MyDD :: Why can't Obama close the deal?

Why can't Obama close the deal?

by spliffd, Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 04:48:46 PM EST

"Why isn't he farther ahead? Why can't he finish McCain off?"

These statements are what we will be hearing more of from Obama critics and pundits in the next few weeks. Pat Buchanan might as well tattoo any one of these on his forehead to save him some oxygen in thse upcoming weeks.

It's an argument that we heard often in the closing month of the primary by many pundits and opponents of Obama,when they didn't have many other cases to make. The argument essentially concedes that Obama is going to be the winning candidate while setting up a soft cushion to catch the critic or supporter of his opponent when the eventual loss of their candidate occurs. It's a natural response to the realization of a stinging defeat,and we see it in sports all the time. A close loss in anything is demoralizing,so you try to turn it into a positive in order to accept it easier.

My fantasy football team is riddled with injuries and bums,not unlike the McCain campaign and their message. My team continues to lose,but not by as much as I would expect. So maybe I'm doing good with what I have,or possibly my opponent isn't as good as I expect. But it doesn't matter. I'm losing,and so is John McCain.

So don't buy the 'Why can't Obama close the deal?' line of attack. It's nothing more than a security blanket for those who know they are going to need it on Nov. 4.

Tags: Obama, McCain (all tags)

Permalink :: 18 Comments :: Post a Comment

My answer to that is.... (2.00 / 1)

Put your money where you mouth is, clown.

100 bucks says Obama wins.

Care to take that wager?

PS, 'bout your fantasy FB team, I apologize for the city of Seattle if you have any Seahawks on it...SHEESH!

Our long national nightmare is over...in 17 days!

by WashStateBlue on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 04:55:30 PM EST

Bill Clinton says Obama will win (2.00 / 1)

and I agree with him.

by Betsy McCall on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 06:57:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why can't Obama close the deal? (none / 0)

On Election Night, we'll hear "why couldn't he win Texas, or Utah?"

by RandyMI on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 04:57:13 PM EST

Re: Why can't Obama close the deal? (none / 0)

Actually, on election night I expect to hear, and rightfully so, what states haven't left the 19th century.

Your old role is rapidly aging. Please get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand, for the times they are a changing.

by Travis Stark on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 05:03:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Compared to last cycle though... (2.00 / 1)

Yglesias had this great post a few days back:
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archiv es/2008/10/four_years_ago.php

I know a lot of Obama supporters who are refusing to let themselves get too optimistic about the outcome in November. What's interesting is that one reason I often hear cited for this refusal to get too optimistic is that a lot of Obama supporters who were Kerry supporters seem to have convinced themselves that Kerry, too, looked very likely to win at this stage in the game and then unexpectedly lost on Election Day. The thing is, as Ezra Klein reminded us yesterday, Kerry's defeat was actually predicted by the opinion polls. It's true that Bush was leading in August, but he was clearly leading -- albeit fairly narrowly -- throughout September and October:

What's interesting is that a lot of liberals got into some esoteric ideas about Kerry winning. As Ezra says:

Back then, I remember Democrats staying glued to Ruy Teixera's blog as he explained, day after day, why the latest poll showing Kerry behind was really flawed and actually suggested the possibility of a lead.

But let's keep on working as if we still need to close the deal anyway.

A drink whenever Palin makes a Well-argued, Semantically Intact, Logical and Lucid Argument -- or WASILLA for short.

by January 20 on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 05:05:03 PM EST

Why can't Obama close the deal? (none / 0)

Seems to be he already did.

The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.

by nrafter530 on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 05:06:00 PM EST

Re: Why can't Obama close the deal? (none / 0)

What do you call the team who scored one point less in the game?

Loser.

I might be crazy... but are you seeing what I'm seeing?

by mydailydrunk on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 05:07:14 PM EST

Because the deal he is looking for (none / 0)

is something even the most terrified Republicans like Pat is not ready to deal with.

An over 60 seat majority in the Senate.

An overwhelming majority in the House.

And, the biggest mandate since Reagan on
Election Day.

Pat can't deal with it yet, Rachael will break
the news to him on the 5th...

Our long national nightmare is over...in 17 days!

by WashStateBlue on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 05:10:09 PM EST

"because it's not election day yet" n/t (none / 0)

by chiefscribe on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 05:53:49 PM EST

LOL! (2.00 / 1)

I tripped on a discontinuity in the space-time continuum, and landed in Alegre's Litterbox in May. Help!

*meh*

by failsafe on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 05:59:55 PM EST

Re: LOL! (2.00 / 1)

Hey, over there, there is still a pool on when the party throws Obama overboard for crimes against Florida and Michigan...

DISENFRANCHISED!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our long national nightmare is over...in 17 days!

by WashStateBlue on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 06:16:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, he closed the deal with someone interesting (none / 0)

The son of Bill Buckley is now closed:

Sorry, Dad, I'm Voting for Obama
by Christopher Buckley

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-s tories/2008-10-10/the-conservative-case- for-obama

Our long national nightmare is over...in 17 days!

by WashStateBlue on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 06:48:18 PM EST

well the dirty tricks haven't begun yet (2.00 / 1)

and they're already starting in some states. Today in NY, some absentee ballots listed Obama as "barack Osama" and I'd bet this happens in more than one place this year. The Wright ads haven't come up, and you'll prob be hearing "hussein" a lot more. And I voted for Obama the other day, so you can't say I'm a PUMA, I'm just saying what's gonna happen, which is why this thing is nowhere close to over.

by Lakrosse on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 06:49:50 PM EST

We're about a week into (2.00 / 1)

the Ayers/Terrorist smearing crap, which is much more damaging than Rev. Wright (which is old news) and it hasn't hurt Obama at all.

I'm on the ground in Virginia, these smears are hurting McCain more than Obama. You may not believe it, because it doesn't serve your belief that Obama is a weak candidate who can't win, but we are three and a half weeks out, Obama is up 8 points (which btw was how far up you said he should be months ago) and all this negative smear seems to have a very limited effect on him at best.

The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.

by nrafter530 on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 08:00:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

we're less than a week of it actually being (none / 0)

major stories in the headlines. If you want to have your head in the sand, so be it. Plus, now is not when the undecideds make up their minds. They do it in a little less than a month. Wright hasn't even come back up. The 527s haven't done much yet.

by Lakrosse on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 08:19:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Do you talk to undecided voters? (none / 0)

I do, every damn day, and first off, there aren't many of them left, and second, when you find them, you know what's concerning them...the Dow at 8,000.

They hear about Ayers/Wright/Terrorists and they don't even bother to listen because they're tired of "negativity"

Enough with the head in the sand crap, you've been using that line since the Spring. Obama is stronger now than he ever was, as strong as you claimed he should be and this is not damaging him.

It's October 11th, there isn't much the 527s can do now. People have decided.

The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.

by nrafter530 on Sat Oct 11, 2008 at 01:17:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why can't Obama close the deal? (none / 0)

Presidential elections are very competitive. Even Herbert Hoover got almost 4 out of every 10 votes in 1932 when he lost against FDR in the aftermath of the onset on the Great Depression and dissatisfaction with Hoover's response to it. It is so competitive that it is considered a "landslide" if someone wins by 10 points, but that only means a 55/45 split, which seems close.

It appears that Obama has the edge right now, but there's still more than 3 weeks to go and the campaigns will continue to fight, so I say the only reason Obama can't close the deal now is because Election Day is not here yet and you can't close anything until the votes are counted.

by robstephens on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 09:50:31 PM EST

Philly (none / 0)

Uh-Oh, Did Anyone Warn Sarah About Philadelphia Fans?

http://www.thesarahpalinblog.com/2008/10 /uh-oh-did-anyone-warn-sarah-about.html

Some talented young person might want to diarize this story - which comes from a pro-palin blog, btw.

"But not me personally were those cheers for"

by QTG on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 10:42:12 PM EST

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