A Few Pointers

Now, I’m not a politician, and I may not have much experience in that area, but I have a brain, and, unlike many people of the general population it seems, I actually use mine.

It seems to me that the Obama campaign has not yet capitalized on the opportunities their opponents have given to them. McCain and his people have been the main aggressors, but Obama seems to have a kind of “media armor”, which is probably there partially due to his tendency to only stretch the truth rather than outright lie. I would really like to point out some openings that any strategist would point out are good places to apply media pressure.

First, there’s something that the media has begun to hit, and the Obama campaign recently released a video talking about this issue, but there needs to be more powerbehind it. While the McCain camp has been attacking Obama’s marginal relationship with Ayers, the Democrats have neglected to fully attack the relationship between John McCain and Charlie Keating.

Secondly, McCain seems to have a problem with keeping his emotions in check. Use this to your advantage! An opponent who is thinking with his emotions – especially that of anger – is an easier opponent to beat than one who is calm and seems to be in control. McCain is missing a piece for his “stone wall”, and there is nothing he can do about it, as it is “who he is”. This is not something to just let slide under the media spotlight, this is something to drag to the surface and point out whenever possible.

(The above point could also be used well during a debate – if the opponent visibly loses his cool on stage in front of millions of people, there will be no way to cover it up. It could be the perfect checkmate move.)

Third, don’t let statements like those made recently by the McCain campaign and Sarah Palin slip by undetected by all but those hyperconnected though the internet. These statements can be used against those who make them, and it is best to use these golden opportunities – the opening is there, one must just take the initiative and attack rather than sit back and watch and wait for others to do it for them. As is often said, “if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.”

Lastly, while I believe that the main debate should be about the differences between McCain’s and Obama’splans for the future, I also believe that we should continue to keep Sarah Palin in mind, as, if the McCain/Palin ticket wins this general election (which continues to seem more unlikely as I continue to watch Nate Silver’s predictions on FiveThirtyEight.com), it is possible that we shall see that woman sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office in an official capacity – something I’m not sure many people would be happy with. The Obama campaign needs to address issues that threaten the union of the United States of America, and make sure that these facts are noticed by the public.

Many opportunitieshave arisen for Senator Obama and his supporters to make moves against their opponents, of which only a few have really been used to their greatest extent. Now, those points that have been exhausted (remember the lipstick on a pig arguments?) should stay retired, but new points – or old points that have not yet been dredged up – should still be hit, and hit hard.

Good luck to Senator Obama in this regard, and I am looking forward to watching the town hall debate tomorrow night.

Also, let our thoughts be with Senator Joe Biden and his family as they mourn the passing of his mother-in-law, Bonny Jean Jacobs. May her soul rest in peace.

-Lelouch

Oh yes, a note. This will be my last post here, as I am moving on to bigger and better things. Hopefully someone will take up where I have left off, and I hope that they bring a intelligent perspective to the table. Best of luck to all of you.

Liveblogging Debate 2008

7:59 PM (All times CDT)

Getting ready to liveblog the debate. Hopefully there won’t be too much commentary.

 

 

8:03 PM

No sound at all? Now that should be interesting. Oh, financial question first. Here we go!
Main Street vs. Wall Street. Good start. College. Very important point. Fast, but not too fast, addressing that $700bn is a lot of money. Measuring the economy by the middle class, thank you, Mr. Obama.

8:06 PM

Someone tell McCain that Sen. Kennedy is out of the hospital now. Whoops! McCain speaks a lot slower… and therefore says a lot less. And ha, five minutes is enough time to work out an agreement! Truth!

8:11

A Twitterer points out that McCain has already said that he is tired as a defense of his condition and whatever may happen. Interesting idea. And many people are already addressing McCain’s lack of a flag pin. I am amused.

8:15

McCain has just attached himself to “No earmarks”. This could be dangerous if Obama uses it well. Ah, the no-lobbyists-here card. And turning it on McCain. Back to working with for the people, not the corportations. McCain… Only $18bn? Only?

8:22

Obama uses the word “sometimes” followed by bringing up the healthcare issue that needs more attention anyways. McCain, we have to move on. And I think Obama does well looking back and forth between the audience there and the audience at the debate watching parties. It’s not just about who is there, it’s about people around the country!

8:27

Sen. Ted Stevens was the one to call McCain “the sheriff”. – From Politico’s Jonathan Martin

8:31

Transparency with spending projects. This has been very useful so far this campaign. And good job, Lehrer, don’t let McCain control you in this debate. “Hatchet” vs. “scalpel”. A very graphic statement.

8:37

Still haven’t seen McCain’s eyes yet. Hey, the people are out here! “Orgy of spending”? That’s… a bit risky terminology Senator Obama. Be careful. And McCain, you’re not “Ms. Congeniality”, but your running mate is may be! (FactCheck.org may need to be checked on this statement. Apologies for assumptions.)

8:41

Not sure if everything Obama has said just now is accurate, but it certainly sounded good, and for the next 24 hours, that’s all that matters. Let’s hope, for his sake, that most of it is the truth.

8:53

Wondering about the fun-o-meter of the audience, and finally! Foreign policy! But be careful of using charged words, McCain candidates. Lopping people together would be very bad. Here goes Obama, telling McCain that he is wrong, and explaining why. “No one said anything about attacking Pakistan.”

“Threaten extinction for North Korea”? Really? Where was this? I am genuinely interested.

9:01

My, there is a lot of information to keep track of at once. This is exciting. And we’re running over on taking only five minutes. I am not surprised. Oh… a long pause? For the first time in this debate. This “League of Democracies” sounds similar to the United Federation of Nations United Nations. Probably has more authority, at least in Senator McCain’s mind, but I’m not sure if that’s really a good thing.

9:08

McCain, it’s a bad idea to obviously struggle over a word. Even one that difficult. Oh, I think I just saw McCain’s eyes! One hour later!

9:14

McCain, Israel is not the United States, and you’re making your party sound more and more set about bringing about the… I cannot continue this train of thought. McCain just… Okay. Republicans seem to want to bring about the Biblical Armegeddon. How about we not set our goals on that? And thank you Senator Obama for clearing up what no “preconditions” means.

9:28

Suitcase threat right after talking about airport security. It’s a good mental connection for people. Very easy to imagine. And a shift to terrorism, and in Afganistan and Pakistan, not Iraq.

9:33

Obama’s on a committee that focuses on Veterans… and McCain is not? An interesting twist there. McCain almost used what seems to be a dangerous word, “invasion”. McCain’s trying to connect disconnected parts, but I’m not sure if he’s really explaining how that’s supposed to work.

9:37

And there ends the debate. Should be interesting to watch the reactions, and to get all of the information that has been gathered from this evening. Ah, and a last thing! Sen. Obama was the first to approach the other candidate to congratulate him on a good debate. Points there.

9:52

After a short break, I have to say that this debate was near even, at least in general affect on the population. Sen. Obama did a much better job of being focused, clear, and speaking as if he was talking to many more people than were actually there – which is what he needed to do. Sen. Obama also hit many of Nate Silver’s key debate points, but so did Sen. McCain. I think it will be very interesting to see the verification/debunking of statements on FactCheck.org when they finally get through everything that was said tonight.

 

Thank you, candidates, for the debate. It was entertaining, and I am looking forward to the debates still to come.

-Lelouch Lamperouge

Eloquent Underlings Present Goals

Every leader is posed with one question – regardless of culture, time, or status – that they must answer.

“What do you hope to achieve?”

While Barack Obama has not yet spoken at the Democratic National Convention, his campaign’s choice in speakers has worked well – so far. They have addressed the issues that concern many people – family values, energy, veteran care – and each have used quotes, experience, and facts that help to sway people to this side.

If for only his choice in speakers – or his choice in who picked his speakers – I must applaud this candidate for the presidency. (Or as I see it, this pawn looking to upgrade to King, for the world, and many aspects of it, are similar to a game of chess. Easy to comprehend, difficult, perhaps, to master.)

Tonight I watched many people approach the podium, but a few stood out – both by the length of their speeches, and by the reception of the crowd.

Former President Bill Clinton received a good welcome – perhaps not as warm as later ones, but not cold either.  Mr. Clinton spoke on many topics, but one line near the end caught my ear. When speaking about the possibility of a Republican being elected, Bill said,

“Thanks, but no thanks. In this case, the third time is not the charm.”

I personally found the line amusing, and was glad to see a speaker who could use a common phrase and turn it for his favor properly, unlike previous speeches.

But when Beau Biden – introducing his father, Joe Biden, the Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate – took the stage, the speakers – both Beau and Joe – tried for a less political approach, and a more emotional one. Beau told us of his childhood, of the troubles, of the triumphs, and of how his father was always there for him. He used imagery that most of the world would understand, reaching out to the families. Seeing myself type this is ironic, for I have never been one for family ties, but the Biden family worked together well, painting a picture that was easily understood, and pulling at the heartstrings of all who watched as Beau told the audience,

“Be there for my dad, like he was for me.”

With the intense military-focus of many of the speeches tonight, this connection between military and family (Beau Biden is unable to be here for his father due to his posting to Iraq in October) – and how the war has split so many families due to wars and conflicts – was a strategic tie in to the acceptance speech of Joe Biden.

Joe Biden, a man who reaches out to the people who sit together at dinner, and to those who cannot be together because of reasons that they are hoping to change with this coming election. For a man trying to become President – or King, if we return to chess terms – Joe Biden is an ideal bishop. Supportive, versatile, if somewhat restricted. But his speech… ah, the speech reveals much. How necessary this man is to this cause, how carefully selected he was, and how he worked to live up to the great expectations placed on him by taking this role.

And I must amend my earlier statement, for – at the end, as a surprise to all (including Biden, who asked his wife “Who?” about the “surprise guest”) – the “King” takes the stage! The pawns will not follow if the King does not lead – and this King breaks standards, which is the only way to move forward. He steps out of the back, welcomed by a roar of applause, and the sound of people jumping to their feet, and at this point, the chess players in the audience think one word.

“Check.”

What will the response be?