

Obama SAYING that he'll do that, Obama *doing* that is just not the same. Picture the coverage now of McCain "helping out" move some boxes of supplies for the cameras, of Palin getting teary as she cradles a child in one of the makeshift sleeping areas. They are sick people looking to hit the political jackpot over this.

Obama's contributions are much more useful but there's nothing about them that can be played on TV. He'll be slanted as the man who is sitting at home while McCain is on the scene to help.

[vaberella]

24. Check post above yours. You're information is extremely skewed and incorrect.

[pinto]

4. Disagree. I think Reid ought to call the Senate to session for federal relief efforts.

A reasonable and appropriate response from Congress. McCain would be left with a pandering photo op and another notch in his abysmal attendance record.

[Franks Wild Years]

9. But the mass media won't play it that way.

They're teaming with GOP activists and loyalists. McCain is a big fat hero in yet another category for doing this while Obama waits at home like Bush.

[Ichingcarpenter]

11. That is an excellent idea ..... Nancy and Harry are the surrogates to address this

with real legislature power.

[NorthCarolina]

16. Great idea, but I think Obama should make that call to session

eom

[Sugarcoated]

28. Obama should get in a take the lead on that

in the Senate - that would be the appropriate way to handle this. He has great political istincts, I hope he just does the right thing - politically as well as what will really help those people. AUTHENTICITY

[pinto]

43. Yeah, I agree. The Senate, and Obama, can step up in a concrete, not photo-op way.

[creeksneakers2]

7. Obama must call attention to McCain's phony hurricane concern

Obama must frame hurricane coverage quickly, destroy McCain

McCain is planning to go Louisiana to grandstand from hurricane country as much as he can. He's already being briefed by governors and leading officials. McCain's record and his phony concern are an unbelievable opportunity for Obama to make devastating attacks and take away a week of glamorous photo ops for McCain. Obama has nothing to lose, since the media has already announced they won't have time for Obama next week.

McCain's record on Katrina is terrible. McCain did a birthday photo op with Bush while the hurricane made landfall. He went on Face the Nation the day before to promote the war in Iraq. The night the hurricane struck, McCain went on Conan O'Brien. McCain didn't visit the hurricane zone until March of 2006. Yet, this spring, McCain did a campaign event in New Orleans where he faulted Bush for not being present in New Orleans during the disaster.

http://mccainsource.com/homefront?id=0006

When appropriations bills for Katrina came up, McCain said we had to also be concerned for the deficit. McCain voted against extending unemployment benefits to hurricane survivors and granting them access to Medicaid. McCain also voted against an emergency $28 billion funding request for Katrina.

http://wwjv4.com/republicans/mccain-vs-mccain-katrina-2 ...

A Senate Committee was formed to investigate Katrina. The Bush administration refused to fully cooperate with the committee. A bill was offered that would have set up an independent commission to investigate. McCain voted against the bill. McCain later lied when he said he'd voted for every investigation of Katrina. McCain tried to lie his way out of that lie by saying the bill for the commission was loaded with pork. The bill had nothing in it other than funds to create the commission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ng9q4L3_vU

http://www.newsweek.com/id/140233/page/1


McCain previously sought the support of Pastor Hagee, who said New Orleans was itself to blame for Katrina because they had sinned against God.

More recently, McCain refused a request by Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and others to vote for a $5.8 billion reconstruction bill for Katrina. The bill included money for the Army Corp of Engineers to shore up flood protection. Now McCain has the nerve to go to the hurricane zone to make himself the hero of hurricane protection.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/06/mccain -...

This situation could either be an opportunity for Obama to devastate McCain or a game changing move by McCain. It all comes down to the to the way the issue is FRAMED and how hard Obama jumps on it out front. An early attack would give McCain the ugly choice between going ahead to the hurricane zone and having all the negatives brought up making him look like a phony or backing down and looking whooped and going through a week of little coverage at the convention with Obama on his case all week through the hurricanes.

[Demobrat]

13. He did, actually.

In the nicest way possible.

[vaberella]

20. I already responded to your post on this when it was a thread. Link below:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6847832

[creeksneakers2]

21. And the debate rolls on

[wndycty]

8. Yes but he shouldn't announce he is going

:kick:

[Franks Wild Years]

14. Good idea. Just turn up, and when the media arrive tell them that...

...he appreciates them trying to report everything but that time and space is required for his help to be as effective as it can be. THEN McCain looks like a panderer, but Obama must physically be seen to be there.

[Demobrat]

10. Nobody's going to fall for this photo-op BS

The story will be after the storm when the swarm of Obama supporters shows up to actually do some good.

[Franks Wild Years]

18. No, it won't.

Watch the news. Watch the "journalists" making out that Palin has MORE experience than Obama. Obama sending 'people' out there is worthless to them. People are easily manipulated hence Bush in '00, hence Bush in '04 and hence McCain getting more than 30% of the vote this year.

[JVS]

12. McCain going into it is more likely to be a victim than a helper

[Hamlette]

15. he should say:

It can be hard sometimes not to drift towards the spotlight. But that is precisely why we seek leaders with sound judgment,

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[1corona4u]

17. BULLSHIT. STOP FEEDING INTO THIS CRAP.

[vaberella]

32. Thank You. n/t

[vaberella]

19. Concern noted, but Obama has got it covered. Check link below:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6847832

[Franks Wild Years]

23. He's sending volunteers. Useless.

Not in real terms, but too the vile, manipulative media & GOP all they will see is that he's not there and use it as a stick to beat him with, because they are facists who play games with the truth.

[endthewar]

26. I bet you were hyperventilating during the midwest flooding when those levees broke too

:eyes:



:rofl:

[Franks Wild Years]

27. Gustav is a much more potent political tool, as you can see by the GOP's pandering

It's closer to election time, it has the potential to offer a more visceral brand of destruction. It's occuring during GOP convention week, which they've now - instead of reaching into their own infinitely deep pockets on the quiet - despically turned into a propaganda telethon.

[endthewar]

30. If anything this is a downside for the Republicans

It reminds people of why they hate Bush and the Republicans. It helps keep Bush at the forefront in this election. It also brings in a good opportunity (later, after the hurricane ordeal is finished) to point out McCain consistently voting against help for Katrina as well as some of his other Katrina-related gaffes.

[vaberella]

31. Please stop when you don't have all the information. n/t

[vaberella]

29. You obviously don't know anything of what he's doing.

He said he was mobilizing people to go down there and collecting funds to go down there. That doesnt' mean he won't go down there.

He even said very clearly that they shouldn't be goind down there since they are "EVACUATING" and the secret service would actually hinder rescue and relief efforts.

Are you picking up on the stupidity of McCain and Palin by going down there and hindering the efforts by the officials who are trained to do their job. Obama said they'd wait.

Secondly, McCain and his gal pal are going to Mississippi NOT Louisiana. Do you get it now?! Obama is doing to Louisiana he said so and getting his people down there. That's why Obama said, that McCain is probably going to a place where he can do that, but he'd rather wait until the storm is out of the way since the cities are being "EVACUATED" during this week, so he doesn't cause problem.

Read the articles and the information before you spout out misinformation and go on a high horse for no reason.

Get your facts.

http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUSN19287444...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080831/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_mcc...

[Franks Wild Years]

33. Just jittery, sorry.

I've seen those people manipulate and contort using death and tragedy as an excuse in the past, and I've seen it work. I'm fearful it'll do so again.

[vaberella]

35. I understand. Just don't panic...

Obama is answering the call and countering a proper response. Hopefully the theft of the WH won't happen again. He's got his game hat on and he's playing well, we just need a bit more faith...or hope.

They've already made two mistakes. They are going down there with secret service in the beginning, middle of the storm. Hampering relief and rescue with their secret service while firefighters and police are evacuating the cities.

Secondly, they are going to Mississippi, not Louisiana. <---Who's going to be the hardest hit.

Vabby

[Franks Wild Years]

36. Oh, it's honestly no lack of faith in Obama.

Just in the media and the GOP. I'm *still* surprised on almost a daily basis by the way they spin everything.

[vaberella]

37. This I can't deny. The MSM is a mess and my hate for CNN lays unmatched.

Although MSNBC has it's fair share of GOP operatives on the loose. I don't FN, because that's just what they do, LIE.

Let's not worry too much. I think we can get past this as long as we work together and mobilize. We have to focus on the issues and not the spectacles or sensations. We'll kick them on the behind being the good guys and not manipulating or playing dirty games.

Okay, just a little dirty. :D

[endthewar]

42. You one of those people who thinks that Alaska being closest to Russia

isn't an automatic qualification for Palin to be President? :rofl:

Just kidding with you. :hug:

[endthewar]

41. Exactly. Just like the midwest flooding.

McCain still went to the midwest areas after he was told that it would hinder government officials since they would have to devote some of their manpower to accommodate him.

[endthewar]

25. THESE PHOTOS SAY IT ALL!

Pictures of McCain during Katrina and Obama during the midwest flooding earlier this year.

[WinkyDink]

38. Thanks for sharing.