Powell Endorsement Rumor . . . clever attempt to deflate Obama's VP pick buzz?
William Kristol is not shy about his support for John McCain. While certainly he deserves the benefit of the doubt with respect to his motives for dropping this story so close to the Democratic convention, the fact that it is apparently unfounded raises an interesting question. Did William Kristol put this story out to deflate the buzz the Obama campaign has cultivated surrounding his VP nominee pick?
The Obama campaign smartly unveiled its scheme to text/email his VP choice to anyone who signs up for the message. Obama VP speculation was running hot. The Powell rumor shut down that speculation for a day, but more importantly, it raised the stakes of Obama's choice. The media dutifully discredited the story, but the rumor raised a compelling question that will last into the convention. Can Obama solve his problems with a VP choice that is anything less significant than a Powell endorsement? Probably not.
The Powell rumor highlights the fact that Obama needs foreign policy and military credential help from his VP choice. Everyone Obama is currently considering for VP pales in comparison to a Powell endorsement in terms of its impact on the perception of Obama as untested internationally and militarily. The ultimate impact of this rumor is to deflate the liberal media echo chamber that has geared itself up to promote Obama's VP choice as an answer to Obama's problems. Powell's endorsement of Obama would solve some of those problems. It's hard to sell Joe Biden, Evan Baye, or certainly Governor Kaine as a solution to Obama's biggest problem when one considers what Powell would bring.
Whether this was a calculated move or not, it made Obama's choice harder and less impactful.
The Ref | 8/14/08 | Permalink