December 13, 2007
NominObama? ObamaNation?
filed under: Idle ChatterI called it way back when.
As soon as his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention was over, I said "I think that's our next President..."
My faith had wavered recently - during the chatterbox commentary on election night '06 his off-the-cuff stuff was underwhelming compared to his prepared speeches. He seemed a little green. And honestly, though I am a sometime political junkie, I haven't had the heart to get into the primary race.
But I've been seeing his poll surge lately, as the narrative cycle takes the inevitable turn from "HILLARY AND RUDY ARE SHOE-INS!" to "UH-OH NOW IT'S A RACE!"
And today, I think Hillary may have had her Dean Scream. During the Democratic Iowa Debates, when Obama was asked how he can represent a change when he has so many Clinton advisors, Hillary cackled over the beginning of his sober reply and interjected with "I want to hear that too" or something like that.
He looked up, smiled, and said "Well, Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me as well..."
Now, that's just a moderately good debate zinger, and the focus on debate zingers is a huge part of what's wrecking our political system. So shame on me for piling on.
But what got my attention wasn't the zinger - it was that, ten minutes after watching the clip, the skin on my back was still crawling from the sound of that laugh. It was piercingly obnoxious. It was an unguarded moment from a candidate who can not allow herself any.
And I think there's a very good chance that it will lose her the nomination.
Unless, of course, the Right Wing Noise Machine buries it. Because, of course, they are DESPERATE for a Hillary nomination. Their entire playbook for '08 is geared for Hillary. So it may not get the Dean Scream endless loop repeat.
But if it does, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's the beginning of the end, and Obama takes.
Posted by rjt at December 13, 2007 05:20 PMI don't post here often. Actually, I don't post here ever. But I just want to say:
Who put the Obama bumper sticker on our car MONTHS ago?
That would be me! You may have called it first, but I have called it longest.
Go, Barry!
Love, Procrastiwife
Posted by: Procrastiwife at December 13, 2007 05:47 PMyou called it way back when, I remember. I would also like to go on record as saying the only problem with Hillary is that she's unelectable. Not a small thing. She's a pro, she is smart, she is (mostly) composed and not shrill (anymore). And she's unelectable. So's Rudy. So yeah, you gotta look at who's left. Obama is a real deal, and if the country has evolved to the point we hoped, he does very well and perhaps wins early states. Also consider that a gut check may happen in the voting booth and the black guy and the yelling woman might lose a huge chunk to Edwards, who is less than stellar, but remains white, male, and handsome.
The senate just blocked the latest energy bill because it taxed the oil companies, so Harry Reid said he'll take that part out. Wow, what a backbone. I love democrats.
For the record, ProcrastiWife (a) has indeed kept the faith with Barry way better than I have, and (b) thinks I'm overblowing the obnoxiety of Hillary's laugh in this case.
Posted by: rjt at December 13, 2007 07:00 PMwell, to me, the laugh is a little pigmy dart shot into the elephant. they're gonna bring her down like that, not with a shotgun blast, but with a thousand little dart wounds over many, many days. Sometimes the elephant stomps on the pigmy hunters, sometimes the elephant falls.
didja see they cited Rove with contempt? cool.
If you missed 30 Rock's christmas special, then I don't know you anymore.