Monday, August 13, 2012

A Tale Of Two Campaigns


REPORT: Obama fundraiser in Chicago. 'Admission only $51, but room is half full'... 

6 comments:

nicoenarg said...

Wait Pastorius,

I thought the election was over! That Romney and Ryan were a little too white for the people's taste.

Pastorius said...

You caught me.

Pastorius said...

But seriously, as I said repeatedly the other day, my pronouncement that Paul Ryan was a bad pick has little to do with my preference. I like Paul Ryan. I just don't think he is going to win the Independents that need to be won to carry the campaign for victory.

I hope I am wrong though.

nicoenarg said...

I hope you're wrong too.

I think it might be too early to say anything about who's going to win and who's not.

I think Ryan has a pretty strong personality and a decent way of making you understand his point of view.

Now my assumption is that most of the American public is not so shallow as to only worry about the color of someone's skin and decide who they're going to vote for (2008 was, in my opinion, an exception when a lot of people voted for Obama because of his skin color and because they hated Bush).

I think Paul Ryan will be able to make a case not only for himself but for Romney far better than Obama can attack either of these. A lot of this is conjecture and too early to call but we'll see what happens.

I also think Paul Ryan is not afraid of playing the cards he's dealt, the way he's dealt them. It might be a nastier campaign from here onward and I think Obama will not be the only nasty one anymore. Not saying Romney and Ryan will stoop as low as Obama but I think they will bring the attention back to Obama's failures.

That's what I am hoping for, but we'll see.

Pastorius said...

I hope Romney and Ryan do come out fighting. That would be a very good thing.

I don't think the American public are stupid, but I do think we think in tropes or memes rather than specifics.

Ryan and Romney will be defined by their image trope until they do something that is not part of the group of ideas consistent with that trope.

If they come out fighting and do it nasty, that would be inconsistent with the trope by which they are perceived. And, that would be to their advantage.

I spent most of my career in the media/advertising world. I think in terms of Marketing, Advertising, and Public Image.

I could be myopic, but I don't think I am.

I studied Philosophy and Religion in College. I did so because I believe history is made through the introduction of ideas, which slowly work their way into the mainstream. So, I believe in ideas, but I do not believe that ideas are the biggest part of the public dialogue that constitutes a national politic.

That is unfortunate, sure, but as I said, the opinion I offer here is not necessarily my preference.

It is descriptive, not prescriptive.

Always On Watch said...

If we reach the 1980 tipping point, Romney-Ryan will win -- unless BHO declares martial law and cancels the election.