An article today by Ben Smith, Obama Asserts His Americanness, tries to make the case that a too rapturous reception in Europe could hurt Obama politically in the US general election. I strongly disagree and decided to post my response. As I read down the comments, I was surprised by the number of wingnut verbiage, so if you have a chance to post over there from time to time, it might balance the comments a little...not that Obamans weren't there too.
Here was my response:
I've heard the wingnut chatterati recite this meme before...popularity in Europe could hurt Obama.
I disagree and think this is a misreading of most of the American public. We like a rock star. We like being popular abroad. We enjoyed Clinton's popularity and it never hurt him at all...and I don't think it will hurt Obama either.
To the contrary, I think it will help him a lot with independents and reinforce the choice for Democrats.
The one exception to this prognosis is the 27% of people who still support Bush (the Republican partisan base). They are often Europe haters for what they see the region's of socialism, universal health care and general anti-americanism. (Plus they take way too many vacation days.)
So Obama's popularity will reinforce their vision of him as an arrugula-eating, latte-drinking, volvo-driving, speech-giving, soccer-playing, anti-American elitist who will stab us in the back by surrendering to the anti-democrats in Iraq and hugging the Iranians.
No surprise that these are the same people who will vote for the flip-flopping, wife-abusing, Abramoff buddy and potty mouth McCaint.
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I'm posting two or three times every day to one site or another to take on the Repub cheerleaders. I am so happy that the days when they could emit absurdities, lies, and smears are over! I hope it helps but it does, at least, make me feel better.