Comments on: Live By Low-Information Voters, Die By Low-Information Voters http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters n. the principle of good order<br /><br /> "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:25:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eunomia » Biography Politics (II) http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/comment-page-1/#comment-12964 Eunomia » Biography Politics (II) Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:01:02 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/#comment-12964 [...] This is ludicrous, and it surprises me a little that even someone as dishonest as Karl Rove would try to pass off this most blatant of lies.  McCain offers little biography?  The candidate who went on a self-styled Biography Tour offers little biography?  Then there was the small matter of his first national ad: it was so substance-free and obsessed with McCain’s time in Vietnam that the name of the ad was McCain’s serial number!  Even his campaign’s motto, “Country First,” is a continual reminder of how he wants to present his wartime service as his definitive qualification for office.  It’s true that Obama’s candidacy is founded on his biography, but so is McCain’s, and what is strange about this claim is implication that McCain has reached this point in the election on the basis of his firm grounding in policy expertise.  I’m not sure the already blissfully message-free McCain campaign can become even more centered on McCain’s biography than it already is.   [...] [...] This is ludicrous, and it surprises me a little that even someone as dishonest as Karl Rove would try to pass off this most blatant of lies.  McCain offers little biography?  The candidate who went on a self-styled Biography Tour offers little biography?  Then there was the small matter of his first national ad: it was so substance-free and obsessed with McCain’s time in Vietnam that the name of the ad was McCain’s serial number!  Even his campaign’s motto, “Country First,” is a continual reminder of how he wants to present his wartime service as his definitive qualification for office.  It’s true that Obama’s candidacy is founded on his biography, but so is McCain’s, and what is strange about this claim is implication that McCain has reached this point in the election on the basis of his firm grounding in policy expertise.  I’m not sure the already blissfully message-free McCain campaign can become even more centered on McCain’s biography than it already is.   [...]

]]> By: Eunomia » The Election In Miniature http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/comment-page-1/#comment-12762 Eunomia » The Election In Miniature Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:02:56 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/#comment-12762 [...] Back in January, the media criticized McCain for his lies about Romney, but ultimately forgave him on the twisted grounds that he doesn’t enjoy lying, and so he remained their hero.  The same will happen concerning McCain’s lies about Obama.  Meanwhile, McCain will suffer more damage from sustained media criticism that he is supposedly trafficking in racist tropes, despite the self-evident absurdity of the charge.  The phony controversy about the alleged racism in McCain’s horrible ads will distract attention from their insipid quality, but it will still generally work to McCain’s detriment if journalists accept the idea that McCain’s campaign is trying to promote or use racism in the election.  If their response to the accusations against the Clintons is any indication, many will accept this idea, and Obama will profit from this sort of scurrilous charge.  One thing seems likely: as I guessed a few months ago, the election will turn heavily on the biography and character of the candidates, and it will therefore be one of the more divisive and unpleasant general election campaigns we have experienced.  [...] [...] Back in January, the media criticized McCain for his lies about Romney, but ultimately forgave him on the twisted grounds that he doesn’t enjoy lying, and so he remained their hero.  The same will happen concerning McCain’s lies about Obama.  Meanwhile, McCain will suffer more damage from sustained media criticism that he is supposedly trafficking in racist tropes, despite the self-evident absurdity of the charge.  The phony controversy about the alleged racism in McCain’s horrible ads will distract attention from their insipid quality, but it will still generally work to McCain’s detriment if journalists accept the idea that McCain’s campaign is trying to promote or use racism in the election.  If their response to the accusations against the Clintons is any indication, many will accept this idea, and Obama will profit from this sort of scurrilous charge.  One thing seems likely: as I guessed a few months ago, the election will turn heavily on the biography and character of the candidates, and it will therefore be one of the more divisive and unpleasant general election campaigns we have experienced.  [...]

]]> By: Eunomia » And He Has A Plan http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/comment-page-1/#comment-11832 Eunomia » And He Has A Plan Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:39:24 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/#comment-11832 [...] This is very much in line with what I have been expecting for some time now.  Given that McCain knows nothing, or next to nothing, about policy (including his own positions!) and his biography is what has recommended him to voters all along, this strategy was almost guaranteed from the beginning.  Furthermore, this approach seems to have some chance of working.  [...] [...] This is very much in line with what I have been expecting for some time now.  Given that McCain knows nothing, or next to nothing, about policy (including his own positions!) and his biography is what has recommended him to voters all along, this strategy was almost guaranteed from the beginning.  Furthermore, this approach seems to have some chance of working.  [...]

]]> By: Eunomia » Culture Wars Continuing (Continued) http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/comment-page-1/#comment-9802 Eunomia » Culture Wars Continuing (Continued) Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:29:17 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/#comment-9802 [...] This is one thing, and probably the only thing, that Kurtz and I can agree on.  The campaign seems primed to be more divisive and contentious than usual because the two campaigns are so heavily dependent on the symbolism of each candidate’s biographies, and so they are bound up with all of the cultural arguments that each candidate’s personal associations bring to mind.  The culture clash will be intense (to some extent, it already is), and its expressions will be particularly harsh because they will be targeting the candidates personally.  As I said last month: The problem with candidacies defined so completely by biography, as Obama and McCain’s candidacies clearly are, is that everything in a candidate’s biography then becomes more or less fair game, and the political incentives for using the candidate’s family and friends to attack him become very great.  Far from having the most high-minded and respectful campaign in memory between two media darlings, we are probably about to embark on one that will be remembered for its bitterness and the sheer volume of third-party personal attacks made, because it is precisely in the candidates’ integrity and biography that their electoral strength resides. [...] [...] This is one thing, and probably the only thing, that Kurtz and I can agree on.  The campaign seems primed to be more divisive and contentious than usual because the two campaigns are so heavily dependent on the symbolism of each candidate’s biographies, and so they are bound up with all of the cultural arguments that each candidate’s personal associations bring to mind.  The culture clash will be intense (to some extent, it already is), and its expressions will be particularly harsh because they will be targeting the candidates personally.  As I said last month: The problem with candidacies defined so completely by biography, as Obama and McCain’s candidacies clearly are, is that everything in a candidate’s biography then becomes more or less fair game, and the political incentives for using the candidate’s family and friends to attack him become very great.  Far from having the most high-minded and respectful campaign in memory between two media darlings, we are probably about to embark on one that will be remembered for its bitterness and the sheer volume of third-party personal attacks made, because it is precisely in the candidates’ integrity and biography that their electoral strength resides. [...]

]]> By: Steve Sailer http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/comment-page-1/#comment-9192 Steve Sailer Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:46:32 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/#comment-9192 Spengler apparently co-authored a book with Lyndon Larouche a long time ago. He's a bright guy, but he's way too confident in his own brilliance. Spengler apparently co-authored a book with Lyndon Larouche a long time ago. He’s a bright guy, but he’s way too confident in his own brilliance.

]]> By: TGGP http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/comment-page-1/#comment-9189 TGGP Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:45:55 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/#comment-9189 What is Spengler good on? From what I've read he peddles airheaded musings and <a href="http://entitledtoanopinion.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/calling-out-spengler/" rel="nofollow">things he knows damn well are outright falsities</a>. What is Spengler good on? From what I’ve read he peddles airheaded musings and things he knows damn well are outright falsities.

]]> By: M.Z. Forrest http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/comment-page-1/#comment-9176 M.Z. Forrest Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:06:39 +0000 http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/02/27/live-by-low-information-voters-die-by-low-information-voters/#comment-9176 Pumping negatives seems to make sense, but you need a couple of things to work together. It was tried with Reagan, B. Clinton, and George W. Bush. Only with Bush did it almost succeed, recalling the leak of his drunk driving arrest the weekend before the election. George H.W. Bush managed to do it with Dukakis. One of the other factors is that pumping negatives does actually hurt the candidate who does it. It is a scorched earth tactic. How much room does McCain have with his base to do this? Given that his base is mainly moderates and he's having problems with more conservative wing of the party, I'm not sure how much room there is before members of the base start peeling off. How many cracks of Barack <b>Hussein</b> Obama will it take for moderates to stop listening? Pumping negatives seems to make sense, but you need a couple of things to work together. It was tried with Reagan, B. Clinton, and George W. Bush. Only with Bush did it almost succeed, recalling the leak of his drunk driving arrest the weekend before the election. George H.W. Bush managed to do it with Dukakis.

One of the other factors is that pumping negatives does actually hurt the candidate who does it. It is a scorched earth tactic. How much room does McCain have with his base to do this? Given that his base is mainly moderates and he’s having problems with more conservative wing of the party, I’m not sure how much room there is before members of the base start peeling off. How many cracks of Barack Hussein Obama will it take for moderates to stop listening?

]]>