Paul A. Ibbetson
The beatable Obama: the less media-driven story
By Paul A. Ibbetson
Do you enjoy B-rated horror movies that are high on amusement but low on plot and believability? Maybe you're into science fiction thrillers with their wild, futuristic villains and out-of-this-world heroes. Well, turn on the TV because you're in luck, you have reached the highest point of media creativity where the biggest and most fantastic stories are spun for the viewing public. Yes, the presidential race has officially begun.
If you're a liberal this is likely to be the best part of the political season. That is, the speculation period where the Democrat Party, sure of its candidate for the general election, can for all intents and purposes sit back and watch the opposition struggle through the process of developing a lineup of presidential candidates. For the liberal media that will be working overtime to support Barack Obama's re-election, their candidate will never be as politically strong as he is now while he faces no clear opposition. The media is making the most of this moment.
Like a B-rated horror movie that splashes blood against the camera lens every five minutes, presidential campaign coverage is not about quality, it is about quantity. For the media, getting the public to buy into a political campaign is not done through compelling facts or undeniable logic but through repetition of presentation. Repeat something as fact over and over and in time, even the most ridiculous things appear to be true. This presidential cycle has an abundance of rather low budget but highly effective media-driven stories taking place. Let us observe a few.
While Barack Obama has no clear competitors, he is framed as invincible. Liberal talking heads convey that the president sleeps well at night due to his confidence in the inevitable outcome of the future election. Of course Barack Obama announced his candidacy for re-election early for the purposes of raising money. The President knows he will need these funds in what will be a tough re-election bid, but according to the mainstream media narrative being spun to the public, only kryptonite could weaken his chance at a second term. To strengthen the believability of Obama's invincibility is the denigration of the still-forming Republican pool of presidential candidates. If a potential candidate decides not to run, they are framed as the best chance the Republican Party had to win. The media is now placing a halo around Mike Huckabee and touting that the Christian voting bloc now has no candidate to support.
Republicans, such as Sarah Palin, that have not yet decided on a run are demonized as being indecisive. Those that have made the decision to enter the race are framed as unworthy for a litany of reasons. Mitt Romney is too liberal and supported unpopular healthcare in Massachusetts. Herman Cain doesn't have enough political experience. Newt Gingrich had a possible tax issue and has been married more than once. You name it, and most of the candidates are framed as weak when put up against Barack Obama.
The problem for the media is that this initial period of the presidential race will soon end and focus will be placed more evenly among the political candidates, including the president himself. The president's bump in the polls from the Osama bin Laden liquidation will subside and Barack Obama will be left with high unemployment, out-of-control national debt, an albatross in his forced healthcare and no good alternatives to explain his way out of it. The "blame Bush" tactic has lost its believability along with trying to feel happy about the country's direction when watching the numbers spin on the dial at the gas pumps. At election time, the majority of people who ask themselves if they are better off now than they were four years ago are going to say no.
The less media-driven story is that Barack Obama's best chance to be re-elected is ironically a matter that is also out of his hands. When the B-rated theatrics of the media are stripped away, Obama will be re-elected only if Republicans refuse to place a true conservative candidate to oppose him. Despite what viewers will hear and see over the coming months from the liberal media, the country yearns for the AntiObama, a true conservative to lead the country from the brink of economic and moral destruction. The further a candidate is ideologically from Barack Obama, and the clearer that difference can be articulated to the American people, the more likely Republicans will win the presidency in 2012.
© Paul A. Ibbetson
May 18, 2011
Do you enjoy B-rated horror movies that are high on amusement but low on plot and believability? Maybe you're into science fiction thrillers with their wild, futuristic villains and out-of-this-world heroes. Well, turn on the TV because you're in luck, you have reached the highest point of media creativity where the biggest and most fantastic stories are spun for the viewing public. Yes, the presidential race has officially begun.
If you're a liberal this is likely to be the best part of the political season. That is, the speculation period where the Democrat Party, sure of its candidate for the general election, can for all intents and purposes sit back and watch the opposition struggle through the process of developing a lineup of presidential candidates. For the liberal media that will be working overtime to support Barack Obama's re-election, their candidate will never be as politically strong as he is now while he faces no clear opposition. The media is making the most of this moment.
Like a B-rated horror movie that splashes blood against the camera lens every five minutes, presidential campaign coverage is not about quality, it is about quantity. For the media, getting the public to buy into a political campaign is not done through compelling facts or undeniable logic but through repetition of presentation. Repeat something as fact over and over and in time, even the most ridiculous things appear to be true. This presidential cycle has an abundance of rather low budget but highly effective media-driven stories taking place. Let us observe a few.
While Barack Obama has no clear competitors, he is framed as invincible. Liberal talking heads convey that the president sleeps well at night due to his confidence in the inevitable outcome of the future election. Of course Barack Obama announced his candidacy for re-election early for the purposes of raising money. The President knows he will need these funds in what will be a tough re-election bid, but according to the mainstream media narrative being spun to the public, only kryptonite could weaken his chance at a second term. To strengthen the believability of Obama's invincibility is the denigration of the still-forming Republican pool of presidential candidates. If a potential candidate decides not to run, they are framed as the best chance the Republican Party had to win. The media is now placing a halo around Mike Huckabee and touting that the Christian voting bloc now has no candidate to support.
Republicans, such as Sarah Palin, that have not yet decided on a run are demonized as being indecisive. Those that have made the decision to enter the race are framed as unworthy for a litany of reasons. Mitt Romney is too liberal and supported unpopular healthcare in Massachusetts. Herman Cain doesn't have enough political experience. Newt Gingrich had a possible tax issue and has been married more than once. You name it, and most of the candidates are framed as weak when put up against Barack Obama.
The problem for the media is that this initial period of the presidential race will soon end and focus will be placed more evenly among the political candidates, including the president himself. The president's bump in the polls from the Osama bin Laden liquidation will subside and Barack Obama will be left with high unemployment, out-of-control national debt, an albatross in his forced healthcare and no good alternatives to explain his way out of it. The "blame Bush" tactic has lost its believability along with trying to feel happy about the country's direction when watching the numbers spin on the dial at the gas pumps. At election time, the majority of people who ask themselves if they are better off now than they were four years ago are going to say no.
The less media-driven story is that Barack Obama's best chance to be re-elected is ironically a matter that is also out of his hands. When the B-rated theatrics of the media are stripped away, Obama will be re-elected only if Republicans refuse to place a true conservative candidate to oppose him. Despite what viewers will hear and see over the coming months from the liberal media, the country yearns for the AntiObama, a true conservative to lead the country from the brink of economic and moral destruction. The further a candidate is ideologically from Barack Obama, and the clearer that difference can be articulated to the American people, the more likely Republicans will win the presidency in 2012.
© Paul A. Ibbetson
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