obama's speech. will it help

[Person Man]

Yes. but what does this mean?

[Person Man]

Seriously, this the best GOP dirty trick that has ever been done. I wonder what they will do next and I wonder how much longer this will last.

[Person Man]

Seriously, this the best GOP dirty trick that has ever been done. I wonder what they will do next and I wonder how much longer this will last.

Um... did the GOP create Trinity UCC just so that Obama would start attending there?  Is Jeremiah Wright really a GOP hack activist that we made up?

Ummm.... everybody could know about this all along, yet you waited until Obama was about to be nominated for president to make this a big deal. Like I said, this is your greatest scam yet.

[Person Man]

Ummm.... everybody could know about this all along, yet you waited until Obama was about to be nominated for president to make this a big deal. Like I said, this is your greatest scam yet.

You mean like when the story of George W. Bush's cocaine use and DUIs mysteriously hit the headlines just days before election day in 2000?

That was 8 years ago. Things change.

Not the kind of speech I was looking for. It wasn't a complete disaster though. We'll have to see if it will revese Obama's Hillary-esque approval rating which he has now (47-50)

Yeah. Right now, Hillary is the woman candidate and Barack is the black candidate. Let's see if he can get passed this.

[Person Man]

When it comes down to it I don't think it will be much of a deal.  Its going to be a story whose legs are going to die out and when it comes down to it, the working class voters in the areas you mentioned will be voting on if they want to continue or change Bush's economic policies.

The economy isn't everything. Look at 2004. Or 1984. Or several other elections.

It's too early to tell, but this could be Obama's

In 1984, the economy was getting better.
In 1988, the economy was doing great
In 1992, the economy was bad.
In 1996, the economy was doing better.
In 2000, the economy was slowing, but not as bad as today.
In 2004, the economy was kinda a mixed bag.

Though, this election could be the ultimate triumph of social conservatism in terms of America being presented with a path towards less racial and/or gender animus and rejecting it in favor of more of the same, despite more of the same being decidedly bad. Then again, this could be nothing...

[Person Man]

Ummm.... everybody could know about this all along, yet you waited until Obama was about to be nominated for president to make this a big deal. Like I said, this is your greatest scam yet.

You mean like when the story of George W. Bush's cocaine use and DUIs mysteriously hit the headlines just days before election day in 2000?

That was 8 years ago. Things change.

No offense, but that was a pretty weak defense.  You'll need to try harder.

That is a very weak defence. Now, since I can't read anyone's mind, let along that of a certain Al-Qaeda leader, I won't comment on that, but what about Rathergate in 2004?

Considering the mudslinging and inaccuracy on both sides, I'd say nothing's changed at all.

Yeah, but face it- they love slinging mud and when they get ahold of you, they're not going to let go.

[Person Man]

I am not saying that the economy is not a major issue. I am saying it isn't everything.

You want further examples- UK 1997.

Um...the Cons were in control for almost 20 years at that point...something eventually had to give.

[Person Man]

...and people sort of saw the crisis in 36 as the same that they elected FDR to deal with in 32 and saw that it was a long term issue.

I guess that is what the GOP is trying to do with 9/11. They are trying to say that the Republican Party is America's savior.

[Person Man]

I found Obama's comparison of Reverend Wright to his grandmother particularly helpful.  She made racist statements he hated, but he remained in relationship to her.

I can relate.  My own mother is a vile racist.  She says things like...

"I'll never vote for a pickaninny for President.  They're cute when they're babies, but that's all they're good for.  That and sports."

"There are some good ones.  The ones who aren't too...well...you know.  Uppity."

"I love the Jews.  They are God's chosen people.  And besides, no one is more shrewd with handling money.  Very clever people."  (Yes, she really thinks that is a compliment.)

"All the blacks do with the welfare money we give them is spend it on cigarettes, malt liquor and big color televisions."

That's right kids.  That's my Mama.  But the same woman has poured other good and beautiful things into my life.  Do I disown her?

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I have family like that, too.

[Person Man]

I pretty much agree with that. 

[Person Man]

Seriously, Obama own flaws have shown us the problems within in our own life. I think I am going to be closer to my reactionary family in North Carolina now. I'm not going to tell them why, but I am going to try to talk to them more.

[Person Man]

This wasnt a time for the standard Obama oratory, it was time for a statement, it couldnt be too pithy, there couldnt be any of the lingusitic flourishes of which Obama has become so fond... on those scores, he did well, it was solid, it was concise and it was honest.

Will it have the right impact?... no idea, it's down to how the media plays it and what if anything gets back to the electorate as a whole.

Having said that, i think Politicos here are overstating the impact of Wright and this whole mess, the polls havent moved and the sky hasnt fallen in on the Obama campaign - it's not comparable to the Jennifer Flowers scandal for Clinton in '92 IMHO.

But as to the speech it be a while before we can gague its impact... but i would suggest that Obama has done the best he can, its really beyond his control now.

Yeah. Depends on whether the media wants to make or break him at this point.

[Person Man]

I voted it will help, but will it help enough to keep Obama from sliding in the polls versus McCain as compared to Hillary?  I suspect the speech will cause Obama to hold most of his remaining white base, and absent a bolt of the supers, that should be enough.

Through the general?

[Person Man]

Yeah. He was supposed to be finished at least twice now, wasn't he?

[Person Man]

RCP looks good for Obama.