This election is going to the most expensive in the history of the country. Thanks to Sarah Palin, Obama and the Dems will be able to raise unprecedented amounts of cash. But all that money alone won't be enough to turn the Republicans out of the White House if it's not used wisely.
The fantastic amounts of money Obama is raising will enable his campaign to do great things. Contest red-leaning states like Virginia and North Carolina. Dwarf McCain's GOTV efforts and dot the landscape of swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida with field offices and staffers.
But don't be fooled. The deep-pocketed Republicans will find ways around the campaign-finance laws Johnny Mac once supported. Rove and his minions know how to squirm around the laws and will undoubtedly break them if need be, knowing that the FEC won't be able to do anything before the election and that after the election, they can just fire any prosecutor who might investigate them.
So Obama and the Dems need to use their money wisely. Get the most TV ads for their money. Get as many boots on the ground as possible. The McCain campaign has given a clinic in turningminiscule ad buys into free media coverage.
What's the best way for Obama and the Dems to maximize their campaign dollars? Simple. Stop paying ad agencies to write and produce ads for the campaign. I'm not saying that some of Obama's and the DNC's ads have been bad. On the contrary, they've doing a nice job of tying Bush around McCain's ankles. I thought this one was quite good.
As well as this one
and this one, too.
But no one does it better than John Stewart and company.
And McCain wants to run as a Maverick? No problem!
So here's a simple thought. Instead of running new ads, Obama and the Dems should start licensing Daily Show content and buy time to run it. If anyone can vote for McCain and the GOP after watching this, then this country really is sh@# outta luck.