It's getting ugly out there, and we still have 12 weeks to go before election day, so we know it's going to get a lot worse.
The question is, will the Dems just sit and wait to be swiftboated? Or will we do something about it in advance?
I think Democrats running for office need to be ready to do two things this fall, in addition to getting their message out to voters.
First, they need to be ready to respond to last-minute attacks. And second, they need to help voters anticipate -- and therefore, not buy into -- the bullshit that is undoubtedly already in the pipeline for the fall campaigns.
I think it's time to go pre-emptive.
Here are two strategies all Democratic candidates should consider having in their arsenals this fall.
RESPONDING TO SMEARS
We all know that lying Republican liars can inflict mortal damage to our candidates. That's because, well, a) the Repubs have no shame and b) the media clearly lack the self-respect to tell the smear-meisters to take it somewhere else (Just look at how much play the ridiculous 'web hacking" story received on the day of the Connecticut primary), and c) our guys always act surprised when the smears come and are slow to respond.
It's long been my belief that Democrats could turn smears to their advantage if they played them right. Take Ned Lamont, for example. The next time Holy Joe links a vote for Lamont with a vote for terrorism, Ned should get in his car and show up at Lieberman's next campaign stop. There, he should calmly and politely demand that his opponent either defend or disavow his outrageous statements. Ned would look strong, Lieberman would be put on the defensive, and the whole tenor of the engagement would change.
Imagine if every Democrat running for office this fall were wiling to simply stand before their opponents and call bullshit on their smears.
ANTICIPATING THE SMEARS
Right now, the Democratic Party and maybe MoveOn and others should be getting out in front with ads that anticipate the smear campaigns for the average American, so when the hits come we can say, "This is what we told you to expect."
Ads maybe something like this:
Uh oh. This is an election year.
You know what that means.
It means that Karl Rove and the Republican sleaze machine will be spreading vicious lies about Democratic candidates in order to distract voters from their own dismal record on the economy, gas prices, and foreign affairs.
Whose reputation will they try to destroy this year? What lies will they invent to distract you from the Republican culture of corruption and incompetence?
Don't let Karl Rove get away with it again this year. Don't believe his lies.
This could be the ugliest season of campaigning we've ever seen. Let's get our team ready to handle the assault.