Rick Davis Has A Suffix Issue

When Republicans want to disrepsect Democrats or raise money off of them, they drop the suffix "ic" from the adjective form of the party's name.

Here's Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, writing in a fundraising solicitiation today:

If Barack Obama is the Democrat nominee in the general election, the American people will have a clear choice between two different visions - Senator Obama's liberal, elitist philosophy and John McCain's faith in the small town values that continue to make America great. John McCain will not forget them or write them off. Neither should Barack Obama.

(I could quibble with several things about the paragraph, including the "small town" values slam, which betrays a bias against the estimated 232,000,000 Americans who live in what the government considers to be an urban area.)

Anyway, the branding of Obama has begun.

Comments

It's time for a democratic candidate (and I should add bloggers like Marc) to state this fact - Republican's treat these small town people like rubes. They scare them with gays and false threats that democrats want to take away their guns.
They claim democrats will increase their taxes, but when they pass tax cuts they give pennies to small town folk and middle class while they take millions.

That is elitism.

Posted by bjd | April 14, 2008 2:05 PM

If nothing else the Republicans are busy proving that they think the same way as Obama.

"Look at this elitist! Doesn't he remind you of your rich boss? He doesn't respect your values! Doesn't that make you angry? Now stop listening to what he's saying and send us your money so we can protect your small-town values, because we're the only ones who share them!"

Posted by neil | April 14, 2008 2:15 PM

Is there any politically aware person in America who believes that that the GOP wouldn't use the same exact phrasing no matter who the Democrat [sic] nominee is?

Posted by Vermonter | April 14, 2008 2:16 PM

Regardless of "-ic"(which I find hilarious), McCain's whole message apparatus sucks. Everytime I read something that comes from there I mentally say I'm Outraged! Rapid Action Alert! I'm Outraged! Tone it down, damnit!

Posted by ninjapirate | April 14, 2008 2:23 PM

Maybe we should let the GOP or Rush Limbaugh pick our nominee, that would immunize us from being called elitist, communist, liberal and doo doo heads.

Posted by bjd | April 14, 2008 2:23 PM

Yeah McCain sure does know about small town values. He us sure suffering since he is worth $100 million dollars, has 8 homes and a $4.6 million dollar condo. Yep that's small town values for you.

Posted by Ann | April 14, 2008 2:24 PM

Ann, you can be rich and not be a condescending ass. The problem isn't the bitterness or the elitism, its the Machiavellian social engineering calculation.

Posted by ninjapirate | April 14, 2008 2:28 PM

When did the dropping the "ic" become so popular? I first noticed it with one of Bush's State of the Union addresses a few years back (or maybe his second Inaugural Address). Now I hear it all the time. Was I just not paying attention before?

Posted by Chunche | April 14, 2008 2:45 PM

Dropping the "ic" dates back to tail gunner Joe McCarthy.

Oh and remember when McCain said Americans wouldn't pick lettuce for 50 dollars an hour? How does that rank on the condescending elitist meter?

Posted by fahey | April 14, 2008 2:50 PM

Marc, you pick up on a point I raised in a comment to a prior post. Where is the outrage over the lionization of "small-town" Americans as the paragons of virtue, good citizenship and patriotism? These sentiments are very demeaning to all of us who live in big cities. Senator McCain should be taken to task for his remarks.

Isn't it just as elitist to suggest that people in small towns are more virtuous than urban dwellers? I'm sick of these small-town apologists looking down their noses at the culture and values of those of us in big cities.

Posted by Brian | April 14, 2008 2:56 PM

Well, if the branding has already begun, then clearly Obama should step aside and let Hillary run against McCain. Nothing at all comes to my mind to which Republicans will use against Hillary.

With Hillary as the nominee, Republicans will, for the first time since 2000, be forced to talk about the issues the public cares about most instead of developing a charicature of their opponent as a means of giving voters a reason to not vote for the Democrat.

Hillary is clean as a whistle, and will not have to endure any sniper fire from the Republicans.

So well done, Marc, for presenting the reason why Hillary should be the nominee. You won't find this well-thought truism presented by the Obama-lovin' MSM.

Posted by Mikelx | April 14, 2008 3:09 PM

Please, please, please rerun the Dukakis-Kerry campaign against Obama.

Posted by neilrlca | April 14, 2008 3:30 PM

Oh and remember when McCain said Americans wouldn't pick lettuce for 50 dollars an hour? How does that rank on the condescending elitist meter?

You mean because it seems he doesn't realize many Americans already work at unpleasant, low-prestige jobs for much lower pay? That's out of touch, but I don't see how it's condescending.

Posted by David Tomlin | April 14, 2008 3:47 PM

What, pray tell, are "small town values?" The McCain camp and the RNC makes them sound so wholesome and American. I grew up in a small town in Central Florida in the 1970s and remember the Klan marching in the Fourth of July parade; I remember going to church youth group meetings and being told how I was evil and going to hell because I liked to listen to pop/rock music; I remember the gossip about whose parents were getting divorced because dad slept with his golf buddies' wife; I remember my friend telling me how her mom is addicted to pain meds; and most of all, I remember wanting to get the hell out of that small town!

But I guess I need John McCain and the Republican party to remind me of those wholesome values now and how they are the icons of those "small town values." And that's an oh so easy reminder - everytime I look at McCain I'm reminded how he upholds those values: he refused to vote for MLK day (the Klan would be proud); he divorced his wife and married an heiress; and the wife/heiress stole pain pills and got addicted.

This ridiculous "small town values" drivel must be called on for what it is - a distraction from what really matters. And yes, I was temporarily distracted when I listed above all of the "values" McCain & the Repubs demonstrate.

But we can go on and on screaming about who is elitist, who has "small town values," who has a high bowling score, who can shoot duck, and who's the true patriot. Distractions. Let's talk about things that matter: a looming recession and what the government is going to do about it and how that might affect me; healthcare, and what happens if I lose my job and have to buy it on my own; the war in Iraq, and how long we are going to be there and why; and if the phone call my friend in Pakistan makes to me will be recorded by the government.

Posted by Stephanie | April 14, 2008 4:27 PM

Thank god the McCain campaign is talking about small town values that make America great! I was missing information on that important issue (it got lost in that bothersome Iraq war debate), and now I know which candidate is not going to forget that issue and never write it off. But can McCain please remind me exactly what they are again and why they exist only in small towns? Living in the big city has blinded me to seeing only big city values that make America crap.

Posted by SMN | April 14, 2008 4:40 PM

My error. I stumbled upon an "Elect the Democrat" website. Silly me; I thought it was Marc Ambinder's blog at The Atlantic.

Democrats, when they condescend to Americans in places like Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Wilkinsburg (PA, The City of Churches, where I've lived), may be no more guilty of elitism than Republicans.

What they are guilty of is a big ol' 55-gallon drum full of hypocrisy. The Democrats of today are the lineal descendants of Thomas Jefferson, Andy Jackson, and William Jennings Bryan. The party's philosophy has always been in favor of the poor; the farmer; the factory worker.

Something has changed, and it isn't pretty. The Democrats have become the party of the overly-well-educated and affluent who don't have to mingle with "the people" as well as favored interest groups, such as the unions and various "victims."

"The people" are only of concern if they are first members of one of those approved groups, but are otherwise assumed to have unworthy goals, clinging as we are to, well, that opiate of the masses thing and guns and such.

Never having been one, Obama just does not get the needs of actual working folks. His efforts to explain his condescension comes across as, "well, you're too stupid to understand me, and I'm truly sorry you are so stupid."

As for "small town values," they have nothing to do with how large a town we live in. It has everything to do with the love of God, love of family, and love of country that all Americans should strive for.

We may fail to achieve these goals; we are human. But we are not to be mocked and talked down to as Obama does. Not if he wants our votes.

Posted by John Rich | April 14, 2008 5:25 PM

If they brand Obama as an elitist, that's good news. The more they make him look like a detached egghead, the harder it'll be for them to raise the fear of raging urban blacks, led by a man named Hussein, storming through the suburbs and getting even with whitey.

One mistake Obama is not going to make, is say he loves guns so much he greases his assault pistol every night before kissing it and putting it back in its shrine.

Posted by Hans B | April 14, 2008 7:12 PM

MY FELLOW BITTER, STUPID, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.

YOU MIGHT BE AN IDIOT, TOO :-(

If you think like Barack Obama, that WORKING CLASS PEOPLE are just a bunch of BITTER!, STUPID, PEASANTS, Cash COWS!, and CANNON FODDER. :-(

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think Barack Obama with little or no experience would be better than Hillary Clinton with 35 years experience.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience can fix an economy on the verge of collapse better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) led the greatest economic expansion, and prosperity in American history.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience fighting for universal health care can get it for you better than Hillary Clinton. Who anticipated this current health care crisis back in 1993, and fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds to get universal health care for all the American people.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience can manage, and get us out of two wars better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) went to war only when he was convinced that he absolutely had to. Then completed the mission in record time against a nuclear power. AND DID NOT LOSE THE LIFE OF A SINGLE AMERICAN SOLDIER. NOT ONE!

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience saving the environment is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) left office with the greatest amount of environmental cleanup, and protections in American history.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with little or no education experience is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) made higher education affordable for every American. And created higher job demand and starting salary’s than they had ever been before or since.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience will be better than Hillary Clinton who spent 8 years at the right hand of President Bill Clinton. Who is already on record as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that you can change the way Washington works with pretty speeches from Obama, rather than with the experience, and political expertise of two master politicians ON YOUR SIDE like Hillary and Bill Clinton..

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think all those Republicans voting for Obama in the Democratic primaries, and caucuses are doing so because they think he is a stronger Democratic candidate than Hillary Clinton. :-)

Best regards

jacksmith...

p.s.

If you don't know that the huge amounts of money funding the Obama campaign to try and defeat Hillary Clinton is coming in from the insurance, and medical industry, that has been ripping you off, and killing you and your children. And denying you, and your loved ones the life saving medical care you needed. All just so they can make more huge immoral profits for them-selves off of your suffering...

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

You see, back in 1993 Hillary Clinton had the audacity, and nerve to try and get quality, affordable universal health care for everyone to prevent the suffering and needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of you each year. :-)

Approx. 100,000 of you die each year from medical accidents from a rush to profit by the insurance, and medical industry. Another 120,000 of you die each year from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don’t die from. And I could go on, and on...

Posted by jacksmith | April 14, 2008 9:23 PM

Hey Jack,

Obama is going to be your next president. Embrace it!

Posted by Mikelx | April 14, 2008 10:04 PM