Well, the candidates do hire the people who run their campaigns. And McCain's people have allowed him to make repeated gaffes like the wife-beating joke and referencing Czechoslovakia as if it still existed....Not good reputation management. McCain is much better than his handlers have let him appear. - Abby Martin
McCain's campaign is nothing but whining ('why does the world love Obama?'), attack ('Why didn't Obama make political hay out of wounded vets in Germany?'), and big-oil ideas ('more drilling -- in 30 years we'll start to really think about getting off the crack!'). It is amazing to watch the mainstream media cower before the GOP message machine, regardless. - JB Holston
I did like the fact that he made a speech from in front of a German restaurant on the day Obama spoke in Berlin. That was cheeky. (Still, I'd rather the other fellow won! I'm a Mama for Obama.) - Abby Martin
wait a sec... isn't Obama losing according to latest polls? what in the hell are you talking about? - ⓃⓄⒶⒽ ⒹⒶⓋⒾⒹ ⓈⒾⓂⓄⓃ
I think your rating of either campaign might be slightly influenced by which candidate you favor. - Michael Tefft
true, somehow McCain isn't getting any press coverage(and if any all bad), and Obama is parading around the world like he's already won. - clarke thomas
Obama is a "hip" guy, McCain hardly knows how to pick up a phone. That's a tough challenge for a campaign office. - Juan Carlo Rodríguez
@Vincent - great managers hire great people (and the greatest managers hire people smarter than themselves in specific areas) ....I will say that I think the one thing Obama should be careful of is not assuming the role of President before the 'people' have actually elected him. It's good to go overseas and show your stuff but bad if there is the potential for the backlash of people who don't want him to assume his victory before the people have even spoken....(and yes that is a Canadians outsider POV) - leigh himel
Then why are they neck and neck and in some polls McCain leading? Just saying. You're right on the campaigns, just saying, why isn't it making a huge difference for Obama? I can't figure it out either. - Jim Kukral
McCain is too busy firing people from his campaign to actually manage it. - JC unwired
A candidate's campaign and campaign staff is akin to the cabinet and other positions when assuming the presidency. So, by this measure I agree that McCain's campaign has been a scary look at what we could expect from his administration. The relentless gaffe's by McCain show a lack of coordination by his team. If they can't get it together now - what makes us believe they could do it once they were in office? - AJ Kohn
I guess Obama's staff wasn't to blame when someone took recorded his gaffe about Guns and Religion, because, after all, his campaign is 'brilliant'. (sarcasm for those who don't think the original post in this thread was silly). - Andrew Leyden
media mgmt is key but is not the whole story. - jonathan
This is like any brand marketing campaign -- you can't be successful if the product behind the brand is faulty - Brian Sullivan
that wasn't a gaffe, people do cling to guns or religion because their lives suck. - Geoffrey Hamilton
via twhirl
Marc Andreessen spent 1.5 hours w/ Obama 1.5 years ago and blogged about it http://tinyurl.com/create.php The best bit is this quote: "[MA] asked him directly, how concerned should we be that you haven't had meaningful experience as an executive -- as a manager and leader of people?"
Obama replied, "Watch how I run my campaign -- you'll see my leadership skills in action." - Furqan
@Geoffrey: brilliant deduction. so if I say "people cling to Obama because they're stupid and think socialism is a good idea," that's not just as offensive to your side of the fence? Whether or not every liberal thinks Red Staters are ignorant religious fanatics (and whether or not it's true), if the candidate wants their votes, he'd better not say it. - Mark "Rizzn" Hopkins
Not JUST religious fanatics (whether or not it's true), but the space limitation prevents me from completing the list ;-) - JC unwired
It was a gaffe. Losing your job doesn't make you cling to guns or religion. It makes you drink. - Andrew Leyden
@Vincent, is it not important the people you select to run things for you. There's a funny thing called a Presidential Cabinet, and this is exactly what the future President will be doing -- choosing people to run the country. While campaign is certainly not a great comparison, it is a great way to see how a candidate chooses his closest advisors, mentors, and friends -- after all, those same people will run the country for four years. - David Adewumi
I'm not offended by you saying that I'm stupid and I think socialism is a good idea because I like Obama. And you shouldn't be offended by me saying I think you're stupid for believing in God either. - Geoffrey Hamilton
via twhirl
@Jim I think Obama hasn't sealed the deal with a clear majority yet primarily because (a) he's a black man and we've never elected an African-American president so that's always going to be a hurdle and is going to cut into his margins, (b) he's young and not nationally known up to recently, so he is still introducing himself to the country, especially those who don't tune in during primaries. - Christian Crumlish
