McCain Goes For Obama's "Negative" (Wizbang)

Twice before, I've written pieces where I take a look at what Senator Obama has exhorted Americans to do, and shown how while he talks about these things, it's usually Republicans who actually do them. Well, with the selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate, we see just how empty a suit Obama is -- because Palin actually IS and HAS DONE so many of the things that Obama talks about, but never actually does.

In a very odd way, Obama and Palin are like two images -- a photograph and its negative. Opposites, yet in a way identical.

Just on the surface, they're very close in age, but polar opposites -- a black man and a white woman. But it's literally far more than skin deep.

Obama talks about a "new" form of politics, divorced from the corrupt past. Well, Palin has a serious track record of cleaning house.

Obama talks about bipartisanship, about "reaching across the aisles" to unite both parties. Palin has shown her rejection to blind party loyalty by going after corruption from both sides, taking on -- and taking down -- a good chunk of the corrupt Republican establishment in her state.

Further, while Palin is a staunch Republican, her husband and oldest son (the only one of their five children old enough to vote) are registered as independents, and neither has ever been part of any political party.

Obama talks about "going after" Big Oil. Well, "Big Oil" is very, very big in Alaska, and Palin has taken them on directly -- working with them some times, working against them in others. She's raised their taxes and canceled their pipelines, and she's also helped them finish other pipelines and has shown interest in opening up ANWR for drilling.

She's not in their pocket, but neither is she in the pocket of those who enjoy vilifying them. She's for the people of Alaska. If what Big Oil wants is good for them, then she's helped them If it isn't, then she fights like hell against them.

Obama has a history as a "community organizer." Palin actually served as mayor of her community.

Obama chooses to associate himself with people like race-baiters (Jeremiah Wright), unrepentant former terrorists (Bill Ayers), and corrupt political fixers (Tony Rezko). Palin put those kinds of people out of office.

Obama says that he wants nothing to do with lobbyists. Palin won't let them into her office.

Obama ran for the Senate, and within a year or so started running for president. Palin ran for governor, and actually got some very serious stuff done.

Obama talks about caring for the working class. Palin's husband works part of the year in the oil fields, part of the year as a commercial fisherman -- and has only a high-school diploma.

Obama talks about his respect and concern for the troops. Palin's oldest son recently enlisted in the Army.

Obama talks about how the price of gas is hurting Americans. According to Gas Buddy, the cheapest gas in Chicago is around $4.00 a gallon. In Washington, DC, about $3.69. Personally, yesterday I found it for $3.58 in Claremont, New Hampshire. In Juneau, Alaska, it's about $4.36.

Obama, when blessed with a teleprompter, can really talk the talk. But when it comes down to it, it's people like John McCain, George W. Bush, and Sarah Palin that walk the walk.

And that just KILLS those who have invested so much in Obama's lofty -- but ultimately empty -- rhetoric.

Comments (13)

Jay Tea it is under $3.50 a... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Just me | August 30, 2008 3:55 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Just me:

Jay Tea it is under $3.50 a gallon-varying in price from $3.43 to $3.49 in my little corner of NH.

That said I think you make a great point-Palin is in real life what Obama wants to be, and she has done everything Obama says he has done or wants to do but only better.

The more he attacks her, I think the more he will attack himself. In that regard at least she is a perfect pick.

Posted on August 30, 2008 15:55

Geeze Jay,, You're going to... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Ran56 | August 30, 2008 3:57 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

Ran56:

Geeze Jay,, You're going to fire up the trolls on this one!.. Soon as they get back from Kos with their talking points.

Posted on August 30, 2008 15:57

does anyone know why todd p... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by monkeysee | August 30, 2008 5:24 PM | Score: -7 (7 votes cast)

monkeysee:

does anyone know why todd palin's biography has been made unavailable over at the official alaska governor's website?

Posted on August 30, 2008 17:24

Obama talked about visiting... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by jim2 | August 30, 2008 5:24 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

jim2:

Obama talked about visiting wounded troops in Germany, but Palin actually did it.

To put it simply...McCain a... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by hermie | August 30, 2008 5:51 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

hermie:

To put it simply...McCain and Palin have 'waked the walked', while Obama and Biden have only 'talked the talk'.

Posted on August 30, 2008 17:51

Great post Jay.I t... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by HughS | August 30, 2008 6:40 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

HughS:

Great post Jay.

I think you are a roll with the last several posts on Obama myth busting and hope you continue. Your post is a remindeder of the early coverage of Michael Dukakis and the Massachusetts Miracle in 1988, until the Wall Street Journal systematically took apart that myth.

Keep up the good work.

Posted on August 30, 2008 18:40

This is off topic, but when... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Oyster | August 30, 2008 6:55 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

Oyster:

This is off topic, but when McCain chose her yesterday one of my first thoughts was remembering the movie The Contender. I thought, just wait. The desire to utterly destroy her will take on ugly forms. It's only a matter of time before nude photos of Palin start to appear on the Internet. And lo and behold, it's already begun. A mere 5 hours after McCain's announcement there are photoshops and grainy photos of lord-knows-who cropping up.

Posted on August 30, 2008 18:55

Nice spreadsheet over at Re... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by GarandFan | August 30, 2008 7:42 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

GarandFan:

Nice spreadsheet over at Redstate:

http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/aug/30/tale-of-the-tape-sarah-palin-vs-barack-obam/

Posted on August 30, 2008 19:42

Very well written...I think... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by jennifer | August 30, 2008 11:21 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

jennifer:

Very well written...I think that you have said it all...hope this makes the circuit.

Thanks for putting it down so clearly.

Posted on August 30, 2008 23:21

just checking anyone notic... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by jatyee | August 31, 2008 11:02 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

jatyee:

just checking anyone notice if she was a redhead?

Posted on August 31, 2008 11:02

Palin has the snickers Barr... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Lulu | August 31, 2008 3:46 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Lulu:

Palin has the snickers Barry pretends to have.

Great post.

Posted on August 31, 2008 15:46

Do you put any negative com... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by LPT | September 2, 2008 7:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

LPT:

Do you put any negative comments up, or just the ones that kiss your ass?

Posted on September 2, 2008 19:03

Actually, LPT, comments her... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by Jay Tea | September 2, 2008 7:09 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jay Tea:

Actually, LPT, comments here are amazingly, incredibly open. The only times they do not post instantly is if they trigger the spam filters, the entry is over a week or so old, or the posting IP has been banned.

It ain't my fault if so many people recognize my genius...