Mark Sumner, in his post today, posited that the GOP is a party of cheaters. Of that, there is no doubt. From the outright lies about our President and his record, to their brazen sins against democracy (e.g., restricting voting rights), the Republican leadership is proving that it will sink lower than the low to regain power. Unfortunately, simply pointing this out over and over again can make us look like a party of schoolyard ninnies constantly tattling on the class bullies. It's this response that plays into the GOP's election meta-message for this cycle.
In Karl Rove's 2004 campaign, as we all remember, the GOP and their surrogates succeeded in painting our party as weak and unwilling to fight back. Sen. Kerry was slandered as a coward, and did not choose to find a way to effectively fight back. In those days, still so close to 9/11, the Republican Party needed a way to communicate to the electorate, and to the world, that they were the meanest, dirtiest sob's on the planet, and thus, that they were also willing to fight America's enemies in the same manner. The meta-message they developed was that the Democrats would not aggressively defend America, and the way Democrats ran their campaign that year was all the proof that was needed.
Now, it's 2012, and Rove is back. What overarching message are the Republicans communicating today? To me, it appears that the seeds of their message were planted several years ago, when our President's view of American Exceptionalism was first challenged. The message of the Republicans is that America is losing it's grip as the world's only superpower, and that since Obama (in their view) is kowtowing to the world, it is only a matter of time until our (supposed) decline drops us to the #2 position.
If one buys that view of Obama, America, and the world, what common-sense American would not vote for the party that would lie, cheat, and steal (votes) in an effort to regain power? The message that Republicans are thus attempting to communicate is that the way they run their campaign this year will show that only they will keep America #1 in the world. That they are the only ones who can be trusted to do whatever is necessary to keep America on top.
And if all we do is point out their lies, we are playing right into their hands. Because if that's all we do, we are responding in weakness. Which sort of proves their point, no?
So to me, the important question is how best to turn the tables on them. One way would be to make the election subtext (the GOP's meta-message) explicit. Doing this would cut the GOP off at its knees. Our party has no time to lose. We must begin directly communicating to the electorate that the GOP believes that America is in decline. That they are negative naysayers. That they are Chicken Littles. And that the GOP's negativity is what will bring America down. That it was the GOP's negativity that dragged down the USA's credit rating. That President Obama has kept America strong, and it's position in the world secure. That the GOP leadership and platform are guaranteed to sink the USA's #1 position in science and R & D. That GOP policies will put America into freefall!
This is but one solution to the GOP's overarching campaign message this year. I look forward to hearing your responses, and to reading your further suggestions.
No matter what happens on November 6th, it is paramount that on November 7th, the party immediately begin developing our own meta-message for 2016. Being on offense starting today, and starting again on November 7th, will put us back in control of our message.