I think the Republicans are going to get bit down the road. They may or may not squeak out a win this election. An educated base doesn't help the Republican Party. They need their base and the masses to be illiterate, uncritical thinkers. But "No Child Left Behind" must be working on some level if younger voters are moving in droves to the Democratic Party.

(note to SNL, how about a moose in a party dress)

Uh, no. Just... no.

Palin is a man's woman, from the Cinemax-librarian (h/t Jon Stewart) hair & glasses to the boys'-club hobbies. And women tend to be unimpressed with other women who purposefully appeal to men both sexually and in terms of validating macho images. Plus, she's pretty obviously a vindictive backbiter, a kiss-up-kick-down type, and women loathe that, whether in the PTA or at the office. McCain's solidifying his white-guy support as well as the fundie lunatics', but Palin is more likely to be toxic to other women, who always know what's going on when the boss brings in a cute little go-getter type.

I'd love to see someone from the left (not the Obama campaign) basically lay this election down as 'you wanna nurse cultural grievances, then by all means vote for McCain, but don't be surprised when you get the same useless platitudes instead of a functioning government... that's a lousy excuse for citizenship, but it's your prerogative.'

"Unless Obama and Biden use every opportunity to hammer home how the right has played working Americans for suckers, culture will trump economics yet again."

Nonsense. Democrats can win on cultural issues as well. Do you really think the majority thinks a child who has been raped should be forced by the government to bear the child? Do you really think a majority favors banning books? Do you you really think the majority wants the abstinence only education that so obviously failed Palin's daughter? The fact is that economic issues are boring. If they won elections, Bush wouldn't be president now. Palin's extremist positions on social issues are exactly the kind of thing that will mobilize Democrats and scare the hell out of moderates. Culture issues always trump economics, and we should use that to our advantage. Trying to push more relevant issues like the economy hasn't really worked well for us. Let's fight the culture war and win it.

Here's the letter to the editor I sent this morning along these same lines. I encourage others to do the same:

--

I was there when Barack Obama said in Denver, "I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you."

Because Republicans have no new ideas, John McCain is running on who he is, not what he'll do. Instead, Republicans offer intolerant and cynical speeches, promising nothing more than more incompetence and corruption. John McCain simply wants to be President, just like George Bush.

On the other hand, Obama actually wants to get something done as President. He knows, like we all do, that America is seriously on the wrong track. So Obama is very explicit on what he'll do as President to improve the economy for the vast majority of us.

Obama is also getting hundreds of thousands of people involved in their country again, the America we all love so much. The hard work -- talking to your friends, neighbors and family about Barack Obama and his agenda for change -- is what we all need to do before November 4th.

Get involved for America. Contact the Barack Obama's Campaign for Change in [your town] by calling [local number] or visiting http://www.barackobama.com. Our country needs us now more than ever.

--

Marshall

I agree with fostert that Dems can win on culture issues, especially if framed in their favor.

The most obvious one to me, one that has the benefit of being defensibly true, is that the Republicans are treating the public like we're stupid. Palin thinks we won't figure out she's lying about the Bridge to Nowhere. Hasn't she heard of google and youtube?

McCain wants to pretend that the governor of Alaska commands the state's National Guard in matters of national security. Wrong -- he just failed his first test as CinC, namely knowing what his forces he would have under his command.

And so on, with so many other examples. The Republicans are treating this election like a joke, and Americans like rubes. Point that out over and over, and I think a fair number of voters will get sick of it.

Look at how easily we are cowed by it.

Rovian tactics win, but just barely. With an extra 100,000 votes in Florida or Ohio, or one Supreme Court judge, and bam–we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Plus the track record since 2006 hasn't been so good.

None of my liberal friends really care about that 90% stuff, because for the first time ever they are not voting against Bush or McCain, but for Obama.

We have a nominee with spine, that has proven he can appeal to the better angels of independents, all the while slyly working levers to confound republicans who operate from a formula that hasn't exactly produced overwhelming victories.

If they haven't knocked out a black man named Barack Hussein Obama yet, they never will.

Rudy: "How dare they do that? When do they ever ask a man that question?"

Stephanie Mencimer, MoJo: "Earlier in the campaign, pundits questioned John Edwards' decision to run for president when his wife was suffering from cancer. Lots of voters found it disturbing, and the issue only died after Elizabeth Edwards herself insisted forcefully that it had been her choice to continue the campaign."

Of course, no one can mention Edwards now, but remember that?

Nobody questioned egomaniac Joe Biden for pursuing his Senatorial ambitions while two severely injured and traumatized young children of his languished in the hospital. And last I checked, B.O. has some young children too. Will Michelle stay home and take care of them all by her lonesome? Oh, I forgot, the Obamas are now rich and can hire an illegal immigrant nanny, heck maybe three or four.

"They are superb at creating master narratives that make Democrats, liberals, and “the media” into the cultural enemies of ordinary people."

It's easy when it is so often true.

"Because Republicans have no new ideas..."

Who needs new ideas when the same ones are good? Nevertheless, there is SS privitization, medicare reform, and changing the entire tax code for starters.

Anon tells it like it is. The media, academia, the Democrat Political Establishment, and just about every other elite group (including some GOP elites) absolutely despise the common people of this country. We'll take the very mixed record of the GOP any day over the dehumanizing and insane leftist elite nightmare society that you have planned for us.

Re Latts' comment:

Palin is a man's woman, from the Cinemax-librarian (h/t Jon Stewart) hair & glasses to the boys'-club hobbies. And women tend to be unimpressed with other women who purposefully appeal to men both sexually and in terms of validating macho images.

My SO texted an old boyfriend about Palin when she was announced. Said old boyfriend is an ex-cop who, aside from a stint in the Marines, has always lived and worked in NY state not far from Scranton - no college, blue collar Catholic family background. His reply? "Porn star." Not meant as a compliment.

Anon, my first sense of this came from an uncle who said 'women will hate her because of her looks,' which I dismissed as shallow and sexist. But once the more revealing character stuff started leaking out, plus the huntin' and fishin' pictures, I decided he was right, albeit for more complicated reasons than simple envy. And the numbers showing men liking her more than women do bear that out.

I'm an independent, and am really loving watching both pathetic parties try to "out experience" the other. Obama's a joke ... he's accomplished virtually nothing in his "career", while Palin has been the mayor of a town of less than 10,000 and a Gov of the least populated state in the nation ... yea, she's ready for President--not!

Fortunately, whether I agree with all of McCain's positions or not (and I don't), at least that guy's got a much more substantive resume ... and some wisdom to go along with it.

So, I'll sit back with my big bowl of popcorn and continue watching two parties of inept, full-of-themselves individuals battle it out over who'll do the best job if elected ... what a hoot!!

Mr Kuttner is dumbfounded that poor whites don't striclty vote their pocketbook.

Whites are people too. They also have a culture. If you don't think it's important, then you will forever be banging your head on the desk trying to figure out why you lose these people on election day.

he's accomplished virtually nothing in his "career"

Really? Let's see you graduate with honors from Harvard law, edit the Law Review, write two best-selling books, rise through the ranks of the toughest political machine in the country, be elected to the US Senate, and build the most effective political operation in US history, all before your 45th birthday, you pussy.

screw all the fighting in the comments, I want to see the point by point dissection of her "speech."

I mean, it can't be hard. It's like they hired a MadTV reject to write the jokes and make a point to keep specifics away.

But i'd love to read it anyway.

"The media, academia, the Democrat Political Establishment, and just about every other elite group (including some GOP elites) absolutely despise the common people of this country."

Hmm. Did anyone see this NYT article on babyboomer academia? The comments from (even) the NYTimes reading public were really something:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/arts/03camp.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=academia&st=cse&oref=slogin

Lots of "get the fuck out and good riddance."

The Obama branding process is so obviously a product of that academia. Eh. My gut says Obama/ Biden need to try to play the general election straight. No "culture war." Who wins by attacking the voters?

Frankly, even the "liberal media" edited Obama's comments about bitter, clinging rural voters. His full comment said *they fell through successive administrations,* Republican *and* Democratic, so now they vote moose and religion. I think *Obama* can make his case, but *the media* prefers the war.

Personally, I wish Obama/Biden would go after this whole "government reform" gauntlet McCain/Palin are throwing down.

Sadly, the Republicans probably have so much garbage on the Democrats to feed to outsider Palin, all of Congress will be shitting their pants.

But, that would at least be a war worth having for a change.

Sarah Palin makes me think of some 'friends' my wife has had over the years. They come in all smiles and are quickly everyone's best friend. The one who always helps out and is such a wonderful person. A year later, noone will talk to them because everyone figures out that the niceness is just a ploy to find out all your weaknesses and then later exploit them. Then they move away to find another group of people to bleed dry and life returns to normal. Too bad voters don't have a year to get to know her. Haha.

I know this sounds silly, but really, Sarah Palin has the creepy eyes of a sociopath. Check them out sometime - cover her smile and you'll see what I mean: a predator measuring its prey.

And she does like to hunt!