I mean, Obama is white AND he is black, so already the GOP's message gurus heads are exploding!

An entire political apparatus built on the idea that the American people cannot hold two thoughts in their head at the same time, has no idea what to do with an opposition candidate who is comfortable with his internal contradictions.

Posted by Dan Goldman | July 22, 2008 3:13 PM

Let's not forget, he's like the sarcastic, martini-drinking guy with the good-looking girlfriend at your country club! You know, that guy! All Americans hate that guy!

I'm comforted that Karl Rove lost it and became a punchline even more quickly than James Carville.

Posted by Jake H. | July 22, 2008 3:16 PM

"Are all of the smart Republican message gurus sitting this election out?"

I think they might actually be out of "good" ideas this time (good meaning malicious dirty tactics that will actually work).

Running Against Barack Obama = Not a Happy Place.

Posted by Breukelyne | July 22, 2008 5:01 PM

It works just as badly in general, too:

* 'Liberals are all a bunch of over-educated elitist snobs who stay in their hoity-toity preserves out of touch with the common man yet they don't know nothing about business 'cause they've never worked a day in their life 'cause they've never once appreciated the American dream to better yourself and achieve more.' *

Posted by El Cid | July 22, 2008 7:48 PM

The GOP just has lost its mind.

It usually gets a focus and sticks with it.

But, Barack Obama CANNOT, SIMULTANEOUSLY BE

The Newly Minted Inheritor of Huey P. Newton

AND

The Black Frasier Crane

These images canNOT exist.

And, even if they've settled on The Black Frasier Crane..

Frasier would NEVER be married to the Second Coming of Angela Davis (Michelle).

So, you see, even the most basic of racists knows that these images just don't gel....which is why they just can't nail Obama to a dartboard and keep him there.

Posted by rikyrah | July 23, 2008 2:02 AM

Of course, these are the same people who suggested that John Kerry shot himself with a grenade launcher, and people bought that line of BS as well...

Posted by MikeT | July 23, 2008 4:40 PM

What are the GOP gurus going to do with the Obama in Berlin speech? Will we see footage of Jesse Owens running, Hitler addressing Nazis, and Obama speaking to a huge crowd of chanting modern day Germans? Don't forget, they've already alleged that Obama wasn't sincere when he wrote "never again" at the guest book in the Holocaust Museum.

Posted by JT (Chicago) | July 24, 2008 9:34 AM

Mark Twain wrote an essay on the novels of James Fenimore Cooper. It was an hilarious put down, and basically obliterated Cooper's reputation for many generations.

To me, Obama is in fact the most "mockable" presidential candidate we have ever had, despite the fact that the comedians are so queasy about laughing at him. He's even more mockable than Clinton, who had that kind of roguish charm to hide behind even as he uttered one whopper after another. And that's because BO takes himself SOOOO seriously, with that affected gravitas, all hopey and changey.

From Jeremiah Wright to Campaign Finance, to the faux seal, to air brushing off his website the opposition to the surge, it's an absolute smorgasboard of mockable moments.

Unlike Dukakis, he won't put himself in the tank...but McCain should put him there, metaphorically.

In my view, THIS is how McCain should attack him. He should mock him as a thin, shallow narcissist, a poseur -- in other words, as a James Fenimore Cooper of politics, with no redeeming literary qualities whatsoever.

Just imagine the speech -- "Let's talk about my opponent for a second.." and the bizarre behavior, the bitter wife, the "no sooner disown" and then the "throw under the bus" "the oceans receding" -- one hysterical punch line after another.

Get the crowd roaring. Diminish him to the empty, shallow character that he is.

Posted by Karl K | July 24, 2008 10:15 PM