slinkerwink has a very passionate and immediately critical diarly sitting on top of the Rec list screaming "DON'T APOLOGIZE, Barack Obama!!!" Go read it. Now.
I agree, but feel it is incomplete. The main thrust of this diary and almost all the comments are missing the most important point. There is far too much mis-placed energy and worry that Obama needs to simply be tough and hit back hard. It isn't that Obama shouldn't be tough or hit back, but that this in and of itself is secondary. Rather, Obama needs to connect McCain to Bush, change the talking points of this cycle, and put McCain on the defensive.
Obama should strongly defend his comments... and in case you haven't seen them, they're lovely:
"You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig... You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called 'change,' it's still gonna stink after eight years."
You know all that talk about how Obama needing to stay on topic and focus on McCain = Bush? Now is the best time. Everyone is running with these qoutes. Obama, tell it like it is!
When he is asked about the "still a pig" comment, Obama should REPEAT IT and use the opportunity to connect McCain to Bush:
"What I said was, 'You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig... You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called 'change,'it's still gonna stink after eight years.' And it's true. The American people aren't stupid. McCain's policy is just like George W. Bush's -- voting with him over 90% of the time. He can wrap it in anything he wants -- distractions, lies, DISHONORABLE (use this term!) attack ads -- but it doesn't change the fact that what he is offering this nation is more of the same. More of the same failed policies of George W. Bush. More of the dishonorable and destructive politics from Karl Rove and the lobbyists that controlled George W. Bush and now controll the McCain campaign. A pig is a pig no matter what he (yes, use the masculine... meaning, 'No, I wasn't calling Palin a pig, I'm calling McCain a pig!) wears. And after eight years, this fish stinks! This country needs real change."
That's my two pennies on this topic.
My challenge:
My family is bypassing our usual Sat dinner eatting out and instead will be staying home and eatting PB&J (and watching a movie - we're making it a family night). We figure we'll save $30. We'll donate it to Obama. We can do this for what, about 7 or 8 more Saturdays before the election, and that's almost $250. And the topper, my son gets involved in this process and feels as if he's helping Obama.
What can you give up for Obama until the election? Let me know.
Peace.