Changing the tone

By Jennifer J. Foster

Published: September 19, 2008

Barack Obama’s campaign has been all about change. And one of the things that’s changing around the change candidate is his changing slogan about change.

With me so far?

Fox News takes a look at how and why the sign that has graced the podium at hundreds of rallies over the past year and a half has—ahem—changed.

The old version: “Change we can believe in.“

The new version: “Change we need.“

Obama surrogates explain that the change to the change slogan became necessary as John McCain’s polling numbers have changed for the better since he has sought to take over the change label. Obama’s campaign felt compelled to differentiate between “change we need” and regular change.

There’s something else that’s changing around Obama, and that’s his tone.

For more than a year, Obama has talked about how politicians need to change the tone in politics from constant negativity and personal attacks to one of civility and respect for each other.

Well ...

The Associated Press reported this week on Obama’s “feistier, more sarcastic tone:“

Barack Obama sharpened his attacks on John McCain and mocked the Republican’s recent calls for reform in two stops in Nevada on Wednesday after days of listening to nervous supporters fret about the Democrat’s chances of taking the White House.

“Sen. McCain bragged about how as chairman of the Commerce Committee in the Senate, he had oversight of every part of the economy. Well, all I can say to Sen. McCain is, ‘Nice job. Nice job,‘“ Obama said at a rally at a baseball stadium in Las Vegas. “Where is he getting these lines? The lobbyists running his campaign?“

So do we say that Obama has changed his commitment to change the tone? Or do we say that he never changed at all?

All this reminds me of “Obama’s” line in JibJab’s latest offering, “Time for some campaignin’:“

Gosh, I’m so tir’d of divisive exchange / And I’ve got one or two things to say about change
Like the change we must change to the change we hold dear
I really like change, have I made myself clear?

The unicorn in the video is a nice touch. (Come on; Obama riding a unicorn? Now that’s funny.)

Anyway, whatever it’s his slogan or his tone, Obama is back on top in the latest round of polls.

Negativity: It works.

Unfortunately, that’s one thing that will never change.