Posted on 10/17/2008 12:06:18 PM PDT by ex-Libertarian
If the McCain camp is looking for a winning strategy for the last 2 weeks of the campaign, here it is.
To win, Obama needs only convince the majority of voters that he is "reasonable" and "mainstream." Most people still don't trust Obama, and don't know how "reasonable" he will be. They like him personally and think he's smart, but something bothers them. They can't put their finger on why, but they're worried that he may not be the "reasonable, mainstream" candidate he portrays himself to be.
Quite simply, if he succeeds in this task he wins; if he fails, he loses. As of today there are enough people unsure enough of Obama for John McCain to win, but it all depends on who can "close the deal" in the next 2-3 weeks.
If McCain can make the case that Obama is NOT a reasonable, mainstream candiate - or at least not "believable" when he espouses reasonable positions -he wins.
This should be an easy job, both since it’s true, and since there’s so much material for this argument. But focus and clarity is essential; a scattered approach will fail. The case also needs to be made on mainstream, non-incendiary issues.
The Ayers line of attack WILL NOT WORK. But the following four prongs of attack - well executed - will win this election:
1. ABORTION. McCain is underperforming in the Catholic vote, and shockingly is getting some evangelicals too. AT LEAST 15% of Catholics now for Obama would flip into the McCain camp – and vigorously – if they saw an ad that got the message across.
Here's your abortion ad:
Who is Barack Obama?
* Obama said his “first priority” as president would be to sign the “Freedom of Choice Act” eliminating ALL restrictions on abortion, including parental notification, waiting periods, etc. (get the tape)
* Obama DID oppose the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, even though it DID contain language protecting Roe Vs. Wade. This is the identical language in the Federal Bill which passed overwhelmingly, and was even supported by NARAL. He is to the left of NARAL on this.
* This is – by far – the most extreme position on abortion one can have.
Who is Barack Obama? Watch what he does, and not what he says. He sounds reasonable today, but actions speak louder than words.
2. TAXES. Obama’s tax ads are killing McCain, and more people trust Obama on taxes than McCain! This amounts to communication and political malfeasance on the part of the campaign.
Here's your tax ad:
Who is Barack Obama?
* He claims 95% of people will get a tax cut under his plan, and that only 5% - plus the evil corporations - will pay more.
* But only 60% of Americans pay income tax. That means that 30% of Americans who don't pay income tax, will get a new check from the government.
* Taking money from people who pay income taxes, and giving it to people who don’t used to be called "welfare"
* I'm a middle class guy, and I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't want a welfare check.
* To pay for his middle class welfare plan, Obama wants to raise our corporate tax - already the second highest on the planet - which will kill jobs and send them overseas.
* He also wants to raise taxes on small businesses and other people who create jobs. I don't know about you, but I've never gotten a job from a poor person. Taking money away from people who create jobs will destroy jobs.
* What's the upshot? His plan will destroy middle class jobs, and replace them with middle class welfare.
Who is Barack Obama? Watch what he does, and not what he says. He sounds reasonable today, but actions speak louder than words.
SPENDING. Everybody in this country is thinking about how they can save money and balance their budgets. They WINCE when they hear politicians talking about how much more money they are going to spend. More spending WILL NOT SELL in this election! Special interest spending politics are a loser this year; it’s like trying to sell tequila on New Years Day.
Here's your spending ad:
Who is Barack Obama?
Obama plans at over $750 billion in new spending; especially when you consider his "middle class welfare" program disguised as a tax cut.
* Government spending has gotten completely out of control, and - other than our fine military - everything that it touches has gotten worse. We Americans see every day the failures of our federal government.
* Government got into the mortgage market with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and we all know how that turned out
* The more the Federal government got involved with education, the worse it got. Our public schools have gone from being the best in the world, to some of the worst.
* And let's not forget the US postal service.
* Now Obama proposes nearly $1 Trillion in new government spending, giving more money to a government that has proven time and time again that everything it touches turns to mold.
* In the middle of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and in the midst of our worst deficits ever, he thinks the government doesn't spend enough money.
* If you think the economy is bad now, wait until Obama starts his government spending spree.
Who is Barack Obama? Watch what he does, and not what he says. He sounds reasonable today, but actions speak louder than words.
HEALTH CARE. Health care is overrated as an issue, but the majority of people on this country do NOT want nationalized health care. Obama is trying to introduce nationalized health care by stealth.
Here's your health care ad:
Obama said in the primaries that he wants nationalized, government healthcare - he just disagreed with Hillary on "how we get there" (find the tape)
So he's developed a plan designed to get us to nationalized healthcare by stealth - without us ever knowing what hit us. Here's how
* Obama proposes that employers without a health care plan will pay a fine if they don't offer health care, and that this fine will be "zero" for smaller businesses
* He further says that everyone who doesn't have health care through a company plan will get a government plan
* Therefore, he gives perfect incentives for ALL small businesses to drop their health coverage and put all employees into the government plan
* Next, if he keeps the "fine" low enough for all businesses, they will also all have the perfect incentive to drop their health plans and stick their employees on the government plan too.
* the perfect path to 100% government-controlled healthcare and nationalization of the health care system.
* Can you really trust a guy who tries to sneak nationalized medicine past you without you even noticing? Why doesn't he trust us enough to tell us th truth?
Who is Barack Obama? Watch what he does, and not what he says. He sounds reasonable today, but actions speak louder than words.
This will be particularly effective because it goes STRAIGHT TO BOTH HIS CREDIBILITY AND REASONABLENESS.
These four ads all tie together and create what I believe to be a winning theme of attack on Obama. Simple, understandable and effective.
He should stop ALL OTHER attack ads - they just dilute the message. Adopt this theme and STICK WITH IT. Hammer it home over and over again. Don't stop.
He needs to also simultaneously run positive ads that talk about his plans too. But this election is a referendum about Obama, so McCain must attack to win.
Otherworldly.
“They can’t put their finger on why, but they’re worried that he may not be the “reasonable, mainstream” candidate he portrays himself to be.”
I’d say those people have good instincts and they should heed the warnings. Obama is the dream candidate of the sixties’ radicals. From the adult influence of his boyhood, Frank, up through William Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn, the ideas of Saul Alinsky, and Reverend Wright, Obama has associated with assorted communists and terrorists and an extremist black liberationist preacher, all American hating, America blaming far left extremists.
What’s amazing is how successful the MSM and Obama have been at hiding what an extremist, anti_American string of associates have influenced him over the years.
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While the four ads proposed by ex-Libertarian are important and relate how Obama’s proposals would effect them, your idea of exposing the Obama’s relationship with the Muslim world, which is carefully being hidden by the MSM, should be the fifth ad.
They need to put one or more of the other candidates - Fred Thompson, Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee - on television to make a live speech making the case for McCain. They need to get the vote out, the base, everybody. I would put Fred Thompson out there and send Giuliani and Liebermann to Florida.
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