House of Eratosthenes

Interesting article linked by Boortz: All these shrewd strategists who’ll move mountains to get The Chosen One elected, have been monitoring the effectiveness of this talking point in which McCain would be just another term for George Bush.

And it ain’t workin’.

The biggest arrow in the Democrats’ quiver is cut from an old, wooden meme that asks Americans to transfer their visceral hatred of President George W. Bush onto John McCain. If there’s a way to link the Arizona senator to the lame duck president, you better believe the Democrats have thought of it. Voting record? Bush and McCain agree ninety percent of the time. Economic issues? Just “more of the same.” Those adoring hugs between McCain and the president? They’re the kicker of every Obama ad.

But so much for that. After four months of stagnating and ultimately drooping support for Barack Obama among the anti-Bush independents, it’s time to concede that the strategy isn’t working. More than half the country considers McCain a legitimate “agent of change,” according to a September Gallup poll. In key blocs such as independents and Americans making more than $75,000, he’s tied with Obama within the margin of error.

How can Americans consider McCain an agent of change when Democrats keep reminding them that he’s just like President Bush? To amend a line from Obama’s convention speech: It’s not because Americans don’t get it; it’s because average American doesn’t care.

By the way, it appears in that hardcore right-wing Bush-bot redneck publication — The Atlantic. Heh.

Know what I think? They’ve been burned by their own poorly worded poll questions. Do you agree with President Bush’s performance/policies. Know what? I’m among the majority in that…I’m going to answer toward the negative. That whole bit with illegal aliens doing the work Americans won’t do, will go down in history as one of the dumbest sound bites ever uttered by anyone in high office, anywhere, anytime.

But I agree with every single word blogger friend Buck wrote on 9/11:

God Bless America, and God Bless and Keep President Bush. We owe many for the fact these United States have not been attacked in the seven years since 9/11/2001, but of all those whom we owe a debt of gratitude and thanks… there are none more deserving than the president. History will vindicate him and the actions he has taken in the face of incredible opposition over these past seven years… and future generations will honor him in the manner he deserves. It can’t come soon enough, in my eyes.

He speaks for me. And yet — you ask me if the country is headed in the right direction, I’m gonna give as my answer a big fat NO. We’re not building a wall to keep the illegal aliens out, and we’re spending too much money.

But when you compare McCain to Bush, the first thing that pops into my head is truckloads of crispy fried smokin’ terrorists bodies.

I’m alone in this dichotomy? Really? Apparently not. Actually, I’m sorry the left-wingers finally caught on. Don’t know why I’m posting it here. I’m glad nobody really reads this blog.

He speaks for me. And yet — you ask me if the country is headed in the right direction, I’m gonna give as my answer a big fat NO. We’re not building a wall to keep the illegal aliens out, and we’re spending too much money.

We’re also not drilling the heck out of ANWR and the OCS, and at this writing, there are *still* no American troops patrolling the streets of Tehran.
- cylarz | 09/23/2008 @ 06:09
What about those of us who like President Bush’s leadership and actually *want* “more of the same” from the next president? Where do we fit in? Why is the question never asked, “Would a change of course be for good or for ill?” Sometimes a policy is actually working and you go with it. You don’t go fiddling with it for the sake of “change.”

It’s one of those words with a very positive connotation when it ought to be neutral at best.
- cylarz | 09/23/2008 @ 06:12
Thanks for the quote, Morgan. We’re on the same page about Dubya and the GOP congress (for six years, anyway) spending way too damned much money, but not so much about immigration. But let’s not open THAT can o’ worms again. 😉
- Buck | 09/23/2008 @ 18:15
They poll question “Do you think the country is headed in the right direction?” is really annoying, and has its roots in pure economic expediency on the part of the polling entity.

Pollsters make money when they are employed – they cement employment by publishing the same poll results to both parties. If you could make money by selling the answer to that question to both parties, you’d do it too. The problem is the answers will always be lopsided towards the “no”, and both parties will always interpret the answer as a mandate to direct the country their way. Hence creating the need for polling.

I call the answers lopsided because it’s very easy to feel like you answered the question “correctly” when you say no; the polled like to stroke their own ego when questioned. Most folks read into WHY a person is asking a question while formulating an answer; there will always be a supposition that the answer is no (otherwise why ask it?), and most folks won’t quickly fight against the urge to agree.

The follow-up question should be: If a new direction meant raising the retirement age or exposing the country to terrorism, would you still answer the first question the same way? It gets the polled thinking about what we’re doing right; most folks can’t remember what their wives’ birthday is, but they sure do remember what the country is doing wrong. A quick poll (aren’t they all quick? I don’t know how long a person has to answer) will only render what comes quickly to mind. The polling folks are looking for quick when they use the term “feel” too. Negative feelings are very quick; it’s part of human nature to identify risks first.
- wch | 09/24/2008 @ 09:21

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