I'm getting tired of all the "negative campaign" labels

[Kizyr]

One thing that's really been irritating me lately is how the press keeps calling the Obama-Clinton race a negative campaign full of attack ads. It's ridiculous, seriously.

Basically it goes like this:

Clinton: We need someone with extensive experience leading this country
Press: OMG NEGATIVE ATTACK AD!
Obama: We need a fresh face in Washington free from lobbyists' influence
Press: OMG NEGATIVE ATTACK AD!

Obama: Of course either me or Clinton would be better than McCain. And any of the three of us would be better than Bush.
Clinton: That's a compliment to McCain...
Press: OMG NEGATIVE ATTACK AD!!!
*(#@%

Clinton: With all the things that have happened in the last several years, who would you want leading this country?
Obama: We really don't need more appeals to people's fear.
Press: OMG NEGATIVE ATTACK AD!!!

Seriously, it's getting ridiculous. These aren't negative ads. It's getting to where Obama and Clinton can't even debate with one another without the press and the Republicans all claiming it's a "negative campaign". They can't even give positive promotional ads without the press and Republicans claiming it's a "negative campaign"! I've been following it pretty closely, and they're as polite as two people in disagreement can be. Particularly considering that the campaign kind of has to focus on the points that they disagree instead of where they agree at this time.

What's really funny is that, once Obama wins the primary, that's when we'll really start seeing the negative attack ads. Against him. As it is right now, this campaign's polite. KF

[Jenner]

But Obama totally flicked people off, OMGZ.

[Werefrog]

Haha... yeah. Did you see the Daily Show bit about it? http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index ... =blanguage

[Kizyr]

Haha... yeah. Did you see the Daily Show bit about it? http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index ... =blanguage

Hah, that was great.

But anyway, yeah... It's becoming more and more apparent that, because the Republican end still doesn't know who they'll be running against in November, they're adopting a pretty interesting strategy. That is, spin everything that Obama and Clinton say into something that sounds negative. It's a minimum work for maximum gain thing, really.

I mean, it pisses me off, sure, but it's pretty inventive. Though it's irritating mostly because it's difficult to describe how this is supposed to be a negative campaign, but the press just keeps calling it that.

Oh, not to mention that it really stifles debate. So it gets two things accomplished: paints the Democrats as negative and obfuscates the candidates' messages. KF

[GhaleonOne]

Did anyone see the candidate comments from wrestling last night? Someone linked me a video to it at work today. I'm honestly surprised they actually went on the show. I remember when I used to watch it in the 90s, they always had a Bill Clinton impersonator, but these were the real deals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=565qnfe0qTE&feature=user

[Ozone]

I'm just tired of the whole damn thing.

and

OMFGROFLMFAO @ senators on Raw

[Sonic#]

Oh my. The senators being on Raw... I don't know. It felt like when Obama and Clinton both tried to bowl. They're really trying, and that alone gives credit to them, but their use of wrestling jargon and references was hilarious. Two of them independently made references to the Rock. (Barack works better than McCain in this instance, sorry.)

Yes, it is funny. I know listening to NPR when I go driving, there's often talk about, "Hillary Clinton had something to say about Obama today," and it's in reference to a speech where she is basically just talking about change in general. The accusations really are overblown.

And when did Obama flick people off? I missed that. :/

[Angelalex242]

It'll be interesting, in my opinion, to see if Hillary can stay close enough to Obama...or gain on him a little...enough to stay in position that the SuperDelegates will decide the nominee at the convention, and the voters won't have a thing to say about it.

That, really, is the best Hillary can hope for...she and Bill are far better at backroom deals then Obama is, and dealing with superdelegates is about backroom deals.

[Kizyr]

It'll be interesting, in my opinion, to see if Hillary can stay close enough to Obama...or gain on him a little...enough to stay in position that the SuperDelegates will decide the nominee at the convention, and the voters won't have a thing to say about it.

The superdelegates will probably lean more strongly towards whoever has the higher popular vote. So it'd be incorrect to say that the voters won't have a thing to say about it.

That, really, is the best Hillary can hope for...she and Bill are far better at backroom deals then Obama is, and dealing with superdelegates is about backroom deals.

Dealing with superdelegates is about making a strong case why the party should nominate you. Whether you're arguing that you can carry the big states (like Hillary argues) or you're arguing that you can take the battleground states in the MidWest/South (like Obama argues). It's also about presenting a strong case for being able to take on the Republican challenger most effectively.

Backroom deals aren't really a part of it. Unless you're operating on a different definition of "backroom"? KF

[Jenner]

It'll be interesting, in my opinion, to see if Hillary can stay close enough to Obama...or gain on him a little...enough to stay in position that the SuperDelegates will decide the nominee at the convention, and the voters won't have a thing to say about it.

Backroom deals aren't really a part of it. Unless you're operating on a different definition of "backroom"? KF

Kizyr and my backroom deals work out very well for us >.>

[Angelalex242]

When I say backroom deals, I mean...

Hillary:Say, Superdelegate, have I got a deal for you. You vote for me at the convention, and when I get elected, I'll see to it you and your district get pork barrel perk A, to help you get re-elected.

Barack:Superdelegate, I'm the hope and inspiration of the party, vote for me.

Hillary:Yes, but who's looking out for you, Superdelegate and your re-election? The newbie doesn't know how to push things through congress. But I do...I know just how to get you and your district what you want...

That is...and perhaps I'm being cynical here...youth, enthusiasm, and hope are no match for experience and treachery in the sort of deals I'm talking about.

[Kizyr]

When I say backroom deals, I mean...

Hillary:Say, Superdelegate, have I got a deal for you. You vote for me at the convention, and when I get elected, I'll see to it you and your district get pork barrel perk A, to help you get re-elected.

Barack:Superdelegate, I'm the hope and inspiration of the party, vote for me.

Hillary:Yes, but who's looking out for you, Superdelegate and your re-election? The newbie doesn't know how to push things through congress. But I do...I know just how to get you and your district what you want...

That is...and perhaps I'm being cynical here...youth, enthusiasm, and hope are no match for experience and treachery in the sort of deals I'm talking about.

Ok, so now the question is, where are you getting the idea that this is what Hillary is doing? This is an honest question, not a rhetorical one. I'm wondering if this is something you've seen/read, or if it's something you're just assuming to be the case.

It's pretty clear that I'm a strong Obama supporter, and I don't much like Hillary. But, like Obama, I feel his side is strong and decent enough not to need to make claims about Hillary based on flimsy or no evidence. Thus far, everything he's said about her has been rather straightforward and clear--compliments and criticisms. KF

[Angelalex242]

I've got no proof of it, of course...nobody would let it out if there was, anyway...

It's just a theory based on, "Assuming somebody wanted to get elected at all costs, ethics be damned, how would they go about beating a more popular candidate with more regular, normal delegates?" And that's what I came up with.

(If it isn't clear, I don't much like the Clintons, but I respect their political savvy. I actually agree with you Obama's by far better then Bill and Hillary version 2.0)