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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2008 / Message Discipline

Message Discipline

by John Cole|  August 6, 20088:42 am| 41 Comments

This post is in: Election 2008, General Stupidity

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McCain ain’t got it:

Last week in St. Louis, Obama told an audience that steps such as inflating tires to the correct levels could make a difference when it comes to conserving fuel.

Cue gleeful mockery from McCain. Obama was naive, inexperienced and not talking straight to the American people about energy, he said.

His campaign went further, distributing to reporters tire gauges engraved with the words “Obama’s energy plan.”

Predictably, Obama hit back calling McCain’s mockery “ignorant,” arguing his plans were being misrepresented and saying that experts backed his call over tire pressure. Equally predictably, McCain’s camp hit back.

The surprise came during a telephone town hall meeting McCain held on Tuesday with voters in Pennsylvania.

“Obama said a couple of days ago says we all should inflate our tires. I don’t disagree with that. The American Automobile Association strongly recommends it,” McCain said.

Meanwhile, in other news, the House GOP wants McCain to join their own version of the Jerry Springer show:

In a briefing with bloggers in House Minority Leader John Boehner’s office August 5, Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz ,said he would “love to have McCain come speak on the floor” as part of the protest. He said he believes inviting a senator to speak on the House floor would not violate House rules and challenged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to stop it.

Sounds great. They could grab each other’s tire gauges and chant “Obama was right.”

Finally, in the last bit of tire gauge related news, while previewing the Paris Hilton response, James Joyner laments: “Just when you thought Campaign 2008 couldn’t get any dumber, Paris Hilton weighs in with a video…”

Not that I disagree, but it would be prudent to remember who introduced Paris Hilton into the debate last week. Regardless, the best part of the Joyner piece is the round-up of right-wing bloggers James presents, many of whom seem to think that having McCain humiliated by the party queen, being called a wrinkly old dude and openly mocked, is… good news for McCain.

Not that that should surprise anyone. Everything is good news for John McCain.

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Reader Interactions

41Comments

  1. 1.

    matt

    August 6, 2008 at 8:46 am

    Hopefully all this good news for McCain works about as well as it did for Giuliani.

  2. 2.

    Jake

    August 6, 2008 at 8:48 am

    The surprise came during a telephone town hall meeting McCain held on Tuesday with voters in Pennsylvania.

    The live meeting having been canceled because McCain had fallen and couldn’t get up.

  3. 3.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 6, 2008 at 8:48 am

    Paris so pwned McGoo’s ass. She delivered a smackdown that only she could, and I bet they are smarting over it.

    Good for her. This is almost as good as the Roadrunner, where Wyle E. Coyote is left holding the dynamite. Then BLAM! Burned, blackened and smoking.

    Right now, McGoo could step in dogshit and the wingnuts would praise him. But you know that they are really wincing yet again. No doubt about it.

  4. 4.

    TR

    August 6, 2008 at 8:49 am

    Yes, it’s great news that she compared McCain to the Golden Girls, the Crypt Keeper and Yoda. Great news.

  5. 5.

    Zifnab

    August 6, 2008 at 8:52 am

    Finally, in the last bit of tire gauge related news, while previewing the Paris Hilton response, James Joyner laments: “Just when you thought Campaign 2008 couldn’t get any dumber, Paris Hilton weighs in with a video…”

    I agree. When Paris Hilton releases her own mock-Presidential ad campaign and she comes across as more mature than the GOP contender, you really have scrapped the bottom of the buck of dumb.

    This can only be good!
    For McCain!

  6. 6.

    Joshua Norton

    August 6, 2008 at 8:59 am

    Didja ever notice how McCain always eventually ends up for, against and in the middle of every statement he makes. All with equal conviction?

  7. 7.

    GSD

    August 6, 2008 at 9:00 am

    McCain’s effort at a respectable debate have been admirable, even Ms. Buffalo Chip is pleased about the elevated discourse.

    -GSD

  8. 8.

    Dreggas

    August 6, 2008 at 9:01 am

    Whoever predicted that John McCain would adopt Obama’s tire guage portion by next week was off by a few days.

  9. 9.

    GSD

    August 6, 2008 at 9:02 am

    John McCain has worked double time to offer Americans a respectable debate.

    Ms. Buffalo Chip concurs with this sentiment too.

    -GSD

  10. 10.

    Dreggas

    August 6, 2008 at 9:05 am

    Sounds great. They could grab each other’s tire gauges and chant “Obama was right.”

    And thus a new euhemism is born. Copyright that John it’ll be all over the tubes within a few days.

  11. 11.

    Xanthippas

    August 6, 2008 at 9:11 am

    When McCain loses in November (and he’s going to lose) the right-wing bloggers are going to look back on this moment in shock and ask themselves “You mean tire-gauges and Paris Hilton were not the turning point in the race? WTF?”

  12. 12.

    TR

    August 6, 2008 at 9:12 am

    Chuck Todd on MSNBC is claiming this ad is good for McCain because it keeps the “celebrity” issue front and center. Sweet Jesus.

  13. 13.

    napoleon

    August 6, 2008 at 9:17 am

    Chuck Todd on MSNBC is claiming this ad is good for McCain because it keeps the “celebrity” issue front and center. Sweet Jesus.

    I think Todd is a straight shooter without an agenda, but he is just dead wrong about this. I would not be surprised that after the election you can look back and see that video as the single most devastating one of the election and in a negative way for McCain. It hammers him on age and the complete lack of him putting forward a coherent positive agenda.

  14. 14.

    TR

    August 6, 2008 at 9:18 am

    By the way, apparently the thought police have taken over ABC’s Political Punch blog.

    They’re deleting comments that are critical of John McCain — not crude, not violating language codes, nothing. Someone posted that McCain violated FEC rules in the primary, and it was deleted. I mentioned that *that* email had been deleted, and they deleted my objection.

    Rightwing comments, meanwhile, are allowed to stand. (Example: “The messiah is getting caught with crooked donations, probably from the middle east and George Soros!!”)

    Nice to see ABC is dropping the pretense and becoming Fox News II. Personally, with conservatism in disarray and progressives gaining popularity, I think it’s an odd business decision.

  15. 15.

    TR

    August 6, 2008 at 9:21 am

    I posted that I’d just go to another blog. They deleted that comment, too.

    Stalin would be so proud.

  16. 16.

    napoleon

    August 6, 2008 at 9:23 am

    Nice to see ABC is dropping the pretense and becoming Fox News II.

    Funny how the only 2 “news” organizations that will not have one of it’s anchors act as a moderator for a debate is ABC and Fox.

  17. 17.

    TR

    August 6, 2008 at 9:24 am

    If someone out there knows how to do screen grabs — I don’t, and it’s time to get down to work — you might try entering the fray there, capturing your comment when it appears (as they briefly will), and then keeping the evidence for when they invariably delete it.

    The Jake Tapper Echo Chamber is located here.

  18. 18.

    Cathy D

    August 6, 2008 at 9:27 am

    ABC is just pissed that they got shut out of the presidential debates

  19. 19.

    Ed Drone

    August 6, 2008 at 9:30 am

    The live meeting having been canceled because McCain had fallen and couldn’t get up.

    CLAP-CLAP!! (Clap on)

    CLAP-CLAP!! (Clap off)

    T-T-T-That’s all, folks!

    Ed

  20. 20.

    Blackacre

    August 6, 2008 at 9:35 am

    Good luck trying to get McCain to show up in Congress these days.

  21. 21.

    Dreggas

    August 6, 2008 at 9:36 am

    Nice to see ABC is dropping the pretense and becoming Fox News II. Personally, with conservatism in disarray and progressives gaining popularity, I think it’s an odd business decision.

    Hello, ABC owned by Disney = Great Satan. I am surprised Disney hasn’t moved to buyout the GOP period. This shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Especially not after “The path to 9-11”.

  22. 22.

    Jake

    August 6, 2008 at 9:39 am

    Funny how the only 2 “news” organizations that will not have one of it’s anchors act as a moderator for a debate is ABC and Fox.

    I was glad to see ABC excluded, after that abomination of a debate George Snuffaluffagous ran. There’s at least some justice.

    However, it is interesting that Team McCain has yet to scream “BUT WHAT ABOUT FOX NEWS!!! WE WANT AT LEAST ONE FAIR AND BALANCED DEBATE!!!” Maybe they’re saving it for a slow news week, or once they’ve run out of all their other stupid ideas.

  23. 23.

    chopper

    August 6, 2008 at 10:39 am

    Sounds great. They could grab each other’s tire gauges and chant “Obama was right.”

    larry craig called, he wants in.

  24. 24.

    The Moar You Know

    August 6, 2008 at 10:59 am

    Hello, ABC owned by Disney = Great Satan. I am surprised Disney hasn’t moved to buyout the GOP period. This shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Especially not after “The path to 9-11”.

    Walt’s been dead for many years, but his cyrogenically preserved head is still calling the shots. I’m just grateful the man seemingly had no political aspirations; he was a fascist to the core.

  25. 25.

    Brachiator

    August 6, 2008 at 11:08 am

    Last week in St. Louis, Obama told an audience that steps such as inflating tires to the correct levels could make a difference when it comes to conserving fuel.

    Cue gleeful mockery from McCain. Obama was naive, inexperienced and not talking straight to the American people about energy, he said….

    “Obama said a couple of days ago says we all should inflate our tires. I don’t disagree with that. The American Automobile Association strongly recommends it,” McCain said.

    Why is the media still covering the McCain campaign without noting that the GOP strategy is to attack whatever Obama says no matter what, even when Bush or McCain is on the record as saying the same thing that Obama says.

    This is beyond cynical, and assumes that voters are total morons who will believe Republicans just because they are Republicans.

    I was glad to see ABC excluded, after that abomination of a debate George Snuffaluffagous ran. There’s at least some justice.

    The bad thing is that CBS news anchor Bob Schieffer will be one of the debate moderators. Schieffer can barely restrain his McCain man-love, especially when someone suggests that McCain’s military service and suffering, while obviously admirable, does not by itself make him an expert on military or foreign affairs.

    Meanwhile, in another branch of teh stupid,

    WASHINGTON – Barack Obama may be the fresh face in this year’s presidential election, but nearly half say they’re already tired of hearing about him, a poll says.

    With Election Day still three months away, 48 percent said they’re hearing too much about the Democratic candidate, according to a poll released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. Just 26 percent said the same about his Republican rival, John McCain.

    Are these the same people who say that they don’t know enough about Obama or what he believes?

  26. 26.

    D. Mason

    August 6, 2008 at 11:15 am

    but nearly half say they’re already tired of hearing about him, a poll says.

    That poll see,s to be without context(as is common with polls). If you pay enough attention to the cable news coverage you might well get tired of hearing about Obama too. It’s not that they talk about him so much, just that when they do it’s vapid bullshit.

  27. 27.

    Alaskan Pete

    August 6, 2008 at 11:20 am

    TR, I don’ think they’re censoring, it seems that the comments section is all funky with bad code or something. My comment there appeared, then didn’t appear, then reappeared, disappeared, etc. Seems to be there with a hard refresh. Also plenty of comments up that are harsh on Mccain with no substance (which is amazing considering all the fodder out there to lambast the guy with).

    What gets me in this whole narrative is the glossing over the “Personal” part. I.e. Obama was asked what someone could PERSONALLY do. Well, I don’t have a spare derrick out back, so I can’t personally start drilling, but I do have 4 tires on the car so I can personally check the inflation…which I did…and they were underinflated about 10% (29-30 vs the prescribed 32 for those particular tires).

  28. 28.

    mellowjohn

    August 6, 2008 at 11:33 am

    a) i thought the paris hilton response was very acceptably snarky, and

    b) i think the campaign (at least on the republican side) is going to get a lot dumber.

  29. 29.

    demimondian

    August 6, 2008 at 11:58 am

    once they’ve run out of all their other stupid ideas

    Umm…yeah. Jake, about that?

    They’ve got *plenty* of other stupid ideas.

  30. 30.

    John S.

    August 6, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    Are these the same people who say that they don’t know enough about Obama or what he believes?

    Yes.

    They don’t know enough about Obama, but they are also tired of hearing about him.

    They just want to believe the latest viral email about Obama and hit the snooze button on their cognitive thinking abilities.

  31. 31.

    Heshe

    August 6, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    I don’t see how the Hilton video can be good for that wrinkly white haired guy. If you can think of any reasons why it would be a positive, let us know.

  32. 32.

    zzyzx

    August 6, 2008 at 1:08 pm

    So I checked out Rush today and, sure enough, he was doing the spite conservatism thing. Don’t inflate your tires to the right pressure because there’s a slight chance that you’ll overinflate them and then you’d increase the chances of getting a blowout. I was pretty stunned by that, even though I was expecting it.

    …of course then the next woman called in to talk about the cream of spotted owl can she had sent Rush so once again it was all about pissing off people for having the nerve to be right.

  33. 33.

    mark

    August 6, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    So I checked out Rush today and, sure enough, he was doing the spite conservatism thing. Don’t inflate your tires to the right pressure because there’s a slight chance that you’ll overinflate them and then you’d increase the chances of getting a blowout. I was pretty stunned by that, even though I was expecting it.

    Along the lines of something said here recently, Rush needs to hear some “librul” warn against mixing chlorine bleach and ammonia. It would help clean up the gene pool.

  34. 34.

    Duros Hussein 62

    August 6, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    This is beyond cynical, and assumes that voters are total morons who will believe Republicans just because they are Republicans.

    Wait, we are talking about Republicans, right? Famous for their short attention span.

  35. 35.

    Cain

    August 6, 2008 at 1:57 pm

    So I checked out Rush today and, sure enough, he was doing the spite conservatism thing. Don’t inflate your tires to the right pressure because there’s a slight chance that you’ll overinflate them and then you’d increase the chances of getting a blowout. I was pretty stunned by that, even though I was expecting it.

    I hope they are stupid enough to do it cuz all they’ll be harming is their wallet. Watching them spend money on gas faster will make my heart glad.

    cain

  36. 36.

    OriGuy

    August 6, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    In a briefing with bloggers in House Minority Leader John Boehner’s office August 5, Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz ,said he would “love to have McCain come speak on the floor” as part of the protest.

    Yeah, and maybe he could stop by the Senate while he’s in the building. He hasn’t shown up there since April.

  37. 37.

    not idiotic

    August 6, 2008 at 2:40 pm

    Everything is good news for John McCain.

    I believe what you meant to say is:

    THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!! FOR MCCAIN!!!

  38. 38.

    Adam

    August 6, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    XZQYPHERMG!!

  39. 39.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 6, 2008 at 5:45 pm

    If someone out there knows how to do screen grabs—I don’t, and it’s time to get down to work—you might try entering the fray there, capturing your comment when it appears (as they briefly will), and then keeping the evidence for when they invariably delete it.

    For the tech challenged, here are easy screen capture instructions!

    If you want to capture your whole screen/desktop view, press your ‘Print Screen’ key on your keyboard. You just captured an image of your whole screen! Now open MS Paint, Photoshop or your choice of graphics/image program and press the CTRL (Control) and ‘v’ keys (CTRL + v) to paste the captured image to your program (or right-click and select ‘Paste’ to do so). Now save your image and you are done!

    If you only want to capture the currently active window (like your browser), make sure the window you want to capture is ‘active’ (selected as your current window), then press and hold the Alt key and press the ‘Print Screen’ key (Alt + Print Screen) to capture the active window. Then open MS Paint or Photoshop and paste (CTRL + v) the capture and save it.

    Easy stuff, and helpful to know.

  40. 40.

    chopper

    August 6, 2008 at 5:48 pm

    a) i thought the paris hilton response was very acceptably snarky, and

    b) i think the campaign (at least on the republican side) is going to get a lot dumber.

    i think it’s a stinging indictment of john mccain’s character that in this campaign paris hilton is acting like more of an adult than he is. and he’s old enough to be her great great great grandfather.

  41. 41.

    HRA

    August 6, 2008 at 10:36 pm

    Being home today, I caught a few appearances by McCain surrogates. It was surreal. They all thought the Paris Hilton ad was humorous and “very funny”. They even laughed out loud. They just did not get it.
    Most of the ad was a focus on “old” John. It was a put down.
    Is it November yet?

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