I predicted this as soon as I heard the announcement. Didn't think it'd make a magazine cover this quickly, but it shouldn't surprise me. These people are coordinated, there's no doubt about that. After watching the "War on Women" thing, the "Mitt Romney is a Bully" thing ... Journolist was just a bold symptom of this phenomenon.On the other hand ... looking at this picture, and the headline, and the fact that we know he is not, in fact, gay ...
This could backfire on him. Big time. :-)
4 comments:
I saw it as more than a gamble. I saw it as a clear sign of desperation. He has "given up" on certain states that he has determined he couldn't win anyway.
I wonder how this magazine cover plays in the Muslim worlds?
They have alternate covers for other countries (alternate stories, too, but I digress).
I'm guessing they removed the halo, photoshopped in his hand with a rock in it, and the headline read "Obama responds to gay marriage."
He has "given up" on certain states that he has determined he couldn't win anyway.
That's how I'd read it. Obama is flailing -- badly, blindly. I think he figures (correctly, with this economy) that his only chance for reelection is to weld together the Confederation of the Perpetually Aggrieved for one last go. Since he can't count on the "we're sick of Bush" vote (though God knows they'll try to revive that one, too), he's got to equal or increase his output of naive college kids from 2008. And since they're the one demographic in America besides "Democrat politicians" and "the media" who support gay marriage, he hopes this will mobilize them (although why he timed his announcement right before summer vacation is anyone's guess).
I think his political calculus --which I believe to be largely right -- goes something like this:
-- People who are turned off by my support for gay marriage wouldn't have voted for me anyway
-- it'll piss off black church leaders something fierce (something like 90% disapproval of anything gay in the black community), but so what? The worst they'll do is stay home... and in the end, a trumped-up Zimmerman-lite incident and a few disgusting, naked appeals to racial solidarity will get them out on election day
-- it'll mobilize the limousine liberals whose vote -- but not wallet -- we can count on. Make them put their money where their mouth is.
It remains to be seen if this will work. Honestly, I think it's a wash, electorally, and what they're really doing is throwing a Hail Mary downfield. Maybe Westboro Baptist starts showing up with "Romney 2012" signs or something, anything that gives them new visuals for their endless "Republicans are just a bunch of hateful hatey h8rs" media campaign.
"(although why he timed his announcement right before summer vacation is anyone's guess)."
Hoping for a new "Summer of Love"? ;-)
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