I don't have all the answers to Obama's campaign strategy, but I know there are some wise minds here at DailyKos who may. So here are the questions I have at this juncture in the campaign and I would love to hear my fellow bloggers' opinions about where we are in our campaign to win the presidency against John McCain and the Republican Party. There are three questions I have in particular. So here goes.
- Have we sufficiently inocculated Obama against the big nasty Willie Horton style ads that will certainly come in October? There is no way, based on Rick Davis' record so far, that we won't see several completely beyond the pale Nuclear Option negative ads before the end of the year. I know a mem is developing that John McCain is a say anything to win liar, but has that narrative sufficiently taken hold that any A bomb from the McCain people will come out tarred on arrival as slime? If this has not happenned yet, how do we achieve this level of pre-emption of his slime? I think a lot of progress has been made so far.
- Relating to the above, have we sufficiently released Obama's positive message at this point in the campaign? I think we have definitely achieved the goal of getting tough and hammering Old Man McCain, but have we done enough to offer Obama as a positive alternative? Particularly, is the message of Obama's Tax plan hit sufficient numbers of voters that they understand he is a tax cutter and not a tax raiser?
- Is it appropriate to highlight John McCain's votes against veterans issues? I think this is a devastating attack on his greatest attribute, but is it possible to do this in a way that doesn't backfire? How might this be achieved?
BONUS QUESTION:
- What do you feel is the single biggest "missing ingredient," if you feel there is one, in the Obama message to date?
Thanks. Look forward to hearing your thoughts.