NYT: "Staying Cool and Irritating Your Opponent"

[BluegrassDem]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/us/politics/16web-healy.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

"...While Mr. Obama is known for giving stirring speeches before stadium-sized crowds, less recognized is his shrewd oratory against his opponents. He has been able to turn a relative weakness — his inexperience in government and politics — into a strength: Messrs. Clinton and McCain and their aides have held Mr. Obama in low regard at times, seeing him as an untested upstart, and so his easy-going manner and ongoing success have unsettled them that much more.

“Never let ‘em see you sweat: Barack Obama has mastered that concept, and it has thrown off political opponents for the past 20 months,” said William O’Reilly, a Republican political consultant in New York. “It prevented John McCain from knowing when he was scoring points last night. McCain needs to trust his instincts. Senator Obama will never look wounded, but that doesn’t mean he’s invulnerable.”

The Clintons came to believe that during the Democratic nomination fight, their advisers say, but it did not stop Mr. Clinton from lapsing into some undisciplined behavior.

Mr. Obama spent 2007 and the winter of 2008 getting under Mr. Clinton’s skin, prompting any number of missteps by a former president who is regarded as a master of politics. Mr. Obama repeated so often that he had been against the Iraq war from the start — unlike Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, his rival for the Democratic nomination — that Mr. Clinton finally let loose in New Hampshire with a rant that the Clinton campaign had not authorized, about how Mr. Obama’s claims were a “fairy tale.”

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Works every time . . . .

[AlCzervik]

2. yup, the calmer you are the angrier they get.

[DrPresident]

3. that's right

[DrPresident]

4. that's right

[knixphan]

5. "...And Mr. Obama's work was done."

nice.

[mscuedawg]

6. Kill 'em w/kindness....and watch 'em squirm!!!!!

I'm enjoying it...I want the calm one on my side!!!

:applause:

[CakeGrrl]

7. Michelle's a master at that. Did you see her on Larry King Live last week?

Larry tried his best to get her to say something negative about the McCain dirty tactics and about Palin's cracks, and she would not take the bait.

Even if Larry was trying to start up some fireworks, I think he really believed Michelle had every reason to strike back and he was amazed and impressed that she didn't.

I can't imagine how hard it is for them not to react the way we all want them to, but they end up looking even better in the long run as their opposition looks angrier, more petty and stupid.

[mscuedawg]

8. she is ELOQUENT...even tho McWhiney said that last night like it was a bad thing...

Did you see Michelle come meet her hubby last night after the debate...she looked so comforting and concerned...like she knew in his heart it was a difficult one for him...I just love how genuine they are!!!

:loveya: