[National Review Online] David Frum: McCain attacked Obama incorrectly

Carl Herrera · Oct 7, 2008

http://frum.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDFiNTQ1YjIxNjdhZGQwNjRlZjczMmEyMTUyMjM1MWY=

I like this take: Obama certainly isn't free of the messiness of politics, particularly Chicago politics, but he is no radical Ayers-sympathizing treason-committing terriorist.

It's entirely fair to question whether his claim as an agent of transformation is grossly overstated when he's been happily participating in the traditional game of politic (and doing quite well at it).

It is rather far-fetched to say that, as President, Obama is going to follow a radical agenda and ally with terrorist. In fact, making such a claim makes yourself sound a little unhinged.

"The Chicago Way"

My pals over at the Corner are very excited by the last-minute attempt to transform Bill Ayers into the Willie Horton of 2008. Well, good luck

In 1988, crime was a huge and rising problem - and Democrats still by and large resisted the effective crime control policies being developed at places like the Manhattan Institute and that would achieve such great results in the 1990s. So Willie Horton, the furloughed rapist and murderer, symbolized in very graphic terms something important and significant about Michael Dukakis the candidate.

But Bill Ayers? Does anybody really seriously believe that Barack Obama is a secret left-wing radical? And if not, then what is this fuss and fury supposed to show? It's like Ronald Reagan's opponents trying to beat him by pointing out that Birchers once supported him.

Negative campaigning only works when it offers a new data point to support a convincingly drawn hostile image.

So try this instead: The real problem with Barack Obama is not that he's a bomb-thrower, but that he's a product of the "Chicago way."

[T]he Chicago Way leads through the most politically corrupt city in America, in a politically corrupt state, where muscle trumps reason, where Democratic warlords brazenly promote their offspring into public office, where even souls are offered up for sale. ...

How, for example, could change agent Obama endorse the boss of the Chicago machine, Mayor Richard Daley, after Daley's friends and drinking buddies, white guys with mob connections, received $100 million in city affirmative action contracts, a crime that sent one of them to federal prison?

The mayor said there is no such thing as a machine. Does Obama truly believe there is no machine that runs Chicago and Cook County? Then he should declare it. And, if so, then how does he explain the Daley hacks sitting in federal prison for rigging thousands of city jobs?

McCain could ask about the machine trolls Obama endorsed per Daley's direction. And what of Obama's own political mentor, the legendary city sewer inspector/Illinois Senate President Emil Jones (D-ComEd), who upon retirement will convert almost $600,000 in campaign cash and stuff it into his pockets, and begin cashing a fat public pension, as his son, Emil III, takes Daddy's place in the legislature, courtesy of the Democratic bosses.

Is this the change we've been waiting for?

McCain could ask about Obama's real estate fairy, the convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko, who is now apparently cooperating with federal investigators probing the dealings of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who also campaigned as a reformer. Rezko is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 28. How was the Rezko-Obama real estate deal, the one that Obama himself described as "boneheaded," never made a subject of a Senate Ethics Committee investigation?

Obama is not some wild-eyed radical. He's a normal Chicago politician. That's the problem.

Unfortunately for our team, it's probably not a big enough problem
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Frum is right, too, though... about this last part. Voters aren't really looking for the Messiah for the most part. People are OK with a typical politician, as long as it is a competent typical politician, which Obama has done a good job showing himself to be.

weslinder · Oct 7, 2008

I agree with this article. I wrote the following ranting, train of thought email to a group of friends when I was stuck in Chicago during Ike. (And no I don't really think Obama is going to lose, it was just hope on my part.)

I ****ing hate Chicago. It's the ****tiest big city in the United States. I know I'm testy right now, and it's a quick judgment, but I'm pretty sure that it's sincere. This city sucks at every level. I'm basically stuck because of floodwaters in a nightmare situation. It starts when you get here. I wait in line for a long time in plain view of a sign that says, "Mayor Daley Welcomes You to Chicago", to pay a $2.75 toll to sit on a road that's way too small for the traffic load, and is in horrible shape, with bridges that look like they're going to fall down yesterday, in plain view of trains and tracks behind 20 years on their maintenance schedule only to pay two more tolls to get off. Every bit of infrastructure looks horrible, and much of the private property does, too. I spend what feels like weeks on the roads to get to my hotel, which smells, to be waited on by rude people who don't much like to work. I go out to a restaurant with more rude people, and end up paying 15% more than the list price (before tip) because of all the additive taxes. It rains all day and all night, not hard, but steady (probably 3 inches). All that water drains to low points in the streets, and then stays there. There's no street drains, no pumps. I'm guessing it'll stay here until it evaporates. And just because government services aren't being done doesn't mean that you don't see government. There are city cars, cops, city workers, county cars, and county workers everywhere. A few of them are guarding road construction zones, but I can't figure out for the life of me what the rest are doing.

I kinda understand why everyone is an *******. I definitely understand why they love the Cubs so much. If you live in such a miserable place, it can make you pissy, and it definitely makes you want to seek an outlet to comiserate with other assholes that are treated just as badly.

And apparently it's not the state or even the region. I can go 4 miles west of where I'm at now, enter Du Page County, and the roads are drained, well-maintained, the buildings look nice, avoid the 6% Chicago City sales tax, and not see any city or county workers standing around. The people aren't exactly friendly, but they're not assholes either. Apparently in Du Page County, they know the proper role of government, maintain infrastructure, provide services, and don't just hire a bunch of people for their votes.

Chicago is definitely Obama country. He's part of the machine that hasn't done much for the general welfare, but has given jobs and handouts for enough people to be necessary. Every third car has an Obama sticker, and no McCain-Palin stickers. I can't wait to see the riots when Obama loses. God knows they can't make this city much worse.
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pgabriel · Oct 7, 2008

The only way this works is if people understand machine politics. the only legitimate point is the rezko case, in which obama has not even been implicated in. the case has nothing to do with home.

so I disagree, people understand terrorists, they understand left wing commines, either strategy is guilt by association. people just don't care because its negative and in these times people want solutions

get a clue frum, the dow is about to drop 1000 points, SINCE THE BAILOUT. PEOPLE WANT SOLUTIONS, NOT NEGATIVITY

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[National Review Online] David Frum: McCain attacked Obama incorrectly

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