Recently I’ve been reading the anti-Obama blogsphere, and yesterday it finally got to me.
I have only one question to ask – are you insane?
No, let me add a few other questions: Have you gone completely out of your minds? Do you want to lose? And do you understand fully what a loss would mean?
I hate to say it but I think the answers are yes, yes, yes and no.
I don’t like yelling at people on the right. Like Reagan, I hold on to the idea that there are no enemies on the right. I prefer to make my points in nicer ways. However, there comes a time any good housewife reaches for the broom. It is now time for the broom.
Yesterday at various blogs I read over and over again that the Dem convention gave Obama a big bounce, that he’s winning, that his approval is now over 50%, that their enthusiasm is as high as that of the Republican crowd, that–
And then you look at the polls that caused this “sky is falling” fit. What are those polls? Those polls are, in fact, the same old sh*te. They poll all adults, which you KNOW skews Democrat. They poll registered voters, which you know skews Democrat. They poll with a skew of 4% Democrats over Republicans as though this were still 2008, as if 2010 had never happened.
Then all the people on the right echo these as though they were legitimate and say “oh, but the polls were correct before.”
Really? The polls were correct before? When? The very last polls before the elections, when pollsters try to salvage their reputation? Sometimes. More or less. Kind of. But up till then when something can be got from the propaganda and from seeding despondency on the right, the polls have been insanely skewed.
Beyond all that, 2008 and before was a different game. The unemployment statistics used to be more or less correct, too, and, oh, yeah, the Justice Department didn’t used to sue pollsters. Neither of those is true anymore.
But, you’ll say “that’s too much like a conspiracy theory” – I’m no fonder of conspiracy theories than you are, and I refuse to believe that someone has (for instance) been keeping secrets for centuries. However, unless you are going to deny that Journolist ever existed, that respectable journalists engaged to elect Barack Obama despite his deep negatives by coordinating attacks on anyone who challenged him, you can’t say they don’t conspire on the propaganda front. In fact, that’s all they have. The propaganda front.
They can’t govern. Marxism has never worked in the real world and will never work. But they’re good at the propaganda front, because it’s easy to make people go along with you who are in professions where they depend on being seen as cool and hip: the media, entertainment. And if that fails there’s the Chicago boot of the Justice Department.
Which brings me back to – what are you thinking? Why are you echoing flawed polls? Why are you telling us it’s all over? That we don’t have a fighting chance, that Obama will be elected again?
Do I want you to sound all cheery? No. Of course not. If there are real difficulties, show them. But must you do the propaganda job for the other side?
This morning while exercising, I was watching an episode of a mystery series set in World War II. In it, someone in an air raid shelter starts telling everyone that England already lost. This was a crime, punishable with 25 years in jail.
Was it because the English wanted to hide the truth from their people? In some cases, yes. I know this annoys the Vietnam war generation, but it’s still true. In some cases, if the general public doesn’t know about reverses that could mean defeat but might not, it is by far the best. But in most cases the truth was known. People knew what reverses had happened.
What they couldn’t afford was for people to stand around telling each other it was all over. This is because people might feel despondent at times, but if by repeating and hammering the bad news, and amplifying them everyone came to feel it was all over but the shouting, they would not do the things that were needed to win: collect tin and paper, work in the factories, volunteer to serve. People who think they already lost aren’t motivated.
This is more important in our case. Far more important.
Romney was no one’s ideal candidate, but let’s face it, no one was anyone’s ideal candidate. There was one I liked better than Romney, but there was no Reagan among the collection.
After the nomination, people fell in line for Romney because – anyone but Obama. I’d vote for Clone-of-Obama if needed, because during the transition the wrecking of the country would slow down. Beyond that, while Romney might be a RINO (there are indications he actually is a federalist) he doesn’t hate the US and he doesn’t want to destroy us. If you don’t think that’s a big difference over Mr. “every country is special” and Mr. “I’ll have more flexibility after the election,” you are out of your mind.
WOOT! YES! Tell on, Sarah! Well done!
Until reading this manic post, I didn’t know people were freaking out.
They have been. She’s not manic. Dick Morris is one of the only ones who has been stalwart. I read widely and you’re wrong.
Indeed, which is why Slick Willy wishes Morris (SW’s old crony) would shut up.
People aren’t necessarily “freaking out,” it’s largely grassroots PSYOPs.
The comments section of PJM is suddenly full of these people, “It’s over!!! My deer-hunting/church-going half-brothers in Michigan are voting for Obama!!! Obama is winning!!! And as a lifelong Republican, I could never vote for this Mormon, either!!!”
You know most of these people aren’t PJM readers. Many of them are Trolls who have pulled together to foment fear and failure. Because they know they’re losing…
Have you read samples from the Bob Woodward book, yet? The worst quotes on Obama are from Reid’s people. EVEN DEMOCRATS HATE OBAMA! It’s over, he’s Jimmy Carter!
Have you watched Charlie Rose, lately? Charlie discusses the Obama Administration as if it’s already been voted out! Now let’s keep it together for a couple more months and get rid of this “little man who wasn’t there.”
I have seen another type of this troll that is even worse. They are the ones that say both parties are corrupt, and why support either of them. Yes both parties are somewhat corrupt, but there is a significant difference. The repubs are somewhat corrupt, but Obama and the dems are completely corrupt, and there is a huge difference between those 2 states. And the tea party is slowly reforming the repubs and making them less corrupt, while the dems are getting steadily worse. So even if you want to buy gold, stock your survival bunker with food and guns, and prepare for the revolution, at least take the trouble to campaign and vote before completely giving up. And if you are in a swing state, dont waste your vote on a party that will never win, vote for the only person that can defeat Obama.
I’ve actually noticed a big uptick in comments critical of 0bama on more liberal sites throughout this last year. I’m talking about AP pieces, CNN and ABC pieces. Heck, I’ve even seen a few on Huff po and NYT, which means that people were adding them faster than the editors could delete them.
There also seem to be plenty of confused and disappointed democrats that just can’t bring themselves to support 0bama anymore.
Also, it has made news that several very pro-0bama networks have actually started asking questions or pointing out lies that are just too obvious
(Yes 0bama takes 716 B out of medicare, as 0bama told Jake Tapper 2x, no, one anon source is not reliable enough for CNN (well, they don’t want to advertise that fact)) Shoot, CNN even pointed out that G, S, and B under Clinton crippling Glass Steagle actually contributed to Too Big to Fail (duhhhhhh) but this is the first time in years I’ve seen that mentioned in all the “Bush got us here” media. More Amazingly, AP spelled out that workers who have given up AReN’T counted as unemployed, and further that that is the only reason unemployment dropped in August, and crazier still, this was on Yahoo news.
I think those in the know are distancing themselves from 0bama, maybe they figure the stimulus money for ads from BP, GE, and the Labor Dept will dry up without 0bama to direct it, and so they need to get actual viewers again. Or, maybe all this talk about the great 0rator not giving a good speech in years is their way of blaming the messenger for the failure of their ideas to win elections. Afterall, what do they say when US turns down communism? “We just couldn’t get our message out.”
In reply to the idea that only trolls think that both parties are corrupt, I would have to disagree. Both parties are certainly corrupt, that is why we need the tea party to remind the repubs what their principles are supposed to be and root out the RINOS and frauds. In addition, there are several specific areas where both parties are quite corrupt, such as war profiteering, not securing the borders (dems want illegal voters on stamps and repubs want slave labor), the war on drugs (3 strikes in california, and for the repubs, allowing huge quantities into the country while sending nonviolent youths to jail to become cop killers and mollestors when they get out, recidivism is a JOKE!) pet projects and riders for buddies, and the worst, demanding more power to quickly fix the last admins ills, which just gives more power to the next admin, that wants more power ad nauseum. Unfortunately, each side is dumb enough to give its chosen leader more power every time.
However, 0bama seems bent on destroying this country for the sole purpose of enslaving us all to an all-powerful, UNQUESTIONABLE government. That must be stopped if we are to continue to have elections, or if those elections aren’t a gimme to 0bama’s ilk due to a huge, permanent under-class.
I live in the heart of moonbat country, Amherst, MA and I’ve seen maybe one Obama 2012 sticker. All their energy is going to Elizabeth Warren so they will vote.
I have a Brown sticker on my car…it’s still there, and last week I walked around and shopped wearing my Romney/Ryan t-shirt. No one said anything except for kudos from people who congratulated me for my courage. (It wasn’t that courageous) My husband said he heard people saying “did you see that shirt” in a negative way. But I just went about my business and didn’t notice anything.
I like people to see that an attractive, older (Jewish) woman who drives a Volvo and shops at Whole Foods can actually be a Republican and doesn’t have fangs. I think the Republican party should do more to portray people like me instead of always trying to show off their blacks and hispanics…always being defensive…we’re not racists etc.
My daughter went to Mount Holyoke. When we used to visit her, we would go and eat at a deli in Amherst (Black Sheep or something like that) They sold “Republican Party Cookies” The sign on the basket of cookies said “Full of fruits and nuts.” We always went to buy those cookies and made a point of letting them know that not only were we Republicans, but apparently, Republicans are the critical ingredient for a GREAT cookie!
It sure beats the “Democratic Party” cookies that are made with bull feces and dead babies.
Wow!! Accurate and funny at the same time.
Hold it — aren’t the Dems always saying that Republicans really hate the fruits and want them all to die or something?
I was weraing my Romney/Ryan Baseball cap and was also told I was courageous for weraing it. Other than that one gentlemans comment I didn’t notice anyone else, and I’m in Maryland.
I went to a gun shop to show my wife a few pistols for her upcoming purchase. I had my VERY vibrant, psychedelic Grateful Dead t-shirt on. This was near Traverse City, Michigan. They would not wait on me…..I loudly exclaimed I was to the right of Genghis Khan and could someone show me some pistols. Dagnabbit… Many apologies followed and we spent a nice afternoon shooting indoors. The other side of that coin was a person whom I had just recently met came up to me and said she was soooo grateful to see another liberal at the meeting we were attending. I informed her of the error and saw the facial expression of a person with a dead bat in their mouth. We are no longer friends.
I’m doubtful. The way a gun shop owner knows someone is in favor of gun ownership is that they come into the gun shop and look interested. Why would they care what shirt you’re wearing? I could get in touch with my relative in Bellaire to see if we can get that shop owner on here to verify….
I share your skepticism. We went to a gun show on Saturday. Saw Black Sabbath and AC/DC shirts there. Wearers were having no trouble getting help from vendors. Any sane business owner assumes that if you walk into his place of business you are interested in dealing with him. To think otherwise would simply be foolish.
..and I just drove through the states of Washington and Oregon.I was amazed at the number of Romney bumber stickers and signs. Spent time with some liberal family members in Oregon and they are all arguing re the election. This is a good sign. Let’s just keep our heads, exposing facts and hope and pray it works.
“always being defensive” … you are so right! Every time Repubs and conservatives act defensively it’s because they’ve fallen – once again – for liberal BS. After all, the only reason you can possibly be against Obama is because you’re a racist, right? It can’t possibly be because he’s destroying our country to the best of his ability.
1. stop saying he is a nice guy.
2, stop saying he is incompetent.
3. barack obama fundamental transformation— punh in to google search.
4. go on 48 hour energy tour anwr/ beraska/ ohio/ pennsylvania– open keystone pipeline figuratively on tv- tell sirra club to shov it– on tv.
5. play fridays mark levin segment on what wiil happen januray 1 if he is reelected.
6. go bold – you are competing against president celebrity and his trophy wife the media.
7. the 8.1 percent unemployment is the HOSTAGE CRISIS of 2012[ john dombrowski md]
The polls don’t smell right. Trust your nose.
Bravo! We need to work hard the next 60 days to defeat the Messiah. It’s tough when all the media are on the liberal team, like having all the refs rooting for one side, but it can be done. In truth, I think the people are fed up, despite the spin being pushed on us by the media. People will remember that they did build it. They will remember the booing of God. Romney may will win in a landslide.
“Do not take counsel of your fears.”
George S. Patton
““Do not take counsel of your fears.”
George S. Patton”
Actually, it was Stonewall Jackson but it’s nice to meet another WEB Griffin fan. I wish he would get that right.
Yep.
Patton did say this, or at least it’s written in his book, War as I knew it that he did. Though being Patton, he was probably grandstanding. God love that man.
Another quote – much closer to the OP, wish I had remembered it sooner – is Lee telling an overly pessimistic subordinate, “stop your cyphering, lest we be defeated beforehand.”
BRAVO!!!!!
I have never posted at PJ Media before. I’m always humbled by the quality of the posts and the comments alike. But this time I have to, just to say “thank you so much, Sarah!” Your post has been such an attitude changer for me, and I’ll try to convey this to my friends to help them stay motivated too.
Obama is done! Barring fraud, Wisconsin will vote for R & R / 2012!
3 ‘V”s to Victory!:
Be vocal, volunteer, & vote!
Yes Sarah, you are right on the money.
I feel nothing whatsoever of the so called excitement for Obama at all. I see very few Obama stickers on cars and make a point to visibly laugh and point at them as I blow their doors off from the seat of my Harley Ultra Classic cruising the highways and byways of Southeastern Wisconsin.
Even Madison is low key and the result of the so called walk on recall of Scott Walker turned into a blow out for not Tom, where the hell is the mayor of Milwaukee, Barrett, but for Scott Walker.
The excitement is on the Republican side this year, and the dems know it. It is like a rat squealing its last breath as he fights to get out of the trap they stuck themselves into !!!
I firmly believe this will be yet another close to landslide election reminiscent of Reagan. I also believe that Romney and Ryan will fix this country and that we all have to remember that without Jimmy Carter, we wouldn’t have had Reagan !!!
Thunder
It does not help my enthusiasm when every single one of my family, friends, and co-workers (many of them so-called Reagan Democrats) are voting for Obama.
Everyone I work with has progressive bumper stickers on their cars, except one Mormon lady. (And I live in a “red” state.)
All my friends in Ohio. (I used to live in Ohio.)
All my friends in Florida. (I used to live in Florida.)
My evangelical Christian parents. My formerly lifelong Republican Grandparents, who both voted for McCain in 2008.
Obama, Obama, Obama. All of them.
And I can’t even speak two words to convince them otherwise without getting called a racist. (yes, even by my parents.)
I am so frustrated I want to scream.
Your problem is that you need new friends…
OQP = [Have] only quality people [in your life]. — Les Brown, radio talk show host.
And new relatives, as in, “Friends are the relatives we choose,” just one more good thing about becoming an adult!
Wow. Well, judging by your experience, it sure looks like Obama is headed for a victory of landslide proportions.
Honestly I don’t know what is going to happen. All I know is that emotion is more powerful than logic, and Obamamedia is doing a fabulous job of manipulating emotions. This is also why GOP’s safe “Obama is a nice guy” approach is a loser.
For what it’s worth I am pumping out doses of logic and reality 24/7 on my extensive social networks online.
I think you’re a troll.
Bingo. Note how she just so happens to have family and friends in Ohio and Florida (Romney’s two most important states)… Along with every other important Romney demo, i.e. Evengelicals, retirees (McCain voters), and Reagan Dems. And of course the only one voting for old Mitt is a Mormon. She needs to learn to troll better. LOL!
Agree. She had me going until she said her Republican grandparents that ahd voted for McCain were also voting Obama. There’s no way that any “lifelong” Republican that voted for this poseur in 2008 would vote again for him.
Definitely.
Yep, a “troll,” and “Will” is working with her.
Seriously people out therre who are a bunch of eeyores: GET. A. GRIP.
I honestly find this hard to believe. All the anecdotal evidence in my life goes the other way.
But (if you’re being honest) good for you for still making an effort to persuade them, with logic and reason and facts. In many ways, this election was made for Reagan Democrats.
I don’t see what evangelical Christians and lifelong Republicans (who voted for McCain) would see in Obama, which is why I find your comment hard to believe. Unless they have something against Mormons.
I can imagine your frustration. It’s impossible for me to understand why anyone, much less a lifelong Republican, could support four more years of this mess.
Hang in there. If it helps to know this, you have my deep admiration for standing strong, even with all your family and peers on the other side.
I won’t call you a liar. But I don’t believe a word you said. I am an expert in concern trollery.
Thank you for your concern.
Here is a snapshot from my world:
1. My sister voted for Obama. She won’t this time.
2. My jewish relatives regret voting for Obama. They are not voting for him this time around.
3. In 2008, I scoured the nets for any sign of people not drinking the Kool-Aid after the election – they were hard to find. Now most liberal sites (Yahoo, LA Times, Politico, Slate) have many anti-Obama comments, and there are times when anti-Obama comments dominate.
4. I was at a US Embassy overseas, and Obama was droning on about something via CNN in the lobby. The deputy chief was talking to a couple, paused, glanced at the TV, and then said loudly “Obama is an idiot”, and EVERYONE laughed! This is a government worker calling Obama an idiot.
Obama garned 52.7% of the popular vote in 2008 with no record and unprecedented hype. No way he gets over 45% this time, and that includes usual ACORN shenanigans and Dem ballot-box stuffing. Obama will do something desperate in October, but if there is an election in November, he will lose.
Perfect play of the Moby response.
I am a Republican. All my friends and family in key locations are going to vote for Obama. Blah, blah, blah.
Even your elective-abortion-loving, religious-freedom-hating evangelical Christian parents?
On the plus side, imagine how much less emotionally taxing it will be when they die, or are left to die by an IPAB death panel. Heck, I’d want to be standing there to pull the plug myself. Sorry Mom and Dad, Obama says I have to…
No, moralgodless is a long-time poster. Not a fake troll.
I have friends who are voting Romney, with families voting Obama. They are boomers trying to wash their hands clean, I think. O’s are the first political posters they’ve had in their yard, for instance. He spoke to their resentment, jealousy, malice, covetousness and rage. Most politicians don’t do that. Obama is a dirty, filthy pleasure- he caters to vices, in fine words.
OTOH, I have this sneaking suspicion that my kool-aid drinking, life-long Democrat Dad is going to vote Romney/Ryan. My dad can do math.
I agree, ari, Moralgodless has a track record here and is not a troll.
Also, anybody who picks the name “Moralgodless” to post under has got to be a super duper outlier. So I’m unsurprised that in his circle there’s a lot of odd characters pledging their allegiance to Obama. Anonymous at 5:06 may have it correct about the evangelical relatives shying away from Romney because he’s Mormon – and I’ll add, he’s a Mormon who picked a smart, devout Catholic! for a running mate. If ooky feelings about a Mormon is putting them off, I recommend they brush up on the Bible and recall that God picked the pagan Cyrus to restore the exiled nation of Israel to their homeland.
The takeaway from Moralgodless’s post is short and sweet: “Don’t get cocky kid.”
So “moralgoddess” is not a troll. And?
Why the hell is she posting here with an attitude that Sara Hoyt just lambasted? Is “godess” clueless? Is she stuck on despondency? If she’s going to come here to wail “WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!” then she really shouldn’t have posted at all.
So Godless, have you asked these people WHY they are voting for Obama in 2012? Especially the people who supposedly voted for McCain in 2008? ‘Cause that makes no sense at all. I recently had a conversation with my niece, who is a foaming-at-the-mouth liberal, in which she was touting Obama and how we have to defeat the evil Republicans and their “War on Women.” When I asked her to define specifically what the Republicans were doing that harmed women, all she could do was spout vapid Democrat talking points, which I easily refuted with FACTS. I may not have changed her mind, but I sure did shut her up. I also emailed links to websites where she could educate herself on “the rest of the story” for all of the issues she feels so passionately about but is completely clueless about the truth.
So unless you are just a troll, posting here to keep the defeatist meme going, I suggest you try to educate the liberals around you. My prediction is that Romney and Ryan will win in a landslide. This has happened repeatedly after failed Democrat administrations, and none has been a bigger failure than Obama.
I wonder what their particular hangups are. The ones I know who support Obama are either hard-core liberals who just hate Republicans period, are traditional Democrat voters or people who are convinced that the Republican Party wants to turn our representative republic into a theocracy. All these people have one thing in common: They are not realistic.
I find your post hard to believe. In fact, I don’t believe it.
I’m noticing that my favorite conservative sites are being infested with a new brand of troll this week. For lack of a better word, they are ‘Eeyore Trolls’ and The Moral Godless is obviously one.
I believe a factor not often pointed out is the ‘media’ wants to portray the election as some sort of race/game… R’s up 1! D’s up 2! it’s close,neck ‘n’ neck
blah,blah. I feel it’s in their interests in a desperate attempt for viewers/advertising rates to keep it close. It’s all so sad and pathetic,it can get depressing at times-but that’s the world we live in
This is one factor, although not necessarily decisive.
If you go and watch how they covered 2008, for example, on Election Night, they tried to make it seem more of a horse race, then BAM!, once they’d gotten past the west coast closing, they started making it clear that the night was over.
The news centers still have to make revenue and sell ads.
Now, that’s not to deny the bias. In 2004, remember, Evan Thomas said that the media was so in the tank for KERRY, that it was worth 10-15% at the polls. Considering the media’s even more biased these days (e.g., Journolist), and yet the polls are only 5% or so separated, I’d say that Mr. Obama’s likely to be in some trouble.
Thanks, Sarah!
I remember that you couldn’t even trust the exit polls the day of the election because people lied about who they voted for. So the media is spinning like a top thinking they have the inside poop on who is going to win, and turns out the exit polls were seriously skewed. I don’t trust ANY polls, even the ones that show a result I want.
Right on Jon! I’ve been thinking this for a while. Media gets paid on ad revenue, same media does the polling, doesn’t it make sense than that the media would do whatever the heck they could to make this appear close in order to boost ad revenue???
Insane we take ANY media polling seriously. I do take Rasmussen though and O up 4 with likely voters isn’t good, but come on, what did we expect? They get a bounce out of the convention and it will soon go away to being a “tied” race. Romney then picks up 65% of undecided and it’s over. That simple.
Absolutely no worries!
A thought has just occurred to me. We pretty much all agree that Obama is very thin skinned. What if the polls are being deliberately being skewed for the benefit of Obama’s ego, his psyche? In other words, how would he react if his internal polls indeed showed Romney with a lead of a few points? Would his energy be sapped? Stressed out, would he be able to maintain the enthusiasm required to campaign at a frantic pace down the stretch? His nomination acceptance speech was off, HE seems off—cracking birth certificate jokes, defensively tweeting a photo of the presidential chair after Eastwood’s RNC appearance… And something else that may or may not be related to my first point–the obsession with quaffing beer during campaign stops, and the revelation that he brews his own beer at the WH from his own secret recipe. At first I thought it was a not so subtle jab at the teetotaling Mormon Romney, as if to say, ” He’s not a normal guy…like me. ” But this brew thing goes back at least as far as the infamous “beer summit.” What gives? Does he need beer to help him relax when he’s making remarks on the trail? Weird.
“What if the polls are being deliberately being skewed for the benefit of Obama’s ego, his psyche?”
Everything the man has ever done has been one long, strange ego trip, so that wouldn’t surprise me a bit.
Agree! I would never want to rely on these doomsayers for support. Buck up! Get a grip! ETC, ETC, ETC!
Think back, if you want a quick morale-boost, to Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. Which came off, because a big political figure with a wide Facebook following posted a suggestion … and across the libertarian/conservative blogosphere, everyone who thought it a good idea, passed the word. I found out about it through the internet – can’t quite recall where I first read about it – possibly on the comments to a post that Sarah did about it on her own website. But everyone who was double-sick and tired about having the militant gay-marriage element cram their demands for approval down our throats, and everyone who was pissed-off about municipal officials misusing their authoriteh! to demand that the CEOs of a private company trim their opinions to the public winds … went and got a fried chicken sandwich and waffle fries. It was awesome, at my local Chick-fil-A – lines out the door, and everyone was so considerate and friendly. I veritably believe that Chick-Fil-A Appreciation day was the start of a preference cascade. Once you look around, and see that there are hundreds and thousands who believe… just the same as you do – thats when the cascade begins. So the mainstream media are going all out like the wh**res that they are, and the polls reported are jimmied six-ways from Sunday in favor of Da Won. We know our own opinions, and the flavor of opinion amongs our nearest and dearest, and in our own communities. Think Chick-fil-A. Everyone who came out that day, is gonna stand in lines just as long to cast their vote. Think on that, and be cheered.
This is the exact point I wanted to make. Chick-fil-a was a bell weather, that crowd was happy, nice to each other and sick, sick, sick of doom and gloom. It’s one and done for the dems.
And yet, how much news coverage was there of Appreciation Day? Or the crowds? Did any of the Dem media predict this?
The difference is their echo chamber says that they’re in the majority, they’re in the right, and they’re going to win. The conservative echo chamber, for some reason, is that conservatives are in the minority, maybe what conservatives believe is wrong, and ultimately, after a valiant struggle, conservatives will lose.
Nope. How much “coverage” did we need from the MSM? None, the people spoke had a nice lunch and showed each other how they felt. They’re not looking to ABC, CBS or NBC for any validation, those days are gone.
One last point, the Chick-fil-a near my house was bursting with children.
If you’re waiting for MSM approval as a source of validation, you’ll be waiting for a very long time. Make their approval (or even reportage) irrelevant to your life. Live your life as you see fit. It’s wonderfully liberating.
That’s a good point, Sgt. Mom. I quit flying my flag after the Supreme Court decision upholding Obamacare. I thought the country was already lost, if even Republican-nominated justices could vote to let such a monstrosity stand.
But then I participated in Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, and was heartened by the turnout. I started flying my flag again.
To me the amazing thing about Chik-fil-a day was that it even happened in New Jersey!
It was really a word-of-mouth, or word-of-keyboard phenomenon, and certainly did not get any publicity from the media. I heard about it, probably on Free Republic, and thought maybe I’d make hubby take me to one of the Chik-fil-as here in NJ. But, it was a very busy week, and none are close to us, so I didn’t bother.
Imagine my amazement when I saw it covered on the evening news (yes it was covered on at least one of the local late night newscasts). There were people all lined up at some mall in Northern New Jersey.
Well, then I knew it was really a big f’n deal, as Joe Biden says.
Thanks to our gentle authoress for pushing back on today’s “all is lost” meme. It was making me very depressed, mostly because it doesn’t make sense.
Did we really think Obama wasn’t going to get a little bounce from the convention? So, he did, this is not a big deal.
We need to get rid of Obama, not just for the economy but because of the corruption, such as the leaning on Gallup by Axelrod. President Obama is a Hugo Chavez wanna-be with better clothes and he needs to GO AWAY.
Take my word for it, as well as the following conservative pundits. It will be a Romney/Ryan landslide.
http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/may/2012-06-22/las-vegas-oddsmaker-predicts-obama-will-have-landslide-loss
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/09/07/it-advantage-romney-after-obama-fails-to-move-needle-in-charlotte/
http://www.amazon.com/Odds-Against-Obama-President-ebook/dp/B0093L8YXW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347233303&sr=1-3&keywords=michael+medved
http://www.amazon.com/The-Brief-Against-Obama-Presidency/dp/1455516309/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346766239&sr=8-1&keywords=hugh%20hewitt
Like Karen, I am another 1st time poster at PJ Media (via Instapundit). I have felt the same sinking feeling as the conservative pundits. Of course it’s because of the media’s determination to prop up That Man at all costs.
For many weeks now, I have wished that the Romney campaign would develop a sub-text of “resolve.” As in, Be Resolute. I need that right now.
Granny Jan – I live in semi-moonbat country; I like your idea of wearing the flat (in this case, t-shirt). Time to go order one.
I have been commenting all over the place telling people to QUIT WHINING and think positively! It is really out of control at HotAir. Thanks for this post. We needed it.
Hot air put me over the top. I don’t expect it there.
But Hot Air has some of the most notorious mobys/ concern trolls, too. That’s also a significant part of the Democrats’ demoralization campaign.
Doesn’t help, of course, when you have genuine conservatives echoing (and thereby cooperating with) the concern trolls.
HA are some of the worst and habitual offenders. And have been since Malkin left. AP has made bad news “Eeyore-ing” his schtick for the past couple of years looking for more traffic. This is the prime reason I don’t even read their in-house stuff anymore, unless it’s a piece promoted from the Green Room.
AoSHQ has this tendency as well.
It’s counter-productive and your piece nailed it right in the bull’s eye. Keep up the excellent work.
Re Hot Air & Allahpundit being negative nellys: I thought it was just me! Thanks for confirming the evidence of my senses.
I love Erika Johnsen’s stuff over there, though. She’s all free enterprise, all the time, and not afraid to mock Obama. Her posts make for entertaining reads.
I am starting to think, though, that I should skip Allahpundit. I get depressed enough on my own without somebody else helping.
Sorry. I don’t find any quality insights on either national politics, or economics from someone in their twenties. When she, in one of her first posts at HA, clearly indicated that she had absolutely no idea what Newt Gingrich’s background was, all the while dumping on him as a conservative heretic who had no accomplishments at all, that did it for me (as a non-Newt partisan, btw). I’ve checked her stuff occassionally since then and find it to be formulaic pap (much like her hiring was, actually – Tina Korbe gave that one away).
I like Jazz Shaw, Steve Eggleston, MKH, and some others. Morrisey is a disappointment.
Allahpundit is the kind of shmuck that would be tossed out of a lifeboat for fear he’ll start a panic.
And I’m sure Allah over at Hot Air is doing his usual Eeyore bit (“gulp”) with “dude, this isn’t looking good” or some nonsense. Sometimes I think Allah is himself just a highly placed moby.
AllahPundit’s job is to drive traffic. Atheism, abortion, and polls drive traffic.
What about the Rasmussen poll showing Obama up +4?
Registered voters. Do you think Obama will have the same turnout he had in 08? Even my sons’ classmates aren’t wearing Obama stuff or yelling about how great he is — and those are our brainwashed youth. No way. What counts is likely voters either determined by an history of voting in x elections, or by high enthusiasm.
All I now is that the polls always skew left until they start looking a blood bath in the face and try to recover their reputation. Go look at Drudge. At this time, Reagan was that far behind Carter (Supposedly. I was here for that one, and NO WAY not even in an ethnic family in Ohio) and then it got worse… supposedly.
“Do you think Obama will have the same turnout he had in 08?”
No, but I also don’t think Romney is going to get the turnout he needs. People simply don’t like him. There is no enthusiasm FOR Romney within the GOP–only enthusiasm AGAINST Obama. That won’t be enough on Election Day. A lot of GOPers are going to stay home. The “enthusiasm gap” is gone after the conventions.
Speak for yourself.
This comment, right here, is *exactly* what Sarah is talking about.
If you don’t like Romney and think he’s sure to lose, then just get out of the way and let the rest of us fight for Romney/Ryan in this election.
Will:
If what you said was true, why are there long lines of people going to see Romney and Ryan at their campaign stops?
Now, maybe Romney isn’t the first choice of all those folks. But to claim that there’s not enough enthusiasm suggests a greater willingness to stand in line for hours just b/c they’re incredibly bored and have nothing else to do.
Think that’s true?
Romney/Ryan sure are getting lots of enthusiastic supporters at their rallies to be disliked. Unless people want 4 more years of Obama, they will turnout & vote Romney.
Dear Will,
We are at war with the Left for the very heart and soul of our country. If you are not willing to risk everything to win this war then you have already lost.
ATR: Judging from his other posts, I’m of a mind that Will is one of those people we’re at war with.
But, hey. Thanks for your concern.
Nice troll. Did you come via Hot Air? Which bridge do you usually lurk under?
So what if their motivation is that they’re against Obama rather that they love Romney? I submit to you that that is a pretty powerful motivation.
You sound ‘concerned’ Will. Are you ‘concerned?’
Have you done any serious research on Romney? I would imagine that if you did, it would serve to bolster a positive attitude about him. He really is quite talented in some areas, particularly those that would prepare someone well to tackle the current crop of problems we are facing right now as a nation.
Thank you for this article, Sarah. The timing couldn’t be better. AFA its resolve to demoralize our side to the hilt, the MSM (the Ministry of Lies & Propaganda) is just getting warmed up. Don’t cave, people. Head to the polls in November & be heard!
Give me a break. There is no way in HELL “a lot” of GOPers are going to stay home on election day. Conservatives have been chafing at the bit for four years to vote against Obama.
Will, it’s a documented fact that “registered voter” polls skew Democrat. It’s also a documented fact that they are much less predictive than “likely voter” polls.
Actually Ras is Likely voters. Agree with the rest of your rant.
Rasmussen surveys likely voters. It’s everybody else who does registered.
Look, it’s just a convention bounce. Nobody actually watched either convention, it’s just the effect of the MSM talking about the GOP convention like it was the Wannsee convention, and then talking about the donkey show while having orgasms. It’ll be gone in a week.
^This^. The polls will change when people realize that Clinton isn’t on the ballot, Obama is.
I suspect that Obama charged up his base (not that hard to do). In the Ras likely voter screens, that means that more libs are saying that they are likely to vote. Notice the big surge in Strongly Support…from 25 to 32 in just a week. The strongly disapproves are about the same. I’d love to know the percentage of total responses make the likely voter cut. Naturally after a media love affair it is bound to go up…nothing new there
now whether they actually show up is a different story. And…the big question to me, is if Mitt can get some unenthusiastic (i.e. failing the likely voter screen) people to actual go out and vote for him…then we’ll be ok
but, yeah, Sarah…totally agree
Ras does likely voters but for the last few months he has *always* had Obama up by a few points going into the weekend & then he has Romney going up by a few points by mid-week. Every.Single.Week. You can set your watch by the pattern. And you know why? Because it helps get his fat face on TV — that’s why.
All the polls now are manipulated to set the narrative the pollster wants to set (in Ras’s case, as I said, the narrative is the race is “so close, leads going back & forth, get me on TV to explain this phenomena!) We will not see *real* numbers until right before the election when the pollsters will want to call it correctly for their reputations. (And, btw, Carter was up by 3 on election day in 1980). The only poll that *counts* is the one of Actual Voters on election day.
And to those who say no one wants to vote *for* Romney — if voting for the non-America-hating, non-Commie isn’t enough to get the majority of people enthusiastic then, honestly, this country isn’t worth saving. There are plenty of idiots in America, but a majority voting for 4 more years of this misery? I don’t buy it for a second, so y’all can sell that to someone else.
“And you know why? Because it helps get his fat face on TV — that’s why.
All the polls now are manipulated to set the narrative the pollster wants to set (in Ras’s case, as I said, the narrative is the race is “so close, leads going back & forth, get me on TV to explain this phenomena!)”
I think that is an excellent point that I haven’t heard enough of. Thanks.
Elections are on Tuesday. Advantage: Romney.
I thought I had posted this already, but it doesn’t appear; if it is redundant accept my regrets.
Rasmussen uses a 3-day rolling average. Polls tend to skew Dem on the weekend because more of them are at home taking pollsters’ calls. Saturday’s reported polling will comprise Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, or one day with exaggerated Democrat poll participation. Monday’s poll report will reflect three days of exaggerated Democrat poll participation. By Thursday the Democrat weekend taint will be washed out, so pay attention to Thursday and Friday polls.
Further, this is NOT a national race, it is fifty state races. Obama starts with three big states in his pocket: California, New York and Illinois. California can go 80-20 for Obama and it will gain him no more electoral votes than a 51-49 win — but it will, in national polls, tend to obscure small Romney margins in smaller, more competitive states. Look to Vodkapundit’s Electoral College analyses and take heart.
My daughter voted for Obama. After I calmed down, she told me she did it because she was so caught up in the whole thing (she was in college in Massachusetts.) Anyway – she will not vote for him again. And her boyfriend isn’t even going to vote at all. He also voted for Obama. So, while I think plenty young … people will vote for him. there are many who won’t.
Sorry Sarah – Rasmussen is likely voters, and it shows O with a huge bounce from the convention (+ 7). We can only hope it’s temporary.
I am inclined to think that the latest polls show what constitutes one sorry convention bump. The Democrats, with ample infighting if Woodward’s latest is indicative of the truth, seem to be pulling together in spite of their personal animosity. Romney survived continued challenges from within the party to win the nomination. Now the question is whether the party will pull together against a common opponent or will they sink the ship because it has not been perfectly appointed according to their likings?
Thanks, Sarah!!! This is just perfectly appropriate kick in the butt we all need.
Yep, Rasmussen has O up by 4 and for the first time with positive approval.
Sure, don’t get despondent but don’t sink into denial either. Half the American people will take entitlements even if it bankrupts the country and their kids.
And unfortunately this is the pattern with all wealthy countries, elsewhere in the world today and throughout history.
Thank you, Sarah Hoyt! I agree 100%.
Thanks, Sarah. I suppose that these polls, whatever their flaws, have their uses. But if we really believe that this election matters so much, unfavorable poll numbers should only encourage a redoubling of our efforts. I understand what we’re up against, on so many fronts, but the time for fatalism is after we have done our best and lost. And maybe not even then.
You’re correct, pessimism is NOT justified. The most recent Rasmussen survey of party affiliation D/R/I is 33.3%/37.6%/29.2%. This is a 12 point swing towards R from November 2008 and a bit better even than November 2010. The MSM polls are still using samples from 2008 and in spite of that, Obama is only up a 2-4 points. What would these polls show if they were using a sample from 2010 or later? The MSM does not want you or the Left to know that because they are big effing liars who are in the tank for Obama.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/archive/mood_of_america_archive/partisan_trends/summary_of_party_affiliation
I think it’s an excuse. If someone stops trying because they’ve decided it’s already over then it’s not their fault.
Blame Romney for your own lack of enthusiasm? At what point is Romney responsible for your enthusiasm?
And you don’t have to believe he’s going to win, you have to ACT like you believe he’s going to win. No hysterical emotional break-downs in November if he doesn’t win, but until then you do what you can. You show up to vote. You encourage people to be optimistic even if you don’t FEEL that way today. You explain as many times as it takes that you’re not given a choice between Romney and who you want for President, you’re given a choice between Romney and Obama and Obama’s got no plan at all except to wait a little longer and eventually the economy will get better on it’s own.
Obama and the Democrats had a convention that talked about everything BUT the economy. They’ve got nothing.
Meh, Romney doesn’t light my fire, so I just ain’t gonna vote. Who cares that Obama and the Dems are gonna finish their destruction of this country, the Republicans nominated Romney. He’s just so uninspiring and not a real conservative anyway.
Get the f**k over yourself! Do you think a cancer patient is enthusiastic about chemo? What’s the alternative to not taken chemo if nothing else is available? Oh, yeah, that’s right! And what this country has right now, at this moment, is a malignant cancer, and it’s already gotten almost half the citizens of this country with it’s sickness. Shall we let it spread farther because the Republicans didn’t nominate someone that met your precious standards? Apparently.
Sorry Synova, not yelling at you, just yelling at the same people you’re talking to.
Thank you, Sarah, I needed that!
You were watching Foyle’s War, weren’t you?
I thought of the same episode. Great series.
Yep. Foyle’s War. I’m cheap/broke and watching the free prime ones, though and dreading the fact I only have five more left. Sigh.
Beat me to it. Yeah, I suspected Foyle’s War. Great series.
I think that the lawsuit pushed Gallup back into line and sent a message to the other polling outfits. Did you know that Holder has been pressing a lawsuit-knife against Gallup’s throat since 2009? Neither did I! No wonder they “failed” to predict the midterms!
Remember the infamous New York Times editorial, The News We Kept To Ourselves? Eason Jordan openly admitted that CNN was being blackmailed and terrorized to keep them from reporting the true situation in Iraq. Once Hussein was gone, Jordan felt free to begin telling what really happened. I suspect we’ll be hearing similar stories about the Obama administration and the Holder Justice Department when Barack Obama leaves office in January.
Vote. If you aren’t registered yet DO IT NOW. This is for all the marbles and there is no excuse. Got friends and family who are dubious about Obama? Talk them and urge them to register and when the time comes vote also.
If you break your leg on election day morning make sure you drag yourself to the polls anyway. If there is broken glass and you have to crawl to the polls wrap some rags around your hands and knees and crawl to the polls.
My husband and I moved to Michigan 5 years ago. Very liberal and a huge union presence. During the campaign of ’08, you couldn’t drive down the street without seeing Obama bumper stickers everywhere. People proudly wore pins and t-shirts,; posters and yard signs were everywhere. Today, you don’t see ANY Obama bumper stickers on cars. There are no yard signs or people walking around wearing Obama t-shirts or pins. There are plenty of yard signs for local elections such as town council, sheriff, trustees, etc. but except for some faded Ron Paul placards, there are no signs for either Romney or Obama. The only way you know Obama is running for office are the ads on T.V. The very liberal Detroit Free Press is still shilling for him, but I’ve noticed that more people are writing letters to the editor that are not just critical of the president, but favorable toward Romney. People are not sure enough of how others will react to openly support Republicans with signs and bumper stickers, but I think they will silently vote R in November.
I live in a hugely blue area (college town) of a blue state and am seeing 1/5th the amount of O bumper stickers compared to the last election. Very telling. No Romney stickers yet either but very few 0 2012s.
Obama couldn’t fill Bank of America stadium.
The high water mark for Obama was the guy who was POTUS 20 years ago putting his name into nomination.
Remember those two things next time anyone wants to talk about how “Obama is surging.”
A lot of this panicking is due to frustration over Romney’s strategy. I thought he gave a good speech, and went after Obama pretty good. But this whole “he’s a nice guy who’s in over his head” is playing scared. Why is “Left wing” a dirty word that Republican politicians can never utter? People have to be able to put 2 & 2 together. If Romney doesn’t create a back story about Obama’s Left wing ideology in order to explain the motivation behind all his boneheaded policies, then he falls into the trap of having people say “well how do we know your plan will work any better?”.
Romney MUST hammer away at this simple talking point….”Obama sold himself as a Centrist, he’s proven that he’s no Centrist, he’s proven that he’s way to the Left of the mainstream”. How is that so complicated? How is that so mean and angry and divisive? It’s the truth, and it will resonate with Centrists. Romney should have been preparing to launch this kind of talking point from the minute he found out that Bill Clinton would be going to bat for Obama.
I’m not being defeatist if I point out that Romney’s new ads absolutely STINK. They are lame and limp, with no teeth whatsoever. I want to fight, but Romney has to be leading the charge. I’ve heard that the ads they put together that feature disillusioned Obama supporters have tested quite well. But I’m still wary of the idea that “we have to treat these disillusioned Obama voters very, very gently”.
Andrew Breitbart correctly pointed out that the GOP lacks balls. When we score a touchdown it’s always on a fumble or an interception, never on a deep forward pass. This is where a lot of the defeatism comes from.
Agree 100%. The ads he is running in FL are limp. They make no emotional appeal. The do not have an ideological argument tied to real people. He needs to make the case emotionally that Obama means big government, which is more and more debt, no jobs.
As a long time Atlanta Falcons fan and American Conservative…
Score Defense!
I couldn’t agree with Sandra more. Look, there are people who seem ready to jump off bridges because Obama got a post-convention bump – one due entirely to Michele’s and Clinton’s speeches. What else at Abortionfest could have swayed them? The terrible speech of the man who is actually president and the jobs report haven’t been reflected in the polls yet. People are hurting out there – I know I am. Seeing the old con man Billy Jeff up there shooting the bull for a half the night away might have temporarily reminded them of the ’90′s and given them a warm and fuzzy feeling. However, they woke up on Friday and got a big dose of reality. They’re lost their jobs or known people who have, they’re struggling with high food and gas prices. Whoa! No, it’s not 1996.
I think so many conservatives scare easily because our belief in the basic common sense of the American people took a big hit in 2008. I’m still thinking 2008 was a momentary lapse in judgment, not a sign that a majority of Americans are so stupid and gulliable they’ll believe what Obama and Slick tell them, rather than the clear evidence of Obama’s failures.
P.S. Remember that right before the convention, more than one poll showed the phoney “war on women” was bombing with American women? Gee, do you really think they heard Sandra Fluke’s extended whine and thought, “Oh, my, I guess this is something I should be worried about after all?”
What she said. Go Sarah!
When you see those Gallup polls with Obama at +50, just remember this is the same polling agency currently being sued by the Justice Department. Which, of course, has nothing to do with the pressure they received from Obama’s campaign manager…
I’ve donated $1000 to Romney so far – something I’ve never done in my life ever before. (And an approximately equal amount in close Senate and Congressional races). I think it’s that important. And there’s another $500 in it for him as we come down to the wire. It hurts to spend that much on something that may be a throwaway, but I think it’s gotta be done. If The Marxist wins, the money is gone anyway.
The Daily Caller reports that the DOJ has not actually served Gallup with the lawsuit, which lends more credence that it was actually a threat to send a message.
http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/06/weeks-later-justice-department-still-hasnt-served-gallup-with-lawsuit/
Romney is running State specific ads. I live in Florida. The ads are incomplete. They do not make an emotional connection. No FUD.
He needs to tie debt and unemployment together they show how it impacts families. The debt means we are sticking it to our kids and grand kids. The government cannot provide jobs (yes, they need some ideology). Only a free people can grow the economy and we need growth.
So you send the kids to college and they cannot find a job. Instead they get debt – the national debt loaded on top of them.
Romney needs to appeal to parents and grand parents emotionally and shows how Obama’s big government just does not add up.
Please never, ever forget: The mainstream media are on the other side. They will say anything, do anything to help Obama win.
This most definitely includes spreading distortions and barefaced lies.
They are the agitation/propaganda arm of the Democrat party, and you pay attention to them at your civic peril.
I looked at the internals in Rasmussen poll, most of his bump was Clinton nostalgia, he still remains a very popular figure. It’s like seeing your ex boyfriend at a highscool reunion, nostalgia… don’t worry everyone will be back to normal in a few weeks and the Clinton effect will fade. There are some very positive things going on in Florida. Romney signs all over Volusia, Seminole, and Lake counties. Romney has put together a black caucus made up of 2 popular Floridians. Rubio has been out stumping for Romney, he is really popular. Remember the 2000 election and 2004, remember the ugliness like the DWI charge and Rathergate? We still won despite unfavorable polls and negativity from MSM. Also the main thing is the economy, seriously, if there is a freak out, that is where it is happening. Go visit your Republican headquarters or order some yard signs from the Romney site. If you are in a place that you are afraid vandalism will occur, bring your yard signs in at night. I proudly wore my Romney shirt all day, with pride!
Don’t forget Bill Clinton sticks the knife in Obama every chance he gets.
He said Governor Romney had a sterling business career, and once introduced himself as “the only person in the room to have presented a balanced budget” or words to that effect. Even his speech at the DNC overshadowed everyone else’s (the presentation was especially effective), far more Presidential than the acceptance speech of the Democrat candidate…
Bill is a loose cannon on the Democrat’s deck; they spurned Hillary (and by extension him), and he is returning the favour, but is way too smart to just bad mouth Obama; it’s all very subtle and smooth.
Bill reminded us all that Obama is no Clinton. But more importantly, he reminded Obama who was the first black president. Did that sound racist? LOL Bill went over his time limit and it’s reported that really ticked off Night Stalker Jarrett.
Read the Maureen Dowd piece today? She apparently broke up with The Won after he said “It’s not about me, it’s about you.” You gotta read it and you’ll see that we have nothing to worry about. The in-crowd in DC has turned on the Obamas….not a minute too soon.
One more thing — please remember that all this panic on the right/glee on the left is over an alleged 4 point lead in a poll with a +/- of 3.
I saw a list of previous post-convention bumps for incumbents going back to Carter — Carter got 9; Clinton got 16; etc. I don’t remember the other numbers but all were higher than 4.
What bugs me is how conservatives can fail to see this as the left pushing its narrative. Leading up to the conventions, Romney had all the momentum. The goal of those pushing the narrative is to stall and reverse that momentum. So the best time to do that, naturally, is after the conventions when they can come up with a skewed poll that says Romney didn’t get a bounce–or not much of one–and Obama did. Surprise!
No wait, it’s not a surprise. Not for anyone who pays the least bit of attention, because it was obvious and it could be seen coming a mile away. The narrative never really was hard to predict, but it’s been getting way easier. I get why independents fall for it; they aren’t looking. I get why the left falls for it; they want to believe it. But for anyone on the right, there’s no excuse for taking anything the media says at face value.
I agree with all your points, but there is something that has me scratching my head: the fact that Obama’s nomination speech was almost universally panned by the mainstream media, the Brownsteins and Milbanks and Brooks. Are they helping to push the horse race narrative along, or was it simply one last moment of fake inpartiality, before the job of pushing Obama over the goal line at all costs gets underway in earnest…
The answer to both is probably yes.
To be absolutely fair to the media, I believe that many of them have simply grown to like living in their own worldview, so they tune out information that doesn’t fit. But within that cocoon, they also wanted to hear Obama give a rousing speech, say something that would define a new direction for his next four years, and pull out some great oratory magic.
I believe they were craving–not consciously–a non-stale take on their stale ideology that would not only stir the left into action, but strike a chord with independents as well. More than that, after the way he’s treated his allies in the press, I think they’ve grown to hope he’ll return to being the man who inspired them, that the way their relationship has soured over the last four years was just a temporary thing. The One didn’t deliver, and they were disappointed without being able to really articulate why.
Before I read this article, I noted a Reuter article Sunday morning at the top of Google News feed at 7 am EST entitled “Obama retains a post-convention lead over Romney”. I noted it at the top again at 3:40 EST. Curiously enough, Google was saying it was posted 12 minutes ago.
I delved into the article’s comments. The comments started about 7am, yet the article claimed it was posted at 3:30pm. Then I looked at the article itself. It was suspect to say the least. One paragraph referred to 1472 *likely *voters polled. The next referred to 1600 *registered* voters being polled, a curious inconsistency. There was no link to the original poll.
I submitted a comment to Reuters, questioning why the same article was being reposted …was it to keep at the top of Google? Then I delved into the article itself, asking where the link was to the original polls, noting the inconsistencies in numbers and types of polled parties cited, inquiring about margins of error, what weightings were used, what were the original questions, etc.
Within 1 hour the article dropped out of the top line for Google; I had to search for it. When I checked the comments section, every comment had been removed.
In this election, logic, reasoning and understanding of basic mathematics/statistics is a weapon. If you are trained in this area and want to stop the lies, use what you know to stop the flow.
Thank you, Sarah. I think our worst threat is this Eyoring. O doesn’t have the hysterical wave that bore him in; he doesn’t have a GOP candidate who seems to have just wanted to run, lose, and retire gracefully, having punched this last ticket of a political career. And no matter how deep the MSM is in his pocket, he can’t convince the unemployed they have a job.
Yeah, it’s rather unsettling that some conservatives become a bit discouraged by a few poll results. Granted, people are a worried that four more years of this loser and the next president and Congress may not have much left to fix. The discouraged few should take heart from the fact that few undecideds or independents remain unaware of the damage that O has already done.
They should also take heart from the fact that November 2010 wasn’t a one-off deal. Voters were hugely angry at O then and still are. These same folk will crowd the voting places this November to do it all over again. And this time it won’t be symbolic; it’ll be for real.
It’s safe to say that a lot of people are looking forward to O’s day of reckoning. You might say that they’ll be giving as good as they’ve gotten from this misfire.
And I am sick sick sick of reading and hearing, “Don’t get cocky, kid” from the propaganda saboteurs. The fact that they can’t think of anything to say to express their defeatism but a quote from a leftist in an overrated movie directed by a leftist and written by a leftist says everything.
It’s not defeatism. Han is kicking Luke in the ass, keeping him on-point. But there are some truly defeatist quotes from STAR WARS the Lefties could use:
Han Solo: This is *not* gonna work, Mitt Romney.
Luke: Why didn’t you say so before?
Han Solo: I *did* say so before.
Or of course,
Princess Leia: You came in that thing, Mitt Romney? You’re braver than I thought.
And in all fairness, George Lucas isn’t a Leftist, he is a rich, arrogant, sell-out Hypocrite.
“Don’t get cocky, kid.” is not just a Star Wars reference, it’s sound advice. If you get cocky, you tend to slack off. That gives your opponent an opportunity to catch you. It’s like a football player who starts grandstanding 10 yards before the goal line only to get creamed by an opponent who didn’t give up.
Don’t get cocky if you think you’re in the lead. Fight as if you’re trying to catch up. Never give your opponent a moment to rest.
Or, “Never give up. Never surrender!” (Galaxy Quest)
Frankly, I won’t be surprized to see Romney win 50 of the 57 states.
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
I have read some despondent Republican/conservative commentators and I agree with you here. All the evidence in my reading (copious but not exhaustive- who has time??) and my anecdotal contacts (I live near the most liberal city in Texas, Austin) lead me to expect that president straw man is going to get a very sound defeat in November.
Good one Sarah.
Then another factor on polling is the number of people who have canceled their land lines and now just use cell phones. They don’t get polled. Paranoia in people who answer polls and lie because they don’t believe their identities will be kept secret from political thugs and their jobs and physical security will be put at risk. If Obama is so loved why has his job approval stats remained so low.
Some poor mouthing may be to try to encourage more turnout to defeat the voting dead but it is counter productive in my opinion.
Watch the MSM reaction to Debbie Wasserman’s Lackoff Blue Book tactics as she keeps living the lie.
Follow de Money. R&R are pulling ahead and “money is the mother’s milk of politics.”
I absolutely agree.
Did we have an election in 2010? Did the Democrats do anything different after that election? Do the Democrats believe those people voted once and aren’t going out to vote in this election? Do the Democrats believe that, people seeing what happened in 2010 and understanding this is possible, won’t want to participate in this election?
In Massachusetts, the weekend before the Brown/Coakley election, the Boston Globe had a poll showing Coakley up by 15. It was so far out of whack I couldn’t believe they would put it out, but they did. What do you think the purpose of that was?
The only one who’s up by 2 is Clinton and once people figure out he was stroking them, things will return to normal.
Yes, exactly!
We had the biggest Republican victory since the 1930′s in 2010, and Obama learned absolutely nothing from it. He’s too narcissistic.
The same people who voted in 2010 will be back again in 2012. The last I checked, Republican enthusiasm was still outpacing Democrats.
I won’t go so far as to say that Romney/Ryan will win in a landslide, but I believe they will win.
One other thing, I live in purple Northern Virginia and there are Romney yard signs everywhere. I have seen just one Obama sign, one.
Some people who did not vote in 2010′s off-year elections will be back again in 2012. That’s why I disagree with Sarah Hoyt’s argument that pollsters should slavishly model the 2010 electorate. Don’t get cocky kid.
When the polls ar getting you down there’s just one thing to do: Slap some Obama stickers on your car then go out and drive like G-d’s own sonnuvabatouttaheck. Run red lights, slam on the breaks at yellows, cut people off in traffic and drive by the grade school at pick-up time shouting imprecations, flipping the bird and honking the horn.
Or maybe it is just time to make sure people know why voting for Obama is going to make them even more despondent down the line. The argument ain’t hard to make: Obama is selling this country to his backers. He can’t deliver on his promises and is impoverishing the Middle Class.
Thank yo for your column. I needed it.
Sarah, Great stuff!! Man, do we need more like you. And you are exactly right, the lefty media is rigging the polls. This is still Romney’s to win and he needs to take a page from your book. His campaign needs to get out there, get aggressive and tell people the truth about the polls and how any criticism of Obama is going to be called racism but if we want to save this country we need to stand up, get out and vote the guy in the White House out of office. I have a feeling that the Leftists are actually quite despondent and desperate right now because their convention fell flat and they know it.
Auby, I agree. I just posted on Hot Air that I thought Allahpundit was NOT one of us. Every time I read that person writings, it is negative and anti-Romney!
“Blame Romney for your own lack of enthusiasm? At what point is Romney responsible for your enthusiasm?”
I am very enthusiastic about the possibility of defeating Obama, in part because I want to 100% repeal Obamacare.
Romney is responsible for running a campaign that gins up and not tamps down enthusiasm, and step one is to STOP saying stupid things like he likes parts of Obamacare when 95% of his supporters and the majority of Americans already want it repealed; we need to hear why and how we should get rid of it. I cringed when I heard Romney say “repeal and replace Obamacare” in his convention speech, as if he needs his moderate-Mitt qualifier on it. I cringed further that he allowed the CBS folks to put up a headline that says he likes parts of Obamacare. UGGGGGHH! There is zero, nada, nothing good about Obamacare and the only ‘replace’ needed is a smoking hole in the ground. Apparently, my enthusiasm for this exceeds that of the candidate.
Romney Team shouldnt step on the story of what a rotten, dishonest, worthless, leftist, failed, jobkilling, marxist, arrogant, narcissist, jerkoff of a President Obama is, by feelign he has to be ‘fair’ to a side that calls him a murderer. lets compare the RNC softsell and the DNC hardsell, where they attacked Mitt mercilessly and went over the top to their base, while the RNC decided to have little in social conservative messaging, failed except in Ryan’s speech to go fullbore into Obama’s failures, and gave us feel-good-ism rather than conservatism … result: Obama lead Romney in the latest Ras poll by 4. Over-the-top gets the message through the media filter … soft-sell turns into dull dishwater that goes nowhere.
Clinton’s masterful dishonesty? Didnt see a blizzard of rebuttal press releases to that and the other DNC garbage.
The Obama team leftists want to destroy Mitt, attacking him personally incessently, while the Mitt team are using the failed McCain approach, being coy, subtle and not daring to rip the bark off of Obama’s thin skin and tell the story of exactly how and why Obama’s policies stink to high heaven.
I am so desperate to see Obama defeated, it pains me to see any setback in that quest. Wishing away Obama’s convention bounce doesnt mean it didnt happen. And that’s not the real concern. The real concern is this: The messages went head to head and the R&R message is not strong enough to overcome the media+Obama message.
Romney and Ryan are a good team, but the Romney team definitely need a wakeup call and its not defeatism to point it out: Romney’s campaign strategy of merely stating the economy is bad is not enough. He needs to go hammer and tong after failure after failure of Obama to make people tie their own misery and our failed to Obama’s actions.
I dont need a good campaign from Romney for ME … I’ll be voting no matter what to kick Obama out of office. But we need to work together to defeat Obama and R&R needs to sharpen up their game to get ahead of BO team.
Just remember this about the media and most of the polls:
They all lie… all the time.
So, why should you pay any attention to them, when they’re just trying to spin you?
Sarah makes good points about registered voter pools, oversampling Dems, etc., as general observations, but as general observations they go only so far. See here: http://www.rove.com/notes/80.
In 2008, Gallup, for example, was overestimated Obama’s winning margin by 6 points. But Rasmussen and Pew UNDERESTIMATED Obama’s margin and only by .2%, which is to say that they called the race almost exactly.
Bottom line: I don’t pay much attention to CBS’s poll, or Reuters/Ipsos. But if Rasmussen shows an Obama lead outside the margin of error, I worry.
Was their error of .2% on election day or 60 days out?
They *all* get more accurate as election day approaches; even the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, which is otherwise notoriously INaccurate.
Thank You Sarah! It truly amazes me how easy it is to get some people on the right to go McCain 2008 and just take it! Everything the Obama media Water Carriers say, must be challenged & fought with all you have! If you don’t have any desire to fight, then don’t throw cold water on your own side & do the Obama Campaigns work for them! When the eSTABlishment Republicans act like they want to go back to their FAILED McCain 2008 tactics Attack the eSTABlishment Republicans for their Intellectual Failures & make sure the voters on your side know you are there to help, not whine!
God Bless America!
Thanks for your column. You’re right and I’ve been letting these fake polls spook me.
Hey GOP, Cowboy up!
Ok; if your under 40 you have to get used to the idea the media always spin it like we are loosing. Always.
If your over 40; you probably know that already. Esp living through the 80s and seeing the trash talk on Reagan… one the best presidents we’ve had.
I, too, believe RR will win. First of all, Obama simply isn’t going to get as many votes as last time, period. There just aren’t as many people fired up about him, in every demographic except maybe the Hollywood/limousine liberal/MSM club, which is powerful but numerically cannot elect a president by itself. I live in Olympia WA, a blue town in a blue state, but encounter people EVERY DAY who are unhappy about the state of our country and who are anti-Obama. I see an occasional 2008 Obama sticker, and a very occasional 2012 Obama sticker, in my blue town. A woman in our neighborhood has had her Obama sign swiped on multiple occasions; this has generated some emails of outrage from her (appropriately, as I would never condone such destruction), but I find it interesting that this is happening–this would never have happened in the Obama-phoria of 2008. This race is RR’s to lose, which is of course possible!
That being said, I think Ms Hoyt’s essay is important, and we must speak out at every opportunity that we can, to convince our fellow citizens that Obama must be defeated.
Spot on correct. I am cautiously optimistic, which means do not take the other side for granted but expect the GOP and conservatives to play like we want and deserve to win. I heard today people going off how Ohio is lost. Really? I went to RCP and saw this. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/oh/ohio_romney_vs_obama-1860.html One poll showing Obama +5? Show me some others in a week and I will say Romney Ryan better focus more on Ohio. But regardless, that ain’t lost. That is a tie game.
I live in suburban Fairfax Co., VA — one of the most critical “purple” (but trending blue) areas in one of the most critical swing states. This is an area that went for Obama in 2008 and there was enthusiasm for him everywhere. But right now it’s the opposite. Romney yard signs are outpacing Obama signs at a 10:1 rate — seriously. I’m sure there are still more Obama voters than I’d like, but people are no longer so proud of it. I do not buy polls saying Romney will lose VA. This is a state that reacted to Obamas election by going to Gov. McDonnell by about 18 pts. in 2009. Then in 2010, we went from a 6/5 split on Congressoinal seats to 8/3.
I live in Fairfax County too. I’m in the north western part, close to Loudoun, and I’m seeing the exact same thing in Fairfax and Loudoun. Lots of Romney signs, almost no Obama signs.
The enthusiasm is on the side of the Republicans. 2012 will be like 2010 not 2008.
Just google “Shy Tory Effect”. Don’t give up hope. I am in Las Vegas, swing state central – I drive 34 miles round trip to work every morning and afternoon… I NEVER SEE OBAMA BUMPER STICKERS. Maybe 1 per week. Maybe.
Don’t give up hope!
I have an ad that would destroy the leftist meme that we have had a recovery. It is quite simple.
“The DNC and the DNC media have been stating we have been in a recovery, yet here are the facts. GDP growth has been stated to be 1-2.5% over the last 4 years. Yet, the Federal government has been DEFICIT SPENDING, aka BORROWING 8-10% of GDP and spending it for those last 4 years. How can there be a recovery when you only get 1/5th of the value of the money you are borrowing? The DNC and the DNC media is lying.”
Case closed, Obama done. Run the ad now!
AND, don’t forget the Dinkins Effect: I believe some folks will not admit they won’t vote for Obama for fear of being called racist. Here’s a link to a discussion of it: http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2012/07/31/the-dinkins-effect-in-the-presidential-race/
I live in Smug City (Seattle) and it’s rare to be in a room with only conservatives. Even in private, they can’t seem to shake the habit of quibbling with Mitt’s positions and all the things the campaign should have said. I tell them, “the libs don’t act like this. Their guy says some of the stupidest things in the world and they get in line behind him and say ‘me too.’ We have to be disciplined!” Then I make them promise, for the next 60 days, to only say and think good things about Mitt Romney, who by the way is a smart, principled man (and Paul Ryan is even better), and tell the world what a failure Obama has been. After we win, they can go back to whining again.
“Vote for Romney – he’s better than Obama” – screw you. I was told the same about Bush v Kerry and McCain v. Obama – all the Republicans can offer these days is Democrat lite. NO – sorry, but we have parted ways; the old Republican party lost its bearings and is gone. I will not vote for Romney, hoping to hasten the end of the Republican party as it now exists to make room for a real small government/individual liberty party.
That’s the kind of defeatism we need less of. Especially because there’s a lot less less truth in it now–the idea that Republicans are just Democrat Lite–than four years ago. McCain is indeed a poison pill in the party, and Bush’s spending sprees are part of what got us into this mess, but the party is being redefined by up-and-coming tea party activists who want to steer it back on the small government track. They’re winning, having primaried RINOs out of state races in 2010 and beyond, and they’ve re-established the party on the local level in many places where Democrats were practically running uncontested.
Take hope, Eeyore! Perhaps you hadn’t heard this good news, or else you’ve become so cynical (not without reason) as to see no hope in it. There’s a good sight more hope in it than in the alternative, and the risk of four more years of our economy being trampled under the cronyist bureaucratic jackboot is too great to allow. I’ve had my misgivings about Romney, and always will have plenty; but he picked Ryan as his VP, and if that doesn’t show you his head’s in the right place then I don’t know what can. And if we keep on supporting this new lifeblood that’s bringing sense back into the Republican party from the bottom up, we’ll have plenty of people who can and will hold Romney accountable and keep him on the right track.
Romney is not going to be any better than Bush – he thinks Romneycare is a good policy. Then we still have Boehner around to cave and waste every opportunity to cut the budget. So they picked Ryan for window dressing – he has no power.
The Republican party should be abandoned by anyone who supports small government policies.
Hello, Mr. Moby. Can we count you as a vote for Obama?
Fight back in ways they don’t expect and can’t counter.
Chick-fil-a appreciation day is one example. Do it again. Samizdat like the “Thanks Barrack” stickers on gas pumps and grocery store shelves is another. Judo on the internet is good too, point out that the real (U3) unemployment rate is 11%, or that median incomes have fallen 7% during the Obama administration on lefty sites and watch them start frothing at the mouth (and spreading the message faster and to a totally different audience than the right wing blogosphere). Glenn Reynolds posts the Romer-Bernstein graphic on Instapundit every day; do that on your blog or Facebook page (and send that to the left wing sites as well; it’s Obama’s own prediction and they will have a stroke over that).
We can win if we but try.
Hey,
Do not knock Star Wars, it may be from leftists, but was still brillant.
A better line for us all is “strike me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
Here is a heartening data point…
Here is a data point…
In the Amazon election, it’s Romney by a landslide
Amazon has launched its own Election Heat Map 2012, a tool that shows whether Americans are buying more conservative books than liberal, and by how much. Paul Ryan fans, prepare to get excited.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/web/in-the-amazon-election-its-romney-by-a-landslide/
I believe Romney will win in the 290 EV range, not exactly a blowout. He should be walking away with it, but the Repub Establishment gave us Romney by giving him the money early, so we got the least electable candidate we could find, just like 2008.
He will have light coattails. We need bigger numbers in the Senate, not just a bare majority. The Dems will filibuster any repeal of ObamaCare. The Repubs will have to jam through the repeal the way the Dems jammed through deeming it to pass. Deem it repealed. Cannot do that with a lot of things, though. We needed big numbers in the Senate. Not gonna get ‘em, not with Milquetoast Mitt.
I am Conservative. I lose either way. The Republican Party does not represent me, not for President, so I will not be voting for Romney. I might vote for Obama, much as I hate the commie subversive SOB. Might be better to have divided government, since OCare will likely not be gotten rid of, anyway. I dunno. Economy will then continue to suck. No good answers.
The Repub bigwigs thought Conservatives would fall into line. I refuse. Screw ‘em. They deserve Obama. And the idiotic voters who supported Romney for the Republican nomination also deserve Obama. I will vote for Conservative candidates for everything else, and maybe vote 3rd-Party for Prez. Still undecided. I am so mad at the Repub Party’s business-as-usual approach. They deserve to lose. They deserve Obama.
In a related rant, does anyone think Boehner will be voted out as Speaker, no matter how many Conservatives get elected this time? Ha! Fat chance. Milquetoast Mitt and Crybaby Boehner and Moderate McConnell. Yeah, they’re gonna save the country. Bull. It just means the Republican hogs will be first in line at the trough, instead of the Democratic hogs. Screw ‘em.
Apologies, Ms. Hoyt, but I will not be voting for Mitt. A vote for the lesser of evils is still a vote for evil. Won’t do it. Mitt is just another lying, waffling pol. Many of us were warning about this during the primaries. I guess they did not hear us or take us seriously. Repubs deserve to lose. Idjits.
You must have some terrific financial security, to think weathering the next four years if they’re anything like the last four is a price worth paying for your indignation. Saying our country and our economy are headed off a cliff is almost soft-pedaling the situation. Things have already gone from bad to worse. If Obamacare gets a chance to kick in, if the minds behind it continue to make headway in their plans for the economy and the price we pay for energy, they’ll go from worse to worst.
Besides, it’s not just Romney on the ticket. Ryan has a real head on his shoulders. And in Congress we’re still seeing an enormous inrush of tea party blood, people who want to restore the government back to its proper size and function. And I’m dead certain, now more than ever because of the Ryan pick, that Romney knows exactly what Republican voters want out of him and intends to deliver.
I don’t think you’re wrong about what we can expect of the leader votes in Congress and the Senate. But even then, with the rank and file riled up for change and so many new candidates standing for what the party ought to have stood for all along, I think we can expect good things out of them in spite of themselves. If you really want to make a difference, then push for them to be replaced and don’t let up. By withdrawing into cynicism you basic give them a free pass.
Elena Kagan & Sonia Sotomayor
Ruth Bader Ginsburg isnt long for this world.
That could matter for the next half century.
Dont be a fool.
You don’t get exactly the election choice you want, and so you’re going to…? Stay home? Or vote for the Community Organizer?!?
Read this: http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/150392/, most especially the e-mail from Hoyt.
Undoing the damage done to this country by progressives over the last century is going to take a couple of generations. It calls for unrelenting pressure in a conservative direction from grassroots/tea-party types. It requires sustained efforts by all kinds of conservatives, from now through November 6th, and onward.
Don’t like your choices? Well, sitting home sure isn’t going to improve them. Poltical systems respond to those who bother to show up.
In a case like, feel free to count yourself out — but I think that also counts you out as any kind of conservative, too.
I think you should take some time to examine why Romney bested everyone else in the Republican primary field by looking at what they brought to the table. Our politicians reflect us much more than you are willing to give credit, I am afraid. It’s obvious from looking at US history that the American people want some gov’t involvement, probably more than either you or I would like to see but here we are. Staying home on election day or casting one’s vote for the enemy are certainly not the best ways to go about supporting our vision for how the country should be run. We have to cope with the particular hand of cards we have been dealt; something you should consider doing rather than wallowing in a cynical pool of pity for yourself.
Without beating this to death, but trying to make a general point….
For roughly the last century, Progressives have exerted a steady leftward pressure in American politics at every opportunity, in every area of society. Politics, ecomomy, culture, education — everything.
Do you think the Left ever boycotted an election because the slate of candidates wasn’t radical enough? Don’t be ridiculous.
They didn’t care how far the system moved in each step, just that the direction always be towards the left.
(“Come, comrade! Help us build the Glorious Socialist Future! Just put your shoulder to the wheel, and roll it forward a bit…”)
Everyone talks about Alinsky’s tactics; those are for people in a hurry, with little patience.
The same goals can be achieved over decades-long scales with practically nobody noticing. The terms to Google for this approach are “Gramscian damage” and “long march through the institutions.”
As Trotsky once said, “You may not interested in war, but war is interested in you.” Like it or not, you’re helping the conservative cause — or you’re just giving aid and comfort to the other side.
Exactly right. The Communist Party is endorsing Obama, and undoubtedly lots of commies will vote for him (again). Instead of whining that he’s not commie enough and sitting out the election so they’ll feel pure, they recognize that a vote for Obama is a vote in their general direction. And they’re at least reasonable enough to see that it’s in their interest to stop the more conservative candidate.
Unfortunately, many libertarians and “purer than thou” conservatives are too stupid, or too self-righteous, to understand that we’ll either have Romney or Obama as president for the next four years (not Gary Johnson). Romney may not improve things as much as some would like, but Obama would unquestionably make things vastly worse — while the self-centered, self-righteous libertarians etc. congratulate themselves for their ideological purity.
They pretend to be more principled than the rest of us, but they are really like petulant children.
“Petulant children” — exactly.
Press on! Be positive! But you fear vandalism. You fear for your car and cats? Really?? The signers of the Declaration of Independence risked their lives, their property and their sacred honor. I applaud your call to stay optimistic and that’s great. Now put up some Romney signs. Actions speak louder than words.
MS HOYT: I think we can agree that the political Barack Obama is an extremely dangerous and destructive person, can’t we? And I think we can agree that our country, and our allies-and the world– would have been far better off if Obama had not run in the first place, even if that had meant living with and under a Hillary Clinton administration. We can agree on that, can’t we? And it follows, then, that our country would be far better off were Obama not to run for a second term, doesn’t it? Better off even if that meant the election of a Clinton or some Democrat Senator or Governor; isn’t that true? And isn’t it also true that we, on the right, we Moderate Conservatives, Federalists, Libertarians, Independents, with and without public platforms, have the means to legally prevent a second Obama candidacy, don’t we? And isn’t it also true that, having a choice between risking a second Obama election and legally preventing his candidacy, any rationally thinking member of the right would choose to legally prevent his candidacy?
Now we still have a second chance to prevent a second Obama candidacy: The DNC has sent and is sending letters to each state’s Secretary of State which certify that Obama meets the constitutional requirements for the office of President. You–and every one of your fellow bloggers, as well as the entire conservative commentariat–know that Obama does not, don’t you? Having chosen to become an authoritative public commentator, don’t you have a higher duty to protect our country? A duty that transcends any personal concern for your career or social standing. If you and your fellows were to stand up and support each other in legally preventing Obama’s candidacy, we would not have to face the risk of a second Obama term and the irreparable harm that will result, would we?
Nice trollery, Stephen, but no, we don’t necessarily agree on a single one of your first paragraph’s assertions. For example, it took Obama’s executive overreach to galvanize the Tea Party, dedicated to restraining the government via the ballot box.
Simply, it is far far better to repudiate the Obama philosophy through the vote. If the country will not repudiate such an administration as he has perpetrated then constitutional requirements be damned, and you with it.
RES: I paraphrase. You say ‘if we can’t repudiate this administration through the ballot box, then constitutional require be damned.’ What are you saying?
Are you saying that in the event of an Obama re-election people should resort to illegal means to remove him? And why would you disagree with my characterization of Obama as a politically extremely dangerous and destructive person? In this situation you should be engaging in cold, hard political calculations, which include an assessment of risk: If you win the legal fight to prevent him from running, Obama goes away. If you lose the legal fight, you can still try to “repudiate him at the ballot box,” but he may be re-elected with all the consequences that follow. Why ignore a chance to prevent that?
Finally, why do you call me a “troll?” And why do you direct so much anger at me? It’s very hard to be angry and to think clearly at the same time.
Anger??! Mockery, contempt, disdain but hardly anger.
Amazement, too, that anybody is so eager to contort an argument as to presume a call to arms. Also that any person presuming to debate a matter doesn’t appear to comprehend the difference between paraphrase (which you did not do) and quote (which you did – poorly.) The function of paraphrasing is to restate, in your own words, your understanding of an assertion — not to express lack of understanding.
The problem we face is not Obama, it is Obamism. Legally removing Obama from the ballot would energize Obamism; repudiation of Obamism requires victory at the polls. Obama is not “politically extremely dangerous and destructive” — OBAMISM is politically extremely dangerous and destructive.
Trolling involves effort to deflect a discussion into inconsequentialities, such as using legal means to achieve what is best won at the polls. When you manage clear thinking please let us know whether anger is an impediment.
RES: “Better to remain silent and be thought the fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
#73. If it wasn’t for the Supreme Court, Obama might be a better choice, because the GOP will fight Obama, but with Romney we’ll get the same warmongering, open borders, Big Government Bush stuff. I don’t believe for one minute that Romney will repeal Obamacare. The GOP has never repealed a socialist program. The GOP has never cut spending either. Or borrowing.
On the other hand, I believe Romney would nominate more stealth leftwingers to the Supremes, just like Reagan and Bush Sr. did and like Bush Jr. tried to do. I think if Romney loses it’ll be the end of the GOP, and that would be wonderful, because maybe we’d finally get a libertarian conservative party.
You say it doesn’t matter, Obama or Romney? With Romney libertarians and conservatives are at least listened to, if not heeded. With Obama? Executive orders as far as the gripping hand can reach. Read this:
An adviser to the Obama campaign told a Journal reporter earlier this week: “We tried bipartisanship in 2011. We won’t make that mistake again.”
THE JOURNAL EDITORIAL REPORT
September 9, 2012, 6:42 p.m. ET
A transcript of the weekend’s program on FOX News Channel.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443921504577641983900619346.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_RIGHTBelowPepperandSalt
My theory regarding MSM polling and the election:
1. The MSM’s poll buyers are sophisticated enough to know the flaws in the data filters and turnout models the polling companies apply to their raw data as well as the resulting skews to the poll results.
2. The MSM know that a close election will drive more traffic to their Websites and broadcasts while increasing print sales.
3. Therefore, the MSM poll buyers intentionally requisition skewed polls that will show the race far closer than it actually is to increase profits from their election coverage.
One way to investigate my theory would be to examine MSM poll requisition documentation for specific orders of filters and turnout models well-known by sophisticated buyers and analysts to produce skewed results. But even without such evidence I’d still float my theory because (1) the MSM are shrinking due to their inability to compete with emergent media channels, (2) current political events is their most valuable stock-in-trade, (3) MSM business operations managers understand that they cannot pay the bills with professional pride or ideological fervor, as do the talent and content peons, and (4) survival is the most powerful human instinct, even for ideological MSM types, as we recently observed when the NYT was forced to rationalize its operations.
In sum, I don’t think the race is that close, I think the MSM are trying like heck to convince us otherwise to drive our eyeballs to their content, and so I agree with Ms. Hoyt that we shouldn’t lend the MSM any assistance in this undertaking.
Read and take heart: The New Republic: Obama “Close to Carter Territory”
http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/09/09/the-new-republic-obama-close-to-carter-territory/
Keep in mind, too, that the goal of a campaign is to bring all elements to a boil on Election Day. Firing your ammo too soon just wastes it; there are eight weeks remaining to bring everything together and serve it piping hot on November 06.
Americans, like Europeans, are too economically illiterate to elect a party that supports self-reliance. They will go for free stuff every time.
Some pundits on the right are starting to realize that once govt reaches a certain size, it’s impossible to roll back. Voters will not let go of their entitlements.
Take Canada and universal healthcare. Up to the 70s, Canadians had more disposable income and a rugged individualistic culture. Once universal healthcare took hold, people became absolutely rabid about it. Asked to define what makes them Canadian, they will actually cite healthcare, nevermind the long waiting lists and pending insolvency.
Same goes for the UK. The NHS is a menace to one’s health but just try and reform it by asking people to pay at point of purchase.
Welfare kills culture. The US is not immune to this and the Dems know it. Just get enough people on food stamps, disability and the rest, and the country is theirs.
To #80 (above): I have lived in Canada, have Canadian inlaws, and visit there frequently (couple times a year). You should know that Canadians have for a long, long time — since the late 1700s at least — looked more to government, and expected it to do more things for them, than do Americans. It’s just part of the Canadian social makeup.
Why? Lots of reasons, including psychological ones. But at the core of it is the fact that Canada is both much bigger physically and much less populated than the US. Plus a good chunk of it ne parle pas l’anglais.
And here’s the topper. Canadians who have the individualist itch badly enough leave Canada and come (usually) to the States, where they can pass unrecognized unless they “out” themselves (yes, that’s a pun). This helps us (yay!), but it also makes Canada more “Canadian” by removing its more volatile and entreprenurial people.
Defining themselves and their national culture largely by their health care (as Canadians do) strikes Americans as weird-beyond-weird. But it’s perfectly in keeping with that stream in Anglosphere culture that values security more highly than opportunity.
I just hope we haven’t lost our edge.
The recent Axlerod/Gallup poll set too merely confirmed what many have suspected. Namely that it has been clear for some time that the Obama Campaign has been coordinating the pollution of The Real Clear Politics poll average with bad media polls as a part of their political disinformation strategy supporting the Obama campaign.
Their media purchases over the summer, the manipulation of the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs reports and polling games are all part of a desperate bid by Obama’s people to prevent a Glenn Reynold’s style “Preference Cascade” that will get them buried in November.
It is not going to work, and the MSM plus the internet “bigs” like Google will be the ones that pay the price with destroyed reputations.
The media’s goal in this election is to suppress turnout by voters on the right.
This propaganda arm of the Democrat party will do everything in its power to get you to stay home — or throw away your vote on third-party candidates.
I see on Drudge that the Chicago teachers decided to strike. Way to piss people off there, teachers. This will not be helpful to Democrats if this drags on. The teacher’s union is not popular. Here’s our chance to remind the country that they are big supporters of the Democrats and vice versa.
As soon as Democrat convention was over, I donated another $25 to R&R campaign.
Cheer up and read this analysis by Jay Cost:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/morning-jay-did-obama-really-win-summer_652093.html?nopager=1
Considering the behaviors of this administration and leftists in general, if a complete stranger calls your home asking you who you are voting for, would you answer honestly? I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t want to end up on one of their infamous lists, made an example of, and crucified.
We know that at least PPP is deliberately skewing the party affiliation percentages in some of their polls. Just look at the Missouri Senate poll that gave cover to Akin to stay in the race.
Nobody doubts that Romney will win Texas, but I will still work hard to run up the score here. Why? If Obama were to win the national popular vote in a close election, that would give his campaign cover for recounts. He needs to lose by double digits in the Red States.
I hope this is right, and that we get a change.
But there is a very good reason for pessimism, given that there just aren’t all that many people left to fight over. And those are pretty much the least informed and least intelligent voters in America. Isn’t that reason to be nervous?
Patton also said this, which we should heed in this campaign:
“Now there’s another thing I want you to remember. I don’t want to get any messages saying that “we are holding our position.” We’re not holding anything. Let the Hun do that. We are advancing constantly and we’re not interested in holding onto anything except the enemy. We’re going to hold onto him by the nose and we’re going to kick him in the ass. We’re going to kick the hell out of him all the time and we’re going to go through him like crap through a goose!”
FORWARD (to steal a slogan)
Phase 1 of the Democrat’s re-election strategy – and when I say Democrat, that includes the US new media – has been to try to depress independent turnout for Romney with the relentless attacks on Bain, etc.
Phase 2 – which was initiated the minute the convention ended – will be to try to depress Republican turnout. Operation Trolls Flooding Forumns is only the first wave…look for it to continue over the next 8 weeks. On the national stage, get ready for a barrage of “Mitt the Weird Mormon” and “ObaMittCare” material.
All utterly predictable…all utterly pointless.
Every likely Republican voter will show up to vote…not nearly every likely Democrat voter will. The evidence for this is the double-digit lead Republicans have in voter enthusiasm. That alone is enough for victory. For the 7% left undecided, those who do actually show up will vote for Romney, as undecideds historically break for the incumbent.
Congratulations Sarah! Rush is quoting directly from this article and agreeing with you completely!
God Bless America!
You tell it, sister! I admit I was a little scared at seeing Obama’s post-convention bounce in the polls, but I kept telling myself, it’s only temporary. Don’t give up hope now. I don’t think Romney will turn out to be some fabulous miracle worker, but I do think he’ll do the best he can to turn this country around. For certain, nearly anybody has to be better than President JobKiller.
Do not believe any poll out there! And do not accept any spin on this election. The “mainstream” media cannot be trusted. Today in America, the Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column. They have a dog in this fight — a dog they helped elect in 2008 — their Journ“O”List proof of that. That dog is cornered by his own miserable four-year record of failure and that makes Obama dangerous. In his mind, he must win at any cost. This narcissist is hell bent on reelection — he will do and say ANYTHING to stay in power. Recognize that. As a Leftist demagogue and a pathological liar, Barack Obama represents the most dangerous president in American history.
Right up until the moment of Reagan’s landslide win in 1980, polls and pundits alike had Carter ahead and winning. I’ll say it again: Do not believe any poll out there! Take the fight to the Left every day until they are defeated — even after November. Take Hugh Hewitt’s words to heart: “If it’s not close, they can’t cheat: Crushing the Democrats in every election and why your life depends on it!”
Elections are decided in October. Wait for October. the powers can run up the stock market to help Obama like they wrecked the banks to hurt McKain but the disconnect is “How does running up the market help Obama and how does wrecking the economy, banks, Europe, the Middle East, China, the Market or employment further help Obama?” It doesn’t. The powers can’t do anything to help Obama but through the Press and the Schools and those Institutions and already shot their wad. What’s left?
If everyone gives up when the polls say they don’t have a chance — well then, of course, they won’t have a chance. (Remember 1980 or 1994? Polls are not always correct.) This is altogether ridiculous. The Democrats and those who sympathize with them want the Republicans to stop fighting and cede them the field. It is easier than trying to win on merit.
Thanks, Sarah, I needed this, especially after watching FOX News Sunday yesterday I was depressed. But your pep talk cleared my head, and I think along with the 2016 documentary which convinced my wife, the Chik -Filet Flash Mob for Free Enterprise is another clear sign things are not as the MSM wants us to believe. Also the crowds showing up for R@R vs Obama having to move his convention to avoid the spectacle of having a sea of Eastwoods in BOA stadium is telling.
Not anon
Best antedote to despondency: WORK LIKE A DOG FOR THE CAMPAIGN. Our feelings really don’t matter right now. Put it all on the line. Donate until it hurts. Give time and energy. And when you think you’ve tapped out, give more.
Im voting for gary johnson.
I can not STRESS the importance of what I’m about to write.
My wife’s aunt called day after the RNC convention to discuss a distance cousin dying that day. After the arrangement part of the conversation she asked my wife about the Romney speech. My wife said it was great and the aunt agreed but said “I would like to vote for Romney BUT I’m a registered democrat”.
OMG she registered when FDR was in the white house. We all need to contact our elder relations and TALK to them about this election! I talked to my mom, 83 years old, for the first time about an election you can too! Make sure they understand the rules.
I’ve been saying it for weeks, and I’ll keep saying it:
We’re winning this thing.
I’m not talking about polls, skewed to protect the President’s ego, the media’s “horserace” narrative, and the pollsters from DOJ prosecution. I’m talking about watching what the other side is doing and saying.
Remember the little web commercial of women, who all claimed to be former Republicans but who are voting for Obama this time? Well, aside from the fact that at least two of the women have been dyed-in-the-wool Democrats for years, there was a little line in there in which they suggested that because he’s for abortion and birth control, “Barack Obama is the candidate for small government.”
To me, that means they have focus groups and polls that tell them that independent and swing voters – women in particular – prefer a small government candidate in this election.
We’re winning this thing.
Remember the DNC? Aside from riling up the base, the message in each speech was a response to the RNC and Romney/Ryan. They’re responding to the R^2 narrative, despite having the narrative-builders in their court.
We’re winning this thing.
Every single criticism they have is a shell of a more substantive criticism of their side. There was an RNC spot where a woman’s breaking up with a cardboard-cutout of the Prez, and they cried “She’s not really a former Obama voter.” Well, they never said that she was in the ad, and the Dems actually had Democrats claiming to be former Republicans in theirs. That’s just one example; they’re everywhere, and that the attacks open themselves up to more biting counter-attacks means they’re desperate.
We’re winning this thing.
I know, I know: Don’t get cocky, kid. But, even so, we’re winning this thing. Let’s keep charging ahead, until that phrase can be said in the past-tense on November 7th.
If Romney and Ryan are elected, the economy is going to roar back. I do not believe that Romeny and Ryan will make that happen. They will just cease making it not happen.
Congratulations on Rush picking up your story on the air today, Sarah!
Thanks so much for this. Having been subjected to the negativity from people on our side on sites such as HotAir and seeing the gloating of the libs, your commentary is a breath of fresh air. We don’t need a bunch of people cowering in the corner whimpering, we need people engaged
All the arguments here are the same as those we heard in Canada before the last election: conservatives don’t respond to polls, the pollsters are biased, independents will swing at the end etc etc. But again the Cons were unable to crack 40% support.
The difference though is that the other 60% split their vote among three left wing parties thereby allowing the Cons to have a minority govt. In the US there is no split.
To convince people to vote for self-reliance and economic pragmatism you need a forceful person who can appeal on a personal level because – face it – most people know squat about economic principles.
Who are the more forceful personalities in this election?
This — and countless similar tales from other parliamentary systems — are why we should fight to the death to prevent a proportional-representation political system in this country.
And that’s why every leftist and progressive wants it.
“Hates America”? Marxist? Pathetic & delusional….
Instalanch and Limbaughlanch in the same day! Congrats!
I believe that the general panic (if that is what it is) arises from the experience that, despite the misgivings of so many people, this SCOAMF was elected in 2008. I and many others saw what was coming then, but held faith that, as crappy a candidate McCain was, people would at least see through the hype and platitudes of Obama. They didn’t. I lost some faith in the American electorate. With that said, I agree completely with Ms. Hoyt.
Sarah, thanks for the pep-talk. It’s not the news reports that are getting to me lately. It’s Romney’s behavior as a candidate. His ill-considered remarks on Obamacare leave me concerned we will never get rid of it. Worse, his robocalls here in Iowa are being done by a man who sounds like he’s peddling snake oil. It’s a hard sell that would do Ron Popeil credit. The only thing missing is “Act now and you get two candidates for the price of one!” I’ve gotten two of those calls and they were such a turn-off that I removed myself from their phone list.
It says a lot about what a dog-awful candidate Romney is that you had to write this piece. I’m glad you did, though. While I’ve reconsidered volunteering for R/R you have at least salvaged my vote for them. They ought to send you a dozen roses.
I watched Fox News on Sunday, and the usually intelligent Brit Hume talked about the Obama ‘bounce’ at the convention, and that Obama was now ahead in the polls. You are right, we can’t be discouraged. I live in Washington State which will likely go to Obama, but I can’t vote for a 3rd party candidate. Romney is not the ideal Republican candidate, but he’s a thousand times better then Obama. In church, we’re told to use are conscience and then vote for that candidate that reflects my religious beliefs, and that’s Romney. His Mormon religion is not important to me, only his moral stance on issues and his economic stances are important to me. We must not get discouraged, and the best way is to read intelligent articles like this and to avoid the MSM.
The choice is clear here. The MSM will never explain the truth to the American electorate because it would be completely damaging to the straw man Obama and the idiotic policies they prop up. They’ll never explain that it eas Democrat policies that was enacted during the Clinton administration on the belief that everyone should own a house even though they could never pay for it that caused the housing crises. They’ll never explain that it’s Democrat and union backed policies that spends wildly in concerted effort to cause the poor in inner cities to rely on the government and never improve their condition in order to push votes to them. All anyone has to do is look at every major Democrat controlled city, state, and even liberal European countries to see that their policies are unrealistic and a lie. It all comes down to expansion of the federal government to keep people dependent on it and bit by bit erosion of civil liberties in order to expand their power to a failed Socialist state. This country 20 years ago would have spit out and rejected this idea completely, but those who have become entitled/dependent from their policies will hug the chains that have been thrown on them to death even if they do know the truth. That’s why it is extremely important that we must, for the sake of our republic, get out there and vote, volunteer, and donate to stop this insanity because we very well could lose this nation and our freedoms if we allow this type of ideology to continue unabated. When I saw these inflated poll numbers yesterday putting Obama in the lead I didn’t whine about it and think all was lost, I doubled down on my efforts by donating more. A good many people that are voters aren’t educated or care enough about political philosophy or history of the failures and successes between them. They know not what they do. However, the good majority on here do. You know what this means and if those of you with that knowledge understand what 4 more years of these failed policies mean then there should be absolutely zero reason for anyone to just give up. Get out there, get your butts and gear, and help save this republic we all love.
Sarah, we’re thinking alike. You echoed my blog post today. Or, maybe I echoed yours.
http://crucis-court.com/?p=2261
The media are just a bunch of folks with opinions, beliefs, and a pulpit to spread their message to the masses. Main stream or not, most of them get something absolutely wrong almost every day. Making life decisions based on any information provided by the media without seriously researching the material afterwards is a plain mistake.
That being said, just consider that the media knows how to manipulate “accurate” political polling. If they want a touch of dispair on one side, then that candidate is down that week. If they want to encourage their troops, then their candidate is up the following week. If they want to drive up voter turn out, then their candidate is in a horse race with the opposition. If they want to suppress turn out, then the opposition is in for a massive beating on election day. If they want to build trust with a weary public, they keep the numbers fairly accurate. When they want to push an agenda, their polling heavily favors picking districts/areas with a dominant party mix one way or another.
The take away from all of this. The media is a propaganda tool for people with an agenda. Take everything they say with a grain of salt, do your due diligence on researching the candidates, and pick the candidate who best represents your own views on governance. If everyone did this, then the media wouldn’t have the power to influence election politics. The people themselves would take the power back into their own hands.
Consider me a troll if you like (I’m an independent voter with fiscal conservative and libertarian leanings) but I will tell you that I’ve been watching Barak Obama in action, and I do not like the direction he is attempting to take the US. The problem I have is that Mitt Romney still seems to be wanting to head in way too much of a similar direction for my tastes. Neither one seems to have the sound fiscal sense to effectively cut off unnecessary and wasteful federal government spending. Some people are claiming Paul Ryan is cutting too much with his budget plans, I still see a plan that doesn’t begin to reign in government spending enough to prevent a severe debt crisis.
My other problem is the people who say I just have to get behind the “lesser” of two evils because the “greater” evil will win otherwise. You know what, if people are perfectly happy with getting only the “lesser” evil win as a victory, then maybe they need to have the “greater” evil keep winning until they feel enough pain that they finally choose to stop voting for evil altogether.
So my problem is the usual one I face every election cycle, do I stick to my principles and not vote for any evil again, or do I “allow” the “greater” evil to win by splitting from the “lesser” evil vote. I think the Republican party attempt to disinfrachise the non-mainstream Tea Party platform at their convention this year has answered my question again. They clearly haven’t felt enough pain, or else they would gladly welcome the Tea Party to their table, and give serious consideration to their position on issues. It may be true that the US has to fail as a nation before we will recognise our own folly.
Your complaint reminds me or “drsanity”‘s point (just google this ex-Med School Prof & board certified psychiatrist) that Republicans are prone to spasms of neuroticism – like depression and anxiety like this.
By contrast, the Left is dominated by pschotic tropes – distortion of reality (Obama’s campaign ads), denial (“what Islamist threat?”), and projection (“racist Tea Party!”). Which is precisely what we observe in them.
So keep your balance, not just “get a grip!”