Dueling narratives
Posted by Dan on Aug 31st, 2008
2008
Aug 31
Hillary’s original narrative was Destiny; she was the historically inevitable first female President, and this was her moment.- Obama countered with Change. His Destiny as the first black President canceled out Hillary’s Destiny as the first female President, and he had none of her baggage.
- Hillary lurched from narrative to narrative. She tried to jump on Change, but was too late; Obama already owned Change. She tried Experience, and went down in a hail of imaginary sniper fire. Finally she settled on Regular Folks, drinking beer with steelworkers and painting Obama as a latte-swilling, arugula-eating elitist intellectual. Too late.
- Meanwhile, McCain went after Obama with War Hero and Experience. Obama conceded War Hero, but countered Experience with Judgment.
- Obama’s choice of Joe Biden as his running mate undercut Change but added some Experience. With Hillary out of the picture, he regained Destiny.
- McCain chose Sarah Palin for VP, diluting his own Experience and canceling out Obama’s Destiny again. They’re offering Reform as an alternative to Change, and they still have War Hero and Regular Folks. Palin is about as Regular Folks as you can get, being a non-bitter gun-toting, pro-life hockey mom. (Has anyone else noticed how much she sounds like Principal Victoria on South Park?)
Where do we go from here? I suppose it’s possible that the politicians could talk about the issues, but I suspect that things will settle down into two dueling narratives again.
September 1st, 2008 at 9:05 am
Issues? We don’t need no steeenking issues.
Presidential campaigns haven’t seemed very issue oriented for a long time. Ross Perot lost on an issues campaign, tho he had some help losing by coming across as a bit of a nut case.
Still, campaigns have become Theater. Whoever has the better script, director, and actors is likely to win. McCain is criticized for picking a running mate who is not ready to assume the presidency, but she can help him win on theatrics, or as you say, narrative.
And if McCain doesn’t win, Palin’s experience or lack thereof is moot. He has to win for her judgment to be an issue.
Palin seems like a decent excuse for a Republican. I hope this campaign- won or lost- doesn’t reduce her to a Dan Quale.
Now the narrative has changed again: Palin’s 17 year old daughter is five months pregnant, McCain knew that when he decided on Palin, and the presumably bummed daughter and her boyfriend are going to marry with parents’ love and support. No abortions in thier family.
Talk about narrative.
Palin should make a major financial score with her autobiography.
September 1st, 2008 at 10:13 am
There’s narrative, there’s drama, and there’s managing the news cycle. The latest announcement is drowned out by Hurricane Gustav.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:23 am
Don’t forget there are cartoons, too!