Three days left. My girlfriend and I got to Manchester, NH yesterday. This place is rocking and everyone is very welcoming. There is tons of work to be done and fortunately, tons of people to do it.
There's no time to waste anymore, people need to at least know that their first duty is to get out and vote. We just hope they'll be voting for Obama.
Don't get scared by the opponent's scare tactics, they will try everything and anything to prevent victory.
This was published as an op-ed in the Trenton (NJ) Times on October 30, 2008.
After eight years under a hapless President George W. Bush, I was looking forward to this year’s presidential election with great optimism. Now the anticipation is giving way to frustration and disillusionment, as the candidates, their party machinery and the political system itself focus too often on tearing down rather than building up. Even a man with the strength of convictions of maverick John McCain can’t avoid desperate acts in the face of possible defeat, and Barack Obama and his message of hope can’t withstand the wrecking ball forever.
One of the key issues early in this campaign, and a cornerstone of the Republican party’s platform, has been the war against terrorism. Terrorism is all about putting fear in the minds of a population, so that it acts irrationally and squanders its resources on the wrong things. Ironically, instilling fear is a tool that Republicans seem to wield expertly, in casting aspersions on their Democratic opponents. The Democrats seem less comfortable with this tool, but use it nonetheless. It doesn’t matter that truth is twisted or deformed in the process – as long as it achieves the aggressor’s aim. This form of terrorism is insidious, and ultimately, very harmful. Even our most compelling current challenge, the global economic crisis, has fallen victim to this form of terrorism, as partisanship crept into the discussion and fanned the flames of fear.
It seems that Republicans view a good offense as the best defense, and conversely, Democrats see a good defense as the best offense. What often results from this is that Republicans go into the attack mode first, and try to draw the Democrats into the fray. Democrats, in trying to fend off the attacks, seem weak by comparison. When Republicans attack, they often allege character and personal flaws (“socialism,” “elitist,” “palling around with terrorists,” etc.). When Democrats become the aggressors, their attacks generally seem more about policy differences (“out of touch,” “four more years,” “doesn’t get it,” etc.), and are therefore somewhat less personal.
In effect, these tactics are designed to plant negative thoughts in the minds of voters, either through innuendo or direct accusations. For an event of such import and such historic significance as this election, that’s a sad commentary. Our lives can be much better when we work together and accentuate the positives. Synergy is all about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, and this unproductive discourse we’re seeing is, at best, a zero sum game. At worst, it’s a downward spiral toward collective failure.
Both candidates have adopted “change” as a theme, although one could argue that Senator Obama adopted it and Senator McCain co-opted it. The change I seek is to find ways to have civil discourse over issues that are important. The loudest voices aren’t necessarily the right ones to listen to. Unfortunately, we don’t often have all the facts, and the mantras that we hear begin to take on an air of reality as they strike chords that harmonize with some of our own thoughts and preconceptions.
I’ve read Barack Obama’s books, not out of blind loyalty to a man whose words resonated with me, but out of curiosity about the man behind those words. I’d read a couple of excerpts of one of his books, and Joe Biden was right – Obama is incredibly articulate. In his first book, Dreams from My Father, Obama talked about his early life, and his search for self which led him to learn as much as he could about his estranged father. In his second book, The Audacity of Hope, he outlined his political and social beliefs in self-effacing and brutally honest terms. He acknowledged his shortcomings, but made no excuses. His words paint a picture of an America that is fair, civil, strong and prosperous, and country and society that all Americans can be even more proud of.
I just submitted the following Letter to the Editor in my area/region. I thought others might like to read it:
To: Journal Newspapers, Washington Times, The Sun, The Washington Post, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Aerospace Daily, Aviation Daily
Letter to the Editor: Media fails to fulfill its role as watchdogs, allows vicious lies to spread by the McCain campaign and its allies
Dear Editor, Barack Obama was right when he stated that John McCain's negative ads and mud-slinging campaign say more about him than they say about Obama. I keep seeing more disgusting untruthful negative ads from John McCain, when just two days ago he paid lip service to the fact that the campaign should be about the issues. I am thoroughly disheartened and repulsed by the McCain/Palin campaign and its associates. Between the "robocalls," the untruthful accounts that Obama & Ayers "ran a radical education foundation together," and allowing interest groups to imply that Obama's association with Ayers makes him a terrorist, I have had enough and I am disgusted. Not to mention the misrepresentation of Obama's health care plan, his vote history (that he voted 94 times to increase taxes), the claim that Obama opposed a law that would have saved Gianna Jessen's life (as an Illinois state senator), and the bogus, deceptive research published by Jerome Corsi. It's as if the media treat Corsi as if he were a serious scholar. He has yet to be confronted with his manipulations of reality and his questionable sources, all the while, allowing falsehoods to spread. Where is the mainstream media on all of this? It seems that the profession to which I once aspired (yes, I hold a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication) has further proven why I chose not to pursue it. It is the media's job to debunk this kind of trash - not ignore it or sensationalize it.Americans across the country are tired of the lies, hidden truths and manipulation. Our founding fathers intended for us to be "one nation, under God, indivisible." The McCain camp and extremists like Corsi have sought nothing more than to divide and manipulate the American people. Let's stand up, unite and become one nation again. Let's refuse to be manipulated and treated as pawns. Let's put the lies and mud-slinging to rest. Let's be responsible in our research and reporting. And let's make our voices heard by voting for the change we need. Sincerely, Julie S. KimbroReference/Source: http://www.politifact.com from St. Petersburg Times & Congressional Quarterly
Washington Post
October 13, 2008
Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, Jeffery Frederick Compares Obama to Bin Laden
According to a report in this week's Time magazine, the Virginia party chairman, Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick (R-Prince William), told Virginia volunteers working for GOP nominee John McCain that Obama and bin Laden "both have friends that bombed the Pentagon."
Clark Stevens, an Obama spokesman, said Frederick's attack on Obama's relationship with Ayers "has been discredited and debunked time and again."
"The Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, like so many McCain supporters," Stevens said, "would rather lie about Barack Obama than make the case to the American people why Senator McCain's plans of continuing Bush's policies for another four years would be good for American families."
Frederick is just another one of McCain's unprincipiled and uncontrolled barking dogs that have been unleased by the costic McCain and Palin rhetoric and TV commercials. McCain's lack of control over his minions and campaign is a sign of how irradic and extreme a McCain presidency would be.
Frederick's Follow-up on his Obama sliming (Washington Post, Oct 15):
Frederick said he was only repeating something he heard conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh say on his radio show.
... so, revealing this fact somehow improves our opinion of this dude? At least Frederick is paying a price for his attempts to "Swift-Boat" Obama:
Since Frederick's remarks were first reported in Time magazine, he has been deluged with "hate mail" from across the county, he said. There have also been calls for him to be removed as (Virginia) party chairman because some Republicans fear his remarks were so inflammatory they could drive people away from the Arizona senator. "This Jeff Frederick stuff is a disgrace," said former delegate Vincent F. Callahan, a Republican from Fairfax County. "I don't know where he is coming from, but the party is going down the tubes with him at the helm.
Since Frederick's remarks were first reported in Time magazine, he has been deluged with "hate mail" from across the county, he said. There have also been calls for him to be removed as (Virginia) party chairman because some Republicans fear his remarks were so inflammatory they could drive people away from the Arizona senator.
"This Jeff Frederick stuff is a disgrace," said former delegate Vincent F. Callahan, a Republican from Fairfax County. "I don't know where he is coming from, but the party is going down the tubes with him at the helm.
Politi-Fact Check of McCain's "Terrorist" accusation:
This attack is false, but it's more than that – it's malicious. It unfairly tars not just Obama, but all the other prominent, well-respected Chicagoans who also volunteered their time to the foundation. They came from all walks of life and all political backgrounds, and there's ample evidence their mission was nothing more than improving ailing public schools in Chicago.
On McCain's ability to control his campaign, Bill Krystol said in the NY Times:
The McCain campaign, once merely problematic, is now close to being out-and-out dysfunctional. Its combination of strategic incoherence and operational incompetence has become toxic. What McCain needs to do is junk the whole thing and start over. Shut down the rapid responses, end the frantic e-mails, bench the spinning surrogates, stop putting up new TV and Internet ads every minute. In fact, pull all the ads — they’re doing no good anyway. The bad news, of course, is that right now Obama’s approval/disapproval rating is better than McCain’s. Indeed, Obama’s is a bit higher than it was a month ago. That suggests the failure of the McCain campaign’s attacks on Obama. So drop them.
The McCain campaign, once merely problematic, is now close to being out-and-out dysfunctional. Its combination of strategic incoherence and operational incompetence has become toxic.
What McCain needs to do is junk the whole thing and start over. Shut down the rapid responses, end the frantic e-mails, bench the spinning surrogates, stop putting up new TV and Internet ads every minute. In fact, pull all the ads — they’re doing no good anyway.
The bad news, of course, is that right now Obama’s approval/disapproval rating is better than McCain’s. Indeed, Obama’s is a bit higher than it was a month ago. That suggests the failure of the McCain campaign’s attacks on Obama. So drop them.
Every day I watch and compare the differences between the campaigns of my candidate of choice, Barack Obama and John McCain. Every day I find the McCain campaign more distasteful, negative, ugly and full of lies and misrepresentations than it was on the day before. With all that is going on in America and in the world, and knowing that our country needs to pull together in order to solve some of the challenges we are facing, I find it hard to believe that anyone would vote for the McCain/Palin ticket. There are stark differences between the two campaigns regarding honesty, substance, organization and long-term plans for the future of our country. The McCain/Palin ticket is asking us to believe that they would bring change to America out of one side of their mouths, while they play the same old dirty games republicans use each election out of the other side.With all that we are facing as a country, does McCain really believe that ANYONE will want to work with or for him or his people to solve the challenges in America after he has created and deepened such ugly divisions between the American people by using such negative and divisive language and tactics? Do McCain and Palin really believe that they will gain the cooperation of the democrats after slinging so much mud and cow patties? Will they recognize the vile and totally split country they will have created with their negative crap if they succeed in scaring Americans into voting for them over voting for real hope and change?Imagine our country under a McCain/Palin presidency. The McCain/Palin ticket is uninspiring, presents no hope for the future and offers Americans nothing towards working together to form a more perfect union. If they win this election, we will be so torn apart, disillusioned, mistrustful of our elected leaders and determined not to cooperate, that our country will continue to loose its values and importance in the eyes of the people at home and in the world. I pray that the people of America will reject the McCain/Palin politics of fear and smear, and will choose hope in order to build real change for America’s future with fresh ideas and determination coming from the bottom up! This is our time – it is our moment!
I was in school when I came across a study of NFL game strategies - to win and to not lose. Not the same thing, and worth examining in light of last night’s debate. From the study it showed that those teams using a “win” strategy won significantly more games than those teams with a “not lose” one when competing against each other. A win strategy in football means taking chances, passing, going for the down rather than punting for breathing room, and doing the unexpected.
Sure, in a game’s final moments all teams in the lead try to run out the clock, but we are not yet in the final moments. In the final moments it’s a tactic, not a strategy, and even then sometimes doesn’t work. A gutsy opponent forces an opening and then well … McCain’s the 44th president and Palin the 45th, the American Century draws to a close and the world sinks into the new dark ages.
We must not allow this to happen. Obama is the light. Let it shine. Be bold, our team, bring your A game. Okay, what needs to be done now to avoid snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?
Let’s assess: We have a slight advantage right now, but it’s not enough to counter all the polling problems the Republicans will be creating. They will be going all out to suppress voting, especially of new registrants, and Black and Latino voters. We must fight this with lawsuits now where groups are being disenfranchised by computer programs that strike minorities with similar names to felons, and get photo I.D.s for voters that don’t have them. T
hey will also cheat on the count, and we must continue efforts to insist on paper trails, and call for recounts at the first whiff of irregularity. That’s behind the scenes and necessary, but for us to win Obama must lead. This means Obama must score, must continue to put points up, avoiding missteps is not enough.
I heard on CNN that this is no a time for two or more presidents, that we must unite behind President Bush as he and his team try to alleviate the financial meltdown. This makes no sense. The sooner the incompetent Bushies are pushed aside, the better. A huge majority of the electorate knows this for certain, and more suspect it. To unite behind the administration that put us here, and that has shown across the board wrongheadedness in every sector would guarantee disaster.
I think Obama must say that legally, constitutionally, there are restrictions on what a president elect can do until he assumes office, but as a practical matter he is working now, and will work harder beginning November fifth to lead us out of this mess. I think this will cut into the fear factor immediately. We all fear the hand of Bush and Obama is the only hope, is both the message and the messenger.
We the people must know that help is on its way now. Remind us that transition teams can be more powerful than the outgoing administration in governing, and team Obama will be there for us.
And, last go after the opposition. Unlike us at the moment, these are the guys going for the ball. Don’t let them have it and if they get it, take it away. Remind people, like Joe Biden did in his finest debate moment, that a wolf in what, sheep, maverick clothing is still a wolf. McCain is the wolf pack’s wild card. After the sheep know the pack and know avoiding them is life and death, send in the whack job disguised as something else.
This is the pack’s only way to fool the sheep one more time.
Obama, lead us - we’re not sheep. We’re Americans, people that care about fairness, and we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!
In the remaining weeks of the election, Obama must spend every minute describing his vision for an ideal America. We cannot waste anymore time telling Americans what has gone wrong and whose fault it was; we need to tell them how things should be. We need our vision of American to be so large and beautiful and important that it pushes out everything else in the minds of the voters. When they think of Obama, they will think of that America, the America we dream about. For example,
“We need an America that provides its own energy. We need energy that we can afford and that doesn’t harm our environment.”
“We need an economy that creates jobs in America; real jobs that can give consumers the money to grow our economy and provide opportunities for business to thrive.”
“We need a health care system that will lead the world in quality and be affordable to all Americans.”
“We need a government that balances the needs of all Americans.”
“We need an America that is strong enough and smart enough to protect its citizens from all threats, from anywhere in the world, while respecting the rights and human dignity of all people.”
“We need an economy that is based on real wealth, not credit cards and bad loans.”
“We need a government that holds its corporations responsible for themselves and does not encourage them to make foolish financial decisions knowing that the taxpayers are going to pay for their mistakes.”
“We need a fair tax system that puts money in the hands of American consumers, which will create jobs and opportunities for everyone.”
“We need a government that is neither too small nor too big. We need a government that is the right size—strong enough to do its job well, but small enough so it doesn’t hurt our wallets.”
“We need a culture that respects the values of all Americans, and where there are differences, we find a compromise that respects those differences and strikes the best balance between them.”
“We need a foreign policy that promotes peace, tolerance, freedom and prosperity throughout the world, because it is in our best interest to do so.”
“We need an America that respects the faith of its people and encourages them to find meaning and strength.”
“We need an economy that gives consumers real choices and puts people in control of the market. A consumer controlled economy fosters innovation and creates jobs.”
“We need an America that understands that power works best when it is shared. When too much power is given to the few, the rest inevitably suffer. Political parties must share power to work together. Employers must share power with their employees. Companies must share markets with other companies. Our founding fathers created the most successful democracy in the history of the world because they knew that power must be shared if a union is going to last. If I am elected President, I will share my power with my fellow leaders from all across our country and together we will create the America that we feel in our hearts and see in our minds.”
“We need an America that believes in America. We are strong. We are diverse. And we are all Americans. We will prevail. We will make America great together.”
Do not hit talking points, do not stay on message, do not go negative, and do not mention John McCain or Sarah Palin, let the media do that. Do not do anything other than create the vision of what America should be in the minds of the voters. And that vision must be felt in more than just Democrats; it must be felt by everyone. The vision must be balanced in order to win. Respect the dreams of all Americans.
The vision must be compelling. If you feel there is a part of a speech where you are dying to say how McCain is wrong on this, then you haven’t made your vision exciting enough. McCain being ‘bad’ doesn’t mean Obama is ‘good’. Obama working with all Americans to make America the greatest country on earth is what makes Obama ‘good’.
Do not make statements end in negatives. It focuses the mind of the listener away from the vision and Obama and onto the present. Obama is about what America will be. For example, do not say
“We need a government that respects the needs of all of its people, not just the lobbyists that cripple our markets, hurt our consumers, and take taxpayer money for themselves.”
This focuses the listener away from the vision of the ideal America that Obama is offering, and puts it on the problem. Voters vote for something, they do not for nothing. Instead say
“We need a government the respects the needs of all its people. We need a government that balances the interests of taxpayers with the needs of taxation. We need a government that balances the needs of consumers with the needs of business. We need a government that strives to balance the needs of employers with the needs of employees. We need a government who strives to find a balance for the needs of all Americans, because that is the kind of people we are. We love freedom, for ourselves and for everyone.”
Lastly, Obama needs to hit the reset button in his mind and pretend that the last two years of campaigning did not happen. He needs to start over and pretend that this is day one and the voters have never heard of him. He cannot speak with the assumption that people already know him—that they know what he is about and he is now simply refining the message and responding to current events in the media day to day until the election. This approach will fail. The voters want a new America. Obama can give them that.
Obama for a New America.
Obama needs to pretend that no one has ever heard him speak before and that it is the first time Americans will hear his vision of America. Now is the time to get high minded, and create a vision of America that will unify all Americans and bring Republicans over to the side of Democrats.
This article is a publicity stunt, by Karl Rove, to accomplish at least three things:
1. Make it look like the GOP really is at odds with McCain, and therefore McCain really will bring change to Washington.
2. Truly warn McCain to tone down the negativity of his adds because they are making him look bad.
3. Scare Obama away from being more aggressive, which he actually needs to be.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CAMPAIGNS_NEGATIVITY?SITE=CARIE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Don't let McCain, or Palin, get under your skin. Stay positive all the time, but strike hard.
Don't let the digust of same-old GOP tactics steal your toungue. Expose them, and communicate it with all levels of society.
The latest poll numbers indicate that Barack is down by 5 points. That's the largest deficit he has had all year.
The bump for McCain can be directly atrtibuted to his pick for VP, Sarah Palin. Regardless of her inexperience, her extreme stance on issues and unwillingness to answer the media's questions, she has provided the right-wing base a solid reason to vote for McCain.
Kudos to Barack for running a clean, positive and issue-focussed campaign so far. But the reality, unfortunately, is that, it is no longer going to work. When your opponent's attack-dog is attacking with vicious lies and smear, you cannot afford to sit back and take the high road on this. John Kerry tried to do that in 2004 and we all know who won. All the ideas for change and plans to reform Washington are worthless if Barack cannot get into the White House.
We have less than 55 days to take on McPalin and we have to go after them head-on. There cannot be any two measures about it. Attack now and keep attacking. And Hey! Personal and character attacks are fine, because, guess what, if you don't use them, you end up losing. It is as simple as that. Disgusting as it might sound, it is what it is. If you have to go off-course a little bit in order for the greater good, then it is absolutely OK.
So, Sen. Obama, it is now or never. I, along with millions of other Democrats, will not be able to withstand yet another loss (especially in an anti-incumbent, anti-Republican atmosphere as we are in right now) and worse yet, we will not be able to withstand 4 more years of McBush.
This is a simple one, and it's one that seems so easy to understand, but yet, continually eludes the left:
IF SOMEONE PUNCHES YOU, PUNCH BACK. IF SOMEONE KICKS YOU, KICK BACK.
The concept of turning the other cheek, of not 'sinking to their level' does not, and has not ever worked, in American Politics in the 20th and now the 21st centuries. Americans don't research, they don't pay attention, they don't know what's really going on with their candidates. Instead, they pay attention to sound bytes, to news reporters, and to blog writers.
But for many independent or undecided voters, these people aren't well-versed in what is good and bad about a campaign. And like any other voter, they are able to be swayed by the continuing barrage of negative campaigning.
Which is a necessity, especially at this stage in the game, especially with the Swift-Boat/Karl Rove tactics the right continually utilizes to pounce and attack Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
John McCain is lying about his record. He has no plan, and he has voted against things he helped to foster. Sarah Palin has no record, and she's already lying on the little bit we know about her.
So why is the Obama/Biden campaign just letting things slide? People believe the crap they are told by candidates, until another candidate tells them its wrong.
If Palin & McCain claim she's a reformer who took on the Bridge to Nowhere, then the Obama & Biden campaign need to release news footage of her supporting the bridge. If she says she sold a jet on eBay, then she needs to be called out on it.
Not just in the blogosphere, but by the candidates and their surrogates.
We cannot let another election slip through our fingers just because there is some ideal about 'doing things right' and not sinking to a low level. It comes across as weak and powerless, not smart and honorable.
When I watch cable news i see and hear surrogates, pundits and others talk about the campaign I hear more pro McCain commentary then pro Obama.
I hear and see loud mouth campaign workers from McCain drowning out the few Obama campaign workers and surrogates. The only forceful representative of the Obama campaign is Biden. Where is everyone else?
I hear and see news reporters, who report anything possible about Obama in a negative way. Even when there is a positive fact they approach it questioning the reality. When Obama was ahead it was reported as "will Obama be able to maintain his lead in the Polls?" Where as the spin is always positive on anything McCain is doing.
There is a huge negative drum beat coming from the Republicans that needs to be silenced or at least dealt with beyond a few sound bites of Obama on the campaign trail. Because the media is controlled by the right the only alternative is advertising and sometimes that has to be as negative as the opponents.
Obama-Biden (this should really go to the so-called Campaign managers and strategists)
It doesn't matter how visionary or what great leaders you will be (and I'm sure you will), if you don't fight back hard at the Republican attack machines, you'll lose in November and set us on course for another four years of disaster.
No, I'm not saying make empty and condescending speeches like Palin's acceptance speech, but you have to respond and that her speech was empty. Bring to light every negative traits of your opponents!
Don't drag your opponents through the mud, but please don't humanize them either or keep saying things like "He is a good friend, he is an honorable mand, he is a hero, etc." They don't say anything nice about you, and if they do, it's almost always sarcastic. Why should you? No one can accuse you of not saying good things about your opponent.
Send attack dogs (i.e. sorrugates, strategists, etc.) to primetime news shows to debate on your behalf. Most of the so called Democratic strategists that debate on your behalf are no match for their Republican counterparts. It's rediculous, but when I watch them on TV, the Republican surrogates hardly answer any question they are asked! They come on air with only one goal: Repeat the talking point over and over again even if it doesn't answer the question. If repetition is key, then this strategy is working. Use similar tactics.
Remember McCain v. Bush in 2000, Bush v. Gore in 2000, Bush v. Kerry in 2004, and of course the last leg of the Obama v. Clinton 2008 primaries? Whoever says negative attacks don't work doesn't undertand politics.
It doesn't matter how positive your message is, it can easily get drawned in the negative mud from your opponents. So balance your positive with negatives.
You've fought a good fight so far, but please finish hard!
I guess since the GOP clings to their media network--Fox News--it is not surprising that the speeches lacked facts and truth. The GOP has never been fair nor balanced, and last night their true colors came shining through (probably another song they can't use!).
The snarky tone of both Guiliani's and Palin's speeches was just more of the same again. And, they say they are going to change Washington?! They are the party of change? They are the same party as the one for the last 8 years!
I just really didn't see anything substantive coming out of the speeches. Palin said she's a pit bull with lipstick. Great! Two aggressive personalities in the White House?! We'd really make friends around the world with that combo.
So...I'm going to a training to learn more of the facts and become a volunteer for the Obama campaign. The more I hear from the GOP, the more I realize I need to become involved and impact this election from the ground up...kind of like a community organizer. The people WILL have a voice in this election. We will not be marginalized and discounted by the likes of the GOP.
What’s scares me most about McCain's VP choice is that as I read the headline even I (a lifelong Democrat and ardent Obama supporter) felt a momentary tinge of excitement at the idea of a woman being VP and very likely president in the near future!
The Democrats must be out in full force this weekend defining Governor Palin for the American public before she and the Republicans have much of a chance to do it themselves. Senator Obama, now is not the time for taking the highroad—at least not too high. Let loose your surrogates to tear apart McCain, Palin and the Republican party. I want to know everything about the Alaska scandals and how they can possibly taint the governor. McCain’s polls were already going up because of his negative campaigning. Yes, that negative approach speaks of desperation. And yes, many think his surprise choice of Governor Palin was a desperate move too. But the negativity is working and I think Palin was a brilliant selection. The McCain/Palin ticket is likely to be ahead in every poll by the end of next week after Palin addresses the Republican convention. Any Hillary voters that hadn’t already committed to supporting Obama obviously don’t care about the issues, and Governor Palin makes the Republican ticket extremely appealing to these women. Palin's a perfect choice for McCain—she’s beautiful, a mother of 5, uber-conservative, and extremely well spoken. Governor Palin was so impressive in her speech in Dayton that it looked like she was at the top of the ticket. I just watched an interview she did on CSpan in February, and when she’s talking about the destruction of the environment, she actually sounds pro-environment! This close race just got dangerous! Like every good Democrat, I watched Obama speak at Mile High Stadium last night. Like many Democratic political junkies, I watched nearly every primetime convention speech this week on PBS and all the MSNBC coverage online. And despite four days of magnificent spectacle, all I can think about today is Governor Sarah Palin! If people worried Hillary wouldn’t be a vehement enough supporter of Obama—worry no more! Hillary didn’t inspire 18 million cracks in that glass ceiling so a Republican could waltz through it! The next presidential administration will be groundbreaking. For the sake of our national security, my children’s education, my family’s financial wellbeing, the healthcare of our citizens, and the survival of our planet, I hope we do not have a woman elected to the presidential administration for at least 8 more years.
(in response to American Issues Ad)
Your organization has used negative positions to slander liberals for three elections now. I'd like to inform you that this will no longer be acceptable in this country. We now have a strong liberal leader who if provoked will fight back. Not with slanderous words and ideological ideas, but with the truth. The truth that there are ten of millions of American's who want their country back from supporters of fascism such as yourself. Sincerely, Chad Israel
Are we really going to fall into the same old trap of overthinking and overposturing our way to defeat?
The choice of Biden as running mate was a defensive move, but it's of little consequence.
The key is whether our guy has what it takes to go on the offensive.
He needs to get some fire in his belly. He needs to get angry and he needs to get mean.
Some might say he's not that kind of guy - but if he wants to win he's going to have to find that hurt in himself and project a sharper, simpler message.
McCain has a ton of negatives but we're not getting them across effectively enough.
The Press need a big push to drive them home - they're too lazy to do it on their own.
We need to hone a simple message that kicks off as soon as the convention is over.
And we don't have it yet.
Keep it simple, BO, Keep it simple.
