It's not hard. You don't have to lie, smear, or unfairly attack. Just take the gloves off and hit McCain Palin HARD with truth. And when you hit them hard and they complain, hit them hard again and then harder and harder. If they complain, hit them hard, harder, harder, harder, and then hardest. It's the only way to deal with bullies and extremists.
Hit them hard.
- A vote for McCain is a vote for Bush's 3rd Term. Don't give me nuance about 10% risk on change. It's real simple. John McCain voted with George Bush 95% of the time in 2007 and 100% of the time in 2008. Repeat it over and over and when McCain runs commercial ads trying to claim that he is not who he is, hit him hard on it.
- McCain's service in Vietnam was honorable. In 2000, McCain might have been honorable. The McCain of today is no longer honorable. He has sold out to Karl Rove, the special interests, and James Dobson.
- Oh that John McCain of 2000? Mention time and time again that the John McCain of 2000 would never vote for the John McCain of 2008. Yes, this one sentence nails it all.
- John McCain is the biggest flip flopper in political history. We've documented nearly 80 flip flops. Hammer him for his lack of integrity and tie it in to number 5 below.
- John McCain will say or do anything for power. He admitted such in his own words in his 2002 book. I want to see that quote played 1000 times on the air from now until November.
- John McCain is an elitist snob. The man owns 7-10 homes. His wife Cindy had the audacity to wear an outfit to the GOP Convention that costs 18 year's worth of a full time worker at Walmart. He wears $520 Ferragamos with diamonds on them. Make this his "windsurfing" moment. Once you get the image in people's heads, the anti-middle class policies of McSame then can be absorbed.
- John McCain does not speak for the McCain campaign. His campaign has said so. Ridicule the hell out of him for this. Emphasize that he is being controlled by a bunch of lobbyists and Karl Rove's staff and that the man can't even go to the bathroom without his staff's approval. And don't let up. Tell people that he wanted to pick Lieberman but his staff wouldn't let him. Tell people that his staff has made him change positions. Hit him hard.
- John McCain's campaign manager says this election "is not about issues." Smack McCain upside the head with that quote every single day from now until November and smack him upside the head with that quote in the debates. Take advantage of this rare honest moment from the mouth of a Republican.
- John McCain is the candidate of the lobbyists. His staff has more lobbyists working for him than any other presidential candidate in history. Smack him upside the head on his corruption, his 26 years in Washington, and his caving in to the special interests. (Note - Yesterday's ad by Obama was a great start.)
- And yes, smack John McCain upside the head for picking Ann Coulter to be his running mate. Yes, Sarah Palin is simply Ann Coulter with food inside of her. Secessionist groups! Aryan Nation/Joel's Army! The queen of earmarks! Abuse of power! The female George W Bush! Opposes abortion in cases of rape and incest! Wants victims to pay for their own rape kits! A liar about the Bridge to Nowhere! Hit her hard with the truth about her record too. Sorry but I'm not about to be nice to a person, male or female, who would have no problem seeing me dead at the hands of some dominionist, merely because I don't share that dominionist's world view on religion. She's a wingnut just like Ann Coulter so take the gloves off.
Here's the bottom line. Nice guys who don't fight back against the bully finish last. John McCain and his team of lobbyist pitbulls are bullies. Either knock them upside the head or lose the election, it's that simple. Kerry in 2004 never fought back. Gore in 2000 never fought back. Dukakis in 1988 never fought back. Mondale in 1984 never fought back. Carter in 1980 never fought back and hid out in the Rose Garden. McGovern in 1972 never fought back. Humphrey in 1968 never fought back. Get the picture? Clinton fought like an alley cat in 1992. Carter went after Ford in 1976. Johnson attacked Goldwater as a nut in 1964. Kennedy fought tooth and nail in 1960. FDR and Truman always fought back. Get the picture?
Yes I'll play armchair quarterback and yes I sometimes know a hell of a lot more about strategy and how to frame issues than some (indeed most) of the talking heads and campaign consultants out there. Call me arrogant, call me a concern troll, call me a fighting keyboardist, call me whatever but that doesn't change the reality. If Obama and his team fight back HARD against the McCain camp with the truth and talk about their solutions to fix the mess we commonly call the last 8 years, Obama will be the next President of the United States and he will win in a landslide. But if Obama wants to waver and allow the attacks to continue and not fight back just as hard, this election will be a 50-50 proposition that could go either way. The future of our economy, our country, our constitution, and our security is at stake in this election. And I don't want to take a 50% chance on all of that.