This is a longshot but I'm writing this diary in hopes that the DNC or Obama's campaign will read it. It's a how to diary on running against negative campaigning. I know, I know... I'm being presumptuous, naive, etc. But give a listen.
We've seen, not a day goes by when McCain or his surrogates are not attacking Obama. And now they are stooping to ridiculous baseless attack ads. Some pundits are saying this might backfire against McCain. It might. But here's how to be certain of the backfire... after the fold
Obama should pattern his campaign after John Breaux's in 1986. Back then, Russell Long was retiring and two congressmen, Democrat John Breaux and Republican Henson Moore, faced off against each other as well as others in Louisiana's open primary. Breaux and Moore made the runoff with Moore getting 529,433 votes (44.2 percent) to Breaux's 447,328 (37.3 percent).
When the runoff began, Moore began an onslaught of unfounded attack ads against Breaux and just went after him. Rather than hit back with like ads, Breaux responded differently.
Breaux's campaign put out ads shaming Moore for his attack ads. Breaux's commercials had citations from various media showing how Moore's ads were distortions and lies. And Breaux and his surrogates spoke daily of Moore's vicious attacks. They questioned why Moore was stooping so low and accused him of doing so only to avoid real issues facing the voters of Louisiana.
Pretty soon the media caught on as well. Moore couldn't hold a press conference without being pelted with questions on why the negative advertising. He simply couldn't run away from his own trash he put out.
Soon Moore was completely emasculated. He couldn't say anything about Breaux without being accused of dirty campaigning. Moore and his dirty distortions became the issue. You could see the frustration on Moore's face. It was masterful.
In the general election, Breaux turned the tables on Moore: 723,586 (52.8 percent) to 646,311 (47.2 percent), a margin of 77,275 ballots. Nationally, the Democrats regained control of the Senate for the two remaining years of the Reagan administration. Breaux held the Senate seat for eighteen years.
Obama can do the same with McCain. And he's set up perfectly for it.
Obama has preached, through his books, speeches and actions, that America deserves better than campaigns of character assassination and attack ads. McCain vowed to run a "clean campaign". But he hasn't. Not even close.
So here's what to do... Have Obama and every surrogate talk about McCain's negative talk and advertising. Do not let one interview go by without mentioning it. It must be driven into the psyche of the press and public. Every day, every interview, soundbites like this:
- The McCain campaign is so busy attacking Obama, they haven't given the American public one reason to vote for McCain.
- McCain flip flops so much, he's now flip flopping on criticisms. First he criticizes Obama for not taking a trip to the middle east and Europe, then he criticizes Obama for doing just that.
- McCain's attack ad blames Obama for high gas prices when McCain has been in Congress for over two decades and voted against the very offshore drilling proposals he now is for.
- McCain's ad accuses Obama of only visiting wounded troops when the press are around when he knows, from Chuck Hagel, that Obama visited the wounded troops in Iraq. McCain is doing the very thing Obama was avoiding... using the troops for political reasons.
- McCain's vicious attack that Obama would rather lose a war to win an election is beneath contempt. This from a man who promised a clean campaign.
Hagel started it yesterday when he said this is beneath McCain. That's what we have to do. Shame him. Shame McCain to the American people. Let America know that such an outstanding public figure of over two decades is now resorting in complete distortions. Let America know that McCain is better than that and that the McCain of 2000 would never stand for this. That McCain knows better than anyone how it feels to have his family attacked by right wing fanatics as it was done to him in 2000, so why is McCain not standing up for Obama now?
Make this the narrative. Don't run attack ads against McCain. Run shame ads against McCain. Box him into a corner to where he would not dare attack Obama for fear of being labeled a bitter crotchety old man.
Yes, it seems a bit naive of me to post this diary but I so remember how expertly John Breaux turned Moore's negative ads against him. Obama can now do this with McCain and his ads.
Keep the high road though. No personal attacks on McCain. Always praise him before shaming him. "This is beneath John McCain". "John McCain of all people knows better than this". "McCain made a promise for a clean campaign. We know John will keep that promise."
OK.. so there you have it. How to beat John McCain. :-)