Why has Obama lost his lead?

Why do you think Obama has lost his lead? I can give my thoughts...He does way to many um's and oh's while answering questions which reminds people too much of a certain other president who in the past was linguistically challenged. His slips on not knowing how many states, and of course the my muslim faith slip shows me he doesen't have as sharp a mind as people like to see a leader of our great nation have.

I don't really think McCain is much better, in all fairness he has slipped many times as well, but at least he can answer a question without all the um's and oh's.

What other reasons do you think has caused him to lose his lead. I think more political leaders actually read ATS than is known, so give any advice you think could help their campaigns.


[edit on 8-9-2008 by TH3ON3]

reply to post by TH3ON3


Obama lost a big opportunity to clinch the Presidency by not picking Hillary as a running mate. People already knew about his lack of experience and it did not matter he still got elected, now he is having problems reaching to those Hillary voters, not the democratic ones that still are going to vote for him but those that like HILLARY. It was a calculated risk that they took and they are paying for it right now, the full impact is yet to be determined.

Good point Bunch. I wasn't impressed by Biden at all, and after I heard him speak, comes across as full of old school BS and I'm being kind.

Huge factor has been the angry left's barrage of attacks which are constantly on the left wing media and checkout aisle magazine covers. The fallout can be seen by MSNBC's firing of two angry leftsters from their campaign anchor jobs. All the hit peices went over the top attacking Palin which really made the public more aware of all the other hit pieces they were doing.

reply to post by TH3ON3


To add to my point is that you have to ask yourself this question: Would McCain had picked Gov. Palin as a running mate if Sen. Clinton was picked by Obama? Of course NOT!! And even if he dared to pick Gov.Palin the pick would have looked so much more ridiculous than it was that it would have completely clinch the election beyond any doubt.

Obama (and I like him A LOT) showed his political inexperience and let his emotion get the best of him, McCain took a political risk that had basically zero downside, because he was not supposed to be close anyways, but with a ton of upside and it worked. Obama took a political risk with tons of downside and now he is paying for it too.

[edit on 9-9-2008 by Bunch]

because he is too busy fighting a woman.

Instead of attacking Palin, He should be taking on McCain.

Guess it gets pretty bad when your getting whipped by an old man and a woman.

I think it's pretty obvious that things divide proportionally the same for each party. Consequently, it doesn't take much to shift a few votes and win the Presidency. (Both Bush elections should prove that.)

I agree that Obama ignoring nearly half of the Democratic constituents to pass over Clinton was tantamount to giving the election away-- but not in a way that will necessarily show up in polls. There are other reasons for that. I'll get to those in a moment.

I believe the largest impact of not selecting Clinton as his running mate will be that many Democrats will simply stay home and NOT vote.

Now with respect to the current polls, I believe the conservative portion of the middle is breaking for McCain/Palin. I also think the Democrats are losing both the "change" and "competency" arguments. They're starting to look desperate.

reply to post by Bunch

Originally posted by Bunch
To add to my point is that you have to ask yourself this question: Would McCain had picked Gov. Palin as a running mate if Sen. Clinton was picked by Obama? Of course NOT!! And even if he dared to pick Gov.Palin the oick would have looked so much more ridiculous than it was that it would have completely clinch the election beyond any doubt.

Obama (and I like him A LOT) showed his political inexperience and let his emotion get the best of him, McCain took a political risk that had basically zero downside, because he was not supposed to be close anyways, but with a ton of upside and it worked. Obama took a political risk with tons of downside and now he is paying for it too.

I've been saying this for weeks.

Yes.

See for example: My thoughts here.





[edit on 9-9-2008 by loam]

Probably due to a number of issues.
Obama is a good salesman, but he can't seem to close the deal.
People don't like prima donnas and Obama is the darling of the media.
Now that he is attacking Palin directly instead of letting his pople do it is proving to be dangerous. His fight is with McCain, not Palin.
The PUMA folk have something to do with it too.

Originally posted by jam321
because he is too busy fighting a woman.

Instead of attacking Palin, He should be taking on McCain.

Guess it gets pretty bad when your getting whipped by an old man and a woman.

That's a point I never thought of. If he attacks Palin, he's bringing himself or his position to that of running as a vice president. Why attack the opposite vice presidential candidate. He's playing right into their hands. Does this smell of a Carl Rove plan to anyone else. Star for you and thanks for the insight.

There is a couple of good points going on this thread that I want to address.

To Loam:

Thats was an excellent post and right on the money. Your point that if Obama couldn't reach across the divide on his own party raises a valid point about his ability to handle the office of President and about his decision making and ultimately his judgement.

To Alxandro:

Thats a great point you bring about Obama not ben able to close the deal, he had problems closing Hillary out for the nomination and in this election that many consider an eletion for him to loose he has played right into the GOP hands with his actions of late. I believe that his campaign staff is due for a shake up but it would signal desperation and that could tank him more.

Overall I think that Hillary would need to come to the rescue of the Obama campaign and she better do it sooner rather than later, if she doesn't, Obama supporters would never forgive her for that and that at the end could cost her in her political future. The Clinton's now that, unlike Obama, they are very political savvy.

Yeah, he had this locked, as much as I dislike the guy I have to say it.

He put America through this huge, ridiculous display for a year and saturated the media and now he's old news

Then along comes Palin a new sensation just 2 months before the election... and he doesn't have a female vp selected...

all that time, so much Obaaaammmaaa there is little or anything he can say or do to get a recation now, he burnt it all up on hillary and then doesn't pick her, he's a fool.

He basically has lost already. There was a point where I liked him, but he's so saturated it's like he's been President all year, time for a Change lol

You know the old saying Familiarity Breeds Contempt.. way, way, way too much exposure for way to long from this guy.



[edit on 9-9-2008 by mopusvindictus]

Since I lean toward the right I'll limit myk posts to why I think O made the choices he did, and what I think should be different---what advice I'd give.

First: I don't think he was ever really free to pick clinton as a running mate. The dems who got him this far are the "hilary haters" in the democratic party. It would be a total betrayal of his fundraising base.

Second: I don't think he could have trusted Hilary as a vice president. It is critical to have loyalty in a vice-president. And hilary couldn't be trusted to give it after the primaries they went through. (Most of you probably don't know that in the USA, originally the Vice president was the runner up. When the parties coalesced, they changed it, because it seemed to invite assasination and political blackmail, etc.)

Third: I think Biden is an absolutely horrible choice. Almost a slap in the face to O's younger supporters. Biden is everything old school, Ted Kennedy-esque, and corrupt about the democrat party machine.

Fourth: O's European tour was a HUGE blunder with the working classes. Having a buncha furriners (germans at that) cheering for you is not the best way to reach the grandchildren of WWII vets in the corn belt, where memories linger, and every town has a 105mm dedicated to the men who died at Omaha Beach. In lots of those fly-over states, "international" is a negative term. It alienated the undecideds in droves. I still hear about it from working-class people I know.


Here's how I'd advise Obama:

-Be seen honoring the flag. Seriously. Go to an elementary school and say the pledge along with the children. The democratic base will overlook it if they find it distasteful, and it will frame him as being patriotic; frankly a soft spot for every democratic hopeful after Jimmy Carter.

-Take a "photo op tour" of an oil rig. Without any comment. Just pose near one in a hard hat, especially with Biden. The two of you go ask roughnecks about their work. The left will think you are looking at all the environmental damage, and the right will begin to think you're at least interested in the idea of affordable fuel for the working class.

-Talk about how the republicans have created an industry out of taking money from pharmaceutical lobbyists. Talk about how K street in washington is "occupied territory" controlled by pro-republican lobbyists. Talk about how if McCain wins, Big Pharma will NEVER be deconstructed. Go after the Dems in your own party who take money from big pharma, then show how long the list of republicans really is.

Dirty Pool:
-Try to get McCain's health records released. Claim that the records released have been edited to cover up his heart condition, cancer, etc. Release it through the media so it doesn't come back directly to you.

-Find pictures of McCain taking a nap or nodding off. It doesn't matter when or where. At church or in a hammock in his own back yard. Use the word "tired" when referring to anything about him or his party: "tired of the same old inaction," "tired of this do-nothing, know-nothing, change-nothing presidency." Be relentless.

-Hint that McCain is in bed with big oil. Show pictures of people wearing hard-hats at the republican convention. Overlay with scenes of oil rigs on fire from Gulf war one. Show oilfield workers with dirty faces and dirty hard-hats. Get an announcer with a gravelly voice to ask a baiting question: "Why won't Mcain come clean on his connections to big oil?" "Why has McCain had to abstain from so many senate votes about oil?" (cut to a shot of an oil tanker leaking oil, then to birds on a beach flapping their wings in oil.) "It's time to come clean about the oil industry, Mcain. It's time for the truth . . . " swipe to a picture of Obama, in a white shirt with sleeves rolled up, and a clean hard-hat, standing under a big wind turbine. Fade to children gathered around a flag. Superimpose the words "clean up washington. Obama for President."

And that's just round one.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


You sir if I may tout, are a genius. Long lost big brother of Carl Rove perhaps? But why help the O? I know why. That was just rhetorical. A star and flag. Now if I could only figure out just how you flag.

reply to post by SectionEight


Wow dude does that circular logic make you dizzy? Attacks on Palin let Dems see how much Dems attack Republicans?

Did you happen to listen to the RNC speeches? There was zero substance, it was nothing but mudslinging, and a waste of money.

Oh, by the way, nobody has a lead right now. All the news about 'lead changes' are meant to keep people like you interested for another month when really nothing is happening.

[edit on 9-9-2008 by Loki]

It's still very close and will remain that way into the debates.

The debates will be the deciding factor for anyone who is not sure to vote for.

The way to beat Obama is to defeat anyone with Narcissitic Personality Disorder and that is to steal his "limelite or attention". Sarah Palin is doing just that, so Obama naturally tears into her because she stands in the way of his continued praise.

The only attention Obama should be getting is that of looking like a desparate Tool.

It's what is happening now - Obama is looking more desparate.

He has also tangled himself in a web of lies. He'll lie about a lie, just to keep avoiding the truth. People are catching on to that too.

His arrogance has also denied his campaign managers to have complete control over how Obama presents himself. Afterall, Obama thinks he knows what's best.

Also, Obama believes the American people are more stupid than they are. By using lame marketing tactics and trying to "identify" with the common person, he has came up with some silly statements (i.e. inflate your tires and turn the heat down to 72 degrees) to compensate for the current high Gas and Food prices.

His supporters give him the impression that he can do no wrong. It is dangerous for his campaign as he working with false or (over)confidence.

His campaign has been built on a house of cards. Those cards are starting to collapse.


[edit on 9-9-2008 by jetxnet]

One radical option for Obama: Bring Clinton back.

Biden would need to bow out on some pretext...

Clinton would definitely even the score.

Originally posted by TH3ON3

What other reasons do you think has caused him to lose his lead. I think more political leaders actually read ATS than is known, so give any advice you think could help their campaigns.

You're making this much too complicated.

The average person in America admires candidates who they perceive as "real people" more than they do candidates they perceive as Ivy League elitists who condescendingly look down on "us" and tell "us" they know better about how we should be living our lives.

reply to post by loam


I dont know loam, I think is too late in the ballgame. If McCain move to bring Gov.Palin reeked of desperation, how do you think a move like that by Sen. Obama would be taken? I have suggested for him to shake his campaign staff a bit, but even that would be taken as desperation IMHO.

I agree with Dr. Stangecraft in that Obama should get down and dirty a bit, but not to the extent that Bush got in 2000, Sen. McCain don't deserve that. BTW whatever happen with MOVEON.ORG? Where they at?

If Obama wants to stay about the fray, then he needs to convince Hillary to go after Palin, have Biden doing the same, have MOVEON.org going after both and he at the same time start to announce his Cabinet picks, reach out to conservative public servants and nominate some for positions, that would show that he is able to go accross party lines. Example, pick Collin Powell for SecDef, that kind of actions could be taken as a positive by the voters.

Originally posted by Bunch

Overall I think that Hillary would need to come to the rescue of the Obama campaign and she better do it sooner rather than later, if she doesn't, Obama supporters would never forgive her for that and that at the end could cost her in her political future. The Clinton's now that, unlike Obama, they are very political savvy.

I think Hillary has destroyed any shot she may have had for the Presidency in 2012 by turning her back on her supporters and endorsing Obama.

I know I'd never personally vote for her, simply because she failed to stand her ground. that's what I respected about her.

She called for an end to the voting during the convention (like a prize fighter throwing the match), which I think disappointed many of her constituents.