One thing we can be sure of is that over the next few weeks there will be a tsunami of Willie-Horton-style smears, a last-ditch onslaught of mendacious and spiteful ads from the McCain camp in swing states. This scares me; these things do work. We could be blindsided at the last minute and lose this thing.
We're hearing that the Obama camp is essentially going to ignore Palin and focus on McCain, but this seems to me like a terrible mistake. This is not the time to be passive, just after a truckload of smears and attacks at the RNC. Meanwhile, Americans got to hear Palin and McCain say over and over this week that they are bold reformers, and as far as I can see, that (absurd) statement has simply gone unchallenged.
My view is that the Obama campaign should strike first, taking full advantage of the material that the good governor has given him. Put them on the defensive before they have a chance to launch their final, desperate onslaught, and define the running mate for the voters truthfully.
Here's what I suggest: 30-second spot.
John McCain says he's a reformer, but he has chosen as his running-mate an ethically-challenged master of pork [pic of S. Palin]
...who supported the bridge to nowhere [photo of Palin with "NOWHERE, ALASKA" t-shirt] until the public outcry got too great, then lied about it [clip of her saying "I said 'thanks but no thanks to the bridge to nowhere"]...
...is under investigation by her own legislature for abusing her authority to settle a family score [clippings: "Palin accused of firing public safety commissioner for family agenda," "Governor obtained ex-brother-in-law's personnel file"], ...
...has lied and obstructed the investigation [Clippings: "Monegan says Palin is lying;" "Palin is obstructing investigation" (Alaska Daily News)],...
...hired a Washington lobbyist to get more of our tax dollars for her pork-barrel projects [Headline: "Alaska leads nation in earmarks per capita"],...
...and is closely tied to Senator Ted Stevens, under indictment for accepting bribes [Headline: "Palin ran Stevens' 527"].
John McCain says he's a reformer, but shouldn't we look at what he does instead of what he says? Paid for Obama for President.
Mission: Use McCain's own behavior to define him -- using Sarah Palin as a club.
(By the way, I also must tip my hat to danieladamsmith's CRICKETS ad idea.)