An Internet hub for moderates, centrists, and independents, with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, and right

« The Barack Obama Variety Half Hour Show

Let Computers Wake Up at Human Speed »

Final Table of Presidential Poker

Posted by TONY CAMPBELL, Columnist in At TMV, Politics.
Oct 26th, 2008 | Comments

The tournament that started with almost twenty players has wound down to three people with significant chips in play at the final table: John McCain holding A-J, Sarah Palin holding 10-10 and Barack Obama holding K-K. Why do I mention Palin when she is not on the top of the ticket? I mention her because she has more to gain or lose over the next ten days than John McCain does.

Senator McCain has run his last campaign for the Presidency. After November 4th, McCain will go back to his office on Capitol Hill and try to regain his credibility. The sad thing is that it is not even his fault. Any Republican, even Sarah Palin, was going to lose in 2008. It is George W. Bush, not McCain, that is to blame for the electoral mess the Republican Party finds itself for the next 8 years.

However, there is talk that Governor Palin may be setting herself up as an early favorite for the 2012 nomination. Palin’s pocket tens is a good hand. I don’t see how it would help Palin’s political future by backing off from attacking Barack Obama. McCain can afford to wear a non-partisan face while going down with the ship. Palin can use this opportunity to bluff her way into the hearts and wallets of the Republican base early in 2009 as the voice of the conservative opposition. If she continues to be in the public eye, she will be fully insulated from attacks in 2012.

For Senator Obama, the next ten days are going to be an experiment of aggressive patience. He holds the best hand, but has to keep the pressure on his opponents while not being seen as a bully. Folding is not an option, but if you know your opponents will probably go all-in, it is still a difficult call.

It is time for the heads-up moment of this two-year tournament. High Stakes, Inflated Egos, the Fate of the United States is on the table and everyone is finally watching…WSOP (World Series of Poker) eat your heart out.

Ads by Project Wonderful! Your ad here, right now: $0

DLS

I've not quite seen it described that way before, but it is an interesting situation Obama is in -- strategically he need only run out the clock, mark time for eight more days and he should win. But it could be a closer race than many believe, and as I've said elsewhere (using the metaphor created by the 1972 men's 5000 km final with Lasse Viren's machine-like finishing "kick") Obama should go all out rather than slacken. It's _not_ "running up the score" on McCain; it's _not_ unsportsmanlike or incivil -- it's the logical thing to do: finish a good campaign strongly, rather than weakly.

While traveling between Detroit and Iowa and St. Louis this weekend, I listened to Chicago talk radio (mixed left-right crew) and there was some concern about the big election-celebration party being arranged by the Obama campaign. Many view this as arrogant and offensive. I view it in a broader context -- the outdoor spectacle Obama arranged for the Dem convention, complete with dumbed-down entertainment (as tawdry as any Super Bowl idiocy) and the infamous Greek columns beside giant TV screens that were as garish as the worst sports TV programming was probably due to the same thing -- a number of people on Obama's team simply appear to be socially ignorant. I doubt the big planned celebration is going to make many switch to McCain.

Finally, I believe people shouldn't rush to make Palin into any future GOP superstar. That's expecting or at least conceiving much too much!

DLS

Obama's "closing argument" (to quote his campaign) will be made in Canton, Ohio -- he'd love to take Ohio from the Republicans this year.

blog comments powered by Disqus