How should the Obama campaign respond to the Palin phenom?
« Diageo/Hotline's New Tracking Poll | Main | "Original Mavericks" » Open Thread For Obama Supporters05 Sep 2008 03:54 pm TrackBackListed below are links to weblogs that reference Open Thread For Obama Supporters:
» Sarah Palin “So Sambo beat the bitch!” - on Barack Obama after the primaries were over from DebateTheRace08.com
» The New York Post Endorses John McCain! from View From The Ridge
» In The Shadow Of The Wolf Figurine Collection from In The Shadow Of The Wolf Figurine Collection Comments (450)
They should focus on McCain and his issue positions and should also talk about Palin's issue positions and what she did in Alaska. As they have already pledged to do and have done, they should leave the personal aspects behind. Don't bother with ads but use surrogates, particularly women and former Clinton supporters. Most of all, they should keep their eyes on the ball and draw issue contrasts, argue that this election matters a great deal for what government will do and whether it helps or hurts people and keep doing the fabulous field work. 
Don't give her any more attention than she deserves. If she says something about policy (which doesn't look likely at the moment), respond on policy. Otherwise, ignore her and go after McCain, McCain, Bush-McCain. Pretty much what Ross said.
Bush, McCain, Palin: peas in a pod
Ignore it. Focus on Obama's agenda. Attack McCain's policies. What amazes me is that (1) Obama didn't tap HRC for the ticket and (2) the campaign was so stunned that McCain would pick a woman. It seemed entirely predictable that McCain would do that when Obama chose Biden. It stuns me that Obama's people didn't even consider the possibility.
They should continue to campaign they way they have been. Focus on the issues that make a difference in peoples lives and let the GOP live out their little soap opera. I firmly belive that Pork Barrel Sarah will take herself down. I think it is absurd that the McCain campaign wants us to have confidence that Palin is qualified and prepared enough to be VP or President yet they don't have enough confidence in her to let her talk to reporters. If she can't face Brian Williams how are we suppose to believe that she could face world leaders from say Iran, Russia or Pakistan?
Sparkle and fade. Sparkle and fade.
There is no need to make this about Sarah Palin. Her inexperience will shine through and really make people sick to their stomachs. Just a year after reading about 'the surge' 'in the news' she is now acting like an authority. It's sickening to think that she could be leading the country. She was a scandal-plagued mayor, a scandal-plagued governor, and has never even thought about foreign policy. She is Bush in shinier packaging.
Obama seems to have a hard time ignoring her the way "sources" say he wants to and if he keeps getting caught up in these experiences debates with McCain's #2, it's no good for him. It's obvious the campaign is confused at the moment and taken aback.
Attack McCain... No one votes for VP anyway. Every attack on Biden or Palin is a wasted attack.
BTW, will you be releasing the tracking polls daily or should we look for them at another web site?
Keep the focus on Bush/McCain, and ground game, ground game, ground game. Don't get caught up in trying to win the news cycle. Palin is an exciting candidate for the GOP, but she's not going to win this election for them and she's not the top of the ticket.
Ditto. I posted Ross' advice on my Obama blog. Send out the female Governor's, surrogates and especially Hillary to put the heat to Palin -- and then unleash Biden on her at the debate (can't wait!). Obama can just keep plugging McCain about the economy, etc.
I concur. Ignore her. Let surrogates paint Palin as unqualified and a mean-spirited extremist. As has been repeated thousands of times since the beginning of the race, if the race turns around anything other than Obama himself, he will win. And from the way she is being handled (avoiding interviews and giving the same speeches over and over) I suspect she is not even that good.
easy. ignore her and focus on the guy at the top of the ticket. which is what they are doing.
Four-pronged attack: 1. Investigate! 2. Use less-prominent surrogates to shame the press into vetting her, interviewing her, asking hard questions about her. 3. Obama, Biden, and high-profile surrogates should absolutely, 100% avoid her and assume she's teflon, make the campaign about McCain. 4. At some point, if she remains the celebrity of the day, attack her (through surrogates) as a petty small-town politician whose claim to executive experience is censoring the town-library's books and firing a police commissioner, and then who lies -- about firing, about the bridge to nowhere, etc. She's all hat and no . . . moose . . . or something like that. I doubt using Hillary Clinton will have any effect whatsoever contra Palin.
Ignore her... This is a contest against McCain. You didn't hear many at the RNC taking shots at Joe Biden -- they are focused at the top of the ticket, as we should be. Of course, I am assuming that if we leave her the rope she will hang herself, which is I am guessing that we have the luxury of ignoring her.
Ignore her for the most part, let the media deal with her. Focus less energy and ad money on states like Colorado with big evangelical populations, where it may now be difficult to win.
"She's experienced enough to be president. So let's move on from this whole experience debate and focus on the issues -- and we look forward to her take on them." Rather than call into question McCain's judgment in selecting such an inexperienced candidate, use the pick to argue that McCain has admitted Obama is prepared to be president. Also, investigate the National Inquirer adultery charge (quietly). Can't rely on the press to do it now -- they're somewhat cowed.
Focus on McCain and middle class issues and treat the Palin phenomenon as a mildly amusing side issue. If that doesn't work, later in the month they can tag her as a former Ted Stevens fundraiser who loves earmarks.
Avoid commenting on her at least until the dust settles and the deluge of scandals subsides. Probably best to avoid discussing (and especially attacking) her for the remainder of the season and let the media eat her alive. If she gets in a good jab, have Obama laugh it off or maybe even let Joe make a "gaffe" by riffing on it in a friendly and inoffensive way. The most important thing is to give her the rope to hang herself, let her do all the attacking and fight the culture war while you're across the stage chuckling and shrugging to the American people. Let people figure out that they don't like her for themselves.
What phenom? Just another far right doctrinaire idealogue who is out of touch on issues. And, phenoms rarelyl have staying power. let her fade and flace out on hre own. If the drip drip doesn't do it, time will.
I have confidence in the Obama campaign's long-term planning, AND in their ability to respond to the ever-changing ground game. They have done almost everything well so far, in spite of all the naysaying. Obama should take every opportunity (as he is - do you see McCain on Countdown?) to get out there, show his mettle, talk about the issues, and RUN AGAINST MCCAIN, who is his opponent, after all. Palin will self-destruct. She is the Stepford pick, and the chip implanted in her brain by the campaign will malfunction at some point. And I still think that Biden can.......dissect her politely in the debate.
As others have said, keep the focus on Bush and McCain. To the extent that Palin is worth mentioning, portray her as a conservative that, for all of her biography and personality, will still support and further entrench the policies of the last eight years. Under the table, keep the various Palin controversies stoked, and release campaign statements suggesting that the campaign has not comment, but that Gov. Palin should answer questions before the media. Build up the pressure for her to Meet the Press. Above all, do not let the Republicans lower expectations for the debate; say that her convention speech was a big success and that more of the same is to be expected in the debate against Biden.
I think they are doing exactly what they need to do. Ignore her. Engaging her extends her credibility at a time when stories like 6 colleges in 6 years are coming off the presses each day. If she's still around a few weeks from now they may need adjust.
I'm not even quite sure Obama/Biden are as "confused" as many make them out to be. In response to an earlier comment, I think a lot of people may have "expected" a woman VP pick from McCain, but certainly Palin wasn't even in the top three of even that expectation. Careful not to get caught in the hindsight. Obama/Biden did exactly what they needed to do at the Convention. And Obama kept a fairly low profile during the RNC, just as McCain did during the DNC. Palin and associated stories are completely dominating the news, and will for the next few days. Let it. Obama/Biden need to keep plugging away at McCain. And realize that dispite this new enthusiasm from Conservatives, they're in a great spot. Up any amount after the RNC going into the debates is nothing to scoff at.
The Obama camp should question her "reform" credentials as a bridge-to-nowhere flip-flopper and a corrupt "troopergate" governor, and portray her as a far right social conservative, which is what she is. I would also say they should seriously question her readiness to be president in an emergency; for goodness sake, this woman has no stated position on any major foreign OR domestic policy issue. Granted, she did deliver a vitriolic, substanceless, brutish, nasty and long speech, written by a political hack, for a right-wing choir, with poise. Bravo. Of course, the Obama camp can't question her readiness, because it will immediately open up the Obama-Palin comparisons, which is a very, very bad idea. But the notion that Barack Obama--who had written his own speech convention speeches, and was seriously addressing issues like nuclear proliferation as a state senator, is in any way, similar to Sarah Palin--in terms of eloquence, knowledge of policy, or sheer political skill is absurd. Perhaps Sarah Palin will wow the country when she sits down for a number of interviews with people who ask, ya know, real questions. But until then, I will view her speech, and subsequent emergence as a GOP "star" as nothing more than the political hack job that it first was when Matthew Scully began composing it.
Compare McCain's "maverick who cares" speech to Bush's "conservative who cares" speech from the 2000 convention. In detail. And often. The same vague talking points on social issues then were there in McCain's speech last night. Let's not get fooled again.
marc: i think the republican conventions got joe biden riled up, he had a pretty good response in his pa town hall remarks - the link of the vid is below http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=1845
Nothing. The media is furious with McCain for not giving access to her, and going to war with them. so now I notice how the MSM always likes to point out that they aren't giving interviews, answering questions because she is studying up. They are freely reinforcing the "She's not ready to be a heartbeat away from Presidency". so what is the Obama camp doing? they are hitting and hitting hard on the economy which is what people want, and McCain can't really answer back 1) because his plan is too much like Bush's and he doesn't want to talk details 2) he is stuck on the defensive in his war with the media over Palin. The election will be won on the ground, and on the ground people see Palin as a gimmick who is not ready. fighting with the media and hiding her away doesn't help.
Barack and Biden -- be respectful and ignore her. HRC/ and others attack her lies and ethics: Also, call her out.. she can't be a "pit bull" yet not do interviews. She'll implode shortly ... there are so many stories AIP They can't avoide the press forever.
Exactly what they're doing now - ignore her. The media is doing a great job of dripping all the juicy tidbits of her nasty little shenanigans up in the snow, and slowly but surely the memory of her speech will give way to the harsh reality of a newbie that no one knows who's cowering up in Alaska while the media defines her. If she needs any kind of responding, I'd leash Hillary and Wasserman Schultz on her, but otherwise Obama and Biden should just ignore her as they've been doing.
I think Chicago is like a deer-in-headlights. When I talk to non-political friends, their attraction to McCain-Palin is similar to the attraction to Obama in early 07: just something refreshingly new about the personality, appearence and presentation. I'd press her and McCain to detail their change from Bush. Getting caught up in records is looking in the rearview mirror. Look to the horizon and mockingly and relentlessly ask what they'll do different, hoping to drive a wedge between the base-beloved Bush and Indie's. I'd also advise Obama to have a sister-suljha moment soon, to show his independence. McCain is scared to highlight any of his for fear of depressing an excited base, hence no mention of anything in his Acceptance speech.
Keep doing exactly what they're doing--remind people every day that the election is about McCain, and that McCain represents four more years of Bush. The Obama campaign has done everything right so far, and I don't think they're about to stop now.
Sarah Palin -- Untested Celebrity
I have a very counter-intuitive take on this... Ignore her.
Ignore her? No. She is further proof that McCain's tied himself to Bush. She is a Bush Republican. Somehow the punditry was saying how the pick beefs up his maverick credentials in the same breath as saying she was a play for the base. Those two things don't go together. The more people hear about her far-right outlook, the better. McCain/Palin should be an easier sell that this is Bush/Cheney redux.
Honestly, There isn't much he should do. She's new and the extremist right is in love with her but she really offers nothing to independents. This election will be close so keep to the game plan and continue doing the hard work of registering voters and developing the GOTV for election day. She will get ALOT of attention but ride the storm. It's good to have the spotlight off to do the nessessary work without the distraction. She will be tought and she will be rude and cynical but after hearing that over and over again people will get sick of her. We live in a polorized country so keep your base intact and try to win over independents.
Take a back seat for a while, while letting the media take some of the heat off of them. However, I think they need to work Palin into their meta-narrative that Bush and McCain are synonomous with one another, and despite McCain's "Maverick" image, he chose just another Bush ideologue despite her gender. I think once the debates begin, we're going to see the Obama team unload a lot of the opposition research against Palin, and perhaps try and tie McCain's "Keating-Five" scandal, Palin's "Trooper-Gate" scandal, and the 8 scandal-filled years of the Bush administration to argue that we can't simply exchange one incompetent group for another.
I'm very suspicious of the "ignore her" tactic. Kerry tried this with the swift boaters and we know how that turned out...
When this campaign is about Obama personally, that's when his numbers suffer. Under any other condition, he has decent leads in the polls. If anything this is a pleasant distraction. There's not much oxygen right now for attack ads, for questioning Barack's character. Palin is the be-all and end-all of coverage this week. Use this respite to campaign and talk issues and keep on keepin' on. In the long term, she polarizes the bases and our base is bigger this year. Convention bounces fade, and we're examining Palin at the zenith of her convention bounce. She's not the lights-out wild card that she appears to be at this moment.
Stop talking about experience and her personal life. Focus on the issues and take the questions to her, so she is forced to answer. Ask her why she is going back on her promise to cooperate with the troopergate Ask her if she really believes it is god will's to build another oil pipeline in alaska? Ask her how she left her small town with a budget deficit despite getting $27M in earmarks? Ask her what books she wanted removed from the public library? Ask her how being geographically close to Russia gives her foreign policy experience? Ask her how she was commander in chief of the national guard when Bush took away that power in 2006? What decisions did she make as commander? Ask her why she doesn't believe in global warming? Ask her why she hates community organizers? Who is she fighting for? She's against choice, pro-abstinence only education, and anti-funding teen pregnancy programs. So what exactly will she do to help? Ask her the tough questions through the press, and force her to respond. She can't hide behind the smoke and mirrors forever. Draw attention to the fact that she hasn't clarified her policy on any major issues and draw her out into the open.
i would pin palins lies (bridge, ebay plane, reform) and her refusal to testify to gonzo and the bushies. tailor the same attack you have been using to her. she's just more of the same. deficits, lobbyists, lies.
I'd also add that waiting for the media to take her down or thinking she'll fizzle is not realistic. She made an initial "gut-level" connection with a lot of regular folks, which in politics is gold. This connection, which Obama too has made (with about 47% of America) is why he survived Wright, and the thin resume himself. Some gotcha moment with Palin will not likely break that connection. And McCain won't *likely* put her in situation where she can really screw-up.
Play the race card.
Of course ignoring her is a good idea. But why is everyone so certain the media will do their job and report on Palin? It took a lot longer than 60 days for Obamamania to die down, and for the media--and voters--to take a sharper look. Just sayin'...
Starting with the 'This Week' appearance, attack McCain hard on the economy as often as you can. Focus on the ground game and voter registration on the youth/minority voters. Ignore Palin, leave that to the minor surrogates traveling in Florida (hit on the housing numbers here). Press the media to cover the various, legitimate scandals that Palin has in Alaska. Basically, keep on doin' what you've been doin'.
I think it is smart not to have Hillary go after Palin. The media would just play it as a "cat fight." Obama and Biden should ignore her officially while getting surragates to hit her hard on abortion, crazy evangelical positions, etc...
Hey Norm~
I agree with the conventional wisdom expressed above. After watching the video of her addressing her church in Wassila (sp?) and the video of her addressing the press about troopergate, I feel she's much less of a "star" than folks realize. In both instances, she didn't appear to be making much sense -- whatever she was trying to communicate at the church came across in a confused jumble and her denials about pressuring Monegan to fire Wooten were weakly delivered. The post-speech jibes by the dems and the blue pundits about her only proving that she can read a teleprompter felt sort of pro forma, but my feeling after watching those clips is that she's lost without one. I'm very curious to see how she presents after her crash course in media management, ie how good are those Rove proteges at transforming regular human beings into effective political products. If they don't do a great job, she, along with the messes she left behind in Alaska, could do her in quite easily.
I think the choice stunned everyone because no one thought McCain would make such a reckless decision and make a highly political choice vs choose someone who will be ready to be president on day 1. What should obama campaign do? 2. As I think Josh Marshall had said, they need to mock the whole concept of change coming from the republican party which is...wait...in power! I'm not creative enough to come up with a script or ad but I am sure there are others who can come up with something. I liked the huffpost headline last night which said " Me too: I want change" 3. They need at least one high profile event at some point in teh next 2 weeks with Bill Clinton in a small town in Ohio where Bill skewers the republicans and their ideas and reiterates his support for Barack. 4. Barack and Hillary need to campaign together more and more in PA, MI, and OH. If we win those 3, we are good to go. It's great that Hillary is going to Florida but they will get more media attention if they campaigned together. 5. Conduct daily conf call with media/reporters where they go on the offensive EVERY SINGLE DAY regarding both McCain and Palin. Question whether Mccain really is a maverick given how he's falling in line behind the extremist conservatives (yes extremist is a good word, they should use that often). They should also use the word dangerous a lot. McCain is dangerous for the country. His rhetoric against Russia is dangerous etc. Also challenge Sarah during these calls. Is she really a reformer? highlight her extremist views. Use these words in attack ads also which they need to release with greater frequency than they have. They also need to make their ads more punchy and to the point.
Every day Obama spends talking about Palin is a day spent not talking about McCain/Bush and his own agenda. Let the MSM and blogs investigate and the truth will out. Right now, she's the shiny new kid in town. Her popularity exceeds Obama or McCain's according to Rasmussen. As the results from Troopergate, the support of the bridge to nowhere, the book banning efforts, the extreme position on abortion, and who knows what other revelations, are fully aired, she'll come back down to earth. Right now, Obama should not mention her, concentrate on making this a referendum on the Bush presidency and hope the media does its job.
Put Hillary on the trail non-stop.
1) Let the National Enquirer do its job and the mainstream media theirs.
Use Biden to appeal to seniors with saving Soc. Sec. Target economy and healthcare. Use HRC and WJC (to the extent possible) to hammer away on the economy. WJC especially could sell the economy this if he wanted to and HRC could sell health care reform. Must do a better job highlighting differences in tax plan. Deprive Palin of oxygen as best possible but hit contradictions hard where possible . . . Palin on earmarks vs. McCain on earmarks. Try to drive a wedge between Palin and security hawks like Krauthammer.
I think it's a twofold response. The campaign should let some of her luster wear off by focusing on McCain. Make this campaign about McCain and attack his proposals, or lack-there-of, and diminish the number of times that they bring Palin's name up. Focus on the issues, because even if it is a campaign talking point, it works On the other hand, they also have to push back, not necessarily against Palin herself, but against the McCain campaign narrative that has been created about her. Arguing that she's more experienced than Obama politically? A complete fabrication and should be pointed out. On the national stage, how well do 6 years as mayor of a town of 9,000 really prepare someone for the second highest office in the land? Is being mayor inherently better for some reason than 7 years in a state senate? Make the argument that she has more executive experience? She's not on the top of the ticket and the guy on the top has as much as Obama. A reformer? Point out her annual trips to Washington to lobby for pork on the behalf of Wasillia. And that whole "Bridge to Nowhere"? . . . Ready to be commander in chief? A fairly delicate issue (as are all that have similar Obama backlashes) and be careful to approach without a hint of sexism. However, in needs to be more widely known that she's been out of the country once and unless Cindy McCain is an expert, living close to Russia only means that you probably know how much Putin freezes his ass off. A person with small town values? Sure, she's been the head of a small town and that's commendable. But point out that her stance on a number of issues puts her at odds with many small town independents. The luster and glow of Gov. Palin WILL wear off, it's only a matter of time. The debate with Biden will be essential and will define her more than anything she said in front of her base.
Echoing comments above...Ignore Palin, focus on McCain and his similarity to Bush. The Palin Phenom actually takes care of itself, as more and more comes out about her and the press, blogs & tabloids continue to dig up dirt. That doesn't mean they shouldn't take her seriously. She'll be well-prepped for the debates, and will come off well. Biden's got to be prepared to deal with her stylistically, though substantively he should be fine.
If McCain is going to campaign as a maverick, create TV ads that show McCain the former maverick vs. McCain the Republican lapdog (during the primaries). Show how he consistently compromised his "principled maverick" position to win the Republican nomination, and now he is trying to pretend that never happened. Who better to attack McCain than McCain?
Ignore her petty attacks. If she talks about policy, smack her down hard. Have Biden grind her into hamburger in the debate. Her various scandals should do the rest, provided the media doesn't totally become McCain's lickspittle.
Sorry for reposting- hit the refresh without clearing these fields.
Aggressively riffing on the pittbull with lipstick meme with a lipstick on a pig meme, would be a good start.
To follow up on my comments above, I think the Obama camp must be extremely frustrated right now because they have lost a their rhetorical bearings. (Marc, you took Engell's class, you agree with me that some of Obama's speeches could be used as case studies in Farrell's book, no? But more than that, the Obama campaign is a study in the art of "Rhetoric" insofar as the campaign represents one big normative argument about the nature of politics and governance.) Obama has up to now been in nearly complete control of the rhetorical bearings of this campaign *and of the political conversation.* Palin, who comes out of the blue, threatens to undermine that mastery because (1) Obama was completely unprepared, having not thought through what she would mean, and (2) Palin has forced the country back to questions of cultural identification as opposed to questions of policy and governance. And this is the real problem for Obama; there are all sorts of ways to "go after" Palin and McCain, but I don't see how you regain the rhetorical command of the campaign at this point. How does Obama not go from controlling the entire narrative of the campaign and, for the most part, the political conversation in the country to being almost completely reactive? The key to "going after" Palin (aside from going for the jugular -- that is, unearthing the silver bullet scandal) is to figure out a way to wrest the argument away from her control. I don't know how you do that. Maybe a big speech on the culture wars.
bring clinton and let her do all the talking vs palin. have the female democrats attack her (and wait for palin to attack back, which she's not gonna do for the next week! she's not even holding press conferences) obama/biden should just ignore her attacks and attack mccain. remind people how the republicans keep recycling all these stupid rumors. i dont know why obama/ biden cant be more sarcastic when they attack mccain. americans have such trouble with ADD and i think visual aids perot-style are extremely important. american's are bored of hearing from politicians because theyre either lies or half true or true. why cant obama just give these people datas and let them see for themselves? if i were to run for presidency, i'd rather have visual aids with me than just talking to them. most americans dont have time to look up for facts considering the tv doesnt serve them that all the time.
keep the focus on McCain, he's the one running for Prez. The Palin coverage will begin to decrease. I can't help but think that by the time we have 3 presidential debates, the focus will be on McCain\Obama, not on Palin. I think it's a stretch to say that Palin is a "phenom"..
Turn the McCain/Palin "maverick" theme against them. They are unpredictable loose cannons. They half nuts. They can't be trusted with the affairs of state. If we can't trust them to stick by the party that elected them, how can we trust them to stick by American voters? Also (more covertly) their bizarre, soap-opera families are not like those of decent suburban Americans. See by contrast Barack with his first and only wife Michelle and their beautiful 2.5 non-pregnant daughters. So nice.
In an Eagle forum she said the "in God we trust" in the pledge was good enough for the founding fathers so its good enough for us. This could reflect a knowledge deficit. Biden could try getting into a discussion about the constitution and its amendments referring to them by the numbers . . . I think past the bill or rights this might be difficult for any but seasoned polls.
Obliterate her.
Point out that Palin was flat-out lying on what is supposed to be her signature accomplishment: See Bob Somerby for details:
Hammer McCain and his refusal to talk shop.
Palin needs to be demythologized sooner rather than later. The McCain campaign can attempt to blur the distinction between personal attacks and legitimate, substantive criticism of Palin's record, but that approach will become increasingly transparent the more indiscriminately it's used. This isn't the time for the Obama campaign to drop the ball. Palin is precisely the reverse of McCain's packaging of her, and the Obama camp needs to put out ads focused particularly on her abuse of the earmarks system as mayor and her pro-Bridge to Nowhere gubernatorial campaign. The reformist veneer adopted by McCain/Palin needs to be stripped before it has time to set, so to speak. This will have the collateral benefit of highlighting the McCain campaign's refusal to let Palin anywhere near the media, outside of tightly scripted and controlled environments. She'll be forced to defend her record, or look weak for failing to do so. If Obama's intention is to take a hands-off approach and let the hype run its course, it could prove to be a huge miscalculation.
They should definitely continue to focus on McCain. Palin is a distraction and should be regarded as one. But the Obama camp should also be pressing the media to demand access to Palin. The McCain team wants to media to show the handshaking and the baby-kissing and the photo ops, but they don't want to shield their own candidate for Vice President from questions. That's intolerable. The media should be telling McCain "No questions, no coverage". And the Obama camp ought to be working the ref on this.
I don't think the Obama camp should do anything to respond. I think they are campaigning against McCain, and talking about Palin invariable creates what I think may have been one of the core benefits of her selection; she's new and hot and interesting, which was one of the thing going for Obama. Talking negatively about her experience always results in comparisons to Obama's experience. Questions are always framed as “You say Obama doesn’t have enough experience, but she’s the same.” This does three things, I think:
Employ "folksy" but powerful surrogates like Brian Schweitzer and Jim Webb to go after McCain/Palin on their energy "policy", pro-life stances, elitism charges
It's the economy, stupid. Unemployment up to 6.1% I didn't hear Palin or McCain talk much about jobs. Focus on issues; ignore Palin.
Conventional wisdom seems to be saying that Obama should ignore Palin and go after McCain. But it's pretty obvious that Palin is going to go after Obama quite frontally. And while that may be standard fare for a VP candidate, Palin isn't a typical VP candidate and the media's fascination with her will draw attention to every word she says (especially since she won't be giving extemporaneous interviews). I think if Obama tries to ignore her attacks completely he'll risk coming off as weak, like he did in August with the "celebrity" charges. So his campaign - not Obama himself - needs to find some way to fend off her attacks without directly engaging her and "lowering" himself to fighting with a VP candidate. I think there are a few ways to do this. First, make Palin an extension of Bush/McCain; she's on the McCain ticket, so she too is endorsing the failed policies of Bush/McCain. For all the hype surrounding her, she's just another conventional Republican. (To some degree, Obama is already doing this...David Axelrod made this point yesterday.) Second, hammer home the issue of McCain's judgment for rushing and not adequately vetting his VP pick. The key here is to make this about McCain, not about Palin. This undermines Palin's legitimacy but the charge engages McCain, not Palin. Third, point out that the selection of Palin completely undermines McCain's efforts to reach out toward independents. Obama's surrogates (not Obama or Biden) need to mention over and over and over the multiple scandals surrounding her back home. Obama/Biden need to point out that the Palin pick is evidence that McCain, like GWB, is campaigning as a moderate and will govern to the hard right - and we all saw how that turned out.
Obama Campaign, needs to get it out to the media and the people the fact checking of Palin and McCain's statements about Palin. Things like the Bridge stance, how the Jet didn't sell on Ebay and infact sold for a loss of 500,000 dollars to a private broker. How the Jet was used 58% of the time to take Convicts to Arizona for jail time. How she is stalling the Trooper investigation (Dick Cheney style). How the "Fiscal Conservative" gave the town a 18 million $ debt. How she is anti-abortion even in case of Rape/Incest. How she said on tape that the War in Iraq is God's doing, that a 30 billion $ piple is god's wish. Sure, that could energize the Christian Base, but that base is already behind them. How she doesn't beleive in Global Warming being man-made, which even the McCain campaign beleives in. How she vetoed funding for Teen Pregnancies as governor, same with Mental Health funding. And the Media needs to fact check Palin, because her speech and her persona is full of hyperbole and lies. There is no need to talk about her Pregnant Daughter, but if the MSM can't fact check her, they have failed miserably. Never before has a Politician running for such a high office, lied to the face of the American people and got away with it the way Palin is.
Yep. Stick to economy, concrete change, and enough repetition on national security that there's no opening there. Depend on the obvious contrast between a VP nominee who can hold his own with any journalist in the world and one who has to be kept out of sight. The next big events are the debates: I hope everyone's getting in lots of practice. I see no harm getting a negative ad or two ready re Palin's lying and wacko views should push really come to shove in October, but right now she has a lot of sympathy and it would look like piling on.
Also, rather than questioning the anti-earmark thing they should turn it to their advantage. "McCain/Palin want to spend more on tax cuts for the rich, more on handouts for big oil, more on Iraq - but less on roads, bridges, levees, faith-based programs and job-creating research."
Recast their ticket as PALIN/McCain and then run McCain's celeb ads he ran against Obama. Get Palin to provoke a "back and forth" with Hilary.
IGNORE her - he is running against McCain.
For the next two to three weeks: no attacks. Focus all attention on McCain, who is weak. Try to provoke him into an outburst. Allow the media to continue investigating Palin's past. Any attack on her right now would be thin on facts, and wouldn't stick anyway. Let the Republicans dig their own grave by building her up as much as possible. Don't fall for the trap of attacking her at the height of her popularity. Wait to see if anything comes of this affair investigation and the ethics investigation, and wait for the post-speech polls to settle down to decide the best course. At four through six weeks, if nothing comes of the investigations and she remains popular, use surrogates to float the idea that she is a female version of G.W.B. in 2000. The comparison is apt -culture warrior, evangelical, inexperienced governor, tied to big oil, personable, no substance, all style, look where that got us, etc. You can't beat her on policy because people don't care about her policies, they care about her character. Don't attack her character, just draw the unfavorable comparison and remind people that this is the party of G.W.B. Keep steady pressure on McCain. At six through eight weeks, if the GWB comparison has gotten any traction, ratchet it up. If nothing has worked and her favorables are still flying high, tell surrogates to pull out all the stops and attack, attack, attack. Obama and Biden should stay above the fray, only commenting on lines of attack that have proven resonation. Hillary should... well... be herself. Create an indelible impression in the voters' minds of Palin as not a serious person ready for a serious position. She's all pre-written zingers and babies. Coming from Hillary this line of attack isn't as risky, and potentially very damaging.
Attack! Come on. They should attack her record and lack of experience. They should continue to attack McCain as well. They should portray her as a poor decision by a poor opponent. Don't let her off the hook.
If the media can actually be browbeaten into submisssion by the Rovians (she's sequestered from answering any questions?), I guess the blogs will have to do the work, esp. TPM. As a creationist/ radical pro-lifer/ book burner/ lobbyist / small time corrupt political hack /windfall profits taxer / pork hound / Stevens acolyte / parental hypocrite / possible adulteress / foreign policy nincompoop / Jews for Jesus freak, I can't imagine they'll find anything damaging.
One thing Obama and Biden SHOULD do is emphasize how McCain, Palin, and their surrogates default to playground name-calling on a day-to-day basis. Check out their quotes in the news everyday, including Steve Schmidt and Rick Davis!
I think the DNC ought to start a Palin Press Watch countdown until she grants a major interview to someone other than Fox News or The View (Oh God, I wish Russert was still alive, there's no way they'd try this kind of stunt with him on duty!). There is simply no way she can be allowed to hide from the nat'l press just because McCain is in a fit of pique at his former base. I do think Obama needs to ignore her, but I think Biden needs to be asking "What does she really think about the war? What does she really know about the economy? Why does she keep lying about the bridge to nowhere? How did she manage to drive her 7000 person town $20 mil into debt in 6 years?" Don't question her on experience, question her knowledge & competence. Make light of the fact that the McCain camp now apparently has to hide her in a cave for a month to learn foreign policy "at the foot of the master" (somebody just HAS to run with that quote, I don't care who does it). I agree that sending Hillary after her to attack would kick-start a distracting "catfight" narrative. It would also inflame the culture war/abortion element of the debate, not likely something Obama is too comfortable focusing on in the nat'l media (targeted ads are another matter - the numbers are simply on the side of the pro-choice candidate). I notice they're sending Hillary straight to Florida - more likely this is about the Jewish vote, not the "working-class whites" media narrative BS. I wouldn't be surprised if their internals all of a sudden show Florida is back in play with a vengeance. I'd also like to see a much more concerted effort to go after Latino voters (not just GOTV, serious attention & effort). Play nonstop ads on Telemundo & Univision with footage of McCain disavowing his own immigration bill. I think there's a big opening; Latino voters sense the racial resentment that boils just under the surface of the Republican party (especially evident this year, needless to say, no matter what they say about everyone being "God's children"). Also, Palin hails from a state with, um, pretty much all white people, which means she has nobody to vouch for her yet - so I'm guessing generic "minority" voters don't trust her very much at this early date. This presents a big opening for Obama if he can go for it without getting pegged as a "minority candidate" in the nat'l press (not much chance of that if they stay as pissed at McCain as they are right now). The Obama camp should also start working up some devastating attack ads calling her social views extreme (banning books, no abortion even for rape/incest, teach creationism in schools, legalized aerial hunting of wolves (!), her personal war on polar bears, doesn't believe in global warming, etc etc). It's not time to hit her too hard yet, but practically all of her trademark issues really ought to hurt McCain among his old base, moderates and foreign policy/fiscal conservatives.
Hi Marc, McCain and Palin failed to offer anything to voters in the way of how their policies would differ from the Bush Administration. In 3 full days of convention, I failed to hear anything that John McCain would do that George Bush hasn't already tried to do. On energy, health care, Iraq, Afghanistan, taxes, infrastructure, education and housing, I heard zero ideas that differ from the Bush agenda (Cue "zero" chants). How can McCain/Palin claim "change" or "reform" if they offer absolutely nothing different from George Bush? The only things either of them has offered the American people so far this election are ad hominem attacks. That's the line that I would take if I were Obama.
Another angle: Since Alaska seems in the bag for McCain, does it make sense to point out the rest of rural America that Palin's state is basically the biggest welfare recipient in the country? Turn the culture war around. Why shouldn't OH and PA and MI resent those lazy Alaskans living off the oil under their feet? Isn't it America's oil too?
Ignore her. She's bright and spunky, but by signing onto the campaign she's slaved herself to the Bush-McCain policies of years past. She can't and won't deviate from that course. So continue to strike at the presidential candidate himself and everything will fall into place.
Five things... 1) Have Obama ignore her.
Hidden in a lot of discussion about the "Mommy wars" is a lot of real angst from women that the Family Values/ Pro-Life community is all about having babies and nothing about raising kids. That's why many women are criticizing SP for not staying home to raise the new son she has made political hay for carrying, not because of antipathy to working women in general. Note conservative opposition to: 1. Extending childcare subsidies for welfare-to-work single moms 2. Funding courts to collect childcare from delinquent dads 3. Funding "No child left behind" 4. Passing the Family leave act just to list a few. Obama can do himself good with undecided women emphasizing how Democrats have- and he will- continue an agenda of helping families to raise kids already here while the Republicans have a pathetic record and M/P aren't proposing anything useful beyond school choice. He's in a good position to do it having made parental responsibility part of his campaign speech. An emphasis by him or (particularly women) surrogates on the difficulties parents face and what he offers subtly undermines SP's "family values" appeal without the personal challenge and feeds into a fire already burning.
Keep focusing on McCain. Folks vote for the top of the ticket. After McCain's lackluster speech, for the most part, last night, Obama has an opportunity to keep driving in about the economy and Afghanistan. Palin is a force to be reckoned with clearly, but let surrogates like Hillary take care of her, along with these percolating scandals regarding the trooper, etc.
Ignore her until she screws up. She will eventually and then pounce on it. Then keep pouncing about that but attack McCain mainly as usual. They will scream sexism over any attack however, so they have to be careful. I think they are holding back because of the sexism charge. There are already some things emerging about her that do not add up.
I agree with those who say "ignore" with one exception and caveat: her speeches should be fact checked, and all untruths or misrepresentations of the Dem platform and character assassination lies should be immediately dealt with. And of course, any completely tone deaf bits such as laughing at community organizers (!!) should be incorporated into the campaign. There is a strong GOP attempt to falsely associate the Obama campaign itself with the viral tornado of speculation (some warranted, others scurrilous) sweeping the nation. This should be immediately, consistently, politely exposed as incorrect. If Palin continues to stonewall the Troopergate investigation, comparisons to the current Bush administration's disdain for being held to the same standard of law and process as others could also be made. Everything to do with the personal issues (such as the latest Inquirer allegations) should be avoided utterly. Of course, this is what the campaign is already doing. To the letter. I don't pretend to be able to out-game Axelrod and Plouffe.
As the many people above have been saying, the Obama campaign worked out immediately, as Ariana Huffington and Al Giordiano and loads of other smarts have been saying, don't feed it, concentrate on McCain and the Obama agenda. As Sullivan is saying this cynical farce of a campaign will will fall apart all on its own.
thank McCain for closing the Empathy Gap for women. for the first time ever, there is a loud contingent of GOP'ers crying "sexism!" BHO should point out to Dems that this is something to celebrate and point out to GOP'ers that their newfound embrace of political correctness is what his calls for reducing the Empathy Gap have been all about. the right likes to slam the PC police, until it is them being assaulted.
Keep asking McCain why he needs a woman to do his fighting for him. That should get the ol' boy's temper up. McCain is pathetic when his temper is up.
By reminding the press that the election is about Obama vs McCain, and the McCain doesn't have anything to offer on pocketbook issues.
I don't think they need a grand strategy. Just start doing the natural legwork and this "phenomenon" will melt back to what she really is... a borderline whack-job millenialist that is only naturally appealing to the religious far-right. What's the leg work? Right now I'd just go whole hog on the point that she is a liar (bridge to nowhere). I'd also invite her to clarify the record, if she's allowed to come out and play. I'd probably save the policy points for later.
Did you guys hear that she killed a puppy? Totally killed the adorable little thing with a giant moose shotgun. There is tons of evidence. I'll just have to ask my assistants to get back to you on exactly how many puppies were brutally slaughtered. Her critics have derided her for puppycide. Repost on every website possible and make her the candidate of puppy obliteration. Eventually, somone in the MSM will have to ask, "Does Palin support the methodical killing of puppies (cue cutshot to baby pug)" Hey, it works for the bad guys, why can't it work for us?
From the top of the ticket: point out that McCain has acknowledged that years of "experience" are not necessary to be commander-and-chief and that judgement and character are critical components. From the surrogates: point out areas where her judgement and character make her unsuited for the role as president. They need to keep an eye on how the Palin narrative is perceived by swing voters. Palin easily wins over the base but how she is perceived by independents will be affected by how the narrative develops. At the moment, she is very much an unknown and it seems (at least to me) that the developing narrative is not positive. I'm not sure how long the "media picking on poor Sarah" will protect her if the campaign continues to let her talk. The biggest problem with the Palin selection is that she is a huge unknown. The knowledge gap about her personal life is being filled rapidly but her policy positions are very difficult to discern because she has no stated position on just about every issue of national significance. How can Obama/Biden respond to her policy positions when she has never really told anyone what her policy positions are? And so they are left with the alternative of commenting on her character and personal life - which they have wisely decided is not a good place to go.
Obama should stick to the issues, concentrate on McCain and linking McCain to Bush. Biden should go after Palin a little, on issues of readiness and foreign policy. ("She thinks she's ready to be President? She's not even ready to give an interview!") Keep mentioning her viewpoints on abortion, creationism, sex ed, and other policies that will alientate her from moderates and women. Ignore the personal stuff, lay off the kids, and just talk policy. But mostly, issues, issues, issues. The GOP wants to make this election about personality. Don't let them.
Ignore Sarah. 99% of voters don't vote for the VP. It's much more important to hit McCain on issues and push back on Maverick. When Biden gets on stage with Mrs. Palin, you'll see why she was a flash in the proverbial pan.
Ignore her, for the most part. Unless she starts showing that she's really dragging independents to the McCain ticket, I think you operate on the theory that this is a base pick and McCain has made this a base election - then you shore up your Democratic base and focus on attracting moderates. If Palin starts to show strength here, you hit her on her reform credentials and if McCain and company hit the red button and go nuclear, you drop AIP, creationism, Troopergate, and her anti-Jewish pastor.
Put Biden out there with a Q&A with the media every day they are out there campaigning. Make 'I don't know what Sarah Palin thinks about [Pakistan, job creation, credit markets, inner city violence], you'd have to ask her' a standard element each day. Remind the media every day that they know fuckall about her and are powerless to change that. But aside from that, basically ignore her. Challenge McCain by name to offer positions on every issue that could by hypocritical against his ticket - reform, birth control, separation of church/state, etc. After all, McCain really doesn't know that much more about Palin than any of us. If Obama/Biden make this a policy debate - particularly one in contrast to Bush policies, then I don't see how McCain/Palin can hold it together.
They ignore her at their own peril, a la Kerry '04. They need to go after her hard, on her record in Alaska, which ain't so great, it turns out. They ideally should use women governors to do this whenever possible--Sebelius, Napalitano, Granholm, Gregoire. Bill Richardson would be effective too, since he comes across as a big ole teddy bear. Plus he's the governor of a state with oil revenue and he gets foreign policy the way few govs do. But ignoring her is the worst thing they could do.
Also point out that (A) She inherited a town with a balanced budget, (B) She got $27 million in Federal earmarks from her buddy Tes Stevens, (C) She left the town $20 million in debt. If that doesn't make her look like Bush, I don't know what will.
Senators Obama and Biden need to remind the hard-working people of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia that they're the ones paying for Sarah Palin's earmarks. Folks in those states get back roughly what they contribute to the Federal treasury. But Alaska? For every dollar they put in, they get a $1.84 back. Hedge fund managers would probably like those returns. Palin says she's a tight fisted reformer. But really, she's part of the long, Alaskan tradition of sucking off the government teat, even though her state is wallowing in oil money. As Governor, asked just this year for more Federal earmarks per capita than any other governor. Period. She was for the Bridge to Nowhere. Maybe she said "Thanks but no thanks" in a press release, but she sure as hell kept the money and is building the "Road to Nowhere" without the bridge. She makes a big deal about cutting proposed spending, but even so, her state budget this year was 10% higher than last year's (thanks to all that oil money). She's a phony and a fraud when it comes to spending and reform, and voters in the heartland states should be reminded every day, all day, that they're footing the bill. "Sarah Barracuda" has a good grip on their wallets, and gives "welfare queen" a whole new meaning.
I just returned from a trip to the heartland and based on that, suggest: 1. Obama should concentrate on his tax proposals. Many people believe he'll raise taxes. None of the seniors I talked to knew his proposal to eliminate personal income taxes for seniors making less than $50,000. Perked them right up. But, then they asked - what about capital gains taxes. 2. They were excited that Palin praised Hillary and Ferraro. Therefore, I think it would be great if all the fantastic female senators, members of Congress and governors in the Democratic party began talking about how the Obama and the Democrats plan to help women and help with issues most important to women. Flood the airwaves with images of Democratic women talking to women. 3. They want to know why Obama dressed up in "Muslim clothes" (!) 4. They want to know about any decisions Obama has made.
I think "Martin at 5:10 pm" has it about right... It is tempting to ignore her, and I think that should be the overall approach, but I do also agree that every day there should be a low-key, daily brow-beating (of her lack of experience, the on-going troopergate controversy, funding for the bridge to nowhere, whether she will be endorsing Senator Stevens, etc. etc.); it could be a Biden talking point, to be worked into that day's message somehow (as Martin suggests: "today Pakistan's government did X. while we don't know what Gov. Palin thinks about this, Obama/Biden would do Z in response"), or there could just be a concerted effort to plant the seed into reporters' heads that they have no access to the potential VP of the US while the American people and reporters have been free to ask questions and have those questions answered by the Obama/Biden campaign for more than a year (in Obama's case). In short, off-the-cuff, but consistent, jabs.
Ignore it. They're still ahead in the polls.
Attack McCain and ignore Palin Argue that the possibility of turning over the leadership of the most powerful country in the world to someone who was not vetted COMPLETELY is reckless abandonment of DUTY to America and the world.
Do NOT bring up the affair. Attack her for being disingenuous on the bridge to nowhere, investigate if she really left her town in debt, find an elegant way to showcase her opposition to sex education and whatnot. But attack her personal life and she gets yet another chance to show how much she has in common with the average American. In a weird twist, teen pregnancy and an affair help to dilute (or at least distract from) the idea that her social conservative beliefs are outside the mainstream.
Focus on jobs. Point out that by spending $15 billion per year on green technology, Obama will create jobs for scientists, engineers and Silicon Valley venture capitalists like Al Gore, while McCain/Palin, by allowing offshore drilling, will just create six figure jobs for working class high school grads. Americans don't want high-paying blue collar jobs like the one Todd Palin worked on the North Slope. They want more money for college so they can be Starbucks baristas.
Today's bright shiny object. Ignore her. If you engage her, you lend her false credibilty. I don't care how much Joe Lieberman and his goons try to prep her, you can only put so much lipstick on the pig. She will show what she is long before the Oct. 2 debate. Biden will eat her alive.
Obama should come at Palin in the following roundabout way: 1) Challenge McCain's credentials as a "maverick reformer" by running down the Bush Administration's position on the substantive issues, one after another, and challenging McCain to substantially differ from the GOP base on any one of them. 2) If McCain does *not* identify significant differences, then Obama can relentlessly hammer him as a more of the same with a different label. 3) That opens the door to dismissing Palin as "the same old Republican politics of attack." Her legitimacy vanishes when McCain's does.
The key thing here is: cede the Republican base, and fight like hell for those in the middle. Her supporters will give two craps about policy, and attacks therefore must be upon her still forming public image. I agree that Obama should largely ignore her, but he cannot ignore her entirely.
They should say: Palin is worse even than Bush. All the qualities of George W Bush that the American people are dissatisfied with are exaggerated in Gov. Palin: scandal, a disregard for the law, slashing half-true attacks, far-right social beliefs, religious overtones, ignorance and inexperience, cockiness, spending increases, personal vendetta, sarcasm, and mean-spiritedness. With 85% wrong track and sub-Nixon approval ratings, those traits will turn off mainstream voters on both intellectual and emotional levels.
With firecrackers and rotten eggs.
I think the Obama campaign all ready has this thing figured out. They already compiled their opp research. They only told their surrogates to push back on policy, hands off on teen pregnancy and remind everyone of Eagleton. So they must of hit pay dirt in their research and are being ultra laid back, calm and nice to Palin. Even Robert Gibbs was extremely nice to Nicole Roberts and she was very testy especially about Palin and press inquires. Usually Gibbs/Wallace debate hard against each other.
Let Palin absorb the news while his campaign puts mich, penn, vir and Col in his column.
Obama should ask her to make a trip and speak in Berlin just so she can equal him on the foreign policy creds.
The campaign needs to settle on a consistent line of attack against her. The response so far has been all over the place and has yet to really place a dent in her appeal to independents and Clinton voters. There are two themes that female surrogates (and Clinton herself) should be dispatched to emphasize to the media: a. Palin has shown a pattern of abusing her power: McCain tried to use the pick to refurbish his reform credentials, and look like a credible "change" candidate. The Obama campaign needs to highlight Palin's record of abusing power (banning books, firing police officer, troopergate) to show she's just another corrupt Republican. She might be a Washington outsider, but she has already demonstrated a tendency to act like Republicans in Washington. b. She is out of the mainstream: The American public doesn't know about her opposition to abortion in case of rape or incest, her opposition to sex education, or her denial of global warming. Her views on these hot button issues are very unpopular. Evangelicals love her; independents should know why. Democrats need to go on the offensive and not count on the media to do their job for them. The McCain and Clinton campaigns have been complaining about pro-Obama coverage for almost two years now, and there is evidence the press is looking to lighten up on Palin. She represents the whole ballgame for McCain, because his only path to victory is to pick off disaffected Clinton voters and appeal to indies as a reformer. Obama will probably still win if he just waits for her media-boomlet to play itself out, but there is no reason to leave open that possiblity. He should know from experience: waiting for the media-boomlet to tapper off is what Hillary did to him.
Definitely a fan of the countdown idea: "# of days since Palin promised to meet with Trooper-gate prosecutor, hasn't", and "# of days since Palin was named VP pick and hasn't taken media questions/interviews"
Ignore, mostly. But insofar as you're forced to deal with it... 1. Palin vs. Palin: hammer the flip-flopping and half-truths. She was for the bridge before she was against it; she's an "advocate for special needs" who slashed funding for kids with special needs; she didn't really sell the jet on eBay; she gave a vicious partisan speech the night before McCain called for us to rise above party; etc. This kind of folksy stuff is a huge part of her appeal - make it just crystal clear that she's brazenly, repeatedly lying. 2. Lump her in with McCain and attack their credibility as reformers. As in, so lemme understand this: we have a huge mess in Washington, and a huge mess in Alaska, caused by Republicans, and to clean this up, we should...get a couple of Republicans in here? One of whom is under investigation, and the other of whom was part of the Keating Five? No - the problem is the entire governing philosophy. These two are, yes, more of the same. 2.5 Speaking of which, for GOD'S sake bring up Troopergate, and her lack of cooperation. If she's true to form, she won't be able to comment on an ongoing investigation. 3. Stick to issues, mostly in the broadest sense of "economy" or "Obama continues to be right on Iraq" or whatever; don't get too granular. Make them fight on hostile territory. Palin appeal right now has nothing to do with issues - it's all surface and personality. And since she's going to flee from tough interviews prior to the election, there won't be enough opportunity for that to fade. Make it a liability for them; make the contrast clear. 4. Only mention experience by way of response. As in, respond to "Obama isn't ready to lead..." with, "if Sen. McCain really believed that, you would have gotten a VP with long experience. He's just another career Washington politician saying things he doesn't mean to try and avoid talking about what's important." Deflect, rather than attack.
It would suffice for me to have Palin simply submit to the same level of open press scrutiny and interviews (across the media spectrum) as have Obama and the rest of the Democratic nominees. That's simply what I would have Obama ask for.
They should use the Palin pick in a concerted effort to go after McCain's image as a maverick and turn it into an image as a gambler who will recklessly roll the dice with America's future.
I think she's fair game, but you have to be extremely surgical about how you go about it. No side issues, no rumors, no frivolous scandals. Go after the inconsistencies in her stories (eBay, Bridge to Nowhere) and her lack of curiosity about things like the war, the surge. She is Exhibit A of McCain's poor judgment. Hang her around his neck like you've done with Bush.
ezr writes: "What amazes me is that (1) Obama didn't tap HRC for the ticket and (2) the campaign was so stunned that McCain would pick a woman. It seemed entirely predictable that McCain would do that when Obama chose Biden. It stuns me that Obama's people didn't even consider the possibility." How exactly do you know what they considered? And what do you think they would have done differently even if you're right?
This reputation/image as a reformer/model-for-the-modern woman needs to be strangled in the cradle. The family should be off limits, but her less-than-stellar record and wingnut positions should be pointed out and even stressed at every opportunity. The more outlandish and unprepared for primetime that she looks, the more McCain's judgment will be called into question. She also needs to hammered for being scared to talk to press and/or actual voters. One of those cheesy countdown clocks that the GOPers are so fond of would do nicely. Let's see what she has to say about SCHIP, equal pay, the deficit, Pakistan, etc. etc. In any case, the apex of her popularity and influence on the electorate was this past week. From here on out she should fade from the public eye, except for the debate.
Correct all the lies she tells about herself, McCain, or Obama. Make sure people know how extreme she is on abortion. Otherwise ignore her and focus on how McCain would be a 3rd Bush term and Obama's plans to fix the economy and get us out of Iraq.
How to respond? Just keep asking the same question you asked last night, Marc: So what is John McCain going to do that differs from GWB again?
ezr: name one person in the country thought Sarah Palin would be McCain's choice as veep.
Obama should focus on John McCain, and continue ignoring Palin. The cheers in St. Paul were for Palin, not McCain. The larger crowds he now enjoys are for Palin, not McCain. The increase in donations he has enjoyed recently are for Palin, not McCain. On a related note, John McCain claims that he can bring change to Washington. But, how will John McCain be able to bring change to Washington when, as the GOP nominee, he was not permitted to even pick his own running mate? It is widely reported that he wanted Joe Lieberman, pro-choice, pro-Iraq war former Democrat from Connecticut. However, the fundamentalist wing of the Republican party would not allow that. Hence Palin, a governor with deep connections to the culture of lobbyists in Alaska. For instance, the lobbyist she hired when she was mayor of Wasilla, pop 7000 at the time, was an associate of convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Is it really credible that, had McCain been able to act on his own free will, to be his own man, that he, the self-styled scourge of pork, would pick an Abramoff client? Right now, John McCain is not is own man .... he is the unwilling puppet of the fundamentalist wing of the GOP, and their representative, Sarah Palin. The question is, what, if anything, will John McCain do to remind people that HE is the one running for President? Indeed, what CAN he do? If he becomes President, how will he be able to run things when his VP is more popular with his own party than he is? He will be a lame duck even before inauguration. A presidential candidate has his or her highest level of power at the convention. And yet, John McCain had to bow down and accept a VP nominee not of his choosing. My friends, there is a word for people who are too weak to make their own decisions. That word is "wimp." There is another word, an informal term for a cat, that may also be used. But, this is a family blog, so let's not go there.
Don't acknowledge her existence. Infact, we should all forget she ever appeared. Enough is out about her shady past. The media will do their job. sarah who?
Mike from IL did a great job... I agree dont even mention Palin, concentrate on McCain and you have to put the age issue in play in an indirect manner. He needs to be shown as out of touch with 21st century americans, just like Palin is thousands of miles away from most americans in Alaska, her mindset is also thousands of miles away from mainsteam America although the folksy yahyah stuff sounds good. avoid attacking personality. Attack their implied policies. So the question to Palin would be , Do you think abstinence only sex education is effective? If so, explain why. etc etc. otherwise cede the majority of the Red states... pour all money into Ohio, Michigan, PA, Virginia, Iowa and New Mexico and Missouri--these are states where the economic thing will play. ... , the next tier would be Florida, Nevada, North Dakota and North Carolina. and finally... "it's the economy, stupid" will work... the economy is getting worse for most people, not better... and it is likely to get worse into 2009. Remind people who controlled the White house for 8 years and the Congress for 6 of the last 8. And who voted with that majority 90% of the time. the 10% chance for change is a good line....
The line: Palin is going to DC to shut down K street and clean The result: Those who take and spread money should be in fear of this neo-Savanrola. Hold back financial support from McCain, he's no friend either. Let them lose, let Obama in and the contracts will just move to the other side of the aisle.
I agree with the "mostly ignore her" consensus, but I think that her attacks should always be addressed in the following way: "We don't respond to childish attacks. Senator McCain has called for an end to partisan rancor, and yet his choice for Vice-President has done nothing but partake in childish, demeaning attacks while completely ignoring the issues that matter to real Americans." Childish is key here. It will serve as a reminder that Governor Palin is great at petty attacks but staggeringly unqualified to be President.
Only undermine the reformer stuff. Leave everything else alone. They have to stop this narrative that she is some sort of reformer.
Continue to focus almost exclusively on McCain, but occasionally allude to the fact that he picked her because he ABSOLUTELY NEEDS the evangelical wing of the party to support him and suggest that she's the one with the real power here and he's merely a figurehead (much like the Queen of England). It will make the old man look incredibly weak and will p*ss him off to no end. How to subtly convey this message is not my forte, but I reckon consulting with the Clintons (they're masters at this) would be a good start.
There's an old Chinese (Buddhist?) saying: "All evil is transitory." And so will be the "career" of Guv'ner Mooseburger: She'll implode, sooner rather than later, under the weight of her own lies, corruption and hypocrisy, and from her own baseless self-righteousness. She's a political meltdown just looking for the right place and time to erupt. Caribou Barbie has an extremely limited shelf life; the expiration date on her career and her fabulous "celebrity" status draws near. Ignore the vicious, vacuous, dissembling, corrupt woman from Alaska, Team Obama. She'll take HERSELF down.
Expose her lies and half-truths about TrooperGate, that "Bridge to Nowhere" and those pesky "We did well!!!" earmarks through tough, smart, female surrogates like Hillary Clinton. Do not be dismissive of her accomplishments, but don't directly engage her neo-con nonsense either. Stick to McCain/Bush and don't let American voters forget the stakes of this campaign in terms of how desperate our economy has become. Also, ask community organizers to be ready on November 5th to shout on TV how it was their grassroots skills and care for others that made Obama's victory possible.
I don't know if ignoring her alone is the best thing, because letting her juice the base allows the conversation to be about small things and not about big things. If it's about small things, Obama loses. If it's about big things, Obama wins.
For the most part ignore it, but find 1 or 2 ways to attack her and hammer at them until she seems like a typical politician. Bridge to Nowhere and Wasilla earmarks will do the trick. Ignore Troopergate and other personal scandals.
I read her popularity is higher than Obama or McCain. That's worrying for her ... these are two seasoned campaigners who have earned high ratings; the only place she can go is down. The GOP is actually trying to keep the mystique of the convention speech by hiding her away from the press. I think she'll get found out. Biden should keep tabs on her; let Obama chase bigger game. Maybe some attack ads on McCain's decision... the earmarks, the myth of the plane on e-bay, the big-budget, no worries on taxation, free-spending Alaskan state government. But don't go after her alone, go after McCain-Palin. She's suspect and he picked her. The Democrats need to drive home that this is a vote to end McCain-Palin = Bush-Cheney. Palin is just another representative of a rotten administration.
Ignore her...to a certain extent. Obama got a "gift" this morning with today's crappy economic news...focus on that until Palinmania fades. - Keep the spotlight on McCain. He has a fragile peace with the hard right thanks to Palin, so pressure him to give details on his new change message. McCain is trying to be all things to all people...force him to go detailed and alienate either his base or the independents. He can't please both, unless I'm seriously misreading the polls. - If the Palinmania story seems to have legs, start playing a subtle "Where's Sarah?" game. When the press asks Obama about Palin, he should say "Well, like many Americans, I don't really know that much about her. But I'm looking forward to learning more about her ideas and policies when she starts giving interviews". That's a little ham-fisted, but Obama's team could clean it up. - Don't use Hillary to attack Palin. That would just turn into a distracting "jealous catfight" media narrative. If she's willing, use Hillary on generic women's issues and anti-Republican messages. Give people a contrast with Palin, not a conflict.
I think that O-B should go after her and McCain on policy issues. Drill the media that Obama has been answering the media's questions for 20 months of this campaign and she will not. Forget the personal stuff. That's for the Enquirer.
Here's the thing - it seems like she just marched onto the stage and said, "Here I am, elect John and me and don't question my qualifications." She's perhaps the one of the most presumptuous (to my thinking) politicians in recent memory. Granted, some of the scrutiny was more than unkind (if not sexist - with, sadly, a little undercurrent of classist nonsense as well), but in the midst of all of that, there were totally legit questions about her. She's an unknown quantity on the national stage, and we're supposed to just accept that she's ready? I think, contrary to false assertions of humility, it's stunningly arrogant for someone with her resume to expect that people will just accept you as a VP candidate. I think that's something that Obama was getting at today in his comments. I think they should continue to questions the presumption of it all - 19 months of a blistering primary and the careful consideration of issues domestic and foreign prepares someone much better for a trip to the White House or the Naval Observatory than governing in what's essentially a vacuum in Alaska.
Ignore her for now. If necessary, ask why she isn't at the top of the GOP ticket, seeing as she has more executive experience than McCain. Okay, maybe that last question doesn't work coming from an Obama supporter, but somebody's got to ask it. In his debate with her, Biden needs to ask her to justify her stance on not allowing a hypothetical 15 year old rape victim the option of abortion. Just make sure that whatever hypothetical age he asks about is not the same age as one of Palin's daughters.
Stop having core Obama people talk to anyone else in America. Honestly, I realize you all love your candidate. But throwing insane accusations (and even reasonable ones) at those who are weakly leaning Obama or undecided is just crazy. Here's an example of a conversation I had today with a co-worker (I'm a weak Obama supporter): Me: Isn't the new VP pick something else? Co-worker: She is the devil. Have you heard about her secret plan to ban all Democrats from the U.S.? Me: I read she worked with Democrats in the Alaskan legislature when she was elected governor, and much of the negative stories are being pushed by Alaskan Republicans who don't like her. Co-worker: She's nuts. And what kind of person leaves her downs syndrome baby at home in order to run for president. Me: I don't think that's fair and it's pretty sexist. I'm going to evaluate the candidates. I still plan on voting for Obama over McCain and Palin because I agree with Obama, but I think she is pretty impressive even if I don't agree. Co-worker: She is the most inexperienced candidate in the history of the U.S. Me: Last year when I was supporting Clinton, you told me that didn't matter and that Abe Lincoln had very little major experience. I think she has been gov for 2 years and Obama senator for 4 years. Does something magic happen in year 3 in terms of experience? Co-worker: You're a racist. The more weak supporters of Obama listen to these sorts of comments by strong Obama supporters, the less likely they want to vote for him.
John McCain's running mate says she has a lot of experience--and she does: She has a lot of experience hiring Washington lobbyists; She has a lot of experience playing Washington games and getting massive Washington earmarks; She has a lot of experience firing people who won't bend the rules for her; She has a lot of experience telling lies with a straight face, and pretending she's something she isn't; John McCain: 4 more years of the last 8.
I don't see how this is a "phenom" after a few days of adoration from the insanely dellusional GOP folks in Minnesota. People tuned in, sure. But does that make it a "phenom"? It makes it a rubberneck moment. So for now, it's just surface interest. Show me some poll movement, Marc. Then you can use the shiny adjectives all you want. Obama should ignore her, except to briefly point out when she lies about his record. Nothing more.
Don't rely on Hillary. Her aides are decribed in the Times today as downplaying how effective she can be courting working class women because she has down-ballot races to campaign for and a pile of debt to retire. No lie -- it's in the Healy-Zeleny piece.
Have Clinton attack her record. She's a great politician, she gives a good speech, she makes fantastic promises, but her record of governing is dubious at best. Dig up all the scandal you can find from her acts as mayor and governor. Go back to school board if you have to. But leave her family completely out of it.
Earlier commenter said "She's perhaps the one of the most presumptuous (to my thinking) politicians in recent memory." Perhaps, but the other politician with the 'presumptuous'-ness that I can think of is Obama. What a lot of hard-core Obama supporters are feeling now is what I felt in January. Who in the heck is this guy and why does he have the audacity to claim Clinton isn't prepared or that he has more years of experience than her? State legislature? Who cares? Sounds like being mayor of a small town. One of the reasons I, as a weak Obama supporter (I preferred Clinton and Richardson in the primaries) is enjoying Palin is that she is so similar to Obama in terms of compelling story (just very different issue positions). What one might think is 'presumptuous', another may call 'audacity.' I think this woman has the audacity to come on the national stage and say "I'm running for vice president." Most Obama people won't realize, but if you read conservative blogs, she's been the dark horse front runner for VP for months. She clearly was pushing behind the scenes to get picked as much as Biden pushed to be on Obama's ticket. I'm voting for Obama, and over the last year I've gotten to know him and realize he isn't really outta 'nowhere,' but that he was a highly ambitious, impressive, and sometimes lucky candidate. Palin strikes me as the same, but she's veep for a candidate I don't agree with. The more Obama people attack, the more weak Obama people who supported Clinton are thinking 'are any of these supporters realizing how hypocritical they sound?' Just ignore her.
Call her out. Call her bluff. She had the balls to call Obama an empty suit when she was reading a speech written by somebody else. Let's see what she's got, whether she can think on her feet by answering unscripted questions from serious media.
The criticism should focus on the decision, not the person. In a serious interview, Obama could suggest (in his reflective, calm and thoughtful manner) that that the only way to explain McCain's decision is that he's playing politics with gender, which is as bad as playing politics with race. He could suggest that McCain and the Republicans are throwing fuel on the gender war fire since they obviously don't value a person with such a paucity of experience. Obama could hint that his is especially troubling given the raggedy state of McCain's neurons and the impending need to use logarithms of his age.(Not in those exact words, of course.) In short, Obama could argue that McCain's decision is just the Southern Strategy with a dress - peel off angry women instead of angry white dudes. Once again, Republican's are returning to their roots- dividing instead of uniting and that's not the change we need. I'd love to see that interview.
Remind people how little we know about her, and how little she knows about us. Obama Palin Remind voters what a risk she is. She makes Obama feel like an old friend. Oh, and at the same time let people know that she's the queen of pork. $27 million for a town of 6,700 people? Isn't that what John McCain is always complaining about?
OK, basically ignore her (after all - drip, drip, drip), but.... A. GET YOUR OPPO PEOPLE UP TO AK PRONTO (done). Get quotes, people on record, before they start to close ranks. Find those documents before they hit the shredder. Word is, many dislike her but fear her well-known vindictiveness. These people might just figure that it's in their best interest to get rid of her by sending her to washington. B. Understand the GOP strategy. They want to milk this thing for as much media exposure as they can, while retaining control. So, she'll hide away for awhile and then come out for some big "appearance", which is analogous to getting your artillery all set up and calibrated (as opposed to a running fire fight). Ideally, GOP wants to replicate the controlled conditions of her convention speech. Don't let them. Don't underestimate the power of the GOP noise machine and its apparatchiks in the AP. C. Find a way to keep troopergate in the press, in the immediate time frame. Don't count on it damaging her, even though she clearly abused her power and is lying. Ultimately, Palin will wriggle out of this - someone will agree to be a fall guy - but it's creating very negative buzz right now. D. Also, realize that Palin clearly isn't ready, which is why she's going back to AK to be out of reach of the klieg lights for a while. Good luck with that. In the meantime, switch the subject back to McCain. E) FUD - fear, uncertainty, doubt (but friendly). The best thing to say about Palin is "I look forward to discussing the issues with her. I heard she has some pretty extreme ideas about Roe v. Wade, executive power, banning books.. but I don't know, I'd like to hear about their economic plan " F) Have something up your sleeve (not Palin-related) that will suck all of the oxygen out of the room. Wait a couple weeks to reveal it, while the Palin spark dwindles, and do so right before the debates.
Alot of you are suggesting that Obama "use Hillary" or have "Hillary attack Palin." I think Obama already went against this idea. The VP candidate is the best attack dog available, and he chose Biden. Hillary can't be 'used' as she isn't part of the ticket. I think she'll help out, but the more she's out there, the more Clinton voters will start moving away from Obama (and toward not voting). You see Biden, Palin, and alot of folks will think 'What the hell? Wasn't the reason Obama couldn't run with Clinton was because she'd overshadow him - or that all the bad stuff she said about him would be used again?' That is all moot, and as far as I am concerned she gave a great speech last week and she's paid her dues. It's Biden's responsibility to go after Palin. Plus had Obama simply picked Clinton, McCain never would have picked Palin. He would have gone for some staid choice like Pawlenty and there'd only be 1 history-making ticket. The audacity.
Agree with the general consensus here: ignore it. Giving her attention is beneath the Big Man's dignity. She's enough of a curiosity show that the MSM will do the job of chasing down every strange little thing she's done in the past 10 years, so there's no need to help them along or create any sympathy for her. Obama hinted at being the Happy Warrior last week, and now he needs to kick it into high gear. Look ahead, stay positive, play to the best instincts of the American people to move forward out of the mess that John McCain helped create. I'd get to the point where you don't even bother mentioning HIM too, and for God's sake, stop doing the bit about honoring him for his service. We all honor those who've served, but McCain's bad luck has gotten enough attention from all of us, and what happened 40 years ago has no relevance for what's going to happen in the upcoming few years. Don't let the hype from this week cause anyone to do anything stupid; Palin energized the base, but the friggin base is an intense group of whack jobs who'd welcome book burning as long as they got to determine which books got torched. They're most prominent in states that no Dem will win anyway, so no harm, no foul. Focus on the ECONOMY and on the FUTURE, and this race won't be as close in November as it looks now.
Also: Find some compelling sound-bite way to portray McCain as a high-stakes gambler. He has ruled on playing the fear card--the only powerful antidote to the Obama optimism card. Cut away at his ownership of this issue.
He needs to put Hillary and Joe on her, and she owes him an apology for calling him "Sambo" that's absolutely appalling. Hillary can take on her record and destroy her, she know's how to do it but was hesitant with Obama in the primaries... It can't hurt her now and she should tear into her like a pit bull with lipstick!
Above commenter said "In short, Obama could argue that McCain's decision is just the Southern Strategy with a dress - peel off angry women instead of angry white dudes. Once again, Republican's are returning to their roots- dividing instead of uniting and that's not the change we need." This is somewhat correct, but not entirely. The southern strategy was outright racist, with the GOP dividing the Democratic coalition threw negative scare tactics (Willie Horton, crime, in earlier eras talking about 'public safety' and race explicitly). Thus far, we haven't seen much of these racially divisive politics (yet, though I imagine it may come). The Palin pick is actually a positive wedge, and not a negative wedge like southern strategy was. The Republicans are saying "we can be historic too" in the hopes of pulling over some downmarket Dems and independents and possibly independent white women away from the Dems. This divides, but it isn't divisive. It's actually pretty nice for McCain-Palin to be a positive wedge (promoting women to major national office) instead of something that could have been much nastier like the '88 campaign. The fact the Palin pick is uplifting to some women in the middle and to the right of the ideological spectrum is why the Dems are having such a difficult time figuring out how to handle here. The Dems and Obama were ready for the old-style racially divisive wedge politics we've seen in many elections, but McCain went and had the audacity to drive a wedge between strong and weak Democrats by choosing Palin, and making history.
Main focus should clearly be on McCain. Criticize the obvious lack of proper vetting, but don't spend too much time attacking her directly. Say she's an obviously political choice and won't help fix the economy or healthcare. When going after Palin directly, us a "more of the same" theme: pork, unethical firings, loyalty tests, unfamiliarity with truth & coverups.
PLEASE add to daily talking points for Obama, Biden and all surrogates -- PRESERVING SOCIAL SECURITY. John McCain wants to privatize it. The Luntz Focus Groups have proved that this is a real concern for a large swath of Americans, but the focus groups are also saying that no one is addressing it. This is an opening for Obama. OBAMA NEEDS TO OWN SOCIAL SECURITY. McCain wants to privatize it This must be added to Obama's daily talking points for Obama, Biden and all surrogates. And it needs to say it every day when the laundry list is put out there -- economy, jobs, healthcare, social security. PLEASE get this into the Obama bloodstream! Obama NEEDS to OWN CHANGE. Own the FUTURE. OWN the ECONOMY. OWN SOCIAL SECURITY restoration, not privatization. OWN HEALTHCARE. OWN ABORTION RIGHTS. OWN JUDGMENT and TEMPERAMENT. John McCain is impulsive and unpredictable. Sarah Palin is a young Dick Cheney in a skirt. I do not want someone with views that extreme and far right having the authority to break tie votes in the Senate. McCain put himself first in this decision, not his country. There is a real opening for Obama to go after undecideds who are scared s**tless about losing social security. Just watch the St. Paul Luntz Focus Group. WHY isn't Obama talking about PROTECTING SOCIAL SECURITY and calling it out specifically, in addition to his economic policies? He needs to own the issue of SOCIAL SECURITY. All candidates are silent on it. John McCain wants to privatize it. This is an issue that has great resonance with swing voters and independents. I don't get it!
I disagree with those who say she should be ignored. Obama should not directly compare himself to her, but surrogates should be attacking her nonstop. Ignoring Palin would be like ignoring the Swift-Boaters. Bad, bad idea. Obama's campaign needs to define her. She is the queen of pork, getting $27 million for her small town and supporting the bridge to nowhere. She is under two separate ethics investigations. And most importantly, she has never expressed any interest in or knowledge of national issues. They MUST keep the pressure on Palin. Right now she is going through a crash course on talking points to see if she can muddle through the oral exams without anyone realizing how superficial she is. Don't let her get comfortable. Keep her on the defensive so that she does not have time to create a mask for herself. Expose her. The more Americans realize what a terrible pick Palin was, the worse McCain looks.
Just ignore her. The cost/benefit is this. Probably most people find her a pleasant curiosoty for right now. But the truth is that people vote for the top of the ticket. Attacking her simply elevates her. She will come undone in due time. Why we are discussing this is beyond me. If anyone knows how to handle a strong female opponent with a lot of baggage, it is Barack Obama. His whole campaign has been engaged in this weird gender war.
Stop allowing McCain-worshiping reporters like you to act as if she actually is a phenom? She's not moving the polls.
Have Joe Biden deal with her in the VP debate. Oh, they're already going to do that. Never mind.
Better question: how should the McCain campaign respond to the Palin phenomenon? Their base is convinced she's the second coming and the most skilled politician in a generation. How will they deal with the campaign's reported decision to sequester her in Alaska and hide her from the media "until she's ready." They think she's ready now. Seriously, it's only been a week since the world met Sarah Palin, and it was probably her easiest week of the campaign. She only had to deliver one carefully choreographed speech to a massively sympathetic audience. Now come the interview requests, stump gaffes, a debate and a continuing ethics investigation. It's all downhill from here for Palin.
Talk about the economy. Remind voters how close McCain's policy stands are to those of President Bush. Spend as much time criticizing Palin as the McCain camp is spending criticizing Joe Biden.
respond? I say keep it low profile, ignore her and go after mcSame.
The Palin pick seems cynical when it's cast as an attempt to get Clinton supporters. It seems smart(er) when it's cast as an attempt to relive the culture wars vs. Obama and the elites. So, have your surrogates frame it as being all about an attempt to get the Clinton women, and whether it will succeed. (It won't.) The media want to ask this question anyway. Don't allow it to be framed as rural America vs. the coastal elites.
First off, always refer to Palin as McCain's VP nominee or Gov. Palin. Take gender out of the verbal or written conversation, that way it doesnt sound sexist to the sensitive ear. Second, play up the fact that McCain only met her once before he selected her. Is that appropriate? How can you determine someone is qualified, both mentally and philosophically, after only 1 meeting? I think this plays up the gimmick component of the pick, which doesnt play well with moderate women or independents. Maybe a line like "John McCain talks about putting country first, but how can you put country first if you pick your VP after only meeting them once?" This line of attack is also powerful when you consider that fact that she has no national security or foreign policy experience and has no experience with heads of state. Is that what we need with a 72 year old POTUS and a two front war? Female senators, like McCaskill and Clinton can discuss the foreign policy and national security risks associated with her. Third, use female surrogates to pound home her flip-flops on issues. The Bridge to Nowhere, earmarks, raising taxes, etc. Stay away from the family completely, let the media handle that, its weird enough on its own. Fourth, have women governors and senators attack Palin's record. Primarily use Sebelius, Napolitano, and Granholm to go after Palin on her record as Gov. In small markets have female Mayor's and councilmembers talk about how important and honorable Gov. Palins work on the municipal level is but not anything close to the experience you need to serve as VP, let alone possibly POTUS. Recently, I asked my friend if a female councilmember in Los Angeles we both know would be qualified to serve as VP in say 4 years. I think this puts the pick more in perspective if its coming from that same level. The biggest mistake the campaign can make is to completely ignore her. Yes, Obama should ignore her, he's not running against her, at least not technically speaking. But the campaign needs to respond to her and her record and not let the idea sink in that she is some reformer with an indisputable reform record.
Obama should respond by raising questions, especially foreign policy questions. "How does Governor Palin think the USA should respond to a resurgent Russia? Does she think the USA should respect the Iraqi demand for a timetable to withdraw US troops?" Etc., etc. The point of the questions is (a) to call attention to the fact that we know nothing about Ms. Palin's policy positions; (b) to force the media to put those questions to Palin (and force McCain to make Palin available to the media); and (c) to put Palin in a position where she will make a rookie mistake.
Remind voters that she was for the bridge to no where before she was against it and that she kept the money! So much for being against earmarks. As a woman with children, the pro-choice issue is huge for me. I would think moderate woman would want to know that she is super conservative on that and other issues that are the darling of the conservative movement. Don't even talk about her kids, just the anti abortion, 3 Supreme Court Justices angle. That is a scary thought. I just hope voters aren't as dumb as the Republicans think we are. I mean hiding her out in Alaska and away from the media? Are they kidding? Is this a joke? She is trying to be VP for crying out loud.
1) Do research and focus group testing on how to effectively convey the message that Palin's not ready to be a heartbeat away from presidency. 2) build a targeted ad campaign in swing states where the "not ready" message is likely to be well received (based on focus testing). 3) Wait until October 31 or even early in November and if you need to, pull the ripcord on the "not ready" ad campaign. That's it. The only thing that matters to voters about a VP pick is whether they could envision them taking over as president.
I agree with those that have said that Obama should let the surrogates take her on. He should never be bothered even mentioning her name (which btw both Obama and Biden have been doing very well )and they both should treat her as a non-entity. However, what should be done by both the surrogates and us "stupid ground organizers" is to continually push the mainstream media into forcing her out of hiding and into an opened situation where she will ultimately put her own big fat snowshoe in her own big fat pit bull lipsticked mouth.
Quick follow-up... Use Hillary Clinton like crazy, as they're doing already. Again, you want the story to be, "Can she get those Clinton woman voters?" You want that to be the story because (A) She won't get them, and (B) As long as that's the focus, you're reminded that the pick is "gimicky." The point of sending Clinton and other Dem women out there isn't to get the woman vote. You've got it. The point is to control the narrative, to make that THE question about Palin. That crowds out other potential Palin narratives, which would work better for Republicans.
ignore her. people don't vote for the VP. attack her and you risk coming across and attacking women.
Some have suggested a number of attacks, like play up the fact her pick was done quickly and that McCain only met her once. But is this also true for Obama and Biden? Yes they were in 23 debates together, but they don't really 'talk' in those debates. How many times did Obama meet with Biden when considering his pick? Not much. Was Biden sent to Georgia to look more vice presidential? Yes. Be careful. Alot of the stuff people claim is a problem for Palin actually applies to Obama's judgement as well. The reporting suggests Obama really wanted to go with Kaine, but in the last few days before choosing VP went with Biden instead. How is this much different than the Lieberman v. Palin pick. Also, I don't want Clinton out there on the hustings. The Obama supporters may think so, but it is not the role of Democratic women senators to go and attack GOP women. It is the role of Democratic women senators to first represent their states (and Clinton does have some tending to do after the long primary) and attend roll calls. Then, she along with every other female or male senator, can be asked to campaign across the country on behalf of Obama and against McCain. But Clinton should not be 'fighting' Palin. They're not even comparable. If she was VP pick, it'd be another matter.
Previous commenter said "I don't want Clinton out there on the hustings. The Obama supporters may think so, but it is not the role of Democratic women senators to go and attack GOP women. It is the role of Democratic women senators to first represent their states....If she was VP pick, it'd be another matter." This is spot on. Having Clinton do a few events is a good idea, but she is done with presidential politicking this year. Having her play-act the role of veep is demeaning to both her and to Biden. If you interview for a job and don't get it, you don't go ahead and do the job anyway. Obama picked Biden for VP, which in a campaign involves attacking the opposing VP candidate. Clinton shouldn't get anywhere near this. Obama didn't want her as VP, and thus she needs to be my U.S. senator, not some surrogate VP because Biden can't do the job himself.
So I read somewhere today that Hillary will be campaigning for Obama, but will not be attacking Palin. This seems like the perfect combo for me.
Let the press do its job. Go after McCain for offering 4 more years of Republican rule and for having no apparent policy proposals to deal with the economy, other than continuing what Bush has been doing for 8 years.
Get Hillary out there to spread the word that this woman is mainly substanceless, and that what substance she does have is in direct conflict with all that is reasonable. Also, just as she refused to even utter Obama's name, Obama should ignore her completely and let proxies (like Hillary and Biden) deal with her snarky, presumptuous, and disrespectful jibber jabber. I think the reaction should be, "We don't even take her seriously."
"But is this also true for Obama and Biden? Yes they were in 23 debates together, but they don't really 'talk' in those debates." They're both Democrats in the Senate. That's a club of 50 people. They know each other quite well, as do Clinton and Obama.
The Republicans have found their Obama, their "Messiah," and she is a woman. They have been ridiculing the Obama movement. Now they are pouring hope and belief into the empty vessel of Sarah Palin, the great Conservative savior whom many are dubbing the female encarnation of Ronald Reagan. She embodies every argument that Republicans have been throwing at Barack Obama for the last year. For me, it is the issues. Barack Obama best supports my issues and has the best chance of getting the country back on the right track. Sarah Palin is George Bush with breasts. More of the same.
Ignoring her for now probably makes the most sense. To me, the more interesting question is how best to position Biden at the debate. I think that will be the trickiest issue. I don't expect her to do poorly at the debates as in saying something really stupid. I suspect she will be completely scripted to just turn the question to a campaign talking point. It won't be a debate, it will be alternating commercials.
If you saw Biden today in PA when he got a standing ovation for giving Palin and McCain hell then you would know they know what they are doing. There can't be a cultural war or personality war if one side isn't feeding into it. Palin is baiting Obama with personal attacks. But she doesn't have the recognition or standing for people to believe her toxic waste. If Obama engages with her on her level. He increases her stature like she belongs. If you noticed he rarely mentions her by name or title. And asked about her, he just said she has a compelling story. Very neutral. Maybe it was complimentary maybe not. Watching an accident is a compelling story. And I was wondering if he was talking about her hockey mom, mother of five story or all the scandals surrounding her. If you listen carefully to Obama, he tells all. But in his own style and language. He is sort of like Greenspan except he uses common english. What Obama needs to do is concentrate on ceiling the deal with Hillary voters. Hillary can testify for him but only Obama and Biden can close the sale. And when people are trying to figure out their basic needs, food and housing they are less likely to care about cultural issues. When push comes to shove a drowning man doesn't care what the color of the hands that saved him.
Focus on the policy contrasts. Get Hillary out there for Obama. Point out the shrillness (this isn't sexist, I though Guiliani was shrill as well) and the sarcasm of the GOP's campaign strategy for Palin. Voters are turned off by this. GET AN AD OUT THERE w/ Palin saying she doesn't know what the VP does, and that she hopes we have an exit strategy for Iraq, etc.
MoeLarryandJesus (hope I got that right), some of my partner's staff work for Obama's campaign too. I'm pretty confident in saying Obama's oppo and strategy were targeted toward the belief that Romney or Pawlenty would be McCain's pick. McCain isn't as stupid as we Democrats wish he was. He knew the polls showing a tight race were an artifact and that the race was Obama's to lose. His only chance was to go for a game-changing running mate. When Obama left the door open by passing over HRC, it seemed clear that McCain would take that opening. He couldn't afford not to. I support Obama, but I think he's overconfident. Miande, Palin's name surfaced on and off from the time that McCain wrapped up the nomination. Young conservatives have had a strong "Draft Palin" movement online. Chris Cillizza, WaPo's "The Fix" columnist, had her in his top five a couple of times but missed her at the end. I even won some bucks in a running mate pool by betting on Palin! The problem, really, is that we as Democrats underestimate McCain at almost every turn. He's a highly intuitive person who goes with his gut, and you can see how Palin appeals to him. And you can see how, once Obama picked Biden, the die was cast. Moe et al, you ask what I think Obama should have done differently. I think he should have gone with HRC and made it work. Now that the tickets are set, the worst thing he can do is get dragged into a tangle with the vice presidential candidate on the other ticket. He needs to stay above the fray. He needs to somehow maneuver the contest back to being a referendum on George W. Bush and make strong policy contrasts with McCain. And Biden is going to need some coaching to avoid putting his foot in his mouth!
I disagree that they should ignore her. I think they need to come out clear by fact-checking her statements: the bridge to nowhere lie has been repeated too much. Why do politicians get away with this lying???!! If we don't have the basic standard of truth then we are in Orwell territory.
Don't ignore her. That looks like fear. Be tough but impersonal. For instance, she cut funding for special-needs children, but instead of using that loaded phrase, "programs for women and children" is non-confrontational but still devastating: "We believe that it does a disservice to any candidate if we do not take their record seriously enough to examine it thoroughly. So let's take a look at Governor Palin's record: She says she is a fiscal conservative---but when she was Mayor of Wasilla, the town went from no debt to 22 million in debt. During her tenure, Wasilla hired a town administrator, at a time when the town had 6,000 residents. We'd like to know how many executive decisions Mayor Palin made and how many the administrator made. (Being a town administrator is sort of like being Sarah Palin---except you make actual decisions) She raised taxes, including putting a tax on food. She says she is a reformer---but she hired a lobbyist to go after 27 million (or however much it was) in earmarks for a town of 5,000 people. And still put the town into debt. As Governor, she was cited by John McCain for 3 different pork-barrel projects. She says she told the government no thank you to the Bridge to Nowhere--- but she did everything she could to get the bridge built using US taxpayer money until the bridge became notorious, then reversed herself. She also attempted to build a road to Nowhere. She said she put her predecessor's plane on Ebay, but didn't mention that it didn't sell. It was sold using a broker, at a loss of half a miilion dollars. She said she wanted an open, transparent administration, but she has refused to testify in the Troopergate investigation. As Mayor, she issued a directive that staff not talk to the press. Why the secrecy? Haven't we had enough secrecy? Governor Palin has slashed programs for women and children,including Covenant House. We believe Governor Palin's record speaks for itself."
What is Palin's greatest strength? Coming across like a white knight who will clean up Washington. For that reason I think if and when they go after her, it should be to paint her as corrupt.
The Obama campaign has it right to mostly ignore her. She's a dangerously tempting distraction, but ultimately voters, outside a fraction of the GOP base, don't care about the running mates in their voting decisions. They chose between Bush and Kerry, not Bush-Cheney and Kerry-Edwards. And they'll choose between Obama and McCain, disregarding Biden and Palin. This reality will be clear in a few weeks if not sooner, when the running mate excitement dies down and the tops of each ticket dominate the news again. The Obama campaign has done a good job all along in long-term planning, and ignoring Palin now is yet another example of that.
I'd go after McCain and Palin over one simple subject: Never in American history have we lowered taxes in the middle of a war. If McCain truly believes as he says often that we are locked in the "transcendental struggle of the 21st century," then why is he so willing to place the bill at the hands of our children and grandchildren, and not instead ask Americans to roll up their sleeves and sacrifice a bit? It's pretty obvious that he is not, in fact, putting his country first. Instead, he's allowed the anti-tax demagogues like Grover Norquist hijack his agenda. Once upon a time I think McCain would've recognized this--not anymore.
Regarding "using" Clinton to "attack" Palin, I think first that Obama didn't choose Clinton as VP because he thought it would not be the right governing choice given the murkiness around Bill Clinton (once a president, always a president). I can see why it would be an issue. It wasn't because he didn't want her to campaign for him. So it was not a political decision. Having said that, I think Hillary does want to and should go out an campaign but I don't think she should "attack" palin. That's not good for hillary as her own negatives go up when she is negative. But she could campaign positively for barack with subtle digs at the republican ticket such as "no way no how no mccain-palin". but she shouldn't come across as jealous of palin or anything like that. But I do feel that it si important to have her out there as a campaign surrogate because I feel hillary supporters need to be reminded often that she is behind him. Also, Ben Smith has something on this today. He said it's working class MEN that are more likely to support palin. Conservative women yes, but they weren't going to vote for obama or hillary anyway. Who's the best surrogate for working class men? Biden or someone else?
Palin is a fresh face, but is More Of The Same.
Make Palin out to be the right-wing extremist that she is.
Using young people! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-hailemariam/open-letter-to-sarah-pali_b_122710.html Young women should be calling her out- what would her election do for women. What are the symbolic implications of a woman being on a ticket with a man who says that woman who want equal pay need more education and training. Use Palin's tokenism against her- ask her what the implications are, make them clear, what would a McCain administration do for the people of Wassala- use her attributes against her. I think that if the campaign is afraid to do it for fear of backlash leverage younger supporters to pointedly call out why her selection is ridiculous. The youth support for Obama hasn't been tapped into yet in terms of messaging strategy- in a campaign that can accurately claim that it is uniquely linked with an engaged generation they should do more to put that at the forefront. Change comes not from a candidate but in what the candidate is capable of compelling a nation to do.
They shouldn't ignore her, but they should mainly play defense, bide their time, research her discreetly, line up the most damning material and squash her sometime around October 25th. In the meantime keeping whacking McCain on his weak policies and lies.
Ignore her and go after McCain and his complete lack of policies. Quote Rick Davis on how this campaign isn't about issues at every opportunity. (Obama and Biden were on both of these today.) Palin should arise only as an example of McCain's snap judgment and fondness for shooting from the hip and letting the chips fall where they may--do we want more government by gut and impulse and soulgazing? The blowback from his rash decisions would then fall on all of us. When the press asks Obama and Biden (and Clinton and McCaskill) about her, respond on issues "No one seems to know anything about her positions on the economy/foreign policy/health care/NAFTA/much of anything, and the McCain camp isn't letting her do interviews--maybe you guys could go find out what she thinks and get back to us?" The press, however, need to follow up the many gates and keep pointing out how weird it is to introduce someone to the nation and then NOT have them all over the Sunday shows and interviews explaining, in depth, their views on all the issues that matter to Americans. It's not like I'm considering whether to carpool to hockey practice with her; I'm weighing how I feel about her a) helping McCain govern; b) taking the oath of office if he were incapacitated, as soon as January 21st 2009.
Addendum to my earlier comment: Obama was actually prescient in his acceptance speech regarding McCain's having bought into the right-wing extremist philosophy, as the pick of Palin confirmed the very next day.
Ignore the Fundie Right at our peril. Get the fire in your belly, and for the sake of Christ - Yahweh/ Jehovha/G*d open your mouths. The Achilles heel are the comments and sermons from her home Church. Explore the web of relationships that is the foundation of her world view. 1. Take on these nefarious frauds and expose them with argument and truth. What now, right now- is the US Bill of Rights? Ask the arrested journalists at the RNC - then ask those who weren't. 2. What is the Dominion angle on Palin? Has it been been thwarted? What are the connections and funding between her pastors and the militant right wing? Who originally funded/created the Christian Right Wing Evangelists and why? Has the government of the United States ever used intelligence officers disguised as 'preachers' in Guatamala or anywhere else? What did those organizations of the 1970's and 80's go on to produce? What was or is currently the purpose of government involvement in using fundies/creating for alterior motive? In my view, these particular strand of bellicose tricksters are the appropo bookend to the Bush Admin's Admonishment : "While your busy analysing ...we're writing the next page. We are the Authors of history" (sic). What a particularly virulent strain to be employing. Finally, I ask - are we seeing this blandness - a greying of the country's hope - because it shows the worst side of America - the new "Pitbull with lipstick?" Is this the ultimate scare tactic to our international opponents? Hopeless and ready for a fight. Drill and fight (prey) ...drill and fight (prey) ...drill and fight PREY! - their words - use against them.
Stay on message. Ignore her and if she must be mentioned, praise her for being one of the first women on a presidential ticket and then talk semi-reluctantly about her extreme positions and her unwillingness (so far) to answer questions from the press.
Stick to the issues, yes. But take a page from the oh-so-successful GOP playbook by always remembering to also attack McCain where he is strong (national security, vets), not just where he is weak (economy, health care). Why does McCain seemingly date the start of the Iraq War with the surge --even though he was a staunch supporter for the five years previous as well? Why does he only credit the surge -- rather than the Awakening / massive changes of heart with Iraqi tribal leaders -- for the recent reductions in violence? And finally, stooping to the "it's not about issues, it's about personalities" campaign the GOP now wants to run: It's almost impossible that this race is still so close. But this IS the most important election of our lifetime -- and we gotta pull out all the stops if we're gonna win!
Palin wants to lower taxes? What? The middle class needs to pay more taxes. They don't pay enough. The Federal Reserve needs more power to print more money to lend it to the gov't at a low interest rate and give it to the needy around the world. The middle class has it too good, they need to work harder and pay more taxes.
Obama has no response. Neither he nor his managers understand middle America, whom they dismiss as bitter, Bible believing gun clingers. Nothing he can say or do can compensate for this.
John McCain's choice for VP is no outsider: she is a fully paid up member of the Washington lobbyist earmark machine. So much for changing Washington.
If the IRS has rules against Churches endorsing political figures, how come when Dobson vetted Palin last week and then gave his thumbs up - and the tide turned - how could that be legal?
The GOP is vastly overrating her appeal to voters that are not republican. I would put max pressure on forcing her out of the cocoon they keep her in, work the press to keep pressure on. That should do it. Her shrill harpy act is making her McCains albatross.
JohnR, a "bitter gun clinger" like the governor of Montana, former rancher Brian Schweitzer had this to say last week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8iatxuU3OU
Fascinating. If Obama loses, "ignoring her" (his current strategy) may go down as one of the biggest blunders of his campaign contributing to his downfall. But I wonder what else he CAN do....
JohnR - dude get off the reload button!! Bitter repetitive and unarticulate middle America is a bit difficult to comprehend yes!!
She will be off the trail for a week assessing whether she can continue along w/ McCain's vetters. Somebody made a great point to let the Enquirer and MSM do their job, the blogosphere is helping as well. As David Plouffe has daid they are only focused on 18 state polls, not daily polls, and while the RNCC was on they were in OH, MI and PA with huge crowds actually meeting voters where it matters. Also the 40M who watched McCain last note got 2 rude awakenings - not only did he have nothing to say on what matters to people he had less tp say than Palin did and that is even scarier.
They need to get Colin Powell's endorsement (and other foreign policy wonks who are petrified - like David Frum) to shoot a commercial... something like this... "Hi I'm Colin Powell, John McCain is a friend of mine and I've even given to his campaign for president but John McCain is 72 and has a history of cancer. And unfortunately he failed to put his country first by selecting someone with zero foreign policy experience to succeed him should something happen- THAT IS THE NUMBER 1 JOB OF A VICE PRESIDENT. In a world where we are dealing with Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran, Russia etc. that is reckless and irresponsible. It is putting political ambition ahead of country. John McCain would lose every state..
1. Counter Republican attempts to lower expectations for her at the debates. And for God's sake, have a woman as Biden's practice partner rather than Axelrod. 2. Make sure (through back channels) that McCain gets pounded for botching her rollout so badly that he may have permanently dimmed one of the rising lights of the Republican party. 3. Before audiences who are sympathetic to her, emphasize her progressive credentials and lament that McCain is the one at the top of the ticket. 4. Quote her saying "being mayor is kind of like being a community organizer", and otherwise exploit her sarcasm generally until she learns better. 5. Recognize (which they already have) that in the process of locking down the military with McCain and the religious right with Palin, they have left vulnerable and even alienated the highly lucrative businessman branch of Republican party. In addition to what's already underway on that front, get some prominent surrogates from the business community.
Now Obama is sending out women surrogates to attack Palin. How brave! Hiding behind women smells of weakness, and middle America cannot tolerate a weak leader. And Palin strikes me as someone who can't simply be ignored. No way.
By the way, Ambinder. You are one of my favorite political bloggers - I just wish you updated more frequently.
Obama needs to OWN VETERANS ISSUES -- McCain votes against vets!!! Obama needs weekly video and radio addresses. Obama needs to show that he is a fighter. Also, take on "bitter" directly, saying I know my words were clumsy, but McCain/Palin are not offering you any policies that will be in your economic interest. Here's what I am offering. What if McCain's Palin pick had been wrong. That "near death" type of decision making is scary. McCain is a perpetual adolescent -- a 72-year old man behaving like he's a frat brother. McCain has a lack of maturity in terms of judgment. Obama has been vetted nationally for more than 2 years. He has stellar executive experience in building and running his campaign. John McCain nearly destroyed his campaign. John McCain is like the Clintons -- he loves near death experiences. Obama is a steady hand. Palin thinks Iraq is God's war. Obama is at great risk of being "swift boated" by Palin. He needs to fully respond to each attack she and McCain level on him personally. Pivot on "community organizer" -- take it on, use the term to educate swing voters, educate that you WORKED WITH CHURCHES, faith based organizations, be specific on the issues. Take on each and every thing she says in her stump speeches, both her lies about herself and her attacks on Obama. She has no foreign policy knowledge, much less experience. How many states in U.S. has she been to? Has she traveled outside country? Can she be a heartbeat away?
Obama Energy policy is what she focused in on her speech...Getting the U.S on domestic oil would create more jobs and help our economy by putting people to work...developing alternative energy will help Solar Wind and NUKE power also,,,,, Obamas policy of getting off of middle east oiL HELLO ONLY 10% OF OUR OIL COMES FROM MIDDLE EAST...Obama should be honest he is a slick politician who ran to the left of Clinton to get the nomination and now will goto the Center....If a Poll comes out that the sky is red tomorrow he will tell us its red....3/4th of the Dem Sheeple will believe its red the 1/4 left will look see the sky is blue but think oh I will wait till Obama turns it red....When it doesnt turn red they will blame Bush
The DNC should put up a clock telling us how many days it's been since she has submitted herself to tough questions from reporters. Obama and Biden should ignore her and go after McCain. If Palin starts to cause a bounce for McCain in polling, then the DNC can run ads about her extreme views (banning books, no abortion even in cases of rape) or her many lies (bridge to nowhere, etc.). But that's only if she becomes a problem. Ultimately, Palin will either be a non-factor or a problem for McCain. She is bound to make a gaffe and Troopergate could get worse.
I'm in the camp that says he should embrace and engage her, in a way that challenges her and is focused on the issues. She's a wildcard, but the weakness she exposes in him is with identity voters. The only way he can lose this election is if biography and identity become the dominant themes. That may well happen if he doesn't force John and Sarah to directly respond to policy and issue challenges. If he really embraces her and celebrates her, and then she flames out because of personal issues, then he says directly to McCain- you made a bad decision- and then the election is over. If she only gets stronger personally, and if he hasn't been engaging and challenging her all along on policy issues, then once he starts doing that, he's in a much weaker position, and it looks more like sour grapes. I think further that if he doesn't engage her on the professional topics, and only sends women surrogates, he's being terribly sexist, which strengthens Palin even more with identity voters. And further, by delegating the problem to Hillary, it puts him in her debt, which is not where he wants to be. Here's the speech I wanted Obama to give after Palin's speech on Wednesday: I want to be clear that I welcome her to the national political stage. She did a great job in her acceptance speech. Her constituents and supporters should be very proud. We embrace her strong entrance into the race and we look forward to the new life she will bring to the campaign. I know she has an energetic base of supporters, and we're excited to have their voice and contribution to this debate. At the end of the day, we all know we're not running on American Idol for who can give the best speech. We're running for President and Vice President. And the American people know- they know because they've told us- that the job is a little bit more than giving a great speech. The job involves policy decisions and judgments, articulating your goals to the American people, demonstrating the discipline to accomplish these goals. What I want to hear from Sarah Palin, and from John McCain, are more concrete and realistic proposals. What we've heard so far is more of the same old, wrapped up in clever catch phrases, lacking specifics, and substance. Drill, baby, drill is a great example. It's a great phrase, but the reality is that even oil industry estimates are that it will take 7 years of development to get 2 or 3 years worth of oil. Drilling would be great for the state of Alaska, but to be President of all 50 states, we have to look further at more comprehensive solutions, not just at local solutions that benefit one particular area. Reform is another example. How will John McCain reform Washington, where he's been for 30 years, when lobbyists have been and continue to be the leaders of his campaign staff, and continue to write his policy papers. How does his example constitute reform? We have a lively campaign season ahead of us. This is an historic election, at a critical time. We're fired up that the teams are in place and we look forward to our debates with Sarah and John about the most important issues facing America.
"Palin has just as much direct foriegn policy experience as either OBama or Biden.." thomas - you are aware that foreign leaders call Biden? That he is one of the foremost foreign policy experts in the US Senate? That the head of Georgia in fact phoned him during the recent crisis.
MDA The same vets Obama could not be bothered to visit at the army hospital in Germany during his recent tour?
They should point out that the United States' military power and economic prosperity depend on our edge in technology; and that our edge in technology is rooted in science education. If it's true that Palin is sympathetic to creationism, then it's a reckless choice for a vice-presidential candidate, and not for liberal reasons. Teaching children that scientific evidence has the same status as religious belief can only push the United States education system to new lows vis-a-vis our rivals. This anti-intellectual stuff is not conservative at all; it's short-sighted and dangerous.
by LOL-ing very loud.
also, david lat sounds like a racist. "personal and idiosyncratic" my ass.
The truth will set them free. Since McCain and Palin continue to perpetuate the lies (bridge to nowhere, ebay, earmarks, no legislative accomplishments, etc.), I expect the media and serious Republicans (hello Mr. Hagel and Mr. Lugar) will say: "enough!" Palin will be done in by one of the many swords over her head (go Enquirer go). I believe that she will go down as one of the most spectacular flame-outs in new product launch history. In seeing the response to her, I'm reminded of a product introduction about 20 years ago. Here's the tale: the VP at Nabisco in charge of Chips Ahoy tried Duncan Hines Soft Batch for the first time. He couldn't believe it. Soft, moist, chewy -- as good as homeade and from a package. He went off to a meeting, depressed, convinced that he had tasted the future of cookies and it wasn't his. He came back to his desk a few hours later and took another bite. He smiled. The cookie was hard and nearly inedible. The cookie literally crumbled. Air (and sunshine) exposed that it was a neat trick, not sustainable. I dare say: Sarah Palin is a Soft Batch cookie.
Both parties will continue to serve the agenda of the Trilateral Commission so either way we win. A North American Union is within reach.
"They should point out that the United States' military power and economic prosperity depend on our edge in technology; and that our edge in technology is rooted in science education." Right: if those small town public school kids are taught anything that raises doubts about atheism, our future in science and technology is finished. Because everyone knows are tech companies and research universities are full of public school grads.
To our Republican friends: You don't get extra McCain points for copy and pasting the same talking point 12 times. You'll have to earn that golf gear some other way. As for the surprise of the nomination--as noted liberal Charles Krauthammer points out, Palin was completely unvetted. Chosen on anecdotes and a good gut instinct, she predictably weighted down the campaign with the inevitable neophyte dirty laundry. Who seriously thought McCain would choose someone 3 days before the convention started without once calling someone in the veep's home state, looking at records available only in the veep's home state, or otherwise doing step one of due diligence on a nominee? (Let's all pause and think about how many positions a president fills. Queasy yet?) No one thought the McCain campaign was quite this nuts, but it's not like that's a selling point. Palin's role in the Dem campaign is to illustrate how crazy McCain will be with executive decisions. Period. If Republicans want her to have any more serious role, they need to fix her up with some substantive policy discussions--I don't intend to debate whether she really drove her kids to hockey practice.
If those small town public school kids are taught anything that raises doubts about atheism, our future in science and technology is finished. My kids go to public schools; in what way are they being taught to be atheists? The subject hasn't come up yet that I've seen....Perhaps you're concerned that I am not raising them within whatever religion you practice, and thus your only chance to reach them and save their souls is to have your religion taught in the public school? Seriously, what are you on about? These aren't even good cut-and-paste talking points. Because everyone knows are tech companies and research universities are full of public school grads. Hey, look at that, we're discussing a domestic policy issue! One of the conventions featured those!
concede the ground for them. Make them the establishment run as the challenger regardless of the poll. paint them both as out of touch and dangerous and more of the same.
Be prepared for massive voting irregularities. Have the polling monitors in place, and a battalion of lawyers ready to spring at the first sign of messing around with the ballot.
Monica, I love your idea. Powell would be great maybe Hagel too? I doubt Lugar will do it but it would be nice to have a series of these with different republicans essentially saying the same thing.
Here is how to do it. 1. Keep explaining your plan to help America get out of the mess the Republicans have made in the last eight years. 2. Remind the American people of the "good old days," remind them that the economy was strong under the last democratic administration. Remind them that the Republicans were voted in promising change, and they failed miserably. Remind them that McCain himself has admitted that the Republicans became corrupted and made this mess. Then ask the people if they would rather trust fixing it to the Democrats, or the people that have admittedly made the mess in the first place. 3. Keep reminding the American people that the Republicans have stated they want change, but have yet to offer any policy that actually represents change, just "more of the same." 4. Fact-Check. Challenge the attacks. Remind people that attacks are the acts of desperate people with no good argument of their own. Most of all, directly challenge their lies. Don't be a afraid to challenge the lies. Remind the American people that McCain promised to run a clean campaign, and that he promised to be honest with the people, then do McCain the favor of helping him be honest by fact checking his speeches for him. Obama should never appear angry or frustrated. He should just come out and tell it like it is. He should be the messenger of hope, even when correcting the lies of the other campaign, but you must not let them stand, lest they appear true. Biden should be the sword of vengeance. Never in a vindictive way, but much as he did today. He should be brutally honest, and attack their contradictions, speak plainly about what they stand for, and who is behind their policies. He should keep reminding the people that people only attack in politics when they have nothing to offer that is helpful to the American people.
DO NOT ENGAGE. My Republican readers all say that the moment Palin is engaged Obama loses the argument. Obama elevates Palin, who needs elevating, and then diminishes himself because the Republican response is always going to be "She has more experience than him".....to which Obama/Obama supporters have to explain how she isn't....and if you're explaining you are losing. Palin was a brilliant pick because the McCain campaign wants her to be the shiny object moronic liberals focus on, instead of contrasting with McCain and painting him as Bush 44. McCain is now going to be mister nice guy maverick reformer, while his shiny object just NAILS Obama day in and day out. Regardless if they are true, if the Obama campaign responds they become true. Never respond to Sarah Palin. Treat her like the sideshow she is. No press interviews? Come on. This was a pick for pure political reasons. It was not a pick to help McCain govern, which it was supposed to be. This was supposed to be his last council before major decisions. Americans can picture Obama and Biden agonizing over decisions and working together, but these two? No way. The more you ignore her, the faster she fades away. She'll quickly be throwing more outlandish bombs to gain attention and break through. Keep the focus on McCain and paint him as an out of touch clone of Bush. "Can you afford another four years of this administration?" should be the question. To undermine Palin, just put prominent Democratic women out on the trail talking about kitchen table issues. Remind them that the other side will take away women's rights, but don't attack Palin. Remind them she may be a woman, but she isn't a woman like you. http://www.politicalinaction.com
Obama needs to figure out a way to communicate his tax plan more effectively with some clever soundbites. Let the surrogates and Biden attack Palin on a couple of her big lies or weaknesses.
"The more you ignore her, the faster she fades away" They are counting on ignorance - I believe yours is a fatal strategy. She is the embodiement of the republican political con. This needs finesse and counter-step.
Ignore her for the most part, and focus on the truth about McCain's record, what he has and has not done for the people of america. YOU MUST GET A LOT TOUGHER! People remember the negative more than they remember the positive and his negative comments are sticking, whereas your positive ones are not. Many, if not most, people honestly don't know the dreadful things he believes in or has done - you must tell them! Good defense helps win the game, but without offense there's no game to play. And focus on what palin has and has not done politically - keep it honest and make it stick by telling voters how it negatively impacts them.
I disagree -- ignore her at your peril. She's hitting a visceral nerve, and voters aren't even listening to McCain anymore. Every time she gets a jab in, Obama's image gets blurry again, because too many voters feel like they know her and they don't know him. I say, call her out for being the liar that she is. When she's discredited, McCain's judgment is automatically discredited. Ignore her and she will pick away at swing voters doubts. It is sexism to think that somehow she's going to crumble under the spotlight. They aren't just training her on what to say when asked a policy question, they're also training her on how to go on the attack when she can't answer a question. She's never going to show weakness -- but she can be exposed as a liar. Voters who are guided by policy have already made up their minds; it's the voters who are guided by gut -- "who do I identify with?" -- who haven't. Fighting them solely on the issues, even the pocketbook issues, won't move the needle if you let her attacks go unchecked.
Go after McCain, force him to run on the GOP record.
What gives you confidence that Obama would make good executive decisions as President? First, I'd note that I am choosing between 2 senators who have not held executive office. (I'm unconvinced running a business is experience that transfers--I'm reminded of Perot's seeming thought that he'd fire Congress if it didn't do what he wanted--but running WWII and the reconstruction of Europe are probably analogous skills.) I like governors; I'd love to see Brian Schweitzer up for president in 2016. But this year the governors were all weeded out early. So I'm left with 2 senators. Each made an executive decision in the past few weeks. And that executive decision was appointing personnel--from Harriet Myers to Heckuva Job Brownie, we've seen how important that role is for a president, so it's a good spot to have a little insight. Obama chose someone who could help him govern after he wins and who helps him on the trail. Biden is good on economic issues and identifying with working class folk; unlike the McCain aides about whom Saakashvili seemed so unenthused, Georgia actually asked for Biden. I could envision Biden taking the oath of office next January, or in any crisis after that, and I know he could handle it, and I know his thoughts on governance from his long history writing about them on the national stage, so I have a feel for what he'd do as president. Biden may not have been Obama's first choice--I think that was Sebelius--but he's a very solid and capable choice. McCain chose someone he didn't know. Met her once. Didn't vet her. She seemingly has no particular thoughts about national issues and they're in no hurry to demonstrate that she does. That's not a serious choice. Nothing in that choice makes me think I want McCain out there making decisions for me, rolling the dice, doubling down, and taking the consequences of his actions--all the rest of us have to live with those consequences if he's elected. No drama Obama. I've had plenty of drama with Bush; I would appreciate someone who can appoint good people and run a tight ship. Powers is an interesting pick on foreign policy; her fault was that of a neophyte to election interviews. His economic advisors are in the engineer, not theorist, mold--I like that. One of the chief things any executive does--military, business, politics--is recognize talent and put those people into jobs where they can excel. Another is working with the people already in place so you aren't reinventing the wheel every week, as Obama did in getting legislation through in both legislatures. A final one is getting good people behind your vision and convincing them to follow you. No one in Obama's campaign is pointing fingers today over the West Hollywood Middle School. Finally, I actually agree with Obama on policy. An independent who votes a mixed ticket, I once agreed with McCain on many policies--8 years ago, 5 years ago--but in the past 3 years virtually all that maverick cred vanished. When he flipped on torture he lost my vote. Given a choice between two senators who've never been governors, I'll take the one who opposed torture last December and still opposed it in March.
Second, play up the fact that McCain only met her once before he selected her. Is that appropriate? How can you determine someone is qualified, both mentally and philosophically, after only 1 meeting? I think this plays up the gimmick component of the pick, which doesnt play well with moderate women or independents. Maybe a line like "John McCain talks about putting country first, but how can you put country first if you pick your VP after only meeting them once?" I like this. Maybe tie it into Bush's comment about looking into Putin's eyes and taking the measure of the man on the basis of one brief meeting. "Is this the kind of judgment America needs?"
Why should anyone care what a bitchy cynical queen like David Lat thinks? It's clear his opinions have *nothing* to do with the fundamentals of what's best for the country, so why give him any attention?
I honestly just want to see some fire. Obama was so good the first time around that people are still pretty motivated. I mean I live in Alabama and plenty of people are quite excited to get out and spread the message for him. Ignore the Republicans and give a damn good speech. It worked for him before and it will work again. Everything they chastised Obama for, they are now doing. Fiery speeches, empty rhetoric, replace race card with gender card and you have the real Obamacans. Keep reminding Americans that Republicans want to replace themselves with themselves. And please, just watch the Daily Show.
Meticulously list every lie Sarah Palin has spouted in the brief time since her appointment: she has not reformed anything; she has returned 0 earmark money; she has not fought corruption; etc etc. The Repubs have enjoyed their 3 days Fantasy Reform camp. Vacation is over. Everything the woman has said is a bald faced lie. Say so.
Here's the rub - after two years most voters don't feel like they know Obama, who is this guy?
I have never known a Hillary or Michelle Obama, I have known dozens of Sarahs. She is us, we are her, Obama is checkmated.
Ignore foreign policy, experience, economic policy, etc.
I agree with many of the posters here -- Obama should keep on the Bush-McCain connection and talk about what wasn't talked about at the Republican Convention. I hear that Palin will not be doing interviews with the national press any time soon (or perhaps ever). That won't go over well -- and people will begin to wonder if she really doesn't have anything to say beyond smearing Obama. I thought the Palin choice was desperate a week ago -- it still seems desperate to me today.
He could try to quit being such a whiner, most unbecoming: Today - "“And I know that the temptation is to say, ‘You know what? …The guy hasn’t been there that long in Washington.,’ You know, ‘he’s got funny name,’ You know, ‘we’re not sure about him,’” Obama continued. “And that’s what the Republicans, when they say, ‘This isn’t about issues, it’s about personalities,’ what they’re really saying is, ‘We’re going to try to scare people about Barack. So we’re going to say that you know, maybe he’s got Muslim connections or we’re going to say that, you know, he hangs out with radicals or he’s not patriotic.”
McCain has destroyed his own brand: He was elected as a fair and honorable bi-partisan, a straight shooter. In this election he has completely abandoned all his principles and everything he stood for. Raise the brand and ask where the honor went, and for what did he exchange it?
Don't underestimate. The nation doesn't demand much scrutiny of dubious decisions if they are sold as righteous and necessary. (See Iraq War.) You're against abortion. You pray. Welcome aboard. Please feel free to f-up my country. And I'll thank you for it.
I have never known a Hillary or Michelle Obama, I have known dozens of Sarahs. She is us, we are her, Obama is checkmated." The problem is not complicated. Obama doesn't fit the narrative America has with Black men- he's no Murphy, he's no Cosby, he's no Horton. He's smarter than most whites and of course most blacks because he's smarter than most of us. We don't trust him/know him because he doesn't fit our well tended biases. Palin on the other hand is your aunt or your high school teacher or even your mom - no problem there. Obama is what? You have no reference. He therefore must be a fraud or an empty suit because he doesn't fit what we know about Black men. It is his deficiency - isn't that cozy - he can't connect. It aint the fact that you won't pick up the phone.
Ignore her. Expect the local press to do their job. Wait for the flameout. Talk about McCain the Republican, McCain the Bush buddy, McCain the guy who tries to pretend he's not a Republican, McCain the guy who tells his party that it has to change then picks a model of right-wing orthodoxy to go on his ticket. Talk about what they can't talk about. Watch as the national press follows her around like lost puppies. She won't 'submit' to an interview? Since when is it 'submission'? It's part of the bargain: if the press doesn't get access, let the McCain campaign pay for publicity out of its $84 million.
There is a discomfort with the radical right overtaking America, the country we should be, and the values we treasure. It is what swing voters are about. Every mention of Sarah Palin should remind people she is of the... And don't be Obamasquishycerebralsoft on it either. Basically, we have to go around him on this. I will now describe them in their correct order. The bottom of the ticket is the most important part of their ticket. Without it, there would be nothing there. She is the real leader of the GOP now. He is just a passenger. Sarah Palin, John McCain are from The Radical Right.
Just asking what phenom.? She did not say anything yet and the press is making her the second coming of Jesus. What a world?
The baby snafu has given the McCain campaign an opportunity to conflate all questions about Palin's record with the scurrilous rumors broadcasted by the Daily Kos and, unfortunately, Andrew Sullivan. Best to keep up the attacks on McCain, while the press investigates her background. Her reformist credentials are quite thin. While this won't matter to partisan Republicans, you can only hope that independents will fail to see a there there. Keep attacking McCain, respond to her attacks when necessary, work on cracking her code, and then launch frontal attacks on her record once the bloom on her rose begins to fade.
i agree with Amy's post @10:58. Ignore Palin at your own risk. The fly needs to be swatted not ignored or brushed away. Even if Obama/Biden can pull this out, Palin isn't going away. She needs to be tarnished before any future national campaigns. HuckPac can forget 2012. It's Palin's show in 2012. Back to 2008 campaign, Obama needs surrogates and the DNC the peel the veneer away from Palin ASAP. Ideally, a 527 would expose her positions, lack of foreign or economic experience, etc. Since those are MIA this campaign, surrogates will need to do the work. In parallel to media/national vetting, hitting the economy ad tying Bush to McCain, Obama needs play up the fact that the maverick didn't stand up to the right when selecting his running mate. How can he bring change when he's carrying the far right's water? On the campaign trail, develop a simple message on addressing the economy. Employ some credible business surrogates to sell your plan. Finally, talk about what an Obama administration would look like- people and policies.
Just keep stressing McCain's remarkable transformation from the maverick to the Bushophyte he's become. Fight McCain's new "change" rhetoric with his own voting record. The republican convention surely tipped their hands. They're terrified of being associated with Bush, and are thrilled with the diversion Palin is giving them. Take away the diversion (ignore it), continue pounding home McCain's lack of new vision or any perceptible deviation from the status quo republican platform. For every time McCain or anyone from his campaing uses the word "change", Obama or someone from the Obama campaing has to use the phrase "McCain/Bush policy" 5 times. Just beat it into the brains of the vast majority of the electorate. Hate to be cynical, but it's all that works.
I agree with the poster who suggested, above be respectful. We saw it today, with Sen. Biden referring to her as "the Governor." She should be afforded respect for her office. Even more than that, Obama and Biden should go out of their way to say some positive things about her admirable qualities, her qualities, not her policies. THEY SHOULD NOT ATTACK HER EXPERIENCE. This is the trap that McCain has set for them. Everytime it is mentioned, it hurts Obama. Obama's campaign SHOULD CONCEDE EXPERIENCE to them. She was a mayor, she is a governor. This is more than enough experience for someone with a clear vision of where she wants to take the country. Does she have one? No. THEY SHOULD ATTACK HER ON POLICY. Why? BECAUSE SHE WILL LOSE THAT DEBATE. So will McCain. Be respectful, ignore all the low class, Springeresque crap surrounding her. In fact, Obama should appear and ask all the media to CEASE and DESIST their low brow attacks on "Gov Palin and the Palin family." In fact, he should say, "I want all the media to hear me clearly, stop this harassment of the Palin family. It is not what an election should be about. I disagree with Gov Palin and Sen. McCain. I think they will take the country in the wrong direction. That is what this election is about, not this reckless character assassination of my opponents and their families. Let's talk about issues and where we should be headed as a nation. That is fair, it's good for the American people, and it's a fight that Joe Biden and I will win."
Responding to the David Lat post from earlier. Perhaps a sign that the threat of former-Hillary voters defecting to McCain-Palin is not as serious as David Lat (and Marc) would have us believe, the total number of members joining Lat's facebook group: 11.
Today was the day that team Obama should have had it's economic message ready to go. I was listening all day, and the sharpest words came from Joe Biden. On a day when the jobless numbers and the foreclosure numbers come out we need not just Bush bashing and McCain will be 4 more years, but as President I intend to make your lives better in the following ways: Very important to get this message out because we are approaching crunch time, and if Obama doesn't get it out, McCain will. Whoever get's there first will. It's that simple. IT'S THE ECONOMY.
Fred,
To respond to the Palin phenom, the Obama campaign should pointedly court Catholics and Jews, directly, in churches and synagogues, addressing faith issues. This would balance her appeal to evangelicals.
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden need to release a statement congratulating Gov. Palin....AND THEN point out that her family would benefit from Obama's tax plan! Palin makes 114k as gov and First Dude makes 93k working for BP...so they fall into middle class area that Obama is trying to help. As working mothers they understand the need to change politics from the bottom up; isn't this what is appealing about Palin to most people? Point this out and then discuss a few key points within Obama's plan that will benefit special needs kids, uninsured families, and other relevant "mother issues" to highlight their desire for change. Sen Obama himself needs to stay on target and ignore her. He IS running against Sen McCain. I have to believe that this campaign can win through their strategy; otherwise I wouldn't trust them with my White House and the really tough issues.
Probably too late, but what they should have said: "John McCain can only have made this pick because he agrees with us on one key point: that it is judgment, leadership, and talent - and not years of experience - that qualifies a person to be President. "We do, however, disagree with many of Governor Palin's positions, and we are unsettled by the fact that we don't know her positions on many issues."
Ignore her. Just give her enough rope, and she'll hang herself on her own ambition. I think the MSM won't back down because she's just too compelling a story: and compelling stories sell ads and newspapers. She will say or do something to reveal her true nature, or something will be dug up. The Obama campaign needs to just take the same strategy as with Jack Ryan in Illinois. Wait for the scandals.
Wow, late to this party, but here is my two cents: He should do nothing. Palin's most "swooney" supporters are middle-aged conservative men, voters who would not vote Democratic anyway.
Ignore her. Let the media attack her. If they go overboard and attack her family then declare that out of bounds. Also play up expectations for her. She is a reasonably good debator. Biden should indicate he respects her and expects her to do well in the debates. Both Biden and Obama should focus on McCain. They were winning before the Palin pick and if they keep attaching McCain to Bush they should beat him.
Taker her seriously; treat her like any other veep nominee. Duh.
They should hunt down the dirt on her affair. Then it's game over. Wait, didn't McCain have an affair?
Co-opt the straight talk express. I want Obama and Biden to talking to the press every day until McCain and Palin are shamed into going off script.
Great thread, as a lifelong Dem in a Red county (in the Bluest state in the Union, so my personal vote won't count, but maybe my thoughts will): 1. My friend today (working mom, Independent) "Something scares me about Obama". Not the "race thing" but perceived "not ready to lead". He's gotta dig deep into his guts and speak as our leader - express the specific Senate accomplishments that qualify him to lead - loose nukes, reaching across the isle, etc. This will educate weak Obama supporters. The issues, the future. 2. Attack ads v. Palin - let the ads do the talking, don't even stoop to her level by mentioning her name, if at all, Biden alone - GROOM that guy to handle the pit bull with lipstick or whatever you call her. Get those ads done NOW, get them out on the air in two-three weeks- attack her record, period. Not her backgroound, not her social issues. Just her record. 20 million in debt, bridge to nowhere, not a reformer, if any social issue, the banning books. Perhaps her absolute non-stance on the issues. Expose her, people are buying into her story and persona (white women, like someone else said; white men, small town america; the closet Repubs who were ready to vote HRC). 3. Connect with middle america, exactly like heartland said. Emphasize the opportunity represented by the U.S. becoming an alternative energy leader. Get them to understand that we must remain competitive as the world leaps ahead in technology. We are justifiably afraid of terrorist attacks, but we cannot become an insular, isolationist nation paralyzed in fear, we must innovate! Promote lower taxes and regulation of American small businesses. 4. Emphasize the sacrifice our troops are making and that they are defending our country and many have DIED. Further, MANY are permanently disabled or injured and we must not allow them to fall through the cracks. If anyone truly deserves help it's them. 5. Correct the stereotype that BO means higher taxes, the end of capitalism and a welfare state. Emphasize personal responsibility, period. It's an American value, not just a Republican one. I know he's done this. Clarify healthcare or minimize the issue. Focus on energy and jobs. 6. Emphasize his education plan and energy policy (Montana's governor's speech was the most specific description of BO's energy plan I've heard to date). Emphasize that keeping the nation safe is always the #1 priority - must show absolute readiness to be commander-in-chief with Biden by his side - Bush succeeded at getting this leadership message across, hence bringing us into war without Americans protesting in the streets. 7. Keep it short and sweet - McCain is more of same - attack his record, dig up the dirt - but remember, appeal to the very disenfranchised Bush voters, of which there are many. 8. People are voting with their pocketbooks this time around. 9. Give us hope for a future of America innovating once again, of competing in the global marketplace again, period. Happy Friday and I thank everyone for invigorating me to see our nation succeed again! Please everyone remember that the media is a business meant to make you tune in, be it global gloom and doom or polarizing the candidates. Don't let it get you too down. We're gonna be okay.
whoop my bad for the double post! got a little excited there :)
I think Sarah Palin was EXACTLY what Obama needed to juice his base. A base that has expanded to include a majority of HRC supporters. People unite against a common threat and in Sarah Palin the GOP has it's Obama. She's smart and she's gifted and she works the hell out of a crowd and a speech. The only comfort I have is that I think Biden can take her in the debates. But beyond that fact: the Obama campaign has always thrived when faced with a threat like HRC's campagin. Now Obama supporters see a juiced up Republican McCain-Palin ticket and they're going to go fight twice as hard to put Obama in the White House. The Republicans now see victory, but just as important the Democrats can now see defeat and they're going to go nuclear to win this election. This has just gotten juiced up and fun. I mean, when the campaigns pull American Idol like numbers I can not imagine what Nov. 4th is going to be like.
How about the line: "she is George Bush with lipstick"?
I am getting more and more frustrated with the lack of response from the Obama campaign. By saying nothing, they're leaving certain lies free to become truth in the minds of most voters. Also, their silence is being interpreted as confusion - as if choosing Palin was some grand tactical achievement by McCain. I think they need to come out with ads addressing the following, most importantly: * Palin's reputation as a 'reformer', the earmarks, etc. & less importantly: * Palin as president - could a person with no record of any opinion on foreign policy be able to take over as president? The longer they leave it, the more they seem to approve of McCain's choice. If Biden, according to McCain, is not a good VP choice, then how on earth is Palin one? And you can bet that if the Democrats were claiming that someone would make a good VP because of their gender, moose-hunting and pregnant teenage daughter, the Republicans would (rightfully) attack in a second.
They need to thoroughly discredit Palin, and they need to make it very clear to the independents that she could easily end up president. They need to come out swinging - she did. It NEEDS to get ugly - she has thrown down the gauntlet. It's all about the independents. There's plenty there to discredit (everyone should read the 2006 Dem vetting document, http://mudflats.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/palin-2006-vetting.pdf. Obama is not being tough enough. This is something that independents noticed long before Palin - now it's becoming glaring. It will cost him votes.
what about running an ad showing polar bears swimming in open water, as metaphor for the american family under mcsame and palin, indirectly going after palins lack of support for the polar bear.
In no particular order: Ignore Palin about the surge, remind people that without the Iraq war there would be no need for a surge remind people who the president is and who controlled congress from 2000 to 2006 remind people who was president on 911 Talk about judgement Talk about jobs Do not become too negative as this will re-inforce the "angry black man" narrative And don't forget to talk about hope on occaision
Quit. The McCain campaign has already managed to define Obama as another tax and spend Democrat. Alas, the lessons of the past 8 years have not been learned by the Democrats and the "die has already been cast" for Obama to join Gore and Kerry on the scrap heap for discarded politicians.
Obama can ignore Palin. The Obama campaign cannot, because her presence on the Republican ticket could swing marginal voters in close states with substantial working class and socially conservative populations: Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia. A surrogate-women strategy could help, if the right surrogates are used -- say, Hillary Clinton in Michigan and Ohio, Claire McCaskill in Virginia and North Carolina, Janet Napolitano and Kathleen Sebelius in the Western states. Michelle Obama's role as a working mother (healthcare, no less) in a nuclear family, if handled with subtlety, could also deflate Palin's appeal among swing-voting women. "Enough!" however, remains the Obama campaign's best strategy. Palin, a surrogate for Bush on social policy subject to fundamentalist litmus tests, segues nicely into Obama's attack on "four more years of the past eight years."
I like the "George Bush with lipstick" approach.
As opposed to Bush: no taxes, just spend and spend and spend and spend..... We started the Bush administration with a surplus, now we're in debt to the tune of trillions. This is what a REPUBLICAN administration gave us. Rick, the GOP used to be able to use the Democrat big-spending bogeyman. That dog just won't hunt anymore.
Zacksback, The dog shouldn't hunt, but many people do not know that the GOP has become the party of big government. Most people know what politicians say, not what they do. The Obama campaign has been terrible about getting out their message of lower taxes and smaller deficits. I have to agree with Rick -- they've let McCain define them on these issues. They've also inexplicably let McCain seize the "reformer" ground, which he's been working on for months. Bad idea in a change election.
The Obama campaign needs to come out with a new attack ad every single day, and if they don't they might lose. Such ads would get played for free on cable news and be effective.
I'm worried by those who say "people vote for the top of the ticket," or other such universal truths. Because my experience is, once we decide something is a universal truth, the smart opponent will show it's not. I mean, isn't the line at the top of Sullivan's blog, "to see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle" ? The huge audience numbers for McCain's speech - do we imagine he would have done half as well if he hadn't picked Gov. Palin? The post-RNC poll bounce, the large crowds for campaign stops, the desert wasteland coverage of Obama-Biden...interest in Palin generated those. Will it last? Don't know. Hope not. But I would be very careful of assuming she won't be the issue that drives McCain's campaign. Look at it this way: the Republican operatives have simply reversed the model they played in 2000 / 2004: idiot poster-boy Bush (who also was very good at reading a tele-prompter and beguiling assumptions) and snarky policy director Cheney (ok, McCain's nowhere near as evil as Cheney, but still...work with me). Certainly, an all out personal attack on Palin's views or record can blow up in our faces. But let's explore all angles before we assume that she won't drive the ticket. Yikes, I say, yikes!
It seems the consensus here is what Obama is doing. Ignore her, and focus on McCain. Have some qualified females visit swing states (Hillary, Sebelius, McCaskill). Game on.
They should run ads juxtaposing her name with uproars of laughter.
1. surrogates pressure the press to MAKE her available. She is one doddering-old-fart-heartbeat from the launch codes and American people deserve to know her opinions on issues. 2. focus on McCain't and overall theme that GOP offered NO economic solutions throughout the RNC, and energy policy consists of 'drill baby, drill'? Are they serious? I heard Biden begin this discussion at an appearance yesterday and it sounded great and played well. 3. remind voters of McCain't position changes. It's as though he never flip-flopped on Roe v Wade, tax cuts, torture. 4. chip away at Palin myth. Debunk reformist claims, anti-pork claims, repeat corruption claims and surrounding investigation. Mail media to remind them to do their jobs on Palin and demand answers on economic and foreign policy questions. Also there is evidence not all Evangelicals are enamored of her. Overall, keep it on McCain't. Which McCain't is running? The 'mavricky' RNC-speech McCain't? or the 95%-in-the-tank-with-Chimpy McCain't?
Marc, you should turn comments back on! The interaction really helps drive your site -- always lots of interesting interactions that go on in these threads, but they're too infrequent.
But after three days, many, many identify with Palin. I Am Sarah Palin. Her story is my story. Obama should appear and ask all the media to CEASE and DESIST their low brow attacks on "Gov Palin and the Palin family." They need to thoroughly discredit Palin, and they need to make it very clear to the independents that she could easily end up president. Convincing the 50% of independent women who thought McCain was prochoice that his record, platform and campaign promises are solidly antichoice is a far, far better use of "why you shouldn't vote for McCain" time than trying to take apart the would-be vice president. That's a job for the media, not Obama and Biden.
Ignore her. And talk about how arrogant and ignorant her and McCain's positions are, without giving her any credit as a political phenomenon. In other words, focus on the issues.
Show a Polar Bear swimming in the Arctic Sea then cut to Palin in a helicopter with a high power rifle blasting it. As the scene fades show the bloody bear groaning and ready to die.
How should the Obama campaign respond to the Palin phenom? Contemplate the consequences of a McCain/Palin victory, and the death-knell it sounds for an idea-based politics; where competence is devalued (Walter Reed, anyone?); where science is seen as simply another ideology; where the church-state barrier crumbles further; and the American government is involved in bringing closer "the end of days"; and fight, fight, fight!
1. While McCain is just like Bush in policy substance, Palin is just like him in style. A brash foreign policy neophyte that apparently thinks its enough to have Jesus in your heart and so forth. We've seen that movie. 2. Like Bush, she does not believe government can accomplish anything, and so, like him, will help run a government designed to prove that thesis (cf. Katrina). We've seen that movie. 3. Her church preaches the end times are nigh and she may believe her role is to help accelerate that.
Obama and Biden need to ignore her. They are right to dispatch Hilary to focus on McCain, not Palin. They need to frame the debate to focus on issues, not personalities, and reduce their presence in battleground states with large evangelical populations. Palin will eventually either fade to the point of insignificance from the contest or will have a spectacular self-destruction (Troopergate investigation results will probably determine which). The benefit of her speech is that she has already presented herself as a polarizing figure, which makes her less of a threat in the long term.
The only way to fight this is to be completely clear on the Obama economic and energy strategies, be very specific. Make this your complete focus and make it untappable. Leave no room for error and if any flip flopping has occurred, have an educated response. People are entitled to change their mind after trial and error after all. After all the personal attacks from the convention, it is important for people to see that is all they have to offer. Criticism with no viable alternative of their own. As far as Palin, investigate all allegations fully and provide evidence. Prove the lies or inaccuracies told. Touch on the trampling of copyright laws with songs - shows they have no issue with trampling on rights. However, leave this for Biden to address - especially at the debates. Obama needs to remind voters who is running for president. Did you notice on news reports yesterday she was in the forefront attacking Obama while McCain was in the shadows? Another thing the Obama camp needs to address is the issue of voting present so many times. This can really come back to haunt him on the experience and ready to lead issues the Republicans have. I have not heard nearly enough about that disgusting 9/11 "tribute" video. That was so tactless and so disturbing. Play up the mistakes of the speech (Walter Reed and the gravestones during the victory portion) without seeming petty like they do. Facts, facts, facts. Get those affected by your time as community organizer out there. Let's bring back the facts of the Keating Five investigation. With the mortgage and credit crisis facing us today, it is important to show any parallels to the savings and loans bust from the past. Never stop talking about the McCain personal wealth, 7 houses, etc. How can someone who doesn't live as most Americans know how to save those Americans from financial disaster? Change the meaning of their "elite" stance but showing what the true meaning of the word is. Mrs. McCains wardrobe and jewelry during the convention probably cost more than many Americans make in a year. Be on top of the Georgia/Russia issues. Why has Cheney come out of hiding now? Why are they sending $1 billion in aid while thousands of Americans are losing their homes? Is the administration stirring a pot of pre-election new Cold War stew? Talk about immigration. Why are we not enforcing the laws from the 60's? What will be done to combat illegal immigration while updating legal immigration? Can the system be fixed to make it easier? Compare to Canada and other countries. Talk about those American jobs which have gone to Mexico. Leave the debating to the debates. Spend each and every day on the campaign trail speaking of factual, doable solutions to make our country better. Get the HRC front and center with campaigning. There is a strong base there that deserves to be heard. Don't be afraid to go after Palin's nastiness via Biden. Don't get down in the mud pit though. Do it intelligently and make it only about the facts. If she attacks, attack back with the truth or explanation. Don't be afraid of her or being accused of being sexist (I am a woman). If you attack back on points no one can sanely accuse you of sexism. There is a reason they have her on the forefront with her silly rantings.
Ignore her attacks! Let the female surrogates rip her. Keep going after McSame as Bush, the trigger happy mentally troubled grandpa.
I'd like to see a set of arguments built around the soundbite that the only thing the Republican ticket wants to change is the subject. One of those arguments is already being made in a general sense, by identifying the laundry list of issues that weren't mentioned at the convention because they can't talk about their record or their connection to Bush. But it works on a bunch of other levels too. It ties into the idea that Obama is not "changing the subject" from the Palin phenomenon to the real issues, but instead is staying with the same message that has gotten him this far. It offers the opportunity to hit the Republicans point by point for the distractions and falsehoods they are serving up instead, which are now so loud and so consistent that it's pretty clear they have decided they can just outrun the facts and create their own "truth." Also, of course, it's a nice use of the change theme. I can almost see on the RNC's signs ... McCain/Palin: Change The Subject!
Oh yeah, feel free to talk A LOT about who helped write a lot of her convention speech - BUSH'S speech writer!!!
The Obama campaign wizards are whistling past the graveyard if they think they can ignore Sarah Palin, because her telegenic impact will help sell her fallacy-filled attacks on Obama to a wide swath of independent, working-class white voters in swing states, and that could be the difference in this election. Right now she is back in Alaska to undergo briefings on foreign policy and a vast range of issues about which she knows nothing, since she is the least well-educated and least politically experienced nominee for the vice presidency since the erstwhile poet William Orlando Butler in 1848 (he had served only 4 years in Congress, after having won notoriety in the war against Mexico). The Obama campaign should take advantage of the hiatus in Palinmania afforded by her cramming sessions at home, by running very hard but entirely factual ads debunking her supposed reformist record in Alaska and insuring that voters in swing states know that as a mayor she fired the city librarian for refusing to censor books, has said that she believes the war in Iraq is part of God's plan, and refuting a litany of erroneous claims she has made about Obama and Biden in the past few days. If the tone of these ads is "more in sadness than in anger," and they build an accurate picture of this person's unfitness for national office -- based on her alarming views on war, energy, natural resources, and civil liberties, as well as her penchant for trashing her opponents -- the skepticism of a majority of the electorate about her readiness for the vice presidency will harden into rejection, and John McCain's big glitzy media weapon will be disarmed.
Focus on the economic news. Come up(finally) with a powerful theme, backed up by specific and creative proposals (not just Clinton redux), that puts the focus squarely on the economy and Obama's SOLUTIONS. Average people are frightened. They want new IDEAS -- not just new people making the same old partisan attacks.
More thoughts on the above post: Palin isn't a game-changer, she is a subject-changer. So the Republicans have decided that the game is changing the subject. Use the same theme to hammer on the bridge to nowhere. She was for it until she was against it, she used the Alaska old boys for all they were worth until they became too toxic to be seen with, she took the money anyway and used it for other things, and she falsified the whole story the moment she was introduced and hasn't backed down an inch. She is saying one thing to the nation after saying the opposite thing to the people of Alaska. That issue has staying power. It is clearly important enough that any male Alaska politician on a national ticket would be dealing with it every day between now and the election, and making an exception for Palin would be playing directly into the change-the-subject strategy. Talk about the "Nowhere Alaska" shirt. Show her ties to Stevens. Show her real attitude toward earmarks. Show that she is exactly what McCain says he is running against. It doesn't just show the hypocrisy, it shows it on an issue that McCain himself has strongly identified with and the voters may even care about, and it shows that she is already an old-style Washington politician no matter how young she is. And bring it all back to McCain because he picked her. Or at least he says he was the one who did that.
They should do what they are doing,loud and clear: "Palin gives a nice speech, but where are the issues? We care about your issues, which is why we are running for the Presidency. Isn't she like that smart-ass kid in school who could only say mean things?" Rinse and repeat. It takes Palin down a notch or so, makes people revisit the empty show of the RNC, and see how empty it was, and makes the election "we, the people" versus the Greedy Old Party. Biden does it really well: http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=KZaUDKejZ_g
Science and technology. Passionately link science and tech to our national security and economic power. Mark Warner was spot on in his future/past dichotomy with the Ds and Rs. Link the Rs to the anti-science gobbledygook of Christian Fundamentalists. Obviously Palin allows this equation more easily than McCain did. Memorize the conclusion of the Dover decision on Intelligent Design and point out that Palin views ID as a legitimate scientific theory that should be taught alongside evolutionary theory in science classes. While the president does not determine curriculum, this is an indicator of the brainwashed mentality of the vp candidate. Dark ages vs. the age of reason. We all benefit from advances in tech (I write as I post this to the beloved internets). I think this will fly with all collars (blue, white, green) too since people need only be reminded of the moon landing, air flight, telephones and our lead in biotech to burst with pride.
Palin is the new shiny object where McCain can hide behind while she is hurling insults at Obama. You noticed that since Palin's speech full of attacks, McCain tried to protray himself in his speech as the bipartisan hero. Obama will lose if he engages directly with Palin. Let his women surrogates do that. And let the media continue doing its job. Obama needs to stay above the fray. And hammer home his economic agenda. And for all of those who are falling for she is one of us mantra. George Bush was protrayed as one of us-someone we would like to have a beer with. These are challenging times, with enormous difficulties facing the next president. I for one, don't want an average, she is one of us, in the White House. I want someone extrordinary who can play the same chess game against Putin. McCain and Palin are checker players and don't have any skills to manage the 21st century problems we are facing. Its the economy and security of this nation stupid.
In addition to the many useful comments above, here is some good advice from Dahlia Lithwick of Slate Magazine: http://www.slate.com/id/2199363/
Throwing the kitchen sink at Palin will not work. We need to focus on a couple of the least justifyable things that are least likely to cause backlashes. I think we should focus on her extreme positions on certain issues and her AIP associations, but ignore her family, her experience, her competence, troopergate, etc. We are diluting our arguments if we pursue too many of them. For my full reasoning, read here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/6/11327/00200/921/588949
After watching Biden's speech on Sullivan's site, I think if this pit-bull keeps at it like this, they'll be just fine.
The Obama Team should release just one ad on Palin. Entitled: Baggage. This ad should hit her on the investigations that she's going through and other controversies: Picture a smiling, waving Palin. There's a new girl in town, with all of the same baggage that has kept politicians from addressing your problems for the last 8 years. Troopergate, bridges to nowhere, endorsements of corrupt politicians. Can America really afford to allow four more years of political baggage to distract us from the issues important your family - healthcare, energy independence, tuition costs, job creation ? Not this year!
OBAMA CAMPAIGN TALKING POINTS: - Palin is an extremist and doesn't represent the views of mainstream America.
Snakes on a Plane? How about Wolves in a Helicopter! Hockey Mask Mom is a budding serial killer and she has initiated cruel and sadistic practices against wolves so her rich buddies can shoot caribu. Its the willie horton ad that democrats can use and ITS TRUE. But I doubt Obama has the guts to use it.
I think we do need to respond to Palin, just not directly. Obama surrogates should decide on three or four memes that reflect on Palin's addition to the ticket without mentioning her by name and they should keep pounding them over and over until they settle in, the way the Republicans do it. Here are some of the themes we could use. Any others come to mind?
I think being overtly critical would be a mistake - The nutso right loves nothing more than being an "oppressed minority", so what you do instead is give her enough rope to hang herself.
The Obama campaign should simply express concern that Palin's views about almost every issue remain unknown. They should criticize the fact that sheltering her from interviews, the press, etc., is fundamentally undemocratic, and that the American people deserve to know where she stands on certain issues. It's not a question of experience; it's a question of KNOWLEDGE. Can she pass the "What's the difference between Shia and Sunni" test? If the Obama campaign attacks not Palin per se, but the McCain campaign's sheltering of Palin, it will make it appear as though the Republican ticket is hiding something, i.e., that Palin is uninformed about a majority of the issues that VP candidates should be well-briefed on.
Attacking her personally is going to fail, it has already failed in a huge way. The media, and by implication, the Democrats have looked exactly like the Rovian machine of personal destruction that they claim to despise. I cannot imagine why anyone ever thought her daughter's private life was a reasonable, suitable or smart avenue of attack. "Troopergate" is similarly all smoke and mirrors because at the heart of it is a trooper who admits he used a taser on a 10 year old child. It is also going to end up a non starter because the Democrat in charge of the investigation proved himself too partisan by the comments he's already made--he sounds like he's made up his mind she did something wrong when no depositions have been taken and so far NO evidence has been made public that comes close to proving she fired the official because he wouldn't fire her dirtbag former brother in law. You aren't going to win on her experience either, that's another vein of fasle shiney gold. She has held two elected offices, she is one of 50 people in this country with the responsibility to govern a state. Alaska happens to be the largest state. To demean these accomplishments, especially when Obama has never held an executive position, is foolish. It will swing right back to Obama's lack of experience. If she is not qualified to be VP, how can he be qualified to be president? That said, Sarah Palin on the ISSUES is out of step with America, she is even out of step with a large majority of Republicans. And her actual record in Alaska is at best mixed, she appears to have made a lot of decisions for short term gain, ignoring the long term implications. This is EXACTLY what Bush has done and for this she should be called to account. But, turning every little thing into a huge "gate" scandal will backfire and every word spoken and written about her daughter is one more step closer to Obama losing this campaign. Apparently, the only Democrats who understand this fact are Obama and Biden.
That won't work either, because it will come across as nothing more than the media wanting access to her so they can continue their personal smear campaign by asking her irrelevant personal questions. IF, the media and the Democratic surrogates had not already blown it with the Bristol Palin stories, it might have worked. Plus, all the McCain campaign has to say is that they are eliminating the biased media middle man and Sarah Palin is going straight to the voters, who afterall, are what really matters and will be able to judge her for themselves. There is no good comeback for that.
I think they should not do much with Palin except for rebutting her attacks. How can she stay in the news when she doesn't do interviews and the Republicans in their hamhandedness made it tough for any journalist to do a softball interview. Even people like Ellen, Tyra and the ladies of The View would have to ask Palin about recriminalizing abortion, I would think. Dan Quayle got a question from a middle-school girl reporter about recriminalizing abortion even for his own 9 year old daughter if she became pregnant as a result of rape.
I still think that the more effective way to fight this ticket is not with reality-based questions and comments about Palin's stand on the issues or her lack of "knowledge" as opposed to her lack of "experience." This is the intellectual approach one could use in a letter to the NYT (or in a comments section on an Atlantic blog). For the mainstream media and the country at large, a more emotional response is needed. Being called angry or a liar is an emotional argument that the observers understand and the accused cannot defend against so easily. "Why is the right so angry?" (even tho they have been in power for the last 8 years) is harder to answer than "What is Palin's experience?" Or "Why is she hiding from the press?" We need to fight them not in the rational sphere but in the emotional sphere. The Republicans have been winning elections because they get that ... and we don't! We try to be reasoned and logical and that does not play well on the TV. Soundbites with bite is what we need and surely we can come up with some that are not too inane! I find some of Obama campaign's responses too lengthy and wordy, spoken too slowly. We need to be more scrappy in responding to their attacks! The responses should be delivered with a smile but they should be swift and painful ... and slightly condescending ... if we are not to look like weaklings ... again!
Palin wants to lower taxes for the middle class? Those earning less than a Million per year should be paying more in taxes. We need to help those aound the world. The banks also need tax revenue from the middle class.
Liz, Repeating scandalous, unsubstantiated rumors is only going to hurt Obama. Even if this alleged waitress comes forward, if she exists at all, why should she be believed? Does anything else support her story? I shudder to think that we would want to move into the realm where anyone can come forward...just at the right time...to make just the right accusation....and that is enough to torpoedo a candidate. It looks like a lot of people didnt learn anything from the "show us Trig's DNA" fiasco.
I think Hilary Clinton should go to Alaska right now, ostensibly to help Democratic candidates. I fantasize the following dialogue: Reporter: Why are you here in Alaska, Senator? Senator Clinton: I wanted to buy a dog, and I hear Alaska breeds good pit bulls. Seriously, I am here to speak on behalf of Democratic candidates. Reporter: Have you an opinion on Governor Palin? Senator Clinton: I am bit disappointed with someone who came to Minnesota and announced herself as a pit bull with lipstick, then skedaddled back up here with her tail between her legs. One good speech .... what has she done since? Reporter: Would you meet Governor Palin? Senator Clinton: I would love to debate the issues of this election with the Governor, when the Republican party release her from protective custody. I hear they won't even let her take questions from tame reporters. Reporter: Do you think her candidacy is good for the women's movement? Senator Clinton: Any movement by women through that glass ceiling is good for all women. However, on women's issues in particular, I don't think Governor Palin or John McCain would be good for women, if they were elected. Ok, its a fantasy... but at least a high-profile Democrat attack on her strongest suit (her supposed toughness) might throw her off balance. Men in general take time to warm to tough women, and the pit bull image is very off-putting for a man. Margaret Thatcher only really won the British over after she was in power for a few years. She proved herself in the Falklands War, without it she would probably have been turned out at the next election. A challenge by another strong woman in the Democratic party would make America sit up and take notice. Hilary Clinton would have nothing to lose; Sarah Palin would have everything to lose. What sort of pit bull backs off from a fight?
Obama said at the Bon Jovi fundraiser he won't be bullied. Man up, there! Saying you won't be bullied by a 44 year old hockey mom must have Putin laughing his head off.
Libertarian and Liz, No need to worry. Key members of the Trilateral Commission have already spoken with Palin. She is now our princess. We win regardless of who wins the election.
I think they should not attack Palin but should also not let the McCain camp get away with her attacks on him. Her insults and ridicule should be challenged and used as an example of the "old" politics of attack and distraction. I also think Obama is a little bit in dangerous territory with this "celebrity" label. I fear if he does not fight this head on it will start to sink in with voters much of the same way the swift boarding ultimately worked against Kerry when he did not fight back. I would challenge the celebrity stuff with their own witty commercials about the "new celebrity" Palin. And show all those wacko Republicans going wild for her at the convention without knowing anything about her. I also think the Obama campaign should go after the press too. I would constantly challenge the press to keep asking the McCain campaign why Palin won't talk to the press. Why can't she talk about healthcare, the economy, foreign policy. Could it be she doesn't know anything? They should build that in their stump speeches. I thought Obama's line the other day was great when he said I have been doing this for 19 months (remember Rev. Wright?)and have not complained. She has been at it for a matter of days and can't handle it. And finally I would let surrogates question McCain's temperment and his meaness. I wonder how many know the joke he told about Hillary and Chelsea Clinton back in the nineties. I also wonder how many women would be willing to support a man who calls his wife a c**t in front of the national media. Again, why is that more widely known?
The McCain campaign should hammer this message home: Obama as President means a greater chance of bigger wars. Putin and Ahmadenijad will sense his weakness and inexperience and they will test him; Obama will feel compelled to show he's not weak and will end up escalating the situation. No foreign leaders would mess with a President McCain.
Juan, Putin would eat Obama for lunch and still be hungry. Hey, maybe all the Obama supporters could remind us of all the landmark legislation Obama sponsored in the Ill. Senate and the Us Senate, I seem to have forgotten.
A. Don't cower from a fight... IT'S TIME TO START SPEAKING OUT MORE (THROUGH SURROGATES OF COURSE) ABOUT SARAH PALIN'S NUTTY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH AND HELP SPREAD THE WORD THIS VIDEO. Very Creepy promotional video for a Wasilla Assembly of God entiteed Master's Commission (whatever the hell that means) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJnhRhJW35o
The man with in the leather jacket donning a goatee was Sarah Palin's pastor from 1999 till 2002. She continues to have close ties to this church and is involved with workshops there.
Too late. He had his opportunity to pre-empt Palin, by putting Clinton and her 18 million voters on the ticket. (Obviously, Gov. Sebelius of Kansas appears to be a little short on experience now.) It's too late now. Meanwhile, she is absolutely relishing the role that VP candidates traditionally bear -- attacking the other Presidential opponent, and then stepping behind your own Presidential candidate while he presents his Presidential resume. What won't work for Obama: Obama's decision to go back on his word and opt out of McCain-Feingold campaign finance REFORM probably doesn't help either.
Want to avoid much verbiage but in large part Obama & Team must continue to do what they have been doing. Yes, Palin is an issue, but she will dispose of herself; other than the true believers she will attract few. McCain will have no explanation for running with all the contradictions he has constructed in the past week; Bush & Co. remain the subtext of this election. I suspect Obama & Team will ratchet up the pressure which will be responded to by the nonsense of the past, this will effectively end McCain"s campaign.
How about something like this: Sarah Palin said supported the bridge to nowhere, as long as she could get Congress to foot the bill. Alaska has billions in dollars of oil money -- more than they know what to do with. The Alakan government actually gives away money to the people who live there. They are our own Saudi Arabia. They could easily pay for the bridge themselves. But once Palin learned that Congress refused to fund her project, she cancelled it. I guess she didn't really want the bridge. She just wanted your money.
You folks crack me up!! HAHAHA!!! This is better than reading "Lord of the Flies"! Come on, let me hear all of you scream, altogether now "Get Piggy!" Oh, "the darkness of man's heart!"
Use websites like the DailyKos and Moveon.org to spread more rumors about her alleged ties to neo-Nazi groups. Use Wexler to spread it all around. A lot of that kind of stuff will eventually stick.
gently point out through surrogates that if Mccain doesnt make it (and some fundamentalist/last days loony will be plotting to bump him off as we speak) Palin will be up against Putin etc -its a real possibility.. a good talking point is that like her or not- Palin was a risk as had not been vetted - a gamble - do you want a reckless gambler with w hot temper who like Bush goes with his gut (viz Colbert) like Mccain in the white house - sometimes gambles fail...Obama is obviously cooler uinder pressure
Palin is "George Bush with Lipstick" religious fundamentalism, governor with "executive" experience but no foreign policy experience. Also, must call out palin on her as Earmarking Queen both as mayor and gov.
Carefully study what Andrew Sullivan recommends, and do the opposite. Describing Palin as a "Christianist" nut offends Christians and makes her a cause celebre among them. Her entire career trajectory is on the wings of others' underestimation of her. She is smart, tough, knows at least one important issue (energy) better than any of the other three candidates and has more charisma than the three of them put together. She has changed the dynamics of the race, which, as you recall, was hinged on GOP disaffection and apathy. That's over. Palin is the living embodiment of the Rove 2004 strategy. Obama needs to ignore both Republican candidates and go back to selling himself and his ideas. Obama is proposing a change of direction for this country. Put some meat on those bones and dress it up pretty, and exude confidence in his chief executive capabilities. |
Ignore it. Attack McCain's policies, keep talking about Obama's agenda.
Posted by musa | September 5, 2008 3:57 PM