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Politics & ReligionWell Since every damn forum has one. Might as well leave it out there. This place is loosely moderated and should not be entered if you're weak of heart.
McCain plans fiercer strategy against Obama
GOP plans to focus on Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal ties
WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain and his Republican allies are readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character, believing that to win in November they must shift the conversation back to questions about the Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal associations, several top Republicans said.
With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls.
"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Being so aggressive has risks for McCain if it angers swing voters, who often say they are looking for candidates who offer a positive message about what they will do. That could be especially true this year, when frustration with Washington politics is acute and a desire for specifics on how to fix the economy and fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is strong.
Robert Gibbs, a top Obama adviser, dismissed the new McCain strategy. "This isn't 1988," he said. "I don't think the country is going to be distracted by the trivial." He added that Obama will continue to focus on the economy, saying that Americans will remain concerned about the country's economic troubles even as the Wall Street crisis eases somewhat.
MSNBC
'Just the beginning'
Moments after the House of Representatives approved a bailout package for Wall Street on Friday afternoon, the McCain campaign released a television ad that challenges Obama's honesty and asks, "Who is Barack Obama?" The ad alleges that "Senator Obama voted 94 times for higher taxes. Ninety-four times. He's not truthful on taxes." The charge that Obama voted 94 times for higher taxes has been called misleading by independent fact-checkers, who have noted that the majority of those votes were on nonbinding budget resolutions.
A senior campaign official called the ad "just the beginning" of commercials that will "strike the new tone" in the campaign's final days. The official said the "aggressive tone" will center on the question of "whether this guy is ready to be president."
McCain's only positive commercial, called "Original Mavericks," has largely been taken off the air, according to Evan Tracey of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political ads.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's performance at Thursday night's debate embodied the new approach, as she used every opportunity to question Obama's honesty and fitness to serve as president. At one point she said, "Barack Obama voted against funding troops [in Iraq] after promising that he would not do so."
Palin kept up the attack yesterday, saying in an interview on Fox News that Obama is "reckless" and that some of what he has said, "in my world, disqualifies someone from consideration as the next commander in chief."
McCain hinted Thursday that a change is imminent, perhaps as soon as next week's debate. Asked at a Colorado town hall, "When are you going to take the gloves off?" the candidate grinned and replied, "How about Tuesday night?"
Yesterday in Pueblo, Colo., McCain made clear that he intends to press Obama on a variety of familiar GOP themes during the debate, as he accused the Democrat once again of getting ready to raise taxes and increase government spending.
"I guarantee you, you're going to learn a lot about who's the liberal and who's the conservative and who wants to raise your taxes and who wants to lower them," McCain said.
A senior aide said the campaign will wait until after Tuesday's debate to decide how and when to release new commercials, adding that McCain and his surrogates will continue to cast Obama as a big spender, a high taxer and someone who talks about working across the aisle but doesn't deliver.
Two other top Republicans said the new ads are likely to hammer the senator from Illinois on his connections to convicted Chicago developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko and former radical William Ayres, whom the McCain campaign regularly calls a domestic terrorist because of his acts of violence against the U.S. government in the 1960s.
The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. appears to be off limits after McCain condemned the North Carolina Republican Party in April for an ad that linked Obama to his former pastor, saying, "Unfortunately, all I can do is, in as visible a way as possible, disassociate myself from that kind of campaigning."
McCain advisers said the new approach is in part a reaction to Obama, whose rhetoric on the stump and in commercials has also become far harsher and more aggressive.
They noted that Obama has run television commercials for months linking McCain to lobbyists and hinting at a lack of personal ethics — an allegation that particularly rankles McCain, aides said.
Campaigning in Abington, Pa., yesterday, Obama continued to focus on the economy, even as he lashed out at McCain.
"He's now going around saying, 'I'm going to crack down on Wall Street' . . . but the truth is he's been saying 'I'm all for deregulation' for 26 years," Obama said. "He hasn't been getting tough on CEOs. He hasn't been getting tough on Wall Street. . . . Suddenly a crisis comes and the polls change, and suddenly he's out there talking like Jesse Jackson."
Obama highlighted a new report showing a reduction of more than 159,000 jobs last month, and he linked the bad economic news to McCain and Palin.
"Governor Palin said to Joe Biden that our plan to get our economy out of the ditch was somehow a job-killing plan; that's what she said," Obama told a crowd of thousands. "I wonder if she turned on the news this morning. . . . When Senator McCain and his running mate talk about job killing, that's something they know a thing or two about, because the policies they've supported and are supporting are killing jobs in America every single day."
'A very aggressive last 30 days'
McCain issued a statement yesterday saying the bailout bill "is not perfect, and it is an outrage that it's even necessary. But we must stop the damage to our economy done by corrupt and incompetent practices on Wall Street and in Washington."
Speaking in Pueblo just as the House was finishing deliberations on the package, McCain blamed fellow lawmakers for the failure to adequately regulate the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
"It was the Democrats and some Republicans in the Congress who pushed back and did not allow those reforms to take place, and that's a major reason we are in the trouble we are in today," he said. "Those members of Congress ought to be held accountable on November 4th as well."
Before the bailout crisis, aides said, McCain was succeeding in focusing attention on Obama's record and character. Now, they say, he must return to those subjects.
"We are looking for a very aggressive last 30 days," said Greg Strimple, one of McCain's top advisers. "We are looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis and getting back to discussing Mr. Obama's aggressively liberal record and how he will be too risky for Americans."
I think Obama's people are way out in front on this. They've ben expecting this from the beginning. FOr McCain, Rove, Schueneman, et al.......
It's "Willy Horton Time." They won't get anywhere with the tactic. Every one of theur ads will be responded to in the same news cycle, and run in the same markets. Dukais and Kerry made the mistake of thinking negative ads don't work. Lesson learned by the "Campaign for Change."
Trend lines will continue positive for Obama.
__________________
"In the long run, we are all dead." - J.M. Keynes
"The strongest enemy of tyranny is a long memory." - Phil DeBar
"E Clampus Vitus" - YB1
You know, what a change in this man over the last couple of years. When I think I came "this close" to voting for him in the 2000 primaries I cringe.
There's something wrong with a man who will stoop as low as he has to win the presidency. Coddling Falwell and Robertson; going back on drilling in ANWR; going back on the right to choose; choosing a no account for a running mate that is totally inexperienced in national politics, who speaks in tongues and thinks Earth is only 6,000 years old; claiming to be for regulation when he's never seen a de-regulations bill he didn't vote for; on and on.
He's absolutely 180 degrees from the John McCain of 2000. The saddest part is that the one we see now is the real John McCain.
__________________
"In the long run, we are all dead." - J.M. Keynes
"The strongest enemy of tyranny is a long memory." - Phil DeBar
"E Clampus Vitus" - YB1
In another time this might have worked, even with the hole McCain is in now. But going negative all the time during the middle of this financial mess is just going to amplify the perception that he's out of touch. And whatever benefit they could get out of Palin's debate performance will disappear quickly because they will not let her do mass media interviews.
The next month is going to be fascinating to watch. I don't even know how to describe what's happening to the McCain campaign. McCain has already done massive damage to his image in the media and leading a scorched-earth campaign will destroy it for good. This could be the last major chapter in McCain's life story. Is this how he wants it to be told?
If McCain wanted to do it differently, for whatever reason, could he? McCain couldn't pick the person he wanted to be his running mate. Just how much control does McCain have over his campaign? Roll that amazing question around for a bit. Is the nominee calling the shots in his own campaign?
And don't forget the congressional races. This story isn't getting the attention it deserves, but the Republicans are looking at an even bigger bloodletting than they suffered in 2006. Another 30 seats netted in the House is very likely for Dems and they will pick up at least seven seats in the Senate. There are tied Senate races right now in Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia and North Carolina and the R's are challenging not even one Dem-held seat. It is not out of the question that the Dems could pick up ten seats in the Senate, which hasn't happened to either party since the early years of the Great Depression.
McCain is clearly dragging down these congressional races because he's making Bush look good on the economic issues. How long to these endangered Republicans let this go before they run against McCain the way they've run against Bush?
Get the big buckets of popcorn. This is going to be a good show.
In another time this might have worked, even with the hole McCain is in now. But going negative all the time during the middle of this financial mess is just going to amplify the perception that he's out of touch. And whatever benefit they could get out of Palin's debate performance will disappear quickly because they will not let her do mass media interviews.
The next month is going to be fascinating to watch. I don't even know how to describe what's happening to the McCain campaign. McCain has already done massive damage to his image in the media and leading a scorched-earth campaign will destroy it for good. This could be the last major chapter in McCain's life story. Is this how he wants it to be told?
If McCain wanted to do it differently, for whatever reason, could he? McCain couldn't pick the person he wanted to be his running mate. Just how much control does McCain have over his campaign? Roll that amazing question around for a bit. Is the nominee calling the shots in his own campaign?
And don't forget the congressional races. This story isn't getting the attention it deserves, but the Republicans are looking at an even bigger bloodletting than they suffered in 2006. Another 30 seats netted in the House is very likely for Dems and they will pick up at least seven seats in the Senate. There are tied Senate races right now in Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia and North Carolina and the R's are challenging not even one Dem-held seat. It is not out of the question that the Dems could pick up ten seats in the Senate, which hasn't happened to either party since the early years of the Great Depression.
McCain is clearly dragging down these congressional races because he's making Bush look good on the economic issues. How long to these endangered Republicans let this go before they run against McCain the way they've run against Bush?
Get the big buckets of popcorn. This is going to be a good show.
McCain is only hurting himself. Like I said, when you have nothing positive to add, the only choice you have is to make negative attacks on the opposition, even if that means making shit up and taking every possible quote and action out of context. I think the [competent] voting public is starting to see what a slimeball he is.
It's almost like he realizes it, and is trying to take everybody down with him. Maybe he doesn't, and either he or the ones controlling his campaign are so delusional that they actually think they can pull the wool over our eyes a third time, after the Bush campaign did it in 00 and 04.
As far as the congressional races, I'm sure they all realize what's going on. Look at the controversy surrounding the bailout - 30 of 38(?) up for re-election voted against the bill the first time around, presumably because they're trying to save their jobs. The sharks are circling, and even Congress can smell the blood in the water.
January is going to be very interesting, because no matter who wins, the new faces are going to be under a lot of scrutiny.
I have no idea how McCain is getting away with painting himself as a maverick. Two plus decades in office, and he claims he can bring change? It's insulting that he expects anybody to believe it. Either he's lying his ass off, or he really is that stupid. Neither of these qualities are what you'd find in a person fit for office.
As a voter who usually falls into the swing category, although in this election I am already leaning toward Obama, it is these negative ads that usually drive me away from the person making the ad and toward the person "keeping it clean"
I dont understand how any politican can think that negative attacks make them look better than the oposition.
As a voter who usually falls into the swing category, although in this election I am already leaning toward Obama, it is these negative ads that usually drive me away from the person making the ad and toward the person "keeping it clean"
I dont understand how any politican can think that negative attacks make them look better than the oposition.
You're actually an exception to the rule. Negative ads work, according to all the experts. I guess the question is whether or not they're work this particular time.
__________________
"In the long run, we are all dead." - J.M. Keynes
"The strongest enemy of tyranny is a long memory." - Phil DeBar
"E Clampus Vitus" - YB1
McCain Changes Campaign Strategy
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