McCain's campaign strategy and how to beat it

[andym]

McCain's strategy is now clear. He has used his choice of Palin to shore up his base, and demonstrate that he is a maverick (="brand"). He has been using his support of the "surge" to promote his "good judgement" and his commander in chief cred. He is building upon his honorable reputation (POW), he is showing his ability to take risks as his main strength (in addition to his experience("he is old"). He was quoted today as stating he wanted Democrats in his cabinet (remember the "uniter not a divider" in 2000), because he wanted to chose "America's best and brightest"-- stealing Obama's new approach to Washington. Two weeks ago he could not have attempted this, because it would endanger the support of his base-- but with Palin aboard he can say whatever he pleases.

Prediction: expect more McCain mini-news bombs showing he is the agent of change in this election. Expect this to be focused on the economy and on who might serve with him should he be elected. This will effectively allow him to run away from the 90% support of Bush.


All these things are far more dangerous than the current state of the polls.

What the Obama campaign has to do. Barack needs to show that he is the real agent of change. Best way to combine comparing and contrasting his policies with new somewhat controversial (in a good way) policies. Talk about who he intends to bring into his administration (best and brightest) and show political courage by promoting ideas with his own mini news bombs that McCain can not touch. Originality and some controversy are needed. For example, Barack has been hinting that for some time that he might try to expand affirmative action to include the economically disadvantaged. He should announce his policy "surprises" during critical news cycles.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Indeed, McCain is coopting Obama's strongest points...

Change, working across the aisle, etc.

But we'll nail him on the war, taxes, social security, health care, and support for veterans (a personal favorite).

[GrizzlyMan]

2. The time to start nailing is NOW

It's time to take the gloves off and stop praising McCain as an honorable man who served this country well every time Obama and Biden get in front of the camera. That shit needs to stop.

[andym]

3. The attacks should come by contrast with new policies ideas

I think the attacks should come by contrast with new policy ideas. For example, it's late in the game to attack the "war hero" (at least directly), but attacking the war hero's judgment on getting the US into Iraq is fair game. BUT, the Obama campaign needs a new angle to get attention (otherwise it will not be widely publicized).

[dennis4868]

4. It aint happening...

Dems running for prez do not attack hard....don't know why but it is just the way it is...Dems hope people are smart enought to make the right decision which is outdated thinking since 1988.

[NYC_SKP]

5. No, I'd rather see it build up over time, with exponential intensity.

Sure, I'd like to see more now, we all would.

But if he went ballistic too soon, the Repubs would step it up in kind and we'd begin to turn off voters and have to go on the defensive too much and too early.

I think the campaign know just what it's doing, letting them become a little bit complacent, hang themselves on some rope, get sloppy.

Dont' think for a minute that this campaign, the campaign that beat the inevitable Hillary, doesn't have nuclear weapons up it's sleeve and iron knuckles in it's pockets.

They just don't need to show their full hand this early.

[Chan790]

6. That "shit" is a calculated effort.

It's about framing narratives.

The idea is we're above the fray and won't stoop to denigrate McCain, McCain sticks to his issues (okay, our issues...he has none.) because he looks bad to go personal and mudslinging against the candidate of hope (who happens to be a minority). McCain attacking will instigate the narrative of being a racist (despite there being no actual evidence of that). He can't do it.

Palin gets left in the cold...if Obama never stoops to her level, she has to abandon it or risk coming across as a "shrew". Remember, McCain's new religious base likes their women quiet, obedient and subservient. Mooselini isn't that right now and it has a collateral cost for her with the base in time that is unrecouped if it doesn't become two-sided attacks. Palin's current role is about goading Obama into attacking her...then we get the narrative of "the angry black man attacking the white woman". If he doesn't attack her, she'll stop being effective soon enough.

[GrizzlyMan]

7. You give the American people far too much credit

We are a nation of idiots.

[goodgd_yall]

9. It does need to stop

I don't know why they keep doing that. Is it to prove they respect what McCain went through as a POW? I think they've said it enough times already.

[goodgd_yall]

8. I like the idea about giving the economically disadvantaged

bit a bigger stage. For one, I think many Americans really like the idea of changing the focus of affirmative action so it's based more on class rather than race or ethnicity. And generally I think you idea will show that Obama is the one with original ideas and that "change" for McCain is just a word he's exploiting to get elected.

[AtomicKitten]

10. SF Chronicle: "GOP Tests Renewing Culture Wars"

GOP tests out renewing U.S. 'culture wars'
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/06/MN3N12PFIQ.DTL

Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, September 7, 2008

excerpt:

'Community organizer'

In this war, "community organizer" is synonymous with working for a liberal nonprofit organization. Apparently, Republicans have forgotten about how President George H.W. Bush's call for a "thousand points of light" turned into the Hands On Network/Points of Light Foundation, which organizes volunteers to do charitable work.

"The culture wars are back on, baby," said MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, a liberal commentator whose "The Rachel Maddow Show" premieres on the cable network Monday. "Sarah Palin's speech was so hotly anticipated because so little was known about her. Who would have thought that she would have got up there and start channeling Pat Buchanan 1992?"

The difference now, Maddow said, it "is sort of being done more self-consciously than it was then," Maddow said.

* snip *

"They were test-marketing a lot of concepts in (Palin's) speech," Baldassare said. "They were trying out an anti-Washington message, an anti-media message and an anti-Democratic message. We'll know more in a couple of weeks. And we'll also be able to tell a lot by how the Democrats respond."

[GoesTo11]

11. Why don't they just come out with the Christ was a community organizer ad?

It's easy to grasp, it's obvious, it's positive, and it hits them where they live.