Gleaner's mid-summer state o' the race analysis: Hopeful Tomorrow still well-positioned to eke out victory over Bitter Yesterday

The nation's political press corps tends to concern itself first and foremost with the horse-race end o' things anyway so it's understandable that everyone is contemplating what Obama's World Victory Tour will mean for his chances.

But in keeping with what this little corner of the interwebtubes has always considered the most promising thing about Obama, a separate point: Obama's trip has done more  to tell the world that the United States is not, in point of fact, full-on batshit crazy anymore than any other event, statement or action, official or unofficial, of the last seven years.

In a way that arguably no one else could, Obama has already kick-started the effort to rebrand the U.S. as, taken all in all and on the whole, a good thing (and one of the big reminders coming out of the Europe trip especially is that people would really, really like to like the U.S. and fervently hope that America will stop being such a dick).

To be sure, however, assurances that the U.S. is no longer a Superpower Gone Wild may be dialed back considerably if the warmonger John Sidney McCain III were somehow elected president.

To that end, let's watch a short clip that increasingly famous and influential Nevadan Jed Lewsion dug up from his own recent archives:

Ah yes, what with McCain spending most of the past week whining bitterly in front of any camera that would focus on him about how Obama is so much more interesting than he is, it was easy to forget about the solemn promise to veto all the beers.

There are still conventions to stage and veepees to pick, micro-scandals to obsess over, wedges to exploit and all the rest between now and November 4. And most importantly, there will be a few weeks in October when the undecided voters -- morons by definition -- will lift up their heads long enough to be exposed to a just a snippet or two of information that will then allow them to make a decision based on gut feelings.

The McCain camp (subtly) and its surrogates (not so subtly) can be expected to fill that time, and aim for those middle American mid-sections, with reminders that Obama and his entire family are elitist radical black Muslim socialist revolutionaries who love gays, Mexicans, gay Mexicans, terrorists and, worst of all, taxes but hate the troops, whereas McCain was the bestest prisoner of war in the history of both prisoners and war.

That messaging is likely to move a moron or two.

But the more people see of that smart young hunky Obama fellow and ol' Sidney the III, the overwhelming impressions that hopefully will settle in the gut of America's standard-issue oblivious undecided voter are a) Obama's cool and b) McCain may be a good man (prisoner of war!!!) but holy shit what a geezer.

Comments

[Rich Stafetas]

Watching Obama in Berlin I couldn't help but think of JFK. Barack put the world on notice that America's back! Gobama!!!

[jonell]

Off topic, but the term limit decisions are out. Buckly and Raggio can run, Woodbury and other non-legislators cannot. I've linked to the decisions and provided a short summary at www.harmfulerror.com.

[Fifth grader]

"Obama's trip has done more to tell the world that the United States is not, in point of fact, full-on batshit crazy anymore than any other event, statement or action, official or unofficial, of the last seven years."

Maybe, but I thought Snakes on a Motherfucking Plane was also an important turning point.

[Kickboxermomma]

Once again on point analysis.

[Nancy]

From your lips to God's ear! What a geezer is far too kind tho.............