Why does she always say "our opponent"

[BattyDem]

Obama is never mentioned by name. What's the strategy behind that? :shrug:

Just curious ... :-)

[Skwmom]

1. Because they are the REFORM TEAM!

[DangerousRhythm]

2. Dehumanizing him, I assume.

It's just stupid if you ask me. :D

[BlueIdaho]

8. Its a KKKarl Rove thing.

Dehumanize your opponent.

[gblady]

3. maybe...

she can't pronounce his name

[BattyDem]

4. LOL!

:rofl:

[americanstranger]

5. She's saving 'Barack Hussein Obama' for October.

It's coming, trust me.

- as

[Curtland1015]

6. Because she can't come right out and say "Sambo" like she wants to.

God she sucks.

[JVS]

7. We should really kick it up a notch and call McCain/ Palin "The old satanic foe"

[DeepBlueC]

9. It's pretty common

If someone is half listening the speaker does not want them to hear a chorus of Obama Obama Obama. Media consultants think it's like giving them free publicity if the name is of someone who already has popularity. Now if the opponent is someone who is widely disliked or who can be ridiculed the name will be used incessantly.

[Lucy Goosey]

10. Because that's what's written on the page, and she's not allowed to go off script.

[ClarkUSA]

11. Hillary used to always say that (and until the convention, she still said it at rallies)

It's a dog-whistle for Hillary deadenders.

[glancingthefuture]

12. Sen. Obama says "my opponent" a lot in his stump speeches.

[BattyDem]

15. Yes, but he also mentions McCain by name

I don't recall Palin ever mentioning Obama's name. She probably has at some point, but it really seems like she's going out of her way to avoid saying his name. I'm sure there's a strategy behind it (like other DUers said, it's most likely to dehumanize him), but I don't recall anyone ever adhering to that strategy so strongly.

Maybe I notice it more with her because her voice really gets on my nerves! :-)

[kirby]

13. My two guesses:

1) It dehumanizes the Sen Obama.

or

2) Trying to avoid accidentally calling him Osama and creating a media issue.

[11 Bravo]

14. Because while "that nigger" might play in Alaska, someone explained to her ...

that she needs to tone it down when she's in the lower 48.

[wvbygod]

20. When did she use that name in Alaska?

Is it on record somewhere? That would be a show stopper.

[madmom]

16. Because it's the same old script and when it gets to that part it

says "add your opponent" and she not smart enough to know what that means!

[BattyDem]

18. ROFL!

:rofl:

[madmom]

17. dupe sorry :)

[Changenow]

19. She would have to call him Senator

and this is the most disrespectful alternative she can get away with.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

21. Too many syllables.

[kwolf68]

22. Absolutely dehumanizes

Also, 'opponent' suggests something 'negative', 'against'....subtle marketing ploy to suggest Obama is 'the other people' (fill in the blank on who those other people are).

I can't imagine this works en masse, but I have a feeling it's effective. It's dirt-bag politics to be honest, but it's the Repuke way.

[Barack_America]

23. Well, for one, she's just repeating the same speech over and over and over...

...again.

So that speech may just have been written with "our opponent" in the script.

But I happen to think she likes being condescending and that is certain a condescending thing to do.