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Obama can't afford to go negative

JOHN IBBITSON

From Friday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 1:47 PM EDT 06/05/08

Millions of young Americans won't let him ...Read the full article

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  1. The Work Farce from Canada writes: Obama is a worthy succesor to the Hippie Love Generation. Love, live optimistically looking forward to change the world, live ethically in the face of scurrilous demonization by the older past generations, turn the other cheek to the verbal violence, "teach your parents well". If he wins he can make a big change in America and the world. If he loses, he sets a beautiful example for citizens to follow, an example that surpasses what Bobby Kennedy did.
  2. M. Brockington from Vancouver, Canada writes: The final line of the story is one of those faux-objective throwaways that's almost a caricature of reporting 'both sides' of the story:

    "As in past contests, Barack Obama has the support of North Carolina's under-35 set, and Hillary Clinton has the edge with the over-50 crowd."

    When you look at the actual polling numbers that follow the article, you see that Obama has more than double Clinton's support among under-35's (63% to 26%), while Clinton leads by all of 2 per cent - 47% to 45% in the over-50's, which is almost certainly within the margin of error of the poll.
  3. US Expat from Nelson, BC, Canada writes: Is there any journalist more credulous than John Ibbotson? Gandalf is being tempted to go negative but his little Hobbit-like supporters won't let him? Has he dipped his toe into ANY online political discussion in the left blogosphere? The level of vitriol directed at Hillary by Obamabots matches anything that comes at her from the Right, and that's saying something. The nastiness of Obama's supporters is only exceeded by their pious self-regard. Moreover, has Ibbotson not watched an Obama ad? Check out "Boost" which slams Hillary over her gas tax holiday proposal by falsely quoting the New York Times Paul Krugman and accusing her of taking the "low road". Enjoy Obama's own pandering with his promise of a middle class tax cut--a staple of American presidential politics going back at least 20 years-- while you're at it. If this isn't negative campaigning and pandering, what is? It's also worth noting that the Obama people have been quite adept at painting Hillary as a closet racist through the repeated use of selective and out of context remarks, such as her comment about LBJ vs. MLK. That no one seems to notice the sleaziness of imputing racism to your opponent through distorted remarks is a testimony to just how in the tank for Obama the press corps is. But in Ibbotson-land, Obama is some Gandhi-like figure. I really thought Canadians were more skeptical than this.

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