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Sunday, September 07, 2008
The McCain-Palin campaign on offense
I love metaphors. I especially like elegant metaphors, which can include sports metaphors.
I'd previously made the point that the Palin choice was definitely not a Hail Mary (which is a desperation play), but I'd characterized it as a long bomb (on first down, from mid-field). So I was interested in this post by Jonah Goldberg on The Corner, in which he reprints a reader email arguing that Gov. Palin's addition to the GOP ticket isn't a single play, but a different sort of "game changer." I think that's right.
Jonah's correspondent suggests that the proper metaphoric term is the "West Coast Offense," which isn't bad. And Alaska does have a fabulous, fabulously long west coast.
But given that Gov. Palin was a high school track competitor (she continues to run regularly) and a life-long hunter, the better and more elegant metaphor is obviously:
The Run-and-Shoot.
Posted by Beldar at 07:59 AM in 2008 Election, Humor, McCain, Palin, Politics (2008), Sports | Permalink
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Comments
(1) capitano made the following comment | Sep 7, 2008 9:12:20 AM | Permalink
Hmmm, Run & Shoot...Houston Oilers...which are now the Titans...QB Vince Young...also carried the Texas Longhorns on his back to a National Title. I think I see where you are going with this.
(2) stan made the following comment | Sep 7, 2008 1:00:44 PM | Permalink
The GOP has gone to the spread offense. Coach McCain has chosen not to go with a stereotypical dropback passer at QB. Instead, he has spread the field and put in a QB who is not only a good passer, but also a legitimate running threat. Obama is having difficulty matching up.
The beauty of the spread is that it makes it very difficult for a defense to hide a weakness. You have to be able to match up at every skill position or you get carved up. Obama has weaknesses that he had hoped to be able to cover up. Now his best hope is to overpower McCain in the treches (i.e. turnout on election day). If his people in the trenches can overwhelm McCain's front line, all the GOP's running and passing threats will be worthless.
(3) kat-missouri made the following comment | Sep 8, 2008 12:05:45 AM | Permalink
I thought maybe you mean "gun and run".
(4) Gregory Koster made the following comment | Sep 8, 2008 1:55:19 AM | Permalink
Dear Mr. Dyer: The trouble with metaphors is that they substitute a phony situation for the real one, on the grounds that the real situation is too dam complicated to understand, so let's use the power of analogy to understand. Bah. The 2008 election is not difficult to understand:
a) the political fundamentals are against the GOP
b) the GOP has held the Presidency for eight years, and is badly out of touch with the political mood of the country. See e.g. Stevens, Ted of Alaska, who has been renominated instead of being hanged.
c) McC is a scrapper, always at his best when he plans have failed, and his prospects look grim
d) the foreign situation outweighs all other issues combined. McC is by far the best candidate on foreign affairs, despite his idiotic position on immigration.
e) he and his friends, allies, and those don't care for him, but find the other choices far worse, better get going. Contribute dough, ring doorbells, put up signs, but act.
No metaphors needed. Action is.
Sincerely yours,
Gregory Koster
(5) David made the following comment | Sep 14, 2008 2:43:35 PM | Permalink
My favorite metaphor to date comes from fighter-pilot tactics, via Michael Barone’s 9/13 column: McCain got inside Obama’s OODA loop. http://www.creators.com/opinion/michael-barone.html
(6) Peggy McGilligan made the following comment | Sep 21, 2008 12:45:41 PM | Permalink
I find the Sarah Palin pick to be analogous to a strike in bowling. I rather picture the fast, powerful, dead-on approach; ball connects, all pins go down. I can hear the ball on the hardwood floor: strike. This woman is on course, she means to take down the opposition.
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