We act just like many of the pundits around here no matter how much we complain about them. We've seen it many times it doesn't stick with us. Just like the "pundits" many folks around here only see one step ahead, and remember one week behind.
The rope-a-dope is performed by a boxer assuming a protected stance, in Ali's classic pose, lying against the ropes, and allowing his opponent to hit him, in the hope that the opponent will become tired and make mistakes which the boxer can exploit in a counterattack.
In competitive situations other than boxing, rope-a-dope is used to describe strategies in which one party purposely puts itself in what appears to be a losing position, attempting thereby to become the eventual victor.
I remember last year so well when Ms. Palin was introduced on the national stage. Everyone (including me) was begging the soon to be president to attack her. She had so many vulnerabilities. The president just took it. They mocked for being a community organizer, no "executive experience". It went on and on, and we wanted to see him come out attacking. Every thing from the rape kits to her terrible history as governor. But the President waited two weeks and then just said the words lipstick and pig in the same sentence.
http://www.politico.com/...
UPDATE: The McCain campaign is now saying Obama called Palin a pig, which he didn't. The Obama campaign notes that "lipstick on a pig" is a fairly common idiom Obama often uses, as in a recent Washington Post interview. McCain has also used the phrase.
And that was the beginning of the end of the McCain campaign. They did the proverbial "jumping of the shark", except this time they jumped a pig. It showed just how weak the McCain/Palin campaign was and even though the President or Vice President never exploited it, they knew exactly what they were dealing with. It was defining moment for me and my support for the President. It's easy to argue with people reflexively, it's hard to hold your tongue (and power) for the sake of strategy.
And that is what is happening in the health care debate. I'm sure the President wanted a bill in July, but it didn't happen it. He could have gone out and had a shouting match with wingnuts day in and day out, but he laid low as the GOP just pounded at him. At the end of the month he knew one thing, they have no plan and there support is still limited to the fringe. And me played the media. It's now going to be "The Obama Comeback".
As we saw today at the AFL-CIO picnic the beating will begin.
And CNN reports:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...
Top aides say his fiery Labor Day speech to an organized-labor crowd in Ohio was a preview of a more passionate case for reform that's coming later this week.
The top aides say the president is putting his own strong imprint on the speech to Congress. After advisers last week submitted various thoughts on what the speech should say, Obama spent much of the weekend at Camp David crafting the actual address, which currently is running about 37 minutes in draft form.
"He will be very forceful," one senior Obama aide said about the tone of the speech. "He will be making the case for action."
A second senior Obama aide said that while the president knows that a rousing organized labor crowd is a much different audience than a joint session of Congress — along with millions of Americans watching on television Wednesday night — Monday's speech set the stage for what will be a more aggressive case for reform than the public has seen thus far.
"He will make a strong case Wednesday night on what health-care reform means to Americans," the second aide said on Monday. "Today you began to see a preview of what you will see Wednesday night."
The rational, smart, passionate and persuasive President will take his bully pulpit and pound the GOP to the ground. Is this the way the President wanted this to happen, probably not. But great boxers like Ali (and politicans like Obama) don't know how every fight is going to go down, but they know how to adjust and make changes as the rounds go on. And just like many times before Obama has used the rope a dope on his opponents, and we will be a better country for it. In fact, I think we'll end up with a better bill because the counter arguments are so bad.
My prediction.
Co-ops Year 1
Trigger for PO Year 3 with wider availabilty than HR 3200 today (trigger will be prior to Nov 2012 election)
Net same result of Public Option in HR 3200 with wider coverage in same time period.