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FeatsofClay
09-03-2008, 12:17 AM
Holy Shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/09/mccain_manager_this_election_i.html?hpid=topnews

McCain Manager: 'This Election is Not About Issues'
UPDATE, 6:18 pm: In reaction to Rick Davis' comments about the election not being about issues, Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe released the following statement: "We appreciate Senator McCain's campaign manager finally admitting that his campaign is not in fact about the issues the American people care about, which is exactly the kind of cynical old politics people are ready to change."

ORIGINAL POST

Rick Davis, campaign manager for John McCain's presidential bid, insisted that the presidential race will be decided more over personalities than issues during an interview with Post editors this morning.

"This election is not about issues," said Davis. "This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."

Davis added that issues will no doubt play a major role in the decisions undecided voters will make but that they won't ultimately be conclusive. He added that the campaign has "ultimate faith" in the idea that the more voters get to know McCain and Barack Obama, the better the Republican nominee will do.

Davis generally dismissed the controversies surrounding McCain's vice presidential pick -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- as a media creation but did acknowledge that her acceptance speech, which seems likely to come tomorrow, is critically important to defining who she is to the American public.


As for the speech itself, Davis said a generic, "masculine" speech was being prepared before the pick was made and, now that Palin is the choice, she is adapting the speech to her own needs and personality.

Davis demurred when asked when Palin will sit for interviews with major news organizations, pointing out that now would not be the right time given the "combative" attitude the media has seemingly adopted toward Palin. Pressed on the issue, Davis insisted that "we allot a lot more access in our campaign than any campaign in modern political history....we'll get around to it."

On the general election playing field, Davis alleged that Obama had tried -- and failed -- to expand the political map, and that 11 or 12 states (and maybe as many as 13) would be truly competitive. He added that campaign operatives are feeling better than they did a month ago about Iowa and Minnesota and believe their prospects have not dimmed in any competitive state during that time.

Davis did admit, however, the challenges of running for president as a Republican in this political atmosphere.

"We are in the worst Republican environment since Nixon in 1972," said Davis. "We take that seriously. We get the joke."



With video of quote. This guy is a stunning fuck up. Amazing. He seems to be making excuses for losing already.

Hatter
09-03-2008, 12:26 AM
In a soundbite political environment he just gave the media about 14 tons of ammunition. The McCain campaign has been off balance since the nomination of Palin and they keep making mistakes. It's no wonder McCain is falling in the polls.

Though I'm sure if they lose it will be because of the media, the hurricane and Obama's smear machine.

Singularity
09-03-2008, 12:50 AM
In a soundbite political environment he just gave the media about 14 tons of ammunition. The McCain campaign has been off balance since the nomination of Palin and they keep making mistakes. It's no wonder McCain is falling in the polls.

Though I'm sure if they lose it will be because of the media, the hurricane and Obama's smear machine.

After losing the last two elections due to unfair legal wrangling and rhetoric that didn't just cross the line into the lie, but wallowed in it and offered no acknowledgement whatsoever of the truth, I really don't mind giving those bastards a taste of their own medicine.

Granted, I still don't think McCain's a bad guy and I won't be heartbroken if he wins, but I certainly won't vote for him.

Name Lips
09-03-2008, 01:03 AM
Did I stumble into an alternate universe where the Republicans keep shooting themselves in the foot and the Democrats are putting up a competant fight?

Hatter
09-03-2008, 01:12 AM
Don't worry, it's not too late for the Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, they are masters of it after all.

Dr. Paragon
09-03-2008, 01:24 AM
Ain't that the truth.

And here's some advice for the Obama camp:

Snatch
09-03-2008, 02:10 PM
A decade or so ago, we had the leader of the Conservative Party basically say the same thing.

However, Campbell's initial popularity soon declined due to public-relations mistakes committed after the writ was dropped. When she was running for the party leadership, Campbell's frank honesty was seen as an important asset and a sharp contrast from Mulroney's highly-polished style. However, that backfired when she told reporters at a Rideau Hall event that it was unlikely that the deficit or unemployment would be much reduced before the "end of the century." During the election campaign, she stated that discussing a complete overhaul of Canada's social policies in all their complexities could not be done in just 47 days (the time allotted to an election campaign). However, a reporter truncated this comment to "an election is no time to discuss serious issues."