Lawyer-Wearing-Yarmulka
Monday, January 07, 2008
Obamamania
Does anybody for a moment thing that the media would be gushing over Obama if he was a conservative Republican?
posted by LWY, 3:02 PM
13 Comments:
Two words: Ronald Reagan.
Two words: Ronald Reagan.
Are you saying that the media was drooling over him during the 1980 campaign, or when he was actually president?
I'm 26, so obviously I have no knowledge of the former, and only a passing memory of the later.
Are you saying that the media was drooling over him during the 1980 campaign, or when he was actually president?
I'm 26, so obviously I have no knowledge of the former, and only a passing memory of the later.
I'm not a whole lot older, but I'm pretty sure they fawned over him in much the same way. They certainly have done it since his presidency. The media loves a charmer.
I think your assuming that what went on after his death was the norm before and during his presidency.
From what I remember, it was. I'm not sure how to find out such a thing for sure beyond just asking older folks, though. I see no reason to believe the media are hyping Obama because he's a liberal, though -- it's more that he's got Reagan's ability to send a message and he'd be the first Black president.
The media were pretty high on McCain in '92, because of his "maverick" image. And he didn't have the Obama/B Clinton/Reagan/JFK charisma and ability to inspire.
The media were pretty high on McCain in '92, because of his "maverick" image. And he didn't have the Obama/B Clinton/Reagan/JFK charisma and ability to inspire.
A quick googling reveals many columns written by conservatives after Reagan's death noting the difference the media was portraying Reagan now versus when he was President. Seems the standard line during the 80's was that Reagan was stupid.
Yeah, I definitely remember jokes about his alleged senility during his presidency. I'm not sure that's incompatible with the press gushing over him.
We're getting off-topic, though. Are you still arguing that if a conservative Republican of Reagan's caliber was running now, the media wouldn't be gushing? If so, what do you base that on?
It's not like Howard Dean got even a fair shake from the media let alone gushing despite similar excitement from (online, at least) Democrats. And the media were much harder on Gore than on Bush in 2000, if I recall. I think it has more to do with a candidate's personality and charisma than anything else.
We're getting off-topic, though. Are you still arguing that if a conservative Republican of Reagan's caliber was running now, the media wouldn't be gushing? If so, what do you base that on?
It's not like Howard Dean got even a fair shake from the media let alone gushing despite similar excitement from (online, at least) Democrats. And the media were much harder on Gore than on Bush in 2000, if I recall. I think it has more to do with a candidate's personality and charisma than anything else.
Yeah, I definitely remember jokes about his alleged senility during his presidency. I'm not sure that's incompatible with the press gushing over him.
The senility jokes came later. The jokes about his intelligence were always there.
are you still arguing that if a conservative Republican of Reagan's caliber was running now, the media wouldn't be gushing? If so, what do you base that on?
I'm saying that if a black charismatic conservative was running for president, we'd see nowhere near the level of gushing we have with Obama. It's just a gut feeling. The only time the media fawns over a GOP candidate is when the candidate is not typical GOP (McCain in 2000, Collin Powell in 1996)
The senility jokes came later. The jokes about his intelligence were always there.
are you still arguing that if a conservative Republican of Reagan's caliber was running now, the media wouldn't be gushing? If so, what do you base that on?
I'm saying that if a black charismatic conservative was running for president, we'd see nowhere near the level of gushing we have with Obama. It's just a gut feeling. The only time the media fawns over a GOP candidate is when the candidate is not typical GOP (McCain in 2000, Collin Powell in 1996)
We'd be getting a huge load of "can a black candidate really win in the 'white-heavy' [re: racist] GOP?" followed by a resounding 'of course not, it's just a fluke but he'll lose soon.'
Then they'd be *shocked* when he won.
Pretty much think about how they reacted to the favorable opinions of Condi Rice back when the rumors were that she would run in 2008. The little polls had her challenging Giuliani for the top spot among conservatives, and the media didn't understand it.
LWY - I'm sure you've already seen it, but Taranto had a good piece about Obama in Iowa/NH on Friday I believe. Note those are also "white-heavy" areas.
Then they'd be *shocked* when he won.
Pretty much think about how they reacted to the favorable opinions of Condi Rice back when the rumors were that she would run in 2008. The little polls had her challenging Giuliani for the top spot among conservatives, and the media didn't understand it.
LWY - I'm sure you've already seen it, but Taranto had a good piece about Obama in Iowa/NH on Friday I believe. Note those are also "white-heavy" areas.
The senility jokes came later. The jokes about his intelligence were always there.
Well, it's not like he was an intellectual. Jokes like that are par for the course if you run as an everyman.
I'm saying that if a black charismatic conservative was running for president, we'd see nowhere near the level of gushing we have with Obama. It's just a gut feeling. The only time the media fawns over a GOP candidate is when the candidate is not typical GOP (McCain in 2000, Collin Powell in 1996)
So McCain and Powell are disqualified because they are not "typical?" Obama's not typical, either.
Well, it's not like he was an intellectual. Jokes like that are par for the course if you run as an everyman.
I'm saying that if a black charismatic conservative was running for president, we'd see nowhere near the level of gushing we have with Obama. It's just a gut feeling. The only time the media fawns over a GOP candidate is when the candidate is not typical GOP (McCain in 2000, Collin Powell in 1996)
So McCain and Powell are disqualified because they are not "typical?" Obama's not typical, either.
So McCain and Powell are disqualified because they are not "typical?" Obama's not typical, either.
They're not typical, i.e., both have numerous positions that don't jive with with the GOP mainstream. That gets the media excited. It's the same reason why they're excited about Huckabee. He's a complete liberal on pretty much all economic issues.
Aside for merit pay for teachers, I'm not aware of a single issue where Obama departs from liberal orthodoxy.
They're not typical, i.e., both have numerous positions that don't jive with with the GOP mainstream. That gets the media excited. It's the same reason why they're excited about Huckabee. He's a complete liberal on pretty much all economic issues.
Aside for merit pay for teachers, I'm not aware of a single issue where Obama departs from liberal orthodoxy.
Obama may be a mainstream Democrat, but his style is atypical. That's why they're excited. If you could point to an exciting GOP candidate who would qualify as mainstream and show that the press treated him or her differently, you might have an argument. As it stands, it seems like it's all in your head.
Regarding Huckabee, he isn't getting attention from the press because of his economic "liberalism." (The so-called FairTax is hardly a liberal idea.) To disqualify him on those grounds just disingenuous. He's getting attention as a charismatic figure who represents the Christian right, not as a Republican who's broken ranks economically.
Regarding Huckabee, he isn't getting attention from the press because of his economic "liberalism." (The so-called FairTax is hardly a liberal idea.) To disqualify him on those grounds just disingenuous. He's getting attention as a charismatic figure who represents the Christian right, not as a Republican who's broken ranks economically.
If you could point to an exciting GOP candidate who would qualify as mainstream and show that the press treated him or her differently, you might have an argument.
Reagan. The more I Google, the more I learn how crappily he was treated by the MSM.
Regarding Huckabee, he isn't getting attention from the press because of his economic "liberalism." (The so-called FairTax is hardly a liberal idea.) To disqualify him on those grounds just disingenuous. He's getting attention as a charismatic figure who represents the Christian right, not as a Republican who's broken ranks economically.
Fair Tax aside, he's running as a populist. That's unheard of in the GOP. Class-warfare is the province of left-wing Democrats.
Reagan. The more I Google, the more I learn how crappily he was treated by the MSM.
Regarding Huckabee, he isn't getting attention from the press because of his economic "liberalism." (The so-called FairTax is hardly a liberal idea.) To disqualify him on those grounds just disingenuous. He's getting attention as a charismatic figure who represents the Christian right, not as a Republican who's broken ranks economically.
Fair Tax aside, he's running as a populist. That's unheard of in the GOP. Class-warfare is the province of left-wing Democrats.
