I think this is actually strategically smart. I know some die hard republicans who actually like Obama and have said they will vote for him (or at least compared to HRC, etc.). If Obama can get a positive image with those voters before the RNC machine and media starts to deflate the Obama balloon and point out his league of crazy zombie chanting followers (that video is the creepyist shit I’ve seen in a long time).

Anyways, Obama has a small window here to capitalize on McCain ’softness’ and white-guilt GOP voters and get some positive PR before the truth about Obama starts flowing from the noise machine.

… and then there’s totally amoral.

I realize that in the Village, the two are identified, but that’s because the Village is a sack of pus waiting to burst (in the immortal words of Richard Martin).

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

If you think there will be any Repubs voting for Obama in the general.
I personally find it a sleazy tactic to court Repub voters in the Dem primary. If you can’t win the Dem primary relying on the Dem vote, then perhaps you have no business running for the Dem nomimnee.

As for the genius thingy: Obama is a genius in the same way that in TV whodunits, the criminal genius outmaneuvers the good guys by ingenious tricks. Although, as opposed to TV, Obama may get away with it.

As someone with experience in making radio buys, allow me to point out how it works. One is often offered a pakage on a station or newtwork of stations with a guranteed level of exposure, for example, all Clear Channel Stations in Texas with an exposure of 1,000 people per $100 spent. Especially when having to make buys in many different states and markets, this reduces the amount of market minutae that campaigns need to learn, yet still get the most bang for their buck. It’s likely, as with internet ads, that the Obama camp had no idea that Limbaugh would be in their rotation, especially considering that these were local, not national spots.

But don’t let that stop all your fun of reading Obama’s mind, and ascribing to him evil and backhanded motives (amoral!).

don’t follow the slate; create debate

… they’re pull the ads, right? Or will it be part of Obama’s “genius” to continue?

[Pause for hollow laughter, as the words “Change” and “Transformation” and “Unity” scroll, in luminous letters, before my horrified gaze…]

Oh, wait. Obama doesn’t read blogs…. Not even Bareback Andy’s?

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

Yeh, they’ll pull their entire radio buy the weekend before the primary - good advice.

At least you took my advice and didn’t let your insults be slowed by the facts.

don’t follow the slate; create debate

Never. Next!

NOTE Actually, Mike, I’m not hearing any facts from you. Just your own interpretation, with no links or evidence.

There’s a lot that can be accomplished with a level of effort by people with millions of dollars to spend.

What you’re really saying is that Obama doesn’t want to make the effort.

Fine, I understand. If Obama’s sophisticated media buyers wrote a magical formula that throws money to a reactionary drug-addicted sex tourist, and there’s just no time to change the formula, then more power to them, say I.

Just, please, stop with the “Change” and “Transformation” and “new kind of politics” bullshit. It’s gotten really old….

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

I’m in an argument with someone who’s been given a lesson in basic aerodynamics and still responds with “But man was not meant to fly!!”

BTW - Just because I’m a Hillary supporter doesn’t mean I have to believe that Obama is Satan incarnate.

don’t follow the slate; create debate

Sorry if I considered what I said so basic as to be common knowledge. Here’s a link http://webclass.lakeland.cc.il.us/rtv090… . Focus on the section B re: vertical and horizontal run of schedules. Across a large and diverse state this would likely mean your ad could appear on any program, depending on which network of stations your buy was with.

BTW - The local ad money on Rush’s show doesn’t go directly to Limbaugh. It goes to the corporation which likely owns multiple stations. In fact, by buying ads on their other stations and programs, one contributes to the pool with which they can buy the rights to Limbaugh (some run the show as a loss leader).

don’t follow the slate; create debate

…I would not be at all surprised to find that BHO was intentionally, to the extent practicable, trying to target Limbaugh airtime. I can see several reasons why this would be somewhere between justifiable and brilliant.

1) It shows balls, you should pardon use of the vernacular expression. Marching into the lion’s den, calmly and head high.

2) Matches up with the theme of “willing to go anywhere and talk to anyone”, reach across the aisle, bring Americans together, etc.

3) Sets up the delicious possibility of the Great Gray-Green Greasy LimpBoBo coming off a disparaging anti-Obama rant and being followed directly by Da Man himself competing for the affections of His audience. Heh.

4) Also sets up the opportunity for a slick caller to come on after such an airing of the ad and ask “Hey Rush, if you hate the guy so much why are you taking his money? Gosh if I didn’t know better I might think you were a sleazy hypocrite who will do anything for a buck.” Flapping of lips ensues, w/hilarity. In a campaign as brilliantly run as this one is I would not be surprised if there were people listening regularly with just this intent.

5) You buy air where the ears are. Loathesome as Limpy is a lot of people listen to him. No point in spending money on the already converted after all.

I called the campaign “brilliantly run” and one of the things that makes it so is the willingness to break the Conventional Wisdom rules. This seems to me to be one such case.

No I have not drunk the BHO koolaid but will say I have one foot on the train. Looks to me like he is about 98% likely to be our candidate so I find myself switching gears. Flaws and all—and we are by no means obliged to forget them or pretend they don’t exist or continue to nag for improvements— when he’s our guy we’re all going to be doing the same, right?

So of course I’ll vote for him in the general. I’d rather have shock doctrine in the United States implemented by any Democrat rather than any Republican. (And though the Village has coronated Obama, they’ve been wrong plenty of times this year, and besides, they suck. Personally, I’m not tired of primary season at all — or a lot less tired of it than I am of some aspects of it — and if the fight goes to the convention, and the votes Edwards has play a part, and Gore gets nominated from the floor, then so be it. I’m very suspicious when Villagers and wannabe Villagers start saying “the country and the Party can’t take any more of this” and the healing has to begin. That kind of crap is rarely in my interest. Remember Florida 2000?)

Personally, I don’t give a tinker’s curse about the mechanics of ad buys. Money changes everything, and Obama’s got lots of it, and presumably smart people doing the buying.

Also, it’s not clear to me whether the argument is that the buy is just accidentally necessary (Mike), or a genius move (Xan; Bareback Andy’s reader).

Personally, I’d prefer to classify it as a genius move, despite all the obfuscation about technical reasons for why what is, has to be.

Chalk it up to just one more way of getting Republicans to help pick the Democratic candidate for President in states with open primaries.

So sure, Obama’s not a sociopath, so I’ll vote for him. I’ll work for policies I believe in. Shoving the Overton Window left after Obama, with all his might, tries to shove it center right.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

….but ’folks’ is still figuring that Obama will win the GE.

Hah…..

Don’t take any bets on that one pals. All it will take is one or two bone-head moves like teh Donnie McClurkin love affair and the corporatist press will eviscerate his dumb ass.

A. Citizen

Peace, Health and Prosperity for Everyone.

Lambert says:

Personally, I don’t give a tinker’s curse about the mechanics of ad buys. Money changes everything, and Obama’s got lots of it, and presumably smart people doing the buying.

So you choose not to know. Ok, I can accept that.

And just because Obama has money, maybe he doesn’t want to waste it. Cherry picking radio stations and shows in is insanely more expensive than the package buys. Plus, no matter how savvy his media people may be, I would rather believe that he is surrounding himself with smart folks on the economy and foreign policy than people who are experts on what’s the top morning show in Midland, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, Houston, Brownsville, Texarkana, Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Waco, and every other radio market in Texas.

But if that were the case, you wouldn’t be able to, with a clear conscience, write unsupportable headlines like:

Obama throws advertising bucks to Limbaugh, as rightward slide accelerates

So, for your purposes, it probably is better to just not know, and refuse to consider the possiblity. Didn’t mean to intrude into your bubble.

don’t follow the slate; create debate

Is it even possible to make a bulk radio buy in Texas without being on a station that either carries Rush or Laura or Savage or some local crackpot that’s just as bad? Not to excuse or embrace Obama and his handlers, they give me the willies in a dozen different ways, but this may be more a reflection of the radio culture in Middle America than it is him or his strategy. I’ve put a lot of miles on the road all across the “heartland” and once you lose the NPR signal it is slim pickings, and pretty damn scary.

Obama is an odd duck, for sure, but if he’s really out trolling for converts on Limbaugh then he’s throwing money away. Might as well show up to shake hands at a Klan rally.

C’mon mark.

Obama’s advertising on Limbaugh. You think he shouldn’t be held accountable. Others think it’s genius; frankly, I prefer that view.

I think Limbaugh sucks, for reasons stated; I think giving aid and comfort to Limbaugh sucks, for reasons stated; and if advertising with Limbaugh isn’t an indication of a rightward slide, I don’t know what would be. Advertising with whoever David Duke uses?

You call anybody who won’t accept your value-free technical expertise as gospel ignorant. Fine with me.

UPDATE I forget to say: Calling people who disagree or don’t accept what you say “ignorant” — ah, yes, the “casual poetry” of the Obama campaign. Always respectful, empowering, and inclusive. So familiar by now!

Incidentally, my take is that anybody who thinks the _______ ers are going to go away after the election are dreaming. Obama didn’t use Dean’s organization with the DNC or the netroots. He built his own. Great achievement, but there’s no reason to think the “movement” will dissolve after the election. Why would it? The calls of “ignorant,” and “racist,” et cetera will continue. The hatred now aimed at Hillary will find an outlet elsewhere. Why would they stop? It’s worked out very well for them.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

on the AM side is usually either Limbaugh, fundie, or both.
on the FM side you can get Limbaugh, fundie, or sometimes music, but most of the stations are owned by either ClearChannel or one of its successor outfits — so, unless you’re buying on Spanish-language radio, chances are if you’re buying radio it’s going to run on a rightist station.

¡Viva Obama, un transformador!
¡Viva el cambio, la unidad Viva,
Viva Obama, El Perfecto!

Gracias a todos.

Now that’s logic I can understand. Thank God the free market gives us choices like this!

But still.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill today! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0

but upon looking I said

5) You buy air where the ears are. Loathesome as Limpy is a lot of people listen to him. No point in spending money on the already converted after all.

which is related but not quite that. The possibility that people are listening to it out of lack of any alternative (except silence, and I don’t know anybody driving alone who chooses that) is depressing but perhaps goes to support my point.

A BHO ad in the middle of a Limpball show has got to set up cognitive upset, sort of mental indigestion. Of course a HRC ad would too but, alas, she appears not imaginative enough to try it.

This, as mark points out when he is not being intentionally rude, means she is cutting herself out of opportunities to be heard.

… on the Spanish language stations, one of Sarah’s alternatives.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

Doesn’t your argument imply that the Democrats should all have debated on FOX?

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

You are, after all, still young.

Driving hither and yon across the middle of this great nation is an experience not to be missed. Even in the oddest places I always found people friendly and open no matter that more often than not their belief systems were totally screwed up.

But the choices on the radio dial were generally depressing and once you scrolled past the bible-thumpers and the right-wing screamers there was little but country music, gringo and Mexican. I like tejano and ranchero but in moderate doses and don’t at all care for modern bubble-gum-and-lobby-boots country, fortunately there always seemed to be one station playing old-timey stuff, music I truly do enjoy.

Those many hours are why, I suppose, I have memorized every word to every song ever recorded by The Sons of the Pioneers - but that’s another thread of discussion.

Because I disagree with the almighty Lambert.

I quoted you on your own choice to be ignorant. I guess YOUR words don’t matter.

You asked me for a link- I gave you one, then you moved the goalposts on me by saying that the information didn’t matter anyway.

Also, as a Hillary voter, and someone who canvassed for her senate campaign, you cannot lump me in with the Obama supporters, as I am not one (sorry no link for either of those facts, so I guess they don’t count either, as you have twice ignored that I identified myself as a Hillary supporter).

The fact that this initial article includes not one shred of evidence (no links, no corroborating accounts) to back up that the event occurred in the first place didn’t stop you from using the alleged event to slur a democratic candidate. As a Democrat I find this kind of baseless rhetoric harmful.

The fact that I did radio ad buys and know how they work (proven with a link that shows I know what I am talking about) somehow doesn’t get as much credence with your agreement on an event from someone YOU claim in your own post to be of dubious trustworthyness. The only difference is that this “event”, true or not, matches your view.

That, and not reality, is the gold standard here.

don’t follow the slate; create debate

he intends to appoint Republicans to his cabinet. (Via Talk Left - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/wo…) Because nothing rwill build the Democratic party better than Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State Richard Lugar. That’ll show the voters which party is the party of national defense.

Ugh!

But the dumbest part in this fluff-tacular article has got to be

Obama believes he will be able to neutralise McCain by drawing on the expertise of independent Republicans such as Hagel and Lugar, who is regarded by Obama as a potential secretary of state.

So he’s going to beat McCain by being more like him? By being more of a Republican? What. The. Fuck.

And this

Earlier Obama had told the audience at a suburban high school rally in Dallas, Texas, that he intended to follow the example of his hero, President Abraham Lincoln, and appoint a cabinet of the talents, irrespective of party labels.

Appears to be wrong, Mr. Professor. Lincoln appointed only Republicans to his cabinet after he was elected, although admittedly some had changed to Republican since it was essentially a new party. (See www.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABRAHAM_LINCOLN/ which has links to various cabinet members and their political affiliations). The point of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, which I presume is where he gets this idea, was that Lincoln surrounded himself with people who disagreed with each other, not people who were from different parties.

The interesting question is what Republican talents Obama thinks would be valuable.

Torture? Child molestation? Election fraud? Destroying the Constitution? Trivial stuff like theft and plagiarism?

You know, I’ve often said, in various forums, that capturing the Presidency is necessary, but not sufficient. That was working on the assumption that the executive branch would be riddled with Republican operatives, and stay behind agents, and cells, and moles, all seeking the continue to wreak as much damage as they could, and that a Democratic organization would have to purge or at least neutralize them.

But I wasn’t cynical enough. Just leave them in place. Doing anything else would be “divisive.” What could go wrong?

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

Your argument is value-free obfuscation.

It’s the sort of argument I’d expect from a technician who puts expertise above all.

Despite the gross limitations of the Texas radio dial, I still think it’s wrong to support Limbaugh, for the same reason it would be wrong for Democrats to debate on FOX. I think it’s self-evidently a rightward slide, and far from baseless; in fact, it’s just another piece of the mosaic where Obama gets Republicans to cross over in Democratic primaries and supply the margin of victory for the Democratic nominee.

Seriously, what would it take to show a rightward slide, if not handing Limbaugh bucks from Democratic donors? Advertising with David Duke? Armbands? Visiting Bitburg?

Oh, and as far as the dreadly bolded moving the goalposts: I wasn’t aware that asking for a link implied I would agree with you when and if a link was given. Did I miss the memo on that? And you know what? I’m not working from a script or talking points, see? So, sometimes a thread evolves and changes….

Ask Axelrod to send me back markg8, wouldja? He’s better than you. Besides, I need to me nice to him for a moment because of an act of common humanity.

Yawn. I’m going to bed. Hillary doesn’t pay me nearly enough for this shit.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

Of your slur based on a hypothetical.

don’t follow the slate; create debate

Gordon McLendon, one of the pioneers of Top 40 radio, was in the 50’s and 60’s arguably the most influential broadcaster in Texas, and notoriously conservative. His editorial spots contained plenty of Red-baiting, yet he would eventually come to oppose the Vietnam War.

…for the rest of us