On private call, Republicans say attacking Obama personally is too dangerous

Yahoo News ^ | 12-06-11 | Rachel Rose Hartman

[Lazlo in PA]

Republicans on a private Republican National Committee conference call with allies warned Tuesday that party surrogates should refrain from personal attacks against President Barack Obama, because such a strategy is too hazardous for the GOP.

"We're hesitant to jump on board with heavy attacks" personally against President Obama, Nicholas Thompson, the vice president of Tarrance Group, a Republican polling firm, said on the call. "There's a lot of people who feel sorry for him."

Recent polling data indicates that while the president still suffers significantly low job approval ratings, voters still give "high approval" to Obama personally, Thompson said.

Voters "don't think he's an evil man who's out to change the United States" for the worse--even though many of the same survey respondents agree that his policies have harmed the country, Thompson said. The upshot, Thompson stressed, is that Republicans should "exercise some caution" when talking about the president personally.

[Brandonmark]

According to Campaigns & Elections, the originator of this call was born the year before Reagan was elected, so he must know what to do/sarc

Nicholas Thompson, 32, is vice president at the Tarrance Group, where he works with campaign consultants nationwide to refine messaging and fine-tune targeting. In 2010, he helped defeat Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas U.S. Senate race.Source: Campaigns & Elections Names 2011 Class of Rising Stars

[EternalVigilance]

The sole purpose of the Republican Party is to serve as an ineffective alternative to the Democrat Party.

You've inspired a new tagline ...

[rod1]

Exactamundo. It’s the REPUBs’s why can’t we all be sugary sweet strategy to being in the perpetual minority of government control.

[Roklok]

BS. Look how popular Donald Trump became over night when he took it straight to Obama. These republicans are starting to really pi** me off.

[TribalPrincess2U]

but we`ll talk about it a lot!

Yep, lots a talk.

I do think we'll have more crimes because of the economy and because some people now think they can get away with it, just because...

Also we have the drug cartels to deal with because our government don't do they're job and I wonder if ANYONE that becomes president WILL do their job protecting us. We don't have anyone that will protect us anymore.

[Windy City Conservative]

A private call, that the lackluster TMZ like Yahoo News gets invited to. WTF? I hope the RNC goes bankrupt someday; they don’t deserve a dime.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

It would be stupid. He’s got more policy and fraud ammo than we can use. Good grief.

[EternalVigilance]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf8SpBQOJcg

[Windy City Conservative]

Defeating Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas? I could have done that. Notice the guy is completely of the PC generation. He puts in his hours in the beltway and runs to the nearest pub to get smashed every night.

[SoldierDad]

Is attacking Obozo's poor job performance a personal attack? Is attacking his extreme positions a personal attack? Is hammering him on being out of touch with the rest of the nation a personal attack?

I DON'T THINK SO!

[YHAOS]

"BS."

BS, what?

Repubics generally "pi**" me off, and have for years.

[ScottinVA]

McCain’s people slapped the gag on Sarah Palin after she began launching into direct attacks on Obama in 2008. The raging success of that move was borne out by the great victory they achieved...

oh, wait...

[YHAOS]

Oh wait!

I get it.

Never mind.

[tcrlaf]

“Look how popular Donald Trump became over night when he took it straight to Obama.”

Then, look at how long it took the mostly gay-run liberal media to turn him in to a politically incorrect laughingstock. About 30 days....

THAT IS WHAT THE RNC FEARS. And those fears are not unfounded.

[DoughtyOne]

While I agree with you, they already know you are angry with them. The current Republican party cares not if you love them or hate them. They know you can’t vote for Obama, so you only have one other choice, and the McCains are as good as anyone else for all they care.

It’s rather surprising to me that they even launch any kind of a national campaign anymore. Once the campaign is over, that’s the last you hear from the RNC until the next one.

They call for donations non-stop, but as for lofting our ideology for the public to adopt, or combating the destructive actions of the Left, forget about it.

Conservatives have nearly no representation at all in Washington, D.C.

[ScottinVA]

How's this for an Obama ad: "Vote for my sorry a$$ because the cringing, tail-tucking, spineless Republican elites can't handle my losing."

There. Fixed it.

[Responsibility2nd]

Newt will attack him if nobody else will!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I disagree. 4 years ago I would have said “MCCAIN will attack him if nobody else will!!!”

But we all know how that didn’t happen. And Newt is softer than McCain.

But there is one person who will (and has) personally attacked Obama.

You know you I mean.

(hint: Think weasel hair)

[elpadre]

Any attacks must be based on undeniable facts. All the garbage we hear so often based on fantasy or wishful thinking has no place in a Republican presidential campaign. We don't need to be mud slingers, there is enough substance to drive this phony out of the WH. Let the democrats wallow in it. However, every attack on our man needs to be answered loud and clear, and with both barrels.

[Crawdad]

I am not say we should stoop to the Ed Schultz, SEIU, Maddow, Malloy, Democratic cesspool,

I am.

[Venturer]

No Balls—No Blue Chips

No guts-—No glory.

Match’s the Republicans well.