Political bits
The WaPo frontpages with a new poll showing Obama handily winning "low wage workers." (This is not really a surprise, but +10 among white workers is news because the press was carrying the "he can't win whites" line out of the primaries.)
The NYTimes has a graphic looking at the eight possible Dem pickups in the Senate. (My guess is 5 or 6. I don't think Franken gets over the top.)
(Kurtz) More and more media grumbling at McCain's inaccessibility to the press.
(CNN) Obama unveils his energy plan today. (A big deal with energy polling at the top of voters concerns. We can probably expect alot of McCain campaign chaff today to try and take away focus.)
The NYSun previews the attack lines against some of Obama's VP choices.
(HuffPo) McCain will "participate in" the Sturgis biker rally?
And, Today is Barack Obama's 47th birthday and the election is three months from today.
The NYTimes has a graphic looking at the eight possible Dem pickups in the Senate. (My guess is 5 or 6. I don't think Franken gets over the top.)
(Kurtz) More and more media grumbling at McCain's inaccessibility to the press.
(CNN) Obama unveils his energy plan today. (A big deal with energy polling at the top of voters concerns. We can probably expect alot of McCain campaign chaff today to try and take away focus.)
The NYSun previews the attack lines against some of Obama's VP choices.
(HuffPo) McCain will "participate in" the Sturgis biker rally?
And, Today is Barack Obama's 47th birthday and the election is three months from today.
posted by mikevotes at
6:59 AM
10 Comments:
Regarding McCain at Sturgis...
This is just weird. Sturgis, as your linked article points out, is essentially a raunchy, drunken, testosterone-fest with more in common with Hell's Angles-like "character" than with Duty, Honor, Country. Sure there are vets there. But so what. Let's remember Timothy McVeigh was a vet... as was Eric Rudolph and the Washington Beltway sniper (John Muhammad?).
So Barack Oama travels through Europe and the Middle East, meeting heads of state and promoting the better side of traditional American values... and John McCain is at some monster carnival of misogyny, motorcycles and mayhem. But his celebrity status as a POW makes him a favorite of the crowd... go figure.
By
-epm, at 9:53 AM
He's going for the macho vote.
By
Anonymous, at 10:26 AM
EPM, the only reason I linked HuffPo is because that's where I saw it, but yeah, weird.
I guess McCain is looking for images of him with vets and grizzled "independent" Americans.
(And don't underestimate the desire of him to be imaged younger.)
...
Anon, definitely. "tough guy" white.
By
mikevotes, at 10:31 AM
My question: Do the Sturgis guys vote? Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe the "value" here is the free (rah, rah, man-crush) publicity the media will give McCain.
By
-epm, at 11:10 AM
I can tell someone here is very ignorant of motorcycles and those who ride them.
By
realist, at 11:35 AM
EPM, Yeah, I would think most of them vote. Most of the Sturgis folks have jobs, families, etc. This is just how they spend their vacation.
(You can't buy a Harley without the stability of decent credit these days.)
And yeah, there is a desired mancrush element to the photo op by the McCain people.
....
Realist, I assume I hit your point.
By
mikevotes, at 12:08 PM
Mikevotes, you did hit my point. I am not a motorcyclist, but I have friends who are. Respectable people who defy -epm's stereotype and actually go to Sturgis on their bikes.
Be thankful that it was -epm making the stereotype Sturgis rant instead of Obama. Or else it would have been like the so-called "elitist" rant where Obama bashed people who exercised their right to religious freedom along with their second amendment rights.
(I don't make as big of a deal about that speech as some do. People who talk a whole lot will say something stupid sometimes, and this even happens to a gifted speaker like Barak Obama).
By
realist, at 1:18 PM
addendum: "...the press was carrying the "he can't win whites" line out of the primaries.)"
Remember it was Hillary Clinton, who injected this line into the campaign. The legacy of her often-racist campaign against Obama has not entirely faded.
By
realist, at 1:41 PM
I don't presume everyone at Sturgis is a boob-grabin' hooligan. I'll bet there's even contingents from various chapters of Bikers for Christ there. So, I take back by broad brush "Sturgis" comment. I'm addressing the general theme of the rally, which is most explicitly not that of a BMW MOA Rally, GWRRA rally or even Americade.
Sturgis is the Mardi Gras of motorcycling. Which is fine, but oddly not your officer and a gentleman, family values kind of venue. It's a national rally, sure, but it's a carnival.
The question about voting was real. With voter turnout in presidential elections peaking around 50-55% I have to wonder who's not voting. Are these hard core biker types like the NRA voting machines... always at the polls, always voting Republican? I don't see them as single-issues voters in the same way as NRA members. What's their unifying issue? Helmet laws? Loud pipes laws? What would motive them to go to the polls en bloc?
And as far as buying a Harley.... yeah they can be expensive, but I don't think all these folks are riding 2008 Street Glides. And with 10% down and financing out to 6 years... that's probably ~$300/mo. My wife -- a stay at home mom -- was able to finance a new bike (Kawi Nomad) on her credit and signature only. Good credit, yes, but very little visible income. Go figure.
I bought my KLR outright, but I had to finance the Beemer and I'm still paying on the Triumph. And let me tell you, in some states it's the insurance that can be the deal breaker, not the bike payment. Especially on those big bikes. Ouch. We sold two smaller bikes a 650 and a 500) to get one Nomad (a 1600cc) and my insurance went UP $200.
OK. I seem to have lost the point to my comment... Sorry.
(BTW Mike, I'm leaving on a motorcycle trip out through Newfoundland. I'm heading out from New England on Thursday and will be gone for two weeks plus. Didn't want you to read anything into my commenting silence over the next 17 days or so. I'll be spending my time learning about motorcycles and those who ride them. lol)
By
-epm, at 1:43 PM
Realist, and Obama's point in that "bitter" comment understandably got lost in the poor language.
The subtle point was supposed to be that a fearful, feeling threatened electorate can be easily manipulated by black or white issues. Really had nothing to do with religion or guns themselves, but instead with their use as levering political issues by people trying to manipulate voters.
Really, too subtle to be said out loud by a presidential candidate.
....
EPM, no offense intended. I was trying to answer your question about whether Sturgis folks vote.
And, yeah, as you point out, it's definitely not a kids event.
(And thanks for the explanation. Have a good trip. Look forward to having you back. It's beautiful up there.)
By
mikevotes, at 2:31 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home