I'm just back from helping the campaign in Ohio (flew back from Cleveland in the middle of an ice storm last night!). In my conversations with voters, I was surprised at how many African-Americans I talked to (in areas just East of Cleveland) were voting for Hillary or at least considering doing so -- and not just women either (I think I talked one guy out of it yesterday).
I think Barack needs to go on "Black" radio stations in Mississippi and Pennsylvania NOW with an ad about how Hillary's campaign deliberately darkened his face in a TV ad in Ohio to make him appear blacker (and presumably more threatening / alien to White people). (Source: http://www.dailykos.com/... ) It could be done as a "Harry & Louise" conversation with one person asking "who's running her campaign now, Jesse Helms?" and the other one noting that 3/4 of those who said race was a factor in their vote in Ohio chose Hillary. (Source: http://www.dailykos.com/... )
He also needs to get the press to cover this story.
He should also run a TV ad about her not releasing her tax returns asking what could be in them (and perhaps offering some theories). The ad should show reporters asking her and her campaign officials about the returns and show how they weasel out of answering.
That ad should also be used to get reporters to ask more vociferously about the returns as well as donors to the Clinton Foundation. Barack is all about openness and transparency. The Clintons are all about secrecy. Barack's campaign should be able to link their secrecy about their financial dealings to the secrecy in which Hillary's health care task force operated that was a major factor in sinking her plan. The question should be asked: who's more likely to get things done such as reforming health care: someone who's open and honest with the American people about his plans or someone who operates in the shadows?
One more way Barack needs to "work the refs" -- i.e., the press -- is to have his campaign people argue that Hillary won Ohio largely on the basis of a false story, which has now been debunked: the Canada-NAFTA story that Hillary used as the basis of her hardest hitting ads and rhetoric in Ohio. (Source: http://www.dailykos.com/... ) This should be used to place doubt on the "legitimacy" of Clinton's win there. It certainly is a more reasonable argument against her win there than the ones her campaign has made against his wins (that they were in the states that "don't matter" -- Source: http://www.dailykos.com/... ).
If anyone reading this knows people in the Obama campaign, please pass along these ideas if you consider them worthy. I wouldn't mind if Barack lost in a contest of ideas. But I would mind greatly if he loses a DEMOCRATIC primary to Hillary's Republican tactics.
If you have other ideas for how Barack should fight back, please post them in the comments.
P.S. I am worried about the mass email I got from the campaign last night where Obama seemed to be looking ahead to McCain. It seems to me he needs to put Hillary away decisively first. I'm concerned he's taking his eye off the ball and "looking ahead to the next game." Anyone else feel this way?
P.P.S. Going back to bed now. Will respond to comments later in the morning.