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A G.O.P. Antidote to Obamamania?
For months, Republican party officials have watched with increasing trepidation as Barack Obama has shattered fundraising records, packed arena after arena with shrieking fans and pulled in significant Republican and independent votes.
Now, with the emergence of the notorious video showing the Rev. Jeremiah Wright damning the country, criticizing Israel, faulting U.S. policy for the Sept. 11 attacks and generally lashing out against white America, GOP strategists believe they’ve finally found an antidote to Obamamania.
-- Jonathan Martin for Politico.com
According to some Republicans, Obama's speech may have wowed liberals, but they don't think it will play in Peoria with the white mainstream. They are even thinking that Obama may be easier to beat than Hillary. What a pity if that should be. One would think the financial crisis and the enormous debacle of Bush's policies in Iraq are heavier weights to bear for a Republican. Surely, we don't need more of the same. But is Obama too exotic for America? It should be an interesting summer and fall.
Robert Tracinski puts the case starkly:
Now, with the emergence of the notorious video showing the Rev. Jeremiah Wright damning the country, criticizing Israel, faulting U.S. policy for the Sept. 11 attacks and generally lashing out against white America, GOP strategists believe they’ve finally found an antidote to Obamamania.
-- Jonathan Martin for Politico.com
According to some Republicans, Obama's speech may have wowed liberals, but they don't think it will play in Peoria with the white mainstream. They are even thinking that Obama may be easier to beat than Hillary. What a pity if that should be. One would think the financial crisis and the enormous debacle of Bush's policies in Iraq are heavier weights to bear for a Republican. Surely, we don't need more of the same. But is Obama too exotic for America? It should be an interesting summer and fall.
Robert Tracinski puts the case starkly:
As for the right, however, I expect that the main effect of this controversy will be to consolidate support for John McCain in a way even Hillary Clinton could not have done. In a contest between a man who sat in the pews Sunday after Sunday while his pastor bad-mouthed America, versus a war hero who endured torture for his country, no one on the right will even regard this as a choice.Again, it's going to be an interesting election.