So, this is all they have left? Questionable associations? They can't run on the issues, and John McCain knows it, which is why he's going heavily negative this coming week to stop Obama's rise in the polls.
McCain Plans Fiercer Strategy Against Obama
With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls.
"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
All of McCain's ads will soon be negative, and be all about Obama all the time, with no focus on the issues. They've even taken off the ONLY positive McCain ad off the air!
McCain's only positive commercial, called "Original Mavericks," has largely been taken off the air, according to Evan Tracey of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political ads.
The focus in the negative ads will likely be on Reverend Wright, Ayers, and Rezko, with Republican 527s focusing on abortion, gays, and religion to help keep the Republican base from fracturing. This is all they have left since they can't win on the issues, and they know it, judging from a quote from a Republican operative here:
"We are looking for a very aggressive last 30 days," said Greg Strimple, one of McCain's top advisers. "We are looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis and getting back to discussing Mr. Obama's aggressively liberal record and how he will be too risky for Americans."
We don't have this in the bag, guys, even with Obama's 8 pt. lead in the tracking polls today. We MUST PHONEBANK, DONATE, and CANVASS! C'mon, kossacks, let's not be complacent.
UPDATE:h/t to Kitty. The Obama campaign responds in an excellent statement:
Governor Palin’s comments, while offensive, are not surprising, given the McCain campaign’s statement this morning that they would be launching Swiftboat-like attacks in hopes of deflecting attention from the nation’s economic ills. In fact, the very newspaper story Governor Palin cited in hurling her shameless attack made clear that Senator Obama is not close to Bill Ayers, much less ‘pals,’ and that he has strongly condemned the despicable acts Ayers committed 40 years ago, when Obama was eight. What’s clear is that John McCain and Sarah Palin would rather spend their time tearing down Barack Obama than laying out a plan to build up our economy.
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