I really don't know why i continue to torment myself with Morning Edition. Every day it's a new hit piece on Obama. Every day it's free advertising, first for Hillary, now for McCain.
Today's hit piece comes courtesy of Fox News' own Mara Liasson. Which might explain why the whole thing reads like a Fox News chyron - only without the question mark.
It's here. They were kind enough to enclude a transcript this time, so you can read it for yourself.
I guess we'll begin at the beginning.
He lost nine of the last 14 primaries
What's so significant about the last 14? Why not talk about the twelve in a row that he won?
Leon Panetta, who served as White House chief of staff under former President Bill Clinton, says Obama still faces problems with swing voters in swing states.
No kidding. A Clinton surrogate is concern trolling on NPR. Well you could just knock me over with a feather.
But surely, you say, at some point they're going to quote somebody from the Obama camp to lend at least some semblance of balance to their "reportage".
Nope. Panetta has 144 words in the piece, as opposed to 179 - split between THREE OTHER PEOPLE. I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.
Anyway, back to what Panetta said.
"By virtue of having lost some of those big states and some of those very important constituencies that are important — Latino, white, rural, a lot of the blue-collar women's vote — he can't afford to not get those votes back in the Democratic Party. ... Those fault lines have cost the Democrats, I think, seven of the last 10 presidential races," he says.
Wow, how surprising - a pre-concession-Hillary talking point. Sure, Obama lost some big states - in a PRIMARY. Does anybody really think that New York or California will wind up voting Republican this year? Obviously Obama carries Illinois, he's currently ahead in polls of both Pennsylvania and Ohio... Exactly what big states were we talking about again?
And as to the constituancies (I'm really surprised hard working, white hard working Americans weren't in there somewhere) - I've heard Obama is currently carrying women with a greater margin than Kerry did. I've been trying to find more detailed polling data on latinos but not having much luck. Can anybody point me to some numbers?
He even has problems with Jewish voters
With no mention of what those problems were, or who says so. Trust us.
A certain number of Hillary Clinton Democrats will come home to Obama
Last number I heard was seventy-five percent. Even if that's as good as it gets, it's still more than "a certain number". It's "most".
Given that McCain is facing the worst political landscape for a Republican since Watergate, GOP pollster Glenn Bolger is relieved to find out that Obama may have feet of clay.
See what I mean about the Fox News chyron? Can't you just see it? "Does obama have feet of clay?"
Instead, Republicans will be trying to make Obama slip up by pressuring him. If the Democratic nominating fight was a steep learning curve for Obama, the general election could feel like Mount Everest.
So, let's review this hit-piece's talking points (and yes, I'm liberally paraphrasing):
- He can't win because he lost momentum at the end of the primary.
- He can't win because he doesn't do well with low-income, low-information voters.
- He can't win because he's black.
- He can't win because he's not a fighter.
- He can't win because he got hammered in a completely fair three-against-one debate.
In short - say it with me, everybody - HE CAN'T WIN!