Hillary Adviser Sid Blumenthal: Public Doesn't See McCain As Continuation Of Bush

[babylonsister]

I'm getting really sick and tired of this crap. Why are they helping McSame instead of Dems? Any logical explanation for this would be welcome.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/05/hillary_adviser_sid_blumenthal.php

Hillary Adviser Sid Blumenthal: Public Doesn't See McCain As Continuation Of Bush
By Greg Sargent - May 21, 2008, 11:07AM


A few weeks back Hillary took some heat for saying that John McCain had passed the "commander in chief test," prompting some to point out that this could prove rather helpful to McCain in a general election.

Now Hillary adviser Sidney Blumenthal has veered similarly off the Dem message for the general, warning his party that painting McCain as a "McSame" continuation of Bush will fail:

Bucking the Democratic National Committee's talking points that characterize a potential McCain administration as tantamount to a third Bush term, Blumenthal told our Liz Halloran that running on that strategy in the fall would be a mistake.

"I understand people's political reasons for doing that," he said. "I think it's more helpful to describe as they are." Bottom line, Blumenthal calls the strategy "a mistake and adds: "The public doesn't see {McCain} that way. That's a hard sell."

Whether Blumenthal is right or wrong about this -- my take is that the jury's out on whether the public will buy this, because the media has seared the "McCain is a maverick" line into the electorate's brain for 15 years or more -- it certainly won't make him any friends at the DNC.

[nichomachus]

1. Sid needs to climb out of the beltway bubble for a minute or two

and actually talk to the hard-working people -- of any color -- who aren't Hillary activists.

I've talked to lots of people who will be voting Democratic for the first time in their lives because they don't want four more years of Bush -- and that's what they see McCain as.

[slinkerwink]

2. Isn't he going against Hillary's message here?

Hasn't she tied McCain to George Bush?

[babylonsister]

13. Apparently only when it's convenient. He's a Hillary mouthpiece, so

he says what she thinks. The DNC won't like this message.

[KittyWampus]

23. Get ready Slinkerwink, Hillary and the fucked up assholes around her will undercut EVERYTHING Obama

says and does.

Subtly.

[sandnsea]

3. Same thing they did to Kerry

Okay, I now believe they sabatoged him. I never did before. But when he was trying to talk about a new course in Iraq, the WMD lies, bringing troops home -- they were saying stay the course and Presidents make mistakes. I now think it was sabatoge, not just a difference of opinion.

[babylonsister]

12. Sabotage; that's what this looks like to me. I'm livid. Whose interests

are they really serving?

[Major Hogwash]

38. We know who Hillary serves - Bush!!

She voted against Kerry's bill to include a timetable to pull our troops out and she voted against Murtha's plan to move our troops to Kuwait to get them out of harms's way.

Then - she told her "ducking sniper fire" story!!!!!

[Major Hogwash]

4. Not yet they don't, because Hillary's campaign keeps running interference for McCain.

They should be told by Dean to shut the fuck up or join the GOP party!!

Fucking traitors, one and all!!!

[PoliticalAmazon]

16. Oh, how wrong you are. Dean is arranging a joint fundraising event....

for Obama and Hillary, which is the stupidest thing I can imagine Obama agreeing to, outside of Hillary as VP.

Her handling of her campaign funds has been so bad that it has been called "nearly fraudulent." So you know that she will siphon the majority of the money out of the event, and Obama will be the one providing the donors.

Also, Dean/DNC are basically setting up finances for her so she can continue this bullshit to the convention and then fuck THAT up, too.

The DNC is still trying to shove Hillary down our throats. I am very disappointed in Obama agreeing to this.

[Major Hogwash]

20. That's just to pay her bills off because she has been bouncing checks and giving IOU's out.

She can't even balance her own gawd damned checkbook, for Christ's sake!!

[Cha]

24. Exactly..just to get her bad outstanding bills paid

off so we can get rid of her.

[PoliticalAmazon]

29. Well this Obama supporter won't be contributing to the co-fundraiser....

and I wonder exactly how many OBama supporters will be willing to pay off Hillary's debts for her.

[Cha]

33. Nah, me either..she'll have to get her

rabid fans to throw in their money for her little narcissistic, dlc dino, espcapade.

[PoliticalAmazon]

27. It's taking the financial pressure off of Hillary, and Obama's supporters....

will end up doing what her own supporters won't: giving her money for her campaign.

It is a stupid-ass move on Obama's part.

[brindis_desala]

35. Hillary has energized voters no less than Obama.

I understand your frustration but let's be rational about this. Despite her disingenuousness Hillary has been a boon to the Democratic party.

[Swamp Rat]

5. At least Obama has made an effort to show Bushler and McLame are the same monster.

[AtomicKitten]

6. Sid "Email Assassin" Blumenthal is a deliberate fool.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15407.html

[Justitia]

7. That's a Clinton supporter, talking up McCain again. Guess who Sidney will vote for???

[Jersey Devil]

8. I see the Clinton Campaign is trying to be helpful again

Isn't it wonderful how they are now working towards unity? :sarcasm:

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. Shouldn't he be boozin' it up somewhere?

:rofl:

[Mimosa]

10. HRC's people are threatening Obama with helping McSame

[H2O Man]

11. A picture paints a thousand words .....

Sadly, Mr. Blumenthal has destroyed his reputation as an honest democrat voice of reason. He ignores the power of grass roots activists in the cities and towns across the country putting up posters of the infamous photograph of McCain snuggling up to Bush, for all to see.

[babylonsister]

14. He's ignoring and encouraging 'the enemy'. I don't know why. nt

[H2O Man]

15. Quite often

in life, the most obvious answer is the correct one.

[last1standing]

18. Yes you do.

It begins and ends with 2012.

[Mme. Defarge]

30. Make no mistake,

Hillary's job/goal is to be the nominee. It is all about stacking the deck so that it won't matter who wins. No need to engage in election fraud to maintain the status quo.

So, if Hillary is not the nominee, then expect her to either run as an independent, or to do everything she can to sabotage Obama so that he loses outright, or the election is close enough to steal it for McCain.

[AZBlue]

17. Because the Dems are still caught up in the primary (thanks a lot, Hillary).

As soon as she can be removed from the election process, we can focus on McCain and he will be defeated.

[Occam Bandage]

19. They will by the time we're done with him.

[Cha]

21. You lose sidney blumenthal...Obama is pinning

mccain on bush and who do you think this country is going to listen to?

You=hilary gasbag or Obama?

[babylonsister]

22. Not just Obama but the DNC, too. Remember their recent ads?

I think this would be a slap in the face to Dean et al.

[anonymous171]

25. You can make the public think anything. The trick is to define your opponent early on.

I'd say at the Dem convention. Everyone should just refer to McCain as "Bush's third term."

[MaineDem]

26. The it's up to us to remind them!

I'm sure it will make a fine bumper sticker.

[Thrill]

28. Wasn't there a poll a week ago. Saying Bush Hurts McCain more than Wright

hurts Bush. So where does this guy get this?

[blogslut]

31. Sid Blumenthal is out of his mind

The only people that don't see McCain as a continuation of Dubya are far right-wingers that just want to keep president crappy in office for life.

[anigbrowl]

32. Well, he's right. McCain is MUCH more cuddly. If he had a beard he'd be like Santa.

It could be winning strategy for the GE. If he stops shaving says 'ho, ho, ho' a lot, by November he'll be able to surf on all the free advertising for Christmas.

[QC]

34. A lot of people have bought into the notion that McCain is a "maverick" of some sort.

It's a pretty stupid idea, but many people just bleat whatever they hear on the teevee, and lord knows plenty of blow-dried talking heads call McCain a maverick every chance they get.

[vivalarevolucion77]

36. Even Obama thinks McCain will be better than Bush

He said it recently.

[FredScuttle]

37. More lazy Beltway cocktail party bloviation

I think Pat Buchanan got in his ear at the last Vanity Fair shindig.

Hope Sidney had a designated driver that night...

[Major Hogwash]

39. Chris Matthews has to talk about this today!

Or Keith.