I watched the clips again this morning and, wow, what a difference in confidence, diction, and tone. So this is what speaking to your base does.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:23 (eleven years ago) link
Directly, no. But I do think the way you're covered has a more general effect.
Yeah I think the general sense that "this guy's in a tailspin" gets across even to people who aren't paying attention to the outrage-of-the-day.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:24 (eleven years ago) link
I don't think stuff like this particularly changes minds but voting is about enthusiasm, not just whether you identify red or blue. If Romney keeps morphing into Mr. Burns/Nixon with the media shitting on him daily it's definitely going to effect his ability to JAZZ people.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:24 (eleven years ago) link
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10:23 AM (16 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
romdawg has a lil experience pitching rooms full of rich guys
― lag∞n, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:25 (eleven years ago) link
during the bush era conservative pals would say "fuck you" to anyone saying "so y' still like bush?" but a good number just plum forgot to vote in 2004
― da croupier, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:26 (eleven years ago) link
Maybe amazing is the wrong word.
i dont think 'the media' really has that much effect on peoples votes at this point --max
Don't believe this at all.
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:29 (eleven years ago) link
very few people would be so openly flaky as to change party affiliation three months before an election, but they maaaay not buy the t-shirt
― da croupier, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:32 (eleven years ago) link
not very many undecided voters are watching cable news or reading editorial pages 6 weeks before an election
― max, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:34 (eleven years ago) link
Willard is saying things that are pretty explicitly unpresidential.
It's true that he's empty on "I'll drone-attack the Jonas Brothers" yuks.
i dont think 'the media' really has that much effect on peoples votes at this point
The US media doesn't cover or affect shit that's worth shit.
― kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:35 (eleven years ago) link
i honestly can't fathom someone being an "undecided voter" in the first place. I can see random shades of blue and red debating whether they're actually going to get off the couch, but not in regards to who they'd vote for.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:37 (eleven years ago) link
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d5/Swing_vote_08.jpg/220px-Swing_vote_08.jpg
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:39 (eleven years ago) link
yeah i kind of figure anybody who actually says "gee, i dunno" has to be really ignorant and vain. Somebody who says "convince me" with their arms folded.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:40 (eleven years ago) link
I personally love the reaction from the frothing right-wing base: "yup, that's right, glad someone's finally saying it out loud." Just as I loved it when the base loved his pick of Ryan. Because everything that excites the base turns off the middle (and, I suppose vice versa, but this isn't the year for that).
Good luck with that strategy, GOP! Tell large swathes of the electorate that they're not worth your consideration, and irredeemably beneath contempt. See how well that plays in a democracy.
Caveat: yeah, as has been said repeatedly, most people who care about politics have long since decided how they're going to vote; there aren't a lot of persuadable people in any case. I'm the first to admit that I'm not persuadable; I have no understanding of the psychology of anyone who IS persuadable, so what the hell do I know about what will change minds?
― Ye Mad Puffin, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:43 (eleven years ago) link
Last I read, Obama still ahead in several swing states, undecideds down to 2 percent. Aside from Obama's "clingers" in April vs. Romney's "47 percent" in mid-Sept., Obama generalized/snarked in passing, Romney's percentage is implicitly a social map, the perfect opening for refutation (also a vision, rallying some of the troops). Also of course this is another situation where "the media" has to follow viral Netclipz, see how far they go. Also see some conservative sites getting sick of Fox putting the spin 'n' shine on Romney gaffes, with paid contributors/analysts who are also on the Romney payroll.
― dow, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:46 (eleven years ago) link
Again, I don't think anyone saying that the tone of media coverage over the last six weeks might matter--especially to someone playing catch-up--is suggesting that voters will actually change their minds. It's more the enthusiasm level mentioned above. If you're a Republican who wants Obama out, but doesn't like Romney at all and sees his campaign getting hammered every day, that can't help.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:51 (eleven years ago) link
and at this point recognizing romneyshambles doesn't require watching cable news or reading opinion pages -- it's the lead story on aol.com
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 14:53 (eleven years ago) link
might matter re actually going to the polls, standing in line in November, considering how many Republicans/Reagan Democrates I know who are also working stiffs and/or old.
― dow, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:21 (eleven years ago) link
"Democrates" a typo, not snark
― dow, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:22 (eleven years ago) link
Even Jonah can barely find a silver lining here.
― a shark with a rippling six pack (Phil D.), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:35 (eleven years ago) link
― max, Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10:34 AM (49 minutes ago)
maybe not but what about reading newspaper headlines while at the coffee shop or talking to people who are following the race? there's kind of a general noise level about romney not being in control of his campaign and these gaffes are just stocking obama's pantry for the debates. romney is clearly not unflappable in public and I'm wondering what sort of verbal wilding he's going to engage in when face to face with his opponent.
― vincent black shadow giallo (Edward III), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:46 (eleven years ago) link
kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears at the debate
― wtf where's my chapbook (DJP), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:47 (eleven years ago) link
kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears flames at the debate
― a shark with a rippling six pack (Phil D.), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:48 (eleven years ago) link
more likely: slight but visible leakage of sawdust/oatmeal (uncooked)
― dow, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:51 (eleven years ago) link
kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears flames america the beautiful at the debate
― let's get the banned back together (schlump), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:52 (eleven years ago) link
Romney flames / Ryan tears vs Romney tears / Ryan flames, hmm that is a poser.
(probably the latter, as we'll never hear of Romney again, but Ryan will be back as an "intellectual" / actual pres. candidate)
― Andrew Farrell, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:54 (eleven years ago) link
kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears flames america the beautiful the dance of joy at the debate
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:54 (eleven years ago) link
Has the debate schedule been set?
― real men have been preparing manly dishes for centuries (elmo argonaut), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:55 (eleven years ago) link
Yup
http://www.2012presidentialelectionnews.com/2012-debate-schedule/2012-presidential-debate-schedule/
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:56 (eleven years ago) link
Hahaha! The final presidential debate is in Boca Raton!
"Governor Romney, a few months ago you were talking to a few folks around here at a fundraiser..."
i'm still scared! i just hate mitt so much.
― the best Laid jams (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:57 (eleven years ago) link
I just hope Obama brings up Bain bailouts whenever Romney brings up gov't entitlements.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:57 (eleven years ago) link
uh Boca Raton is the Democratic heart of Palm Beach County and one of the places whose residents voted mistakenly for Pat Buchanan in '00.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:01 (eleven years ago) link
That makes it even better.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:01 (eleven years ago) link
lol wondering what voters Romney hopes to woo in Boca Raton.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:03 (eleven years ago) link
soon-to-be baptized Jews
― stop swearing and start windmilling (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:05 (eleven years ago) link
Netanyahu-loving ones.
He's got Bush's buddy, Bob Schieffer moderating that last debate.
As moderator, Schieffer will be responsible for formulating the debate questions and following up after the candidates respond. However, Schieffer has described in the past his "golfing friendship" with President George W. Bush "during the 1990s"
http://mediamatters.org/research/2004/10/12/schieffers-statements-raise-questions-about-obj/132062
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:11 (eleven years ago) link
kind of hoping Romney bursts into tears flames america the beautiful the dance of joy as a pas de deux with rafalca at the debate.
― backed by regular small people (Hunt3r), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:13 (eleven years ago) link
My own hope is that Romney suddenly goes Gangnam Style in the middle of the first debate. (Even though I didn't know what that meant until SNL.)
― clemenza, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:29 (eleven years ago) link
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, September 18, 2012 3:23 PM (2 hours ago)
totally, it's quite striking
also the identification of 'the 47%' with obama voters when LOADS of those people are republicans
― A.R.R.Y. Kane (nakhchivan), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:32 (eleven years ago) link
I can totally see Romney as the sort who signs up months in advance to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" at baseball's opening day, spends all those weeks practicing, and still flubs the words.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:36 (eleven years ago) link
I'm wondering what sort of verbal wilding (Romney)'s going to engage in when face to face with his opponent.
Romney's debate prep team will stuff him like a thanksgiving turkey, but instead of delicious savory goodies, he'll be stuffed full of canned responses to stock questions. This approach works well enough about 98% of the time. Where it gets interesting is when a candidate becomes confused about which canned answer fits the current question, gets a frozen look for about three seconds and then starts to wing it, like Rick Perry.
However, I suspect that Romney won't put his foot into the shit in any obvious way. He'll have pat answers to all the most embarassing questions he's likely to be asked. It mostly comes down to whether or not someone gets really creative in forming the questions and gets him off-script.
― Aimless, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:43 (eleven years ago) link
I'd just like it if the candidates each had to read aloud the Constitution. Romney's brain would fry in the first sentence when he got to "promote the general welfare".
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:45 (eleven years ago) link
is Obama considered a good debater? It was hard to tell with that grimacing, snickering somnambulist creeping around last time.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:45 (eleven years ago) link
He was less on his game in the primaries, but he held up pretty well against McCain.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:46 (eleven years ago) link
http://0.tqn.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/D/O/2/mctongue-pic.jpg
― Mr. Que, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:47 (eleven years ago) link
That's my point! Whatever he held with McCain it wasn't a debate.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:48 (eleven years ago) link
Obama has a strong tendency to get professorial, which he needs to resist.
― Aimless, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:49 (eleven years ago) link
i remember him seemingly progressively sleepier through each of the last debates - like veering into a more solemn mode, looking downwards, &c. i figure he'll be okay at enumerating his triumphs & all, though, i don't think debates are actually like to be all that snappy or high-risk in this context.
― let's get the banned back together (schlump), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:49 (eleven years ago) link
it doesn't matter if he's a "good" debater or not, it's all about his opponent, who is a hideous boob.
― Mr. Que, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:50 (eleven years ago) link
Well, yeah, none of these are debates. You could put two staffers behind podiums who have iPads loaded with sound clips and they just play the appropriate one at the appropriate time for how much debating actually goes.
However, I do actually like watching these things, and am curious how much of a public event they'll be around here. For the last two cycles at least, people filled bars & theaters to watch and yell at the screen.
I may or may not have been yelling at the screen whilst typing on here with everybody whilst it happened.
― Fiendish Doctor Wu (kingfish), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:52 (eleven years ago) link