In recently reported focus groups, some of the respondents claimed they want more than just rhetoric from Obama and want him to spell out some multi-point plans (guess they don't have web access).
And yet, when asked why they like McCain it is the usual bumper sticker "Maverick" or "Independent."
Goose/gander; pot/kettle...or just voters searching for reasons (however far fetched) to justify their low information proclivities.
Sometimes, you expect people actually vote for the issues they feel strongly about, and sometimes you are discouraged to find they feel strongly about who they would like to have a beer with.

Carsick, read up on Clotaire Rapaille. He's a marketer who has come up with an interesting characterization of what motivates us to buy things. I think the Times Sunday Mag. ran a piece on him a few years ago. His work may well explain the "usual bumper sticker" thing.

Thanks Mr. Lawlwani for the update and for the links which I enjoyed reading.

I especially enjoyed reading your link to Haaretz and to seeing these remarks from Steve Grossman:

"According to Grossman, American Jews "still don't know him well. If every American Jew had a possibility to talk to Barak Obama, they would agree with him on most of the issues. That's what Thursday night is for, that's what elections are for," he said, in a reference to Obama's scheduled speech accepting the party's nomination.

I've been president of AIPAC for 4 years, and I devoted my life to those relations, and he has the ability to articulate those values to American people, to be able to say: 'It's important to strengthen the Israeli-American relationship.'"

A number of prominent delegates said the choice of Senator Joe Biden would provide a strong boost to Obama support among American Jews. "For Jews he's a mishpucheh," Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said of Biden, using the Yiddish version of the Hebrew word for family."

Wow, it seems like just a few short months ago we were debating whether Senator Obama would bring a fresh perspective to the Middle East. Some astute Washington Note readers thought Senator Obama's views would be more nuanced and more even handed. But I guess not.

With Biden on board, I'm actually more and more convinced that Obama will tilt even more strongly towards Israel than either President Bush or John McCain.

Who would have thunk it?

Oh, and remember that when McCain challenges party lines, he's a "maverick", (not that he often does challenge), but when Obama challenges party lines, he "can't be trusted". What we get out of these people, and what we associate with them, comes from more than media and advertising repetition. The candidates themselves have to be able to support the characterization. Obama is too something or other to be a "Maverick". And that something or other engenders distrust in a lot of people. We can't TRUST McCain if he's a MAVERICK, yet we trust his distrustfulness.

McCain gets basic facts WRONG routinely. Obama pauses a lot when he talks, but aside from rare gaffes from fatigue (the confusion of "states" and "contests" in the primary), he gets facts right. Who is thought of as the ignorant candidate?

Rapaille picks up on these underlying issues.

I would like to add for our esteemed commenter, the illustrious WigWag (applause), that Joe Biden's wife's name is Jill Tracy JACOBS! (ewwww, ooooo, aaaah)

So WigWag's honoured attempt at making the anti-Semites who comment here cringe, will, I hope, be turned into fits of apoplexy with the above revealing information.

! JACOBS !

just helping out; thanks for just helping out. And I appreciate the applause. When commenting at the Washington Note I get mostly hisses and cat calls, and that's when people are feeling polite.

well it should be interesting, i mean 2 nights of the Clinton klan and folk from MICH and FLA

Well the first night of the Democratic Convention just ended and this is how CNN summed it up,

“I simply cannot understand why the people who planned this convention let it go on for hour after hour with nothing substantive going on.”

“I think they did a very poor job tonight.”

David Gergen
August 25, 2008

Bush is the least popular president in modern history. He was hardly mentioned at all.

There was virtually no mention of:

1)Health care
2)The economy
3)Foreign policy
4)Iraq
5)The Middle East
6)Europe
7)Russia
8)Tax policy
9)The mortgage crisis
10) Gas prices.

Tuesday's Hillary's night. Wenesday's Bill's night. I am sure that they will compliment Obama alot and I am sure that they will be substantive.

But shouldn't something of consequence be said on the first night of a national convention.

Sorry you Obama supporters. The grade for the first night of your convention (despite the great speech by Kennedy and the okay speech by Michelle Obama) is C-

First night of the Democratic Convention in a nut shell:

Discussion about the future of America: None.
Critique of the Bush Presidency: None.

Like Obama himself, the night was short on substance and high on the personality cult stuff:

Caroline Kennedy: Let’s celebrate Me! And My life story!

Ted Kennedy: Let’s celebrate ME! And my life story!

Michelle Obama: Lets celebrate ME! And my life story!

It was hard to tell if it was a political convention or a freaking LifeTime TV special.

But Jim Leech was good.

"And I appreciate the applause. When commenting at the Washington Note I get mostly hisses and cat calls, and that's when people are feeling polite"

Theres always some jerk in the crowd that somehow thinks the underdog isn't the underdog for a reason.

CNN, eh, Wigwag? Ya know, for someone that "doesn't watch cable news", you sure cite it alot.

I watched the show at CNN. It was very weird. It looked like a very
old monarchic ritual in a modern, American disguise, with the
help of a democratic-carnevalesque scenography and costumes,
and with four dynasties in different roles:
The Bush dynasty on its way out in disgrace; the Clinton dynasty
outmaneuvered - and on the main stage: the dying Kennedy
dynasty handing over the throne to the coming Obama dynasty.
The last chapter in this transfer of power between families is
probably not written - one day the Clintons, perhaps even the
Bush family may return.

The Daley dynasty takes over again. The same radicals who helped ratfuck the '68 convention are now on think tanks and ngo boards with the future 'president' of the only first world nation with no universal health coverage.

The convention has the momentum of a leaking tire.

And even Michelle Obama`s speech could be seen as a first step
to advance her chances in a future presidential race. (And who
knows, perhaps she`ll loose one day for a Korean-American man,
etc....)

Well, considering that Gore lost to a monkey, I suppose anything is possible.

Mr.Murder... you were there...you got the picture...me too. POA.. I'll say..

WigWag..I don't hiss at you... I disagree about the Palestine-Israel issue, but I don't hiss at you....

I think tommorrow is Steve's birthday...HP,S.

pauline...check out the last sentence...tidbits from the right...
McCAIN TO PICK RONALD REAGAN AS VP
By R J Shulman
PHOENIX -- Bucking all of the predictions regarding his choice of a running mate, Senator John McCain will choose Ronald Reagan to run as his Vice President, the Post Times Sun Dispatch learned today. "This is a brilliant move," said Charles Schneider, a strategist for the Republican Party, "as it will bring all the conservatives and Reagan Democrats to the polls to vote for McCain." "The choice of Reagan is also a positive for McCain because he will look young and vigorous compared to Reagan and he will look more attentive," Schneider said. "I couldn't have suggested a better choice," said Dick Cheney, "except for me, of course."

Democratic political strategist James Carville said, "I can't believe what those Republicans will dig up to win this election." Barack Obama said he had no comment as he would like to keep the tone of the campaign above board and above ground.

"There is nothing in the Constitution that says you have to be alive to be the Vice President," said Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law Professor, " I guess our founding fathers didn't think future generations would be so unscrupulous and so dumb." "I don't think it's bad to choosicate a Vice President without a pulse," President [sic] Bush said, "after all, I have a Vice President without a heart."

pauline...check out the last sentence...TidBits from the right...
McCAIN TO PICK RONALD REAGAN AS VP
By R J Shulman
PHOENIX -- Bucking all of the predictions regarding his choice of a running mate, Senator John McCain will choose Ronald Reagan to run as his Vice President, the Post Times Sun Dispatch learned today. "This is a brilliant move," said Charles Schneider, a strategist for the Republican Party, "as it will bring all the conservatives and Reagan Democrats to the polls to vote for McCain." "The choice of Reagan is also a positive for McCain because he will look young and vigorous compared to Reagan and he will look more attentive," Schneider said. "I couldn't have suggested a better choice," said Dick Cheney, "except for me, of course."

Democratic political strategist James Carville said, "I can't believe what those Republicans will dig up to win this election." Barack Obama said he had no comment as he would like to keep the tone of the campaign above board and above ground.

"There is nothing in the Constitution that says you have to be alive to be the Vice President," said Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law Professor, " I guess our founding fathers didn't think future generations would be so unscrupulous and so dumb." "I don't think it's bad to choosicate a Vice President without a pulse," President [sic] Bush said, "after all, I have a Vice President without a heart."