Monday, September 22, 2008

A Pivotal Week For John McCain

Preseason is over folks, as the first debate looms ever closer. While I believe the fundamentals of John McCain’s campaign are strong, there is starting to be a perception that Obama is retaking his lead. On this week leading up to Friday’s debate the McCain campaign need to reclaim the energy and momentum. Here is what I believe needs to be accomplished this week.


Get Back To Using Thematic Ads- The best week the McCain camp had before Sarah Palin was when Steve Schmidt unveiled the “Celebrity” ads. This was a masterstroke by the McCain campaign because it started defining Obama for the voters. This week a new crop of thematic ads need to appear. The McCain camp has released an ad that will hopefully be the first in a series to air this week. The ad is titled “Chicago Machine” and lays out Obama’s past associations. This is good, this whole week there should be “Chicago Machine” ads that will allow the folks around Obama to be exposed and thus change the narrative of the campaign leading up to the pivotal first debate.


Romney Should Be Traveling To Michigan And Colorado- I know Mitt Romney is on McCain’s economic commission, but he needs to be used to greater advantage. Mitt Romney, I believe, can only do John McCain good in both Colorado and Michigan. Colorado has a fairly substantial LDS population that can be rallied by Romney and Michigan is just waiting to be plucked from the democratic column. Romney has economic leadership that can be used to reassure and shore up these two states for McCain. Romney has been all over television, but he needs to be on the ground in these two states. McCain has a great asset in Mitt Romney during this economic uncertainty. He just needs to use him correctly.


Practice, Practice, Practice- You need to be prepared John, there will be no friendly or even fair questions directed your way. The format of these debates will allow for a great deal of back and forth between the candidates and this is a great development. Stay on offense, don’t be deferential and start conceding points. The moment you sound apologetic and concede any issue to Obama its over, you lose the debate. Get your message out, leave Bush alone, talk about why this economic mess was caused by bad democratic policies, and finally bring home those national security points. Though I hate to bring back this clichéd word from the 2000 campaign, show some “gravitas”. It is your job in this first debate to marginalize Obama, put him on defense and keep him there.


Final Thoughts-
The media, as begun on Morning Joe this morning, is painting the McCain campaign as “off their game” and “starting to fall behind.” Frankly, I have looked at these polls and I do not believe that, yet. Recapturing the momentum leading up to the debate will be the McCain camps task and if they can do it and stay on offence in the debate, the Obama folks are going to be in for a rough October. Until tomorrow…

9 comments:

Chuck said...

McCain needs to go after Obama hard in the debate. Obama has not had to defend his policies and his stances until now. He gives a great speech that plays well to the sheeple but he has no substance. When he makes one of his rediculous claims, McCain needs to go after him, make him back it up. Obama will get rattled and look like the inexperienced hack he is. If McCain can do this, he will look like a leader, Obama will look like an idiot. The election will be over.

Nancy Swider said...

Absolutely Chuck, Obama is not a very good debater, there is plenty to take advantage of.

Anonymous said...

Aren't you getting tired of the mainstream media meme that if you're white and you don't vote for Barack Obama it's because you're a racist? Or that if John McCain wins, it's because he's white and Obama isn't?

Anonymous said...

Obama is all fuss and feathers and no plan. Like John Kerry, he is willfully ducking anything substantive. Every day “Old Hope and Change” looks more and more like a nag on the way to the dog food plant. Even
USA Today editors find John McCain a better uniter than Barack Obama. Even USA Today finds John McCain to be a better uniter than Barack Obama.

Anonymous said...

This is the dirtiest, most ruthlessly political campaign I’ve seen in a very long time. What they have done to Sarah Palin and her family is far and away the dirtiest and most disgusting thing that they could do.
It’s time for John McCain to take off the gloves and hit back. I can’t wait til Sarah tears into Joe Biden

Ann Pruitt said...

Now I know what "Community Organizer" means... it is code for Chicago Thug. Obama received the 2nd greatest amount of funds from Fannie Mae (second only to Chris Dodd) and now Obama wants to give advice on Economics? That's like letting wolves give self defense classes to sheep.
Right on Nancy... your insights are great and to the point!

da patriot said...

I agree, Nancy. I don't think the polls are that bad, especially if the Bradley Effect is in play. But McCain does need to get busy and take advantage of Obama's weaknesses, which are many. In any event, this election is going to be a close one.

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