...."values, authenticity, communication, trust, and identity..... ~ It's not about the issues

according to George Lakoff.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/dont-think-of-a-maverick_b_125850.html">HUFFPO



Help me out DU-ers. How (does Obama/do Liberals) encompass the ideals noted above? And how do McCain/Conservatives not?

My attempt at some framing below:

VALUES

I think Children are our primary "value" in this society and as such I say that Barack Obama cares about children as he supports health care, education etc. I think we can hit McCain on his voting record on both issues?

McCain on education via Ontheissues.org:

# Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers". (Oct 2005)
# Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005)
# Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)
# Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
# Voted NO on national education standards. (Feb 1994)

On Health Care:

# No mandated universal system; no mandated insurance coverage. (Jun 2006)
# We should be able to reimport drugs from Canada. (Jan 2006)
# The problem with health care in America is inflation. (Jan 2006)

Obama on Education:


# First Senate bill: increase Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,100. (Aug 2007)
# Sponsored legislation that recruits and rewards good teachers. (Sep 2004)
# Voted YES on $52M for "21st century community learning centers". (Oct 2005)
# Voted YES on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005)
# Voted YES on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)

* Sponsored bill banning high lead levels in children's toys. (Nov 2005)

Obama on Health Care:

* Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Apr 2007)
* Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006)
* Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics. (Nov 2005)
* Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug. (Mar 2005)
* Increase funding for AIDS treatment & prevention. (Jan 2001)
* More funding for Rx benefits, community health, CHIPs. (Jan 2001)
* Improve services for people with autism & their families. (Apr 2007)
* Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn. (Apr 2008)

AUTHENTICITY

Obama comes from an average American family who struggled to make it financially.
Obama made it in America, because he worked hard.

McCain comes from a family of admirals and joined the military because that's what his family did before him. He later left his disabled wife and married an heiress. McCain also graduated near the bottom of his class and succeeded due to family connections vs. hard work.

COMMUNICATION

McCain did well on the view recently, but Obama is far better in front of a crowd. I think if Obama communicates on the level in which he shines, ie. gives speeches, plays off the crowd, we of course will win on the communication issue. However I think he needs to tighten up his answers as others have noted?

TRUST

McCain - Keating five, left first wife for mistress, changed positions to match GWB's = untrustworthy.

Obama - admitted former drug use, candid about his life etc...

IDENTITY

I think voters can identify with Obama vs. McCain via the authenticity issues I noted above.

Of course we could contrast Biden and Palin as well.

Ideas, input, commentary? :shrug:

Obama needs to understand that most of the voters who are still undecided at this point don't care about issues.

They will vote on character.

Expose McCain and Palin's corrupt character and we win.

Let McCain and Palin define Obama's character and we lose.

John Kerry thought issues mattered. He was smarter than Bush by far. He gave a great speech and a great debate. But he didn't understand that Republicans only needed to undermine his character with advertising.

Obama needs to make this campaign personal.

Excellent....

I agree with Lakoff.

Barack should discuss the issues inasmuch to show people that he cares about them and understands them.

My two cents: Label McCain and Palin as liars.

:hi:

Why won't Obama use it often?

When a voter thinks of McCain they should think of "lies".

It's frustrating to watch Democrats tip toe around the word.

and the unleashing of the 527's (as shown by the excellent Planned Parenthood ad), I'd like to think this might be starting to happen.

And make it forcefully, but also evenly. Obama and Biden are 2 people who can defend themselves from McCain and Palin if only for the reason that they are the smarter and savvy of the 2 tickets, and it's not close.

W was a doofus, but he always had Cheney behind him, pulling the strings and doing the thinking for both of them. McCain is in mental decline, and Palin is nasty, but also has the IQ of a canned ham. If Obama and Biden highlight this w/o seeming to do it purely out of malice, they will win handily.

The debates are where the heavy lifting is going to be done, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the debates be reduced to the most scripted kind to reduce any outright stupidity/gaffes by McCain and Palin, and also to prevent Obama and Biden debating them directly. That's going to be the big hurdle, I think.

and handled all the questions tossed at him from the hosts. I feel like we may underestimate him? Or should I say "Misunderestimate" him? ;)

I do hope the debates will flesh out the fact that McCain is a nasty mean man who is stuck in the past and does not care about our children though. :evilgrin: