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SpinnerofTales -> RE: Political indoctrination in schools: (9/3/2009 8:07:26 PM)
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quote:
The question is, as one of the advocates for this Administration, why aren't you "bent out of shape" that they allowed it to be am issue? You taking a; hope it will blow over position? Even if they were smart enough to do so and not one more word was said by any opposition, does it help?ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth
A valid question, Merc..and by the way, my public compliments. I very often disagree with you, but you at least are someone one can have discourse with. That is valuable.
That said, I think Obama isn't all that stupid on this. He knows that the people screaming about indoctrination and such are never going to like him. He knows that the right wing have adopted a "destroy at all costs" policy on him where everything he does is to be demonized and cast in the worst possible light. However, this is just part of the story.
What he also knows is that, interestingly, even among those who disagree with his policies, he scores remarkably high in personal approval. He also knows that while his policy's approval ratings are going down, this is not being translated into a raise in the approval of those opposing him. In fact, among those coveted independent voters, there is the perception that the right is being distinctly and purposely unhelpful.
Now, what is he going to do on Tuesday? He's going to make a nice, reasonable, inoffensive speech about a subject that almost all can agree upon, that staying in school and doing well is an important thing. This will leave the right to try to demonize what is basically a milk and cookies speech, making them look even more intolerant, or to back down, admitting that perhaps Obama isn't the antichirst all the time. Meantime, Obama gets to do what Obama does best: be charming, well spoken, appearing intelligent and being doggone likable.
Now it's become rather obvious that the country is so polarized that there are those who would vote for Obama if he promised to sell half the country to Iran for a dollar. There is another group who wouldn't vote for him if he brought the economy up to sustainable 20% GDP growth rate, Made world peace after wiping every Islamic fundamentalist off the face of the earth, and pitched a no hitter that helped the Mets win the World Series while coming up with a cure for cancer. The key to winning elections is the independent voter, who isn't incredibly trusting of either side of the political spectrum. So these independents are going to see him at his best in a very low pressure situation (how can you NOT look good making a "stay in school and do your homework" speech?) which will put them into a far more favorable mood towards him when he makes his speech on Wednesday about the controversial health care bill.
Now, since the only other option he has is to let his Presidency be co-opted to the point where he is unable to do or say anything for fear of the way it can be twisted, this seems to me like a sound idea for gaining a bit of much needed ground.
You can say what you like about his policies, but Obama knows how to play politics. The fact that he went from a junior senator to the first black president of the United States when everybody knew that Hillary Clinton was going to be the Democratic party nominee demonstrates that. So maybe he's crazy to do this. Or maybe he's crazy like a fox.
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