The finish line

Fresh (or not so fresh) from Obama’s last campaign rally, held last night in Manassas, VA, I can only say that getting out of the parking lot subsequently was as bad as any Ozzfest I’ve ever been to. But while I was staring at the lights of the car ahead of me, I was thinking of What a Long Strange Trip it’s been. Here’s my final take:

Best Move, Obama:  Refusing to go all-out nuclear/negative when the GOP attacks were mounting across early September and he was falling behind in the polls.  Not only did this spare the public the spectacle of an Angry Black Man (something that Obama has clearly given a lot of thought to), but it left him perfectly positioned when the economy began to wither and cool unflappability became an asset.

Biggest Mistake, Obama: Not offering up any major policy item as a symbolic gesture to the right. I’m thinking here of Bill Clinton’s welfare reform plank in 1992, so critical in portraying himself as a new kind of Democrat. It’s surprising to me that Obama, who’s been so adroit at trying to rise above the Blue State vs. Red State divide, didn’t go down similar lines, though his rhetoric has been highly effective at bridging the gap anyway.

Best Move, McCain:  Drawing blood with the Joe the Plumber/redistributor-in-chief attack.  Though what makes this such horseshit is that it’s actually the Red States who have their snouts in the government trough at the expense of the Blue States.  (Paying for somebody else’s crack habit is bad enough, but when that crackhead keeps on screaming about how you’re a fake American, you start to feel like you’re being used . . . )

Biggest Mistake, McCain:  Clearly Palin. It could have been such a brilliant move (and in terms of shoring up the base, it was), but she just wasn’t ready for prime-time and has hurt McCain with the undecideds.  He shoulda gone with Kay Bailey Hutchinson.  She may not be as telegenic, but she can hold her own in any press conference.

That’s all for now. If the election is largely fair, then Obama should have the whole thing sewn up by mid-evening with about 350 big ones.  If the fix is in, and it turns out that U.S. elections can be rigged even when they’re not close, then Pennsylvania is probably where things will start to unravel first.  I’m betting that all the bullshit/schemes are going to be overwhelmed by a massive Obama turnout, but we shall see.

One Response to “The finish line”

  1. michelle Says:

    well sir…..it was just like taking candy from a baby….which i do everyday…..toot toot!!