The real Oprah effect: Doubting Obama’s electability
You’ll remember that last week, Oprah hedged her bet on Obama in an interview with ABC News : “Well obviously, Obama’s great because I’m believing that the person that I’m speaking up for is gonna take it all the way,” Winfrey said. “And then if that doesn’t happen, I might readjust my thinking.”
Looks like this is the real Oprah effect: Public commitment to Obama colored by persistent, lingering doubts about his ability to win–even as his poll numbers rise. David Postman at the Seattle Times reports on his blog that Obama supporters in the Pacific Northwest share Oprah’s ambivalence:
Barack Obama played to a sold-out crowd last night in SoDo. His stump speech may have been familiar to those following the presidential race. I’m sure that hardly mattered to the smitten. But I was struck by this passage in Ralph Thomas’ story on the event in this morning’s paper.
Farther back in line, Monique Duluoz, of Kent, was wearing an “Obama Mama” T-shirt and a pin that read, “Mommy make the scary Republican go away.”Duluoz said she would be happy with Obama or Clinton as president.
“I think she’s going to take it,” Duluoz said of Clinton. “But I’m hoping she’ll ask him to be her VP [vice president]. I think together they could really rock it.”
What does it mean to Obama’s campaign that a woman willing to stand in line and deck herself out in Obama-wear has already given up on the candidate’s chances to win the top slot? Obama is surging in the polls, particularly those that match him up against potential general election Republican opponents. But yet even Obama’s fans remain unconvinced that he can beat Clinton. And it’s not just Duluoz. I heard the same thing from others when Obama was here in June. And I hear it from friends and others who say they like Obama best but figure someone else, usually Clinton, will win the nomination.
Maybe the Hillary campaign should spend less time freaking out and more time exploiting this weakness.
Or she could just keep freaking out and melting down.
It’s certainly much more entertaining.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Nancy Pelosi Explains Why Obama Flip-Flopped on Super PACs
February 9, 2012 10:08 PM by Doug Powers
50 CommentsReport: Solyndra Sold Assets Cheap to Entity with Close Ties to Investors
February 9, 2012 10:08 AM by Doug Powers
49 CommentsFormer Democrat Rep. Regrets Vote for Obamacare Due to Contraceptive Coverage
February 7, 2012 03:40 PM by Doug Powers
75 CommentsMiddle Class Payroll Tax Cut Extension Comes Courtesy of Mortgage Fees on Home Buyers
February 6, 2012 01:36 PM by Doug Powers
35 CommentsHiring Spree in NYC
February 1, 2012 02:47 PM by Doug Powers
43 CommentsMr. and Mrs. Cranky Pants
January 27, 2012 10:35 AM by Michelle Malkin
138 CommentsStimulus-Backed ‘Green’ Bankruptcy of the Week: Ener1
January 26, 2012 03:06 PM by Doug Powers
67 CommentsObama and Jan Brewer Have Words on Airport Tarmac; Update: Brewer Book Sales Skyrocket
January 25, 2012 09:54 PM by Doug Powers
165 CommentsWarren Buffett’s Secretary to Sit with First Lady at State of the Union Speech
January 24, 2012 12:35 PM by Doug Powers
93 Comments
Categories: Barack Obama
Pundit & Pundette
» Obama's war on conscience, cont'd
Redstate
» Media Matters

Hot Air
» National Review to Newt: Get out
AmSpecBlog
» Explosion Near Israeli Embassy in India


NRO
» Santorum’s Turn









I finally found SOMETHING I can vote for!
The Dems. are going to have a hard time no matter who they offer up. They will be running against Bush, but the people will be voting against Congress.
With the war no longer an issue, what do they have? Health care? They tried that once, but people have only become more educated since then… Higher taxes? yeah, always popular… Open borders/amnesty? not so much…
Sure, they can offer the “black man” knowing he can’t win… but being able to claim the entire country is racist afterwards… priceless.
Oppps! did I forget National Security & gun control…
Yeah, the Dems have a winning platform for sure.
Hillarys losing Iowa and N.H. will cause the dems to dump her and questions about Obama’s electability will allow the dems to throw him under the bus and nominate Edwards who plays to the jury like the ambluance chaser he is
That’s been the problem these last 7 years. Instead of trying to fix problems, Bush should have spent more time “rockin’ it”. Hindsight 20/20, of course.
Clinton and Obama running together on a Democratic platform made of Jello. No solid position on anything.
I like our odds.
Laurie Dhue, the Fox fox, reported earlier today about Hillary’s “hil-icopter” invasion of poor Iowa, intended to bolster her slipping poll numbers. Should have called it her “hell-icopter” campaign.
The Oprah effect is a chronic psychosis characterized by brief outbursts of hysteria, mostly in conjunction with wanton acts consumerism, and sycophantic praise for Oprah, which elicits additional praise and self-congratulation and an increase in her portfolio. It’s all about HER and the money.
Oh please, PLEASE keep freaking out. It’s just starting to get good.
Someone hand me the popcorn.
The effect of this and the Romney thread is enough to make me believe that given the opportunity, voters in both party primaries would choose None of the Above.
And on the back?
I wonder if we can get a bunch of conservatives to switch parties and vote in the democrat primaries or would that be illegal if we did that?
Oh well, at least the meltdown is fun to watch. I hope that it leads to the proverbial implosion of her campaign though. What is so truly frightening is that this will actually be a close race no matter who the nominee is.
Obama is more deserving of the nomination than Hillary.
Obama is a former law school professor, while Hillary couldn’t even pass the bar exam on the first try.
Obama has more experience as an elected official, going back to the State Senate in Illinois. Hillary is a first-term carpet-bagger.
Obama hasn’t transgressed against the disproportionately powerful gay activist contingent in the Democratic Party; Former co-president Hillary, on the other hand, is responsible for the military’s current Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell policy.
Obama was against the war from the get-go, while Hillary voted for the war. Not only that, given that she was co-president during the 90′s, she’s arguably partially responsible (from a moonbat perspective, naturally,) for the deaths of millions of iraqi children caused by the draconian US-backed UN sanctions.
Hillary also gets credit for iraqi deaths resulting from Operation Desert Fox. She’s responsible for the civilian deaths associated with the aspirin factory attack in the Sudan, too. And she’s also responsible for civilian deaths arising from the war in Kosovo and the resulting never-ending US occupation.
Obama’s nomination as the Democratic Candidate could be the kind of watershed moment that Goldwater’s was way back when. No, Goldwater didn’t win the election, but his nomination laid the foundation for the future greatness and continued dominance of his party.
(think they’ll buy this?)
Just pour water on her and be done with it.
As of now, I have no idea who is worth voting for.
Until illegal immigration is addressed and conquered, no one has my vote.
Rats! You beat me to it BlameAmericaLast. I guess great minds think a like.
gayle, check out Hunter