The Obama campaign is not happy that everyone is talking about "The Moment" from last night's debate and is trying today to recenter the narrative. Here's a memo they just put out, and do note the focus on John McCain....
TO: Interested PartiesFR: Obama Campaign
RE: “The Moment” from the debate
DA: February 22, 2008
There has been a lot of discussion this morning about what “the moment” in the debate was. In our view, the moment that most clearly demonstrated the difficulty Hillary Clinton would have drawing a clear contrast with John McCain in a general election was when she, quizzically, attacked him for supporting the war in Iraq. Clinton also voted for the war. See the exchange below:
KING: Senator Clinton, as you know, I think your number was about $342 million. You say they're worthy projects, as Senator Obama did, for your state and that's part of your job, to get money for worthy projects back in your state. Senator McCain, as you know, is proud of going around the country saying he's never asked for an earmark and he will never ask for an earmark. On the specific issue of pork barrel spending, fiscal accountability by the government at a time when many Americans frankly think, whether it is the House or the Senate, that you all waste money on things that aren't important to them, don't affect their daily lives, does he have a better case to make to the American people that, "I have done this my entire career; I will do it as president," on the issue of on the issue of wasteful pork barrel spending?
CLINTON: Well, no, not at all. Because he supported the wasteful tax cuts of the Bush administration and the Iraq war, with the billions of dollars... that have been spent, and wants it to continue…
The question is: how can Senator Clinton attack Senator McCain for authorizing the war, when she cast the very same vote?
When it comes to the key issues facing the American people, Obama is the one Democrat in this race who can give voters the clearest choice in this election. Obama opposed the war in Iraq, Clinton supported it. Obama has been clear on torture, Clinton has not. Obama opposed a bankruptcy bill harmful to middle class families, Clinton supported one – yet later said she was glad it hadn’t become law. Obama opposed bad trade agreements, Clinton supported NAFTA and trade with China.
And on issue after issue – from bad trade deals to the war in Iraq – Clinton and McCain were on the same side.
The American people deserve a clear choice in this election and Barack Obama, on issue after issue against McCain, offers the opportunity to choose change we can believe in versus a third term of George Bush’s policies.
Heh, Marc, I don't think you really understand what they're talking about. At the very least, your definition of "moment" is different from the common usage (and this email's usage) of "moment."
Besides, seems to me like the three big themes under discussion are:
1. "Change you can Xerox"
2. Hillary's valedictory closing
3. Debate was a tie, therefore going to the winner (i.e., Hillary didn't derail Obama's momentum)
Also, I should go ahead and mention that the focus is on McCain because for all practical purposes, McCain is Obama's rival at this point. Either McCain is going to be the nominee, or Clinton is going to destroy the Democratic Party in the process of becoming the nominee. Those are, literally, the only two possibilities at this point.
Of course, I can imagine that things seem a little different inside the Clinton echo chamber. Step outside and come visit us one of these days, Marc -- it's nice out here. :)
Posted by Jeff Larson | February 22, 2008 12:03 PM