But so are a lot of Democrats, Liberals, Progressives, Pragmatic Half-assed Socialist/Anarchists (like myself), and others of the left leaning persuasion. My Wife said it best on friendface, "Someone wore their big boy pants today." And, about time.
Really, where does one begin?
I am going to start with the Mittens phrase that blew up the intertubes. To wit, that he had (has?) binders full of women candidates for his cabinet as Massachusetts Governor (and for his prospective Presidential cabinet?) This phrasing was ridiculous enough, but what it covered up was that not only was it not really an accurate anecdote, but that the real sin of Mittens is that he refused to come out in favor of equal pay for women in the workplace.
(And, that my friends, is one of the most frustrating things about modern day politics. I am just as guilty as most, even though I am trying to rectify the situation now, somewhat. There are benefits in our era to go after the Big Gaffe, sometimes they do pay big dividends. But just as often, or actually, most of the time, they do not move the needle one whit. Big Bird did not change this election at all, for example, as much as I hoped he would. Because it is much easier to expose the Big Gaffe. The real hard truth is not nearly so sexy, and harder to explain. It is the job of the press to dig down deep for the Hard Truths, but, sadly, the press and Twitter/Tumblr/friendface Nation are starting to resemble themselves before a mirror.)
Let us move on to something that I think has a better chance to truly influence this election: The Mittens Libya Debacle. I mentioned something to my Wife when this question was raised that this was a potential minefield for Obama. Obama did a fine job, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew Mittens was going to come back hard, and I was actually worried, but hubris, most often, kills. Dr Maddow said it best last night (I am seriously paraphrasing), that there are serious perils to only listening to your supporters and your echo chambers. The GOP Clown Car will be spinning this crushing, awful misstep for years, but it will always be on tape, and should rival the "You're no John Kennedy," and "There he goes again," as one of the greatest US television debate moments in its' very young history -- fifty-two years.
But, once again, the thing that will be replayed and remembered was Mittens being rightfully corrected. The truly powerful moment was right before, when Obama called Mittens out for politicizing this issue, and daring to believe that Obama and the State Department, and our intelligence agencies did not care, or, that they had no grasp of the treacherous situation that is our influence/power in that part of the world.
Perhaps, it was not the altitude, or being ill-prepared for the first debate. Maybe it really was the Obama rope-a-dope? I do not really believe that, but I can see how some could.
Many spinmeisters last night pointed out that what really had Mittens reeling was that he was being challenged, by both the moderator, and by the President; something he had not encountered before on a stage this big. (That GOP Clown Car Show and those Fox News GOP debates do not frickin' count.)
And, I would also like to point out the observation that someone on MSNBC made last night (I am so sorry, I can not remember who it was), that Romney resembles the CEO, who at first (i.e. the first debate) seems reasonable, but, that upon future meetings comes across as a twat. Of course, few of the not lefty nonTradMedia has picked up on what a smug asshole Mittens is. I applaud MSNBC for showing up last night. (CNN is such a joke these days. It is v sad.) But, viewers out there last night got their first real taste of what Willard's administration would look like. And, it ain't pretty.
Is it going to move the needle, last night?
I think it is. In one whole stroke, over an hour and a half, Obama (re)exposed Mittens as a selfish, presumptuous, spoiled rotten little brat, who, honestly deserves his comeuppance.
Obama was aggressive, without appearing the Angry Black Man. Obama thumped Mittens last night, and the Mittens team know it. (They are spinning furiously "binders" right now, and is "terrorist act" the same as "act of terror", and trying to twist Ms Crowley's statements last night after the debate as a refutation of her real-time fact-checking last night.) Mittens will hit Libya hard next Monday, over and over again, etc, ...
But last night was the denouement. We will see merely the epilogue re these debates (and election.)
(And, once my Wife knows how a film is going to wrap up, she completely loses interest.)
I honestly believe that a whole lot of people (mostly women) know what they are going to do, that Obama is their guy, and that, "Could we get this shit over with, and turn this thing around. Jeez."
I did not even get in to my Karl Rove material, or my disgusted reaction to a bunch of white dudes on the teevee, talking about what women thought about the incivility of last night's debate. What a bunch of malarkey, as Crazy Uncle Joe would say. Another time, maybe.
In the meantime, (and you should do as Bowie suggests for the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars elpee) and play this video at MAXIMUM volume.
All my love,
xxxoooxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment