Analysis: Obama counts on voters looking to big picture
By Peter S. Canellos, Globe Staff
WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama tonight staked his presidential campaign on the idea that the American people will look beyond the inevitable gaffes and errors and character attacks of a 24-hour campaign cycle to meet the challenges of a "defining moment" in American history.
Hillary Clinton staked her campaign on the idea that Americans won't -- and that her tougher, more strategic approach to countering Republican attacks is a better way for Democrats to reclaim the White House.
The first half of tonight's debate in the august National Constitution Center in Philadelphia was a tawdry affair, as ABC news questioners called on Obama and Clinton to address a year's worth of dirty laundry, and each combatant eagerly grabbed at the chance to befoul their rival a little more.
But while some in the audience groaned, the litany of nasty questions -- about such matters as Obama's comments on the working class and Clinton's exaggerations about dangers she faced in Bosnia -- helped to flesh out a long-simmering subtext to the Clinton-Obama battle: The Clinton campaign's insinuation that Obama is more vulnerable to GOP-style attacks on his patriotism.
For Obama, the harsh questioning from Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos of ABC News probably felt as though the media was trying to make up for a year's worth of allegedly ginger treatment all in one night. But it clarified the sharply different postures of the two campaigns.
On a range of matters -- from his comments about the "bitter" working class, to his pastor's controversial statements, to why he doesn't wear flag pins, to his association with a former member of the Weather Underground -- Obama was mostly unrepentent: Even as he sought to explain himself, he rarely missed a chance to call on Americans to take a higher path.
"If it's not this it will be something else," he said when asked how he would respond if Republicans attacked him for angry statements by his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.
"Unless we can bridge some of these divides, we're not going to solve problems in this country," he said at another point.
Clinton wasn't so high-minded. At times, she seemed to revel in her tough-gal statements, sounding like a character in a 1940s film noir.
"I may be a lot of things but I'm not dumb," she stated in response to a question about her exaggeration of the dangers she faced in Bosnia.
Later, she quipped, "I have a lot of baggage, and everyone has rummaged through if for years."
But the overall tone of the debate undermined the personas that both candidates were trying to present. Clinton wanted to show her tough skin, but she sometimes seemed a little mean, throwing gas on old Obama controversies with gratuitous statements such as her claim that Obama had given "some kind of seal of approval" to Rev. Wright.
Obama, for his part, tried to resurrect some old Clinton controversies, including her famous 1992 complaint about not wanting to "stay home and bake cookies." He seemed eager to remind people that she could be condescending, too.
The tit-for-tat comment showed how off-message Obama was for most of the evening, able to conjure up little of the hopeful energy that has marked his campaign for much of the year.
"The tone of what he's been saying has been down, a little on the negative side," said Donald F. Kettl, a political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, near the end of the debate. "He has that great message of change, but that didn't come through tonight."
What did come through, however, was how crucial Obama's self-described "bet on the American people" will be to the future of his campaign.
Obama has said on countless occasions that he believes the American people want "an honest conversation," and not a campaign of charges and countercharges.
For 15 months, he has flayed away at such "politics as usual," with good results. But lately, politics as usual has struck back, and Obama has been wounded.
At tonight's debate, some of the wounds were apparent. But he asked not so much for forgiveness, as for the right to move on.
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This was the worst debate I have ever seen in my life.
Whatever happened to issues like MARK PENN, and NAFTAGATE? Bosnia sniper fire was mentioned just in passing, while Obama grilled for a whole 30 minutes on his pastor, something which he had nothing to do with?
It was BLATANTLY UNFAIR TO OBAMA.
I think Obama was extremely angry, which was very understandable. The questions had been rehashed for weeks. There was only one tough question for Hillary.
Hillary's said she would not have stayed in a church if the pastor blamed the US for 9/11. The first sermon in my all white church after 9/11 said something similar to what Rev Wright said, although much more indirect. It was in a United Methodist Church, the church Hillary has been a member of her entire life. The same church Bush claimed; however, the church sent him letter before the war telling him not to invade Iraq. They have sent Bush many other letters, including, "United Methodist do not torture." Both pastors were correct, the US had no valid reason to kill innocent people in Iraq and kill our military and other civilians.
"Are we in some way responsible for what is happening in Iraq by the way we live our lifestyle? Is it our own desires for oil for our SUVs that caused the war to happen? Is it something about the way we live our life - that we haven't made our own life clean and pure yet that is somehow allowing a tyrant to be in control of people in Iraq because of the natural resources that are there? Tough questions for us, questions that are hard to get a handle on because we want to think we are doing things the right way, because we always want to think we are the good people. "
Did you watch the same debate as I did? She did seem to revel in it, but he took more than one pass at counterpunching. He did seem frustrated at the questions, but so was I. I don't give a whit about that nonsense. McCain is a walking gaffe machine, so it's not like the GOP has a robot like champion on their side. Furthermore, this country is in serious trouble. These are not the times for politics as usual. People are losing their homes, jobs and ways of life. We are grinding our military into dust and no one is talking about all the tens of thousands of disabled vets that we need to prepare to treat with respectful care for ther rest of their lives...these moderators totally blew it. And your analysis was completely out of touch with your readers--I am from Massachusetts. Your analysis barely rises to the level of color commentary at a dog show--you media folks need to do your jobs better--
Gibson and Stepha. . . ambushed Obama and he did well anyway. Who gave Clinton the questions in advance of the debate. She continually looked down at her notes on her long winded responses. Somethings never change. ABC sucks - everyone at ABC looks like mashpotatoe heads and I'm sick of their soroity party tactics. I can't believe how I've switched to other stations for the news and only because I've been driven away by their portrayal of pompusness, puffed up spineless character and mashpotatoe heads brains slither down to their butts so does that make them butt heads?
Note that Obama refused to disown Wright in the debate. Perhaps if he becomes President, Reverend Wright can stop in occasionaly at the white house for lunch and the two can do a toast to Farrahkan.
clinton totally presented herself brilliantly tonight, obama just looked pathetic and bitter lol
Since I was unable to listen to the debate, I have been reading reviewers' comments and I think this review by Peter Cannellos hit the nail on the head. He brought out more clearly than all of the other journalists managed to do the fact that Ombama didn't stress his "great message of change", his characteristic genuine belief that change IS possible in Washington, and that he knows how to bring it about. "The Audacity of Hope", the phrase he copied from Rev. Wright, was missing. Too bad. But noone is perfect.
I missed most of the debate. Gotcha! But how did Hillary do?
Americans are capable of seeing the big picture. This vicious, bitter, dogfight politics as usual is something that we're accustomed to, and help sustain. We're comfortable with our myopia, venomously feeding on every attack, every minor gaffe, every ridiculous accusation because looking at the Big Picture would (or at least, should) make us feel extremely uncomfortable. Obama also assumed that Americans could handle having the scabs ripped off our underlying racial and class divides. He's clearly wrong. We're not willing to face the depth to which racism is still embedded in the fabric of America nor do we want to face the prejudices that are inherent in our system of class, the way that each class looks down on the next lower class as lazy, incompetent, or morally deficient (if not all 3).
It's Obama's turn to take a punch and he fails miserably. He's not one to pick himself up. He seems pretty petty to me - bringing up the cookie comment from 15 years ago. Must be pretty desperate to bring that up.
I'm sure he wants to move on and wants all of us to see the big picture. Except my big picture doesn't have Obama in it. He is not post-racial or transcendental or whatever he is trying to market himself as, he’s just a Chicago politician who is being called out on a bunch of unsavory liaisons and condescending remarks when he thought he was not on camera.
So, Obama wants to take the high road and Hillary wants to take the low road?
I know which one I'm voting for.
Obama's performance was disappointing. It was if -ABC was giving us a preview what would happen in a general election if Barack is the Democratic Nominee, and it was pretty weak. I think the winner of tonight's debate is McCain.
Clinton for USA President...baggage and all the controversies...she'll fight for me.
If he's wrong in his bet, then God help us all, and we deserve what we get.
This debate was the most fair one yet. I liked that the responses were timed, and each were given an equal amount of time. I liked that the questions were staggered, and that they "flipped a coin" to see who would go first on opening and closings. I was impressed that both were challenged with tough questions and not allowed to wiggle out of fully answering.
ABC handled this debate in a very admirable way, and I think both candidates supporters should have been satisfied with the fairness of the debate, for a change. This is how journalists should handle debates. Both got tough questions.
My main observation is that Clinton was ASKED questions about her positions on Wright and Obama's bitter comments, and she responded, owning her position, while Obama hedged on the Bosnia question, admitting his "campaign" was hammering on it, "of course," yet somehow dodging personal responsibility for what his campaign is doing? That just seemed dishonest to me. If his campaign is doing it - HE is. I'd much rather see the candidates own their positions and actions, than try and appear above the fray, when their actions don't match the perception they're trying to falsely portray.
Obama is done and must drop out.He dislikes the working class people and maybe dislikes rest of us somewhere deep inside.Who knows.
Since I live in the west coast, I saw the debate 3 hrs. later. However, earlier today, I read some comments from east coast viewers, and it became fairly obvious the the ones who complained were OBAMA supporters! (hahaha)
They make me laugh, because the only time they ever approve of anything is when their candidate "shows" better. Meaning, CNN and MSNBC who are so unashamedly pro-Obama. BUT even in those debates, the consensus was that Hillary beat Obama!
Hillary definitely was more articulate in the ABC debate as well, and once more, soundly beat Obama! She had more specific answers and solutions, and Obama seemed to be groping his way for explanations.
It's about time he was vetted the way ABC did, because he needed to answer these questions with more forthright explanations. He was so trying to get away from the subject by being dismissive about the questions, saying "we need to get beyond this". Well the Republicans will certainly not let him get away with it! They have nothing to offer the people in November, so you can believe they will be after him obsessively.
Hogwash, drivel article. More untruths in here then sand in a desert.
The wolves were out tonight ... Charles Gibson and George Stephanopolis of
Third Reich fame didn't waste any time in the torturing of Obama. The only person who won tonight was John McCain........ I can't remember right now, but where did George Stephanopolis work before ? Accepting to do this debate was the worst mistake that the candidates could have made. Howard Dean should not have allowed this to happen. It really set back the Democratic Party.
I have truly enjoyed the Dem competition, and I believe it has made both candidates better prepared for the next step. I also, believe that Hillary's negative campaign tatics, her issues with the truth, her display of lacking leadership in her campaign, and her "I" will win at all costs (forget about everyone else) attitude has cost her the election. The super deligates see her ethical flaws, and the voters have developed such strong negative feelings for the oposition that they may have rendered each other as unelectable
I hope Pa will stick it to the male. I have lived in Pa, and I believe in the pople there.
hillary was, as usual negative. Does she not understand that people are sick and tired of her and her tactics? She may feel like she came out the winnter tonight, but she may just find that her negative rating have gone up even more.
She forgers that Rev Wright helped Bill during his Monica Lewinsky sexual trysts. He was fine when he could be of help to the Clintons. But isn't that how the Clintons operate, once they are done with you they throw under the bus? Witness Governor Richardson and Patti Solis, just to name a few.
Hillary's fraudulant claims about Bosnia and sniper fire and then joking and laughing about sniper fire on the Jay Leno Show ("I was late because I got caught in snipr fire".) is far worse than anything Senator Obama has said. She insulted our military forces, the 4000+ who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afganistan and all previous wars. She has insulted everyone serving in these wars and all the maimed, injured, mentally and physically. She has insulted the families and loved ones of those who paid the ultimate price for a war she helped propel. Shame on you, Hillary!! You are NOT worthy of being Commander-in-Chief of our military services!!
Those only concerned with soundbite campaigns focused on non-issue-character-assassinations are the HRC campaign and the media. On the former, its all they know and on the latter, it's how they make money. Americans are sick tired of the BS and wants a President they can be proud of, who can articulate a thought that lasts more than 2 minutes and who can inspire a generation. Obama will be such a President. I just hope Americans desire such change.
If Obama can't win with working class white voters why should he be the nominee? If he cannot win PA or Ohio why should he be the nominee? If he can’t win in Florida, Michigan, California, or the states that really matters what good is he? Why can’t he close the deal? The argument that the person who wins the most states is garbage. In November the winner takes all Electoral College heavily favors Clinton. "Super Dems" be smart and choose the hill that is where you will fine a win for the houses.