tony
10-04-2008, 06:15 PM
McCain Plans Fiercer Strategy Against Obama
By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 4, 2008; A01
Sen. John McCain and his Republican allies are readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character, believing that to win in November they must shift the conversation back to questions about the Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal associations, several top Republicans said.
With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls.
"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Being so aggressive has risks for McCain if it angers swing voters, who often say they are looking for candidates who offer a positive message about what they will do. That could be especially true this year, when frustration with Washington politics is acute and a desire for specifics on how to fix the economy and fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is strong.
Can someone call up John McCain and let him know Hillary tried this on Obama with the "kitchen sink" strategy and it failed. Better yet how about he stick to the issues? Maybe explain how they will help get this economy out of the gutter.
Now I will say this as a student of Politics and not a supporter. Negative ads typically work, if you go by statistics attack ads can be effective in moving the polls but herein lies the problem with that:
Bush won against Kerry in 04 with a "Swiftboat" strategy, it worked. But a lot of people are dissatisfied with what we have received from Bush in the last 4 years. So it goes back to the very line that Bush couldn't get right; "Fool me once, shame on you.. fool me twice shame on me."
Now back to McCain, he has decided to go negative against Obama. People don't want attack ads, they want solutions. Second, attacking Obama fires up his support base and ends up hurting the other candidate than it helps, this showed in the Democratic Primary. There is something unexplainable about Obama as it pertains to attacks, I don't know if it is how the media presents it or the mental state of voters but it only helps Obama when you attack him.
With McCain pulling out of Michigan and now resorting to this he has shown vulnerability, that he is being knocked off of his game when the quality that he boasts the most is that he is a fighter and will not be moved.
By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 4, 2008; A01
Sen. John McCain and his Republican allies are readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character, believing that to win in November they must shift the conversation back to questions about the Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal associations, several top Republicans said.
With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls.
"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Being so aggressive has risks for McCain if it angers swing voters, who often say they are looking for candidates who offer a positive message about what they will do. That could be especially true this year, when frustration with Washington politics is acute and a desire for specifics on how to fix the economy and fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is strong.
Can someone call up John McCain and let him know Hillary tried this on Obama with the "kitchen sink" strategy and it failed. Better yet how about he stick to the issues? Maybe explain how they will help get this economy out of the gutter.
Now I will say this as a student of Politics and not a supporter. Negative ads typically work, if you go by statistics attack ads can be effective in moving the polls but herein lies the problem with that:
Bush won against Kerry in 04 with a "Swiftboat" strategy, it worked. But a lot of people are dissatisfied with what we have received from Bush in the last 4 years. So it goes back to the very line that Bush couldn't get right; "Fool me once, shame on you.. fool me twice shame on me."
Now back to McCain, he has decided to go negative against Obama. People don't want attack ads, they want solutions. Second, attacking Obama fires up his support base and ends up hurting the other candidate than it helps, this showed in the Democratic Primary. There is something unexplainable about Obama as it pertains to attacks, I don't know if it is how the media presents it or the mental state of voters but it only helps Obama when you attack him.
With McCain pulling out of Michigan and now resorting to this he has shown vulnerability, that he is being knocked off of his game when the quality that he boasts the most is that he is a fighter and will not be moved.