McCain topper to allies: Stay on message (Talking Points For ALL To Follow)

Politico ^ | March 11, 2008 | Jonathan Martin

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

After being forced to respond to three separate incidents in recent weeks of conservatives alluding to Barack Obama's middle name, John McCain's campaign manager today sent a memo to top supporters urging them to stick to the campaign's preferred message -- and to avoid taking gratuitous shots at their Democratic rivals.

"We expect that all supporters, surrogates and staff will hold themselves to similarly high standards when they are representing the campaign. To help guide you, please find talking points below."

[Eurale]

“Do not fool yourself to thinking that McCain will stand for conservative values...”

Clinton and Obama will?

[DaveMSmith]

McCain gets no free publicity from a fawning liberal media like his opponents.

Who are you kidding? McCain is the darling of the MSM! Who did the NYT endorse? McCain. And what did McCain do about it? He posted it loud and proud on his website.

As gor making a campaign contribution, why would anyone here contribute to a candidate that wants to limit their free speech?

[Eurale]

“As gor making a campaign contribution, why would anyone here contribute to a candidate that wants to limit their free speech?”

Well then yours sir is s self-fulfilling prophesy.

[Uncle Hal]

Does McCain want to win this election or what? Wait until the Democrats start in on him. I am afraid all is lost with this guy.

---

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Since I’m not a McCain supporter, I’m free to take as many shots at Hillary and Obama as I please, and at McCain too, who is obviously not interested in winning the election.

[Resolute Conservative]

I love your RINO answer a question with a question to divert from your candidate’s weaknesses.

[Resolute Conservative]

We get to sit back and watch what happen over the next 4-6 year being blamed on conservatives ( R party ), if McCain wins, and watch the Dims use that to keep the WH and Congress for decades.

I’d rather see the impending housing bubble burst, inflation spike, dollar devaluation, and general crappy economy be put on Osama or Hillary so we can regain the control in the next round. Even though we know that Presidents have very little to do with the economy the press will twist it different like they do now blaming Bush for everything.

Keeping an even keel in Congress takes priority over helping a grumpy, spineless, egomaniac get elected to promote a liberal agenda.

[Eurale]

“I’d rather see the impending housing bubble burst, inflation spike, dollar devaluation, and general crappy economy be put on Osama or Hillary so we can regain the control in the next round. Even though we know that Presidents have very little to do with the economy the press will twist it different like they do now blaming Bush for everything.”

Well then, you do have a strategy. Lose the presidential election this year, mortgage bubble bursts, out of control inflation, dollar loss against foreign currencies - oh, and throw in ruinous universal healthcare, surrender to terrorism, (more) massive entitlement spending, a liberal judiciary and surrender of personal liberties to a (then) socialist government.

Then after eight years we can blame the Democrats for turning what used to be the USA into a socialist third world nation. Nice! And, under those conditions, just who would dare criticize our socialist overlords? The MSM? Me or you from our remote hideout in BFE? LOL!

[Resolute Conservative]

Either the result is the same is the part you are not getting.

[Eurale]

Has McCain proposed universal healthcare, surrender to terrorism, liberal judges or massive entitlement spending?

OOPs, I must be a RINO beacuse I posted a question!

[Resolute Conservative]

His friends from across the aisle that he writes his legislation with have and they will have him sign it when it gets to his desk in the name of reuniting the country and for the children and illegals.

[Right Cal Gal]

Absolutely. Next thing he’ll be telling Rush, Hannity, the Great One, et al., that they’re hurting the cause by pointing out the obvious about the other side.

And I wish him LOADS of luck trying to shut up Nos. 1 and 3!!!

[tanknetter]

Obama is trying to stay on point, but Hillery keeps dragging him into the cess pool, which is her natural environment. Their squallering will continue for months. Why should Mc Cain voluntarily enter the food fight?

One of the most important "best practices" in politics is that when your opponant/opponants are in the process of destroying themselves, stay as far away as possible.

Given McCain's past track-record, I understand completely why Conservatives don't like the way he's trying to take the high road. But it's the smart thing for him to do. Let Hillary! and Obama cut each other to pieces in what is becoming an increasingly viscious identity-politics knife-fight. Jumping in only distracts Dems and Dem-leaning indies from that death-match and reminds them that above all else they want a Dem - any Dem - in the WH next January.

[Right Cal Gal]

“I only contribute to conservatives.”

Absolutely. As do I (which is why Tom McClintock is getting a nice check from my income tax return). And the RNC is going to be hard-pressed to raise money for McCain, since it was his amnesty crap that caused the drop in donations last year, IIRC.

[torchthemummy]

After being forced to respond to three separate incidents in recent weeks of conservatives alluding to Barack Obama's middle name, John McCain's campaign manager today sent a memo to top supporters urging them to stick to the campaign's preferred message -- and to avoid taking gratuitous shots at their Democratic rivals. "We expect that all supporters, surrogates and staff will hold themselves to similarly high standards when they are representing the campaign. To help guide you, please find talking points below."

I can't believe some of the responses on this thread. Thank God that those of you that think that discipline among a candidate's surrogates is somehow unreasonable. Please do not run a campaign.

McCain is going to have the EVERY slimeball tactic used against him by the liberal candidate, liberal MSM, liberal media, liberal music, liberal teachers, liberal, liberal, liberal...! While of course he can't control talk radio and the likes he has every right to presume a command of the message spread by him and his surrogates.

Just like in 2004 when Rove and Bush knew THEY couldn't disparage Kerry military career but that those not working for the campaign would, ditto for McCain and the middle name/muslim stuff. There are plenty of sources for that info and plenty to label Obama as the rhetorically-blessed yet empty vessel that he is.

Hillary refuses to drop Ferraro for violating the very pc correct standards that liberals like Hillary herself have pushed for and has shown that she essentially endorses the tactic. For McCain, a (yes) nominal Republican in many ways he is still the Republican nominee and will thrown into the same category as any Republican: hated. He can win without the gutterball politics that is currently muddying up both Obama and Hillary. It is a chance for McCain to show that HE is the grownup.

[torchthemummy]

I wont’ and I won’t. As a voting taxpayer I can complain all I want.

I only contribute to conservatives. McCain couldn’t get his message out if he own a tv network. I take that back he could get out his “I’m a RINO message loud a clear”.

So you bitch and moan that McCain should attack irregardless of the consequences that a media tilted to the left would do. Then you say you will not vote for McCain. As a taxpayer you can complain all you want but if you're not voting for McCain then don't come across as someone that is trying to add to the conversation to redirect McCain in the right direction.

[Resolute Conservative]

Once again, it is not attacking for drawing attention to their platforms or things they have said or done in the past if true. It is comparing and contrasting but some people are afraid of being called names.

The problem McCain has is his platform and past actions are not much different on many points.

[Grunthor]

“McCain topper to allies: Stay on message”

I believe that all of his fellow democraps have been doing just that.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

So you bitch and moan that McCain should attack irregardless of the consequences that a media tilted to the left would do.

ROFL. Your previous comment in #75 just stated that the liberal media is going to use "every slimeball tactic" at McCain.

What do you want McCain to do? Don't you get it? Conservatives are tired of compassionate conservatism & this "bipartisanship" crap. Look, the NY Times came out with a hit-piece on McCain after it became clear he was going to be the nominee. You really expected liberals to be nice to McCain like he has been for them?

McCain doesn't have to point out or mock Obama's middle name or his religion. But he and his campaign shouldn't apologize on behalf of those who do. They don't speak for McCain anyway, they're not part of his campaign. So why condemn them? His campaign has made 2 apologies so far - they condemned radio talk host Cunningham's remarks and Rep King's remarks about Obama. This is only making McCain weaker not only to conservatives (who's support is already fragile, BTW) but to independents too.

McCain needs to step up his attacks on Obama. Start calling him for what he is: an empty suit with zero experience who just 4 years ago was keeping a chair warm in the IL Senate. McCain is going to fricking lose the election, and it won't be because of us conservatives who "stayed home." If McCain chooses a good VP and repudiates the amnesty/global warming/campaign finance crap, chances are many conservatives will end up voting for him.

[torchthemummy]

This thread is about McCain demanding his surrogates stay away from innuendo and cheap shots - even if there is truth to said innuendo and cheap shots. People are complaining that McCain will not second comments made by conservatives that are independent of the campaign hitting themes that are counter to their preferred approach. It is not unreasonable that if Cunnigham makes boilerplate denouncements of Obama when opening for a McCain rally that McCain (I think rightly) distances himself from them. It's smart and leaves the character assasination of Hillary and Obama between themselves. There is tons of ammunition to be gleaned from Obamas and Hillary's positions without giving them (and the MSM) a victim card to play.

Bottomline: this is a thread about whether McCain should assert control of his message not whether he is a conservative or the party is better off losing the election.