Posted on 01/19/2008 1:35:11 PM PST by WileyPink
The man who masterminded George W Bush’s two presidential campaigns thinks both Clinton and Obama are beatable. Here’s what he thinks the Republicans have to do to hold on to the White House.
How to beat Clinton
• She talks about fiscal responsibility but has introduced “$800 billion in new spending and the campaign is less than half over.”
• Wants to repeal all of Bush’s tax cuts, can be targeted for opposing “troop funding” by highlighting her votes against supplemental spending bills to pay for the Iraq war.
• Had trouble answering a question about driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants in a debate. “In the course of 15 minutes, I counted her giving about four different answers.”
• Likeability is an issue the party can exploit – even when she was the only name on the ballot, nearly 40 percent of Democrats voted “uncommitted” in the Michigan primary.
How to beat Obama
• Focus on his limited experience - “He got elected three years ago, and he spent almost the entire time running for president,”
• Often voted “present” instead of “yes” or “no” during his time in the Illinois Senate.
• Go after Obama for voting “present” and “no” on state legislation that would have stopped a process whereby an infant is left to die after being born alive during a botched abortion procedure.
• Nonpartisan ratings show Obama is more liberal than Clinton, which is "pretty hard to do".
How to beat either of them
• Use the trump card from the 2002 and 2004 elections - neither Obama nor Clinton is prepared to protect the country from terrorists.
• Target them for how they vote on any Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act legislation that comes before the Senate this year. “Do they or do they not want our intelligence officials to be listening in on terrorists’ conversations in the Middle East who may … be plotting to hurt America?”
How a Republican can win
• First “create a sustaining narrative about [himself].” Then “immediately engage” on the “kitchen table issues,” like healthcare, education, jobs and the economy.
• Campaign “aggressively in places where Republicans don’t usually campaign.” That includes among black, Latino, Asian and union voters.
• Lastly, show the electorate “that they understand the surge is working.” Get firmly behind the war effort, and paint the Democratic nominee as “defeatist.”
Actually, I agree completely with your assessment of Rove. It was only his Svengali like seduction of Bush that got and kept him in power in the first place, and if he really had any understanding of what would make for a succesful presidency, he would have told Bush so, instead of pushing for the illegal alien amnesty crap(2X), No child left behind, signing McCain-Feingold and Prescription Drug benefits. None of those things won the conservatives any demonstrable political support and only helped toward ultimately alienating their base.
If it wasn’t for Rove we’d be much better off. His advice to Bush has driven the GOP too far to the center.
There’s a ton of good stuff here for the GOP to use in the pending battles, but for some reason the GOP always plays “nice guy” and refuses to clobber the opposition with these kinds of facts. I think that’s one reason I’m so ticked-off at the GOP right now.
he was absolutely great for about two hours on the night of November 7, 2000. After that, not so hot.
“How to beat hillery and obama”
Why with a baseball bat of course. They’ve earned it.
Want a trump card? Offer to abolish the IRS permanently. Let the ‘rats argue against you that it should remain.
The only thing you left out is "Gut The (Federal) Government." With the exception of national security agencies and the military, put all spending at the state level.
I'm certainly not ruffled. Rove seems to be all about the soundbite and getting out the vote.
Those are important, but not nearly as important as substance and getting out the message.
It seems that so many in the GOP would do anything to avoid being standard bearers of Conservatism, and totally miss the point that without Conservative principles, they aren't anything but gutless politicians.
Uh, Karl, I think your days in the golden glow are over. I believe that 2008 is going to be a judgement on the ‘crafted’ political campaign. Genuine Conservatives of the traditional moral sort are going to act on conscience and principle, not expediency.
The krintons are coming back to the WH. Hold on to your hats.
Too late.
‘Karl Rove: How to beat Hillary and Obama’
just grab a chair ... popcorn and watch them eat each other for the nomination?
Go after Obama for voting “present” and “no” on state legislation that would have stopped a process whereby an infant is left to die after being born alive during a botched abortion procedure.
How to beat Clinton
• Had trouble answering a question about driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants in a debate. “In the course of 15 minutes, I counted her giving about four different answers.”
WE NEED TO LISTEN TO ROVE!11!!!11! Since his strategies were so helpful with the Republicans taking the House in 2006!!
Oh, wait.... nevermind.
I prefer the two-hand grip with an overhead swing.
In other words, conservatism.
I hate to quote a serial rapist, but that dog won’t hunt no more.
You are RIGHT!
I could scream it!
Look at what it costs to buy a gallon of gas where you live. Deduct the state and federal taxes on that gallon of gasoline.
If we had ZERO tax on gas and oil, this country would boom like spring thunder.
Recession, adjustment, correction?
Say: "Bump in the road" , homey!
And meanwhile our deletants in Washington in both parties lower the interest rate so corporations and individuals can borrow more?
What a bunch of losers.
Repeal ALL gas and oil taxes NOW!
Drill at home and in Manitoba!
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