The Grown-Up

[Valin]

The American Spectator):

Philip Klein
6.11.10

"I've been thinking lately about this slogan that won the last presidential election, 'Change You Can Believe In,'" Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels mused to a group of Washington reporters on Tuesday. "Obviously, it was effective, because they won. But I've been thinking, what the hell does that mean? What was artful about it was that it can mean anything. If I believe in it, it must be what the guy's talking about. So, points for cleverness."

Yet Daniels continued, "If we (Republicans) had a catch phrase of our own, it would be more like, 'Change That Believes In You.' You're a person of dignity. You're a person who was born to be free, and ... if we simply arrange society in a fair way, you're fully capable of deciding how to spend as many of your dollars as we can leave with you, where your kid should go to school, what health care to buy or not buy."

One recurring theme in recent American political history is that presidents who fall out of favor tend to be succeeded by candidates who exhibit opposite attributes. Jimmy Carter was elected in the wake of Watergate as somebody who vowed never to tell a lie, but misery ensued, and Ronald Reagan's sunny optimism carried the day four years later. Obama campaigned as the antidote to the Bush era, and while a lot of Republicans fret that they don't have anybody to match his rock star appeal, that may not be what the public will want in the next election. With lofty rhetoric now being followed up by incompetent governance, by 2012, the electorate may warm up to somebody boring who knows what he's doing. Therein lies the potential appeal of Daniels, a mostly bald, 5'7", Midwestern governor who is the last person one would think of as a contender in the modern media age.

[pinz]

Great article, Valin.

 

Give me boring and competent any day. Give me an engineer rather than a rock star.

 

Where is Dick Cheney? We can put him in Commander Pike's chair if his heart gives out before 2 terms are completed. Maybe then we could put the country back together.

[righteousmomma]

True dat, as they say in Nawlins

[pollyannaish]

"Obviously, it was effective, because they won. But I've been thinking, what the hell does that mean? What was artful about it was that it can mean anything. If I believe in it, it must be what the guy's talking about. So, points for cleverness."

 

 

Ok, so are we just now brave enough to say this...or did it truly JUST now dawn on people. I mean, it was clear to folks at the time, right? Did people just not think any further? I'm a little frightened if that is the case.

 

Edited to add: The "Change that believes in you" slogan is terrific. Although still a bit vague. I mean, what if you are a union activist?

[Valin]

"Obviously, it was effective, because they won. But I've been thinking, what the hell does that mean? What was artful about it was that it can mean anything. If I believe in it, it must be what the guy's talking about. So, points for cleverness."

 

 

Ok, so are we just now brave enough to say this...or did it truly JUST now dawn on people. I mean, it was clear to folks at the time, right? Did people just not think any further? I'm a little frightened if that is the case.

 

Edited to add: The "Change that believes in you" slogan is terrific. Although still a bit vague. I mean, what if you are a union activist?

 

 

I recall asking people, why are you supporting Obama? What has he ever done that leads you to believe he will make a good President? Blank stares was all I got back.

 

Style over Substance.

 

 

Will we now be seeing stealth candidates?

[pinz]

It would be interesting to take another look at that Town Hall meeting when he referred to the inhaler as a breathalyzer. And then he hemmed and hawed and tried to finesse he way through his utter ignorance and stupidity.

 

The smoke machine is sputtering, and the mirrors are going blank.

[AceRimmer]

"Obviously, it was effective, because they won. But I've been thinking, what the hell does that mean? What was artful about it was that it can mean anything. If I believe in it, it must be what the guy's talking about. So, points for cleverness."

 

 

Ok, so are we just now brave enough to say this...or did it truly JUST now dawn on people. I mean, it was clear to folks at the time, right? Did people just not think any further? I'm a little frightened if that is the case.

 

Edited to add: The "Change that believes in you" slogan is terrific. Although still a bit vague. I mean, what if you are a union activist?

 

 

I recall asking people, why are you supporting Obama? What has he ever done that leads you to believe he will make a good President? Blank stares was all I got back.

 

Style over Substance.

 

 

Will we now be seeing stealth candidates?

 

I remember taking my 83 year old grandmother, a Yellowdog Dem, to an eye clinic last year and hearing her(for the first time ever!) and another elderly couple saying that Obambi was a Commie who'd sold them out. Outwardly, I was polite and kind, but inwardly I was going crazy.

[pollyannaish]

I remember taking my 83 year old grandmother, a Yellowdog Dem, to an eye clinic last year and hearing her(for the first time ever!) and another elderly couple saying that Obambi was a Commie who'd sold them out. Outwardly, I was polite and kind, but inwardly I was going crazy.

 

 

It's that moment when you realize the milkshake from McDonalds only tastes like a milkshake because that is what you're told it is. It actually tastes a lot like plastic and vanilla flavoring.

[Pepper]

pollyannaish!

 

Great analogy, metaphor, simile or whachamacallit grammatical device. A+

 

I remember taking my 83 year old grandmother, a Yellowdog Dem, to an eye clinic last year and hearing her(for the first time ever!) and another elderly couple saying that Obambi was a Commie who'd sold them out. Outwardly, I was polite and kind, but inwardly I was going crazy.

 

 

It's that moment when you realize the milkshake from McDonalds only tastes like a milkshake because that is what you're told it is. It actually tastes a lot like plastic and vanilla flavoring.

[pinz]

Mr. Pepper - English/Humanities major Engineering/Math/Science

 

[Pepper]

Pinz!

 

Grammar wasn't my best subject.

 

Lettered in Recess during junior high, eventually was promoted due to age and did extremely well in study hall. Became special student assistant for seven years and got my GED.

 

Mr. Pepper - English/Humanities major Engineering/Math/Science

 

[pinz]

Jump rope, dodge ball, hopscotch, red rover. Those were the days.

 

I flunked out of college.... twice..... so far

 

A surprising number of my high school credits were Independent Studies. LOL The nuns had no idea what to do with me!

[Pepper]

Pinz

 

Aah, independent studies. You're right. The nuns were powerless in controlling you.

[pinz]

[Sanguine]

"Obviously, it was effective, because they won. But I've been thinking, what the hell does that mean? What was artful about it was that it can mean anything. If I believe in it, it must be what the guy's talking about. So, points for cleverness."

...

 

Edited to add: The "Change that believes in you" slogan is terrific. Although still a bit vague. I mean, what if you are a union activist?

 

I have to use the Mark Steyn line again (because it's so good):

 

“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” When you’ve spent that long waiting in line for yourself, it’s bound to be a disappointment.

[Pepper]

Sanguine!

 

Britt Hume had a great two minute Op Ed on The One's upcoming speech tomorrow AT us, not TO us.

 

Basically, Obama is only in love with himself and his big ideas. Used the "don't waste a crisis" to say that Obama will push cap and tax. That the spill and the damage is small compared to Obama and his big ideas of himself.

[Sanguine]

Sanguine!

 

Britt Hume had a great two minute Op Ed on The One's upcoming speech tomorrow AT us, not TO us.

 

Basically, Obama is only in love with himself and his big ideas. Used the "don't waste a crisis" to say that Obama will push cap and tax. That the spill and the damage is small compared to Obama and his big ideas of himself.

 

Brit is usually right. And, the dims are becoming seriously concerned about their prospects in this election cycle (with good reason), and will try to push as many bills through as possible.