Have you viewed the video kicking off Obama’s re-election campaign (which was all anyone was Tweeting about this morning, it seemed)?
Not much to say about it — because it doesn’t have much, or really anything, to say.
All it really conveys is… feelings. Vague feelings at that. And even for communicating vague feelings, it’s low key.
I’m a bit of a wonkish sort, and prefer a tad more heft than this — not much, just a bit would do. Presumably, more substance is to come. But then again, I’m reminded that Obama is a Democrat, and that party reflects the distaff side of the gender gap, so…
OK, there’s more I could have said there, but I thought better of it. Each party has its aspects that fail to connect with me, and with the Dems it tends to be a certain… femininity… in communication style.
There, I said it. Fine. I haven’t been yelled at all day; might as well start.
Of course, hats off to the ad wizards behind this because they DID start off with a Southern white guy. From the beginning, you hear that voice, over the touchy-feely strumming of an acoustic guitar, and you think: Who’s that? Certainly doesn’t sound like most Obama supporters I know. Which, of course, is what I’m supposed to think. What that guy is saying, by being who he is demographically, is “Don’t put Obama in a box.”
Anyway, what did y’all think of it?
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Not just a southern white guy…specifically a guy from North Carolina. One more signal (along with the convention in Charlotte) that they intend to fight hard to hang onto to that state and Virginia next year. And then I see Colorado up near the front, too, in the video. And various demographics, check, check, check.
Yeah, one does get the sense there’s someone standing there with a clipboard, checking boxes. “Yep, got one of those, and one of those, yep…”
“What did you say you were going to do?”
“What did you do?”
That’s all voters should care about.
For me, Obama has beeb pretty much George Bush’s third term (other than the Obamacare debacle).
No hope. No change. Same political games.
The video was designed to remind the faithful that Obama won because enough people got involved. It’s not designed to advance a political manifesto.
Since women live longer and tend to be less likely to support endless war I find the feminization of the Democratic Party a plus, not something to denigrate. It’s certainly better than drill, kill and shill (for the rich) like the GOP does.
Obama’s been a somewhat disappointing president. But unlike his predecessor he does have a modest list of accomplishments he can point to. We are finally getting out of Iraq. Unemployment is down from recession highs. Inflation remains modest. We have a flawed but improved health care system.
If the GOP plays the jobs card in 2012 it could backfire if the unemployment rate continues to drop. Hopefully they’ll nominate Sarah Palin and any doubt about the sanity of that crazy band of fools will vanish instantly. Probably won’t happen though. My money is on Romney. He’s the least crazy and it’s his turn. I’d give him about a 50/50 chance of becoming the nominee.
It’s all advertsing, as you know. There’s nobody in there that anybody would object to, which is a little bit disingenuous.
I do wish the Republicans had it this easy. I fear thar our party is made up of multiple faces, some of which repulse the others.
I concur with what you say about this being more feelings than substance. I guess that’s why my impression of this video was that it was more designed to be a re-launch (or re-re-launch?) of the whole Obama grassroots supporting network (maybe changing the “O” back from “Organzing” to “Obama” in the “Obama for America” branding). But this is being widely regarded as being the re-election announcement of Obama 2012, and I agree it’s pretty weak for that purpose. But I bet it still makes the Obama grassroots people feel warm and fuzzy.
You know what’s really ironic about this approach on this video?
The fact that, as much as the Democratic Party is about feelings, Obama himself is not. He’s like a Vulcan. About as detached and cerebral as you get… You know, “No-Drama Obama.”
@ Doug Ross — I guess if you have always had quality health care coverage, there’s been no hope, no change, but for the millions of Americans who did not have group coverage, couldn’t get individual coverage, were afraid they might lose their coverage, or the parents of a young twenty-something who couldn’t find a job, things look a lot better today than they did before Obama.
Of course, the Republicans are doing their best to change that.
and Brad–
ARE YOU CALLING THE DEMOCRATS GIRLIE MEN?
How’s that for yelling–not that I have any problem with being the girly party, being a girl and all.
No, only the men in the Democratic Party are girlie men. The others are just girlies.
Whatever happened to Democrats like JFK? HE was no girlie. And then, along came Alan Alda…
Speaking of which, I had an interesting culture-clash moment at the Republican National Convention in NYC in 04.
The morning after Ah-nold had called the Dems girlie-men, there was a problem with the plumbing in my hotel room (shower wouldn’t drain). Two guys were sent to fix it. They learned I was there for the convention, and somehow the subject of Arnold came up. I said something designed to elicit a response from them on subject (like, “Wow, he really lit into the opposition last night, huh?”), and they started lecturing ME about how wrong and inappropriate that speech was, and how terribly offended they were. Their tone implied that it was in some way my fault (because New Yorkers, I found, had a hard time distinguishing convention delegates from the media there to cover them — they were all unwelcome guests, and somehow all culpable).
You know, a Southerner expects to hear the words they were saying at a college faculty wine-and-cheese soiree, but not from a couple of blue-collar guys fixing the drain on his bathtub.
Which really reminded me I was not in SC…
@kathryn
Most of the health care bill doesn’t kick in until 2014 – a convenient choice to deflect any potential negative impact until after 2012.
I’m not saying there aren’t bits and pieces of the bill that are necessary – it’s all the stuff people have no idea is coming that never should have been in there in the first place.
I think this particular spot is just for the purpose of reminding potential challengers that the Tea Party isn’t the only one that can assemble a winning coalition.
Hopefully they’ll nominate Sarah Palin and any doubt about the sanity of that crazy band of fools will vanish instantly.
This kind of attitude — wishing upon America that one of its only two choices for president will be someone who is completely unelectable — is disgusting.
Brad says:
“You know what’s really ironic about this approach on this video?
The fact that, as much as the Democratic Party is about feelings, Obama himself is not. He’s like a Vulcan. About as detached and cerebral as you get… You know, “No-Drama Obama.””
There is a contingent of people on the internet that think Obama may be INFP. I am INFP – I am not so sure about that being his type. But INFPs do have the capacity to come off looking very cerebral and detached and reserved, while actually being quite deep feelers internally (which seems to go with your comment). I definately get N and P from Obama – I think he is probably closer to the line on E/I and T/F. But I don’t know who can really tell through the media filter.
Brad, you may say that Obama is “cerebral” but he has 84% “likeability” ratings…which obviously covers a lot of people who disagree with him…like “Ed from NC” in the video. You might find this piece from Time interesting on the obvious strategies in evidence from this campaign launch video.
The overall approach is going to be a reprise of Reagan’s ’84 campaign. And, worth noting: Obama’s ratings are 7% higher than RR’s were at this same point in 1983.
Phillip, you say, “Brad, you may say that Obama is “cerebral” but…”
BUT? No, to me, “cerebral” and “likable” are synonymous. If he were all touchy-feely, like Bill “Bite My Lip and Shed A Tear” Clinton, that would be a BAD thing in my book.
And Scout, I don’t know about INFP. I’m an INTP, and what I was trying to say was that he’s more of a T than an F. Again, a GOOD thing from my point of view…
But introverts flip their letters depending on whether they are in their comfort zone/group. To their friends or people who share their passions, they appear more like extraverts [sic], and so on.
When Obama is in his querencia (a great word Bill Buckley taught me– the part of the ring that a bull feels comfortable in), if he is an introvert, he will favor feelings over logic, or vise versa.
vice versa.
Dang it, Brad!
but Doug, many parts ARE in effect– I did not have to pay for my colonoscopy, for example.
You posited that there was no hope/no change. There is both.
@Katrhryn
Many or most? The mandatory coverage requirement is going to end up with the Supreme Court. Many states are balking at the requirements. And there is significant research that suggests that the false positives of “free” procedures are not worth the expense.
@David–I kinda agree with you, but would you rather they nominated Bachman?
I can’t get a colonoscopy per my insurer, without a referral from my primary care physician. I met the requirement–I was over 50 and had not had a screening. Of course, if PCPs are doling out mammogram referrals and colonoscopy referrals like some dole out needless antibiotics, that’s bad, but if we catch somebody’s polyps before they go cancerous, we’ve saved a lot.If we treat someone’s high blood pressure before they stroke out or wipe out their kidneys, we save big!
I do agree that the risk and expense of false positives is huge–I adhere to the less frequent standard for getting mammograms, because I do understand the science behind the recommendation. Similarly the risk from over- prescribed antibiotics is well-documented. That’s why we need to fund better science education!