Pennsylvania Political Polka
An interesting look at political gaffes in Pennsylvania and the effect they have had on the candidates who made them is over at Real Clear Politics. Dr. G. Terry Madonna and Dr. Michael Young look back through history and point out that Pennsylvania has a way of punishing political pratfalls - many less severe than the recent "small town" comments made by Barack Obama.
What these candidates or their handlers did–and what now places them in historical parallel to Obama — was to say things in public that revealed in them political flaws that ultimately undermined their candidacies.
Each did this in his or her own way. For Thornburgh it was his campaign manager who in the heat of the campaign–overcome apparently by a rush of candor– referred to Thornburgh as "the salvation of this sorry-ass state" thereby assuring that the seemingly hopeless underdog Harris Wofford would defeat Thornburgh and retain his Senate seat. Barbara Hafer's version was to dismiss her opponent, then Governor Robert P Casey, as a "red necked Irishman," thus hastening him onto one of the most lopsided landslide victories in state history.
U.S. Senate candidate Lynn Yeakel's sin is illustrative of the genre–for it was not so much what she said as what it said about her. Running in the so called "year of the women," against Arlen Specter and in the aftermath of the Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill controversy, she was thought by many to be the one to retire Specter. But her candidacy collapsed after she made herself seem like an out of touch elitist by mispronouncing the name of a Pennsylvania county when visiting there.
Finally the latest example of state politicians' succumbing to an advanced stage of lapsus linguae came during the 2006 gubernatorial contest. Locked in a tense GOP nomination fight with Lynn Swann, the African-American all-pro former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver, the campaign manager for former Lt. Governor Bill Scranton described Swann as "the rich white guy in this race." Scranton fired his manager and soon withdrew from the race.
Their judgment of the Obama remarks accusing small town Americans of bitterly clinging to guns, religion, xenophobia and (Obama's favorite policy of) anti-trade rhetoric: Obama has himself a real problem in Pennsylvania. Historically, this is true, obviously. Will it derail Obama? Maybe, maybe not. The fact is that Clinton is just not very well liked by an awful lot of people. So Obama may limp across the finish line yet and be the nominee.
In the general election, he's in very bad shape, indeed.
By martian, Wednesday, 16 April , 2008 @ 1:02 pm
"In the general election, he’s in very bad shape, indeed."
I think this has yet to be seen. Unfortunately, if McCain runss the type of respectful campaign he’s been promising, the MSM will make sure that all of the Obamessiah’s warts are cosmetically removed and all of his elitist, America despising, socialist gaffs will be a thing of the past that most people will have forgotten by the fall. Once Clinton is no longer in there swinging, the MSM will rehabilitate him quickly by ignoring everything that occured during their knock-down, drag-out like none of it ever occured. McCain needs to wake up and really start swinging hard - so far his punches have been kind of weak and kittenish.
By martian, Wednesday, 16 April , 2008 @ 1:30 pm
"In the general election, he’s in very bad shape, indeed."
I think this has yet to be seen. If McCain runs the "respectful" issues oriented campaign he has promised, the MSM will make sure all of the Obamessiah’s warts have been cosmetically removed long before November. They will do so simply by ignoring them and pretending they never existed. Once Clinton stops duking it out with him, all of Barrie’s questionable associations, elitist and America despising remarks, and complete lack of substance will be forgotten. Unless McCain wakes up and starts throwing real punches instead of the kittenish paw slaps he’s been using so far, the MSM will rehabilitate Obama completely by the fall.
By martian, Thursday, 17 April , 2008 @ 11:29 am
Well, darn! I didn’t mean tp put up two comments to this yesterday. However, when I clicked the "Submit Comment" button, the first comment disappeared and didn’t post. I waited several minutes and even read a few other posts but it still didn’t show up. So, I thought it was lost and posted again. Unfortunately ny memory is not perfect and I wasn’t able to duplicate it word for word. My apologies to anyone who had to suffer through both.