Against Obama, McCain Must Do What Clinton Didn't
John McCain clearly sees his foreign policy experience and his personal biography as his strong suits in a potential match-up against Barack Obama. But he should get a debriefing from Hillary Clinton before he makes these the centerpiece of his campaign.
She, after all, has been spectacularly unsuccessful in convincing voters that “experience” trumps “change.” What makes McCain think he can do any better?
Yes, McCain might be tempted to bet that he can make a more compelling case about experience than Clinton has. That unlike Clinton, he really has been at the center of national security issues for a generation.
But voters, at least the millions registering or switching registration to vote in the Democratic primary, keep telling exit pollsters that “experience” matters less than the “ability to bring about change.” Polls show an all-time high percentage of voters think we are “on the wrong track.” It could just be that no amount or type of experience constitutes a compelling case this year.
McCain’s best hope lies in several alternative arguments, none of which is a slam dunk.
The first is that the “change” which voters are seeking is really the desire for bipartisanship and true independence. The Republicans have gotten more conservative, the Democrats more liberal, the acrimony more intense and the gridlock more frustrating. Voters don’t like it and want something different. Defining “change” as a shift to more bipartisan governance may send shivers up the spines of party activists on the right, but that notion may approximate the actual concerns of key independent voters.
McCain would argue that it takes a proven maverick—one who antagonized his own party’s base time and again and whose name regularly appears on legislation as half of the hyphenated title with liberal Democrats—to usher in this new era. He would remind voters that Obama, no matter how conciliatory his language, is an extreme liberal, and therefore incapable of bridging the partisan divide.
McCain will also seek to make Obama into a phony in voters’ eyes. The argument would be that for all of his opponent’s soothing rhetoric and appeal for high-mindedness, Obama is a Chicago pol, a bare-knuckled fighter who will only lead to more incendiary politics. Every time an Obama surrogate utters an obnoxious comment, McCain will cry hypocrisy. Similarly, he’ll argue that Obama’s reversal on public financing shows that Obama breaks his word like every other politician.
He will have to make Obama look more Clinton than Clinton, and to convince voters that the only way to “turn the page” is to choose him.
And he may argue that the particular version of “change” that Obama espouses is a fantasy, only workable when the lion lies down with the lamb. Sitting down with enemies and returning home from battlefields, McCain will argue, sounds great but is going to get us all killed. Sending lobbyists packing is a delightful vision, but they will eat Obama’s lunch on the first day.
Only a real veteran, the argument will go, can beat America’s enemies and wrestle the federal government to the mat.
So McCain does not lack strategic options. The problem is that they’ll all present similar challenges for McCain as they did for Clinton. She has tried to trump Obama’s experience, she has tried to present him as a two-faced, calculating careerist, she has argued that his grand-sounding visions are unworkable. Yet here Obama sits, on the verge of winning the Democratic nomination.
General election voters certainly may like McCain better than Hillary Clinton. But if McCain is to do better than she did against Obama, he’d better come up with a better plan of attack.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 47.7
- 43.8
- Obama +3.9
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 54.3
- 34.4
- +19.9
- McCain
- 51.7
- 36.3
- +15.4
Ha ha.
All it will take is one video from Osama bin Laden the week before the election and all the idiot undecided voters will flock to McCain.
bin Laden is now scheduling this video.
Senator Obama is a STRATEGIST. He is FOCUSED on the long game. Our "journalists" and pollsters are focused on gaming. Thre is a difference. He will NOT give up his "A" game during a Primary Campaign no matter how many ambushes the Clintons and their corporate toadies set up for him. He and Michelle knew what to expect when they began at zero w/zero dollars and college loans. He was ready, willing and able to endure the Clinton (and Bush/McCain/Republican) hazing during the PRIMARIES. Throughout he has out-MANAGED and MANEUVERED Hillary Clinton and her PR surrogates' games -- w/out allowing himself to be provoked. Last night Barack Obama could have raised the FALN terrorist PARDONS in 1999, while Hillary Clinton was running for the NY Senate and seeking Hispanic votes. He didn't. He could have raised decades worth of disgraceful scandals, but he doesn't. He is restrained and THAT should not be interpreted as weakness. He is CHANGING THE POLITICAL GAME, masterfully and to the benefit of ALL Americans. Charlie and George and ABCNews and the entire media industrial complex (not to be confused w/the military industrial complex or Clinton/Bush political/special interest corporate industrial complexs) DON'T GET IT and the personnel in place (Gibson, Couric, etc.) don't understand what is happening, are ill prepared with an ACTIVE electorate who have had it across-the-board and are WORRIED about their establishment setups and spheres of influence being upended by Senator Obama and REAL American patriots who are destablizing their collective setup. This is WHY what passes for "analysis" is so STRANGE. Since the Bush/Clinton deregulation of MEDIA, FINANCE and out-of-control MILITARY outsourcing to cos. like Halliburton -- the American people have to resort to blogs to have a discourse. When I called ABCNews and emailed my complaint -- I received pitches for more products, goods and services and a request NOT to respond to the email and my voicemail will not be responded to. This is OUR spectrum, America. It is a valuable part of our Democracy. Help Senator Obama help us take it and our Democracy BACK!
So, now Hillary Clinton (or John McCain) are beginning to articulate a NEW umbrella military oversight of the entire Middle East. Did ANY journalist in America hear this last night??? Sounds like the 100 year strategy. How many Americans want their children and grandchildren to sign up for the DRAFT for this -- while our own economy and way of life subsidizes it??? Bill Clinton and George Bush/Dick Cheney avoided the draft in their youth. Who does THIS serve? When will retired, unafraid REAL JOURNALISTS address this clear escalation of warfare in the Middle East??? Clinton/McCain are the same as Clinton/Bush.
Turn the page, America. Take back your Country!
With all due respect, granted he did serve our country.
However ....
McCain may have sat on the foreign-relations committee, he flew a plane over Viet Nam dropping bombs, and a captured POW. Let me ask how does that translate into "experience" or leadership?
Considering time and again McCain has burst into rages can Americans rest assured McCain will keep his infamous temper under control? Frankly I find that particularly unsettling to think he may fly off the handle in a very delicate situation.
What about his ambition for more wars in the Middle East? Can America afford more? Doesn't he understand it is our presence that is antagonizing people in a region who have been repressed for centuries?
He seems to be constantly confused about issues while on the campaign. Is that his age or is it something else?
Furthermore McCain's "economic" policies are worse than Bush's.
Meanwhile McCain is defining himself as a pragmatic moderate which he is not, not by any stretch as Obama is dealing with Clinton.
If McCain is -- god forbid -- elected we will have a third term Bush only on steroids!
Dear Americans:
The worst mistake we will make today is miss the opportunity of electing this man Obama as the next President of this nation whether we like his skin or not. God will use him to really help this nation. Observe the following ratings of McCain, Hillary, and Obama so you can be wise in casting your vote:
MANAGING THE NATION== McCain 45%, Hillary 55%, Obama 95%
PATRIOTISM == McCain 100%, Hillary 100%, Obama 100%
NATIONAL SECURITY== McCain 60%, Hillary 60%, Obama 98%
LOVE OF ISRAEL== McCain 100%, Hillary 100%, Obama 100%
ABILITY TO MAKE AMERICA BETTER OVERALL== McCain 45%, Hillary 65%, Obama 98%
BEING IN-TOUCH WITH AVERAGE AMERICA'S FEELINGS/HURTS
McCain = 49%, Hillary = 55%, Obama = 98%.
[Feel free to call me for explanation]
Obama is by far the better manager or will be a better manager of this nation than both Hillary and McCain. In fact, Obama is the one who is MUCH MORE READY TO BE PRESIDENT ON DAY ONE than McCain or Clinton. McCain is not a manager and he will find it difficult to acquire the needed skills quickly. Both McCain and Hillary (but more so for McCain) are more likely to commit management and national security blunders than Obama. [Poor management ability poses security problems to the whole nation. For instance, Bush Jr., whom I like as a person, may be highly patriotic, but his poor managerial ability led to a lot of wrong analysis and miscalculations, actually leading to destabilizing and undermining the security of USA as the economy tumbles] Three of the candidates we have now are equally patriotic, but Obama is much more IN-TOUCH with the average America than former First Lady and Senator McCain. They can't even touch Obama in this In-Touch index--Obama 98% to Hillary 56% and McCain 49%. Both Hillary and McCain are much more likely to behave like the previous campaigners in these small towns who told the people what to hear but never showed up to help!!! Obama will come back to help!! He can't even help it! He is not a typical politician at all. He speaks from his belly and heart and truly feel for these people in small towns and everywhere who have suffered a lot and have been betrayed by past administration and campaigners. Voters, be careful no to be deceived by politicians' twists of the truth!--Dr. Festus S. A. O. "Strongblood"
Well, McCain better do all that's suggested and more. We have GOT to defeat the Marxist Obama. His empty oratory has appealed to the emotions of naive college kids and even more pragmatic people who think with their hearts instead of with their minds. His mesmerizing speeches make these naive folks feel good, and that's all they care about. Those who examine the facts about Obama's life and deeds and remarks can clearly see the danger of not only America going socialist, but, gulp, communist!
Read about Obama's long history of Marxist leanings and connections, from the father he tries to live up to, to the man who was his mentor growing up, to the Marxist beginnings of his liberation church. It's all there. He is not only a Marxist but an elitist at that. He wants us to give up all our individualism to serve the well being of "the group." Yes, he's said as much, but more subtly. He's good at fooling the naive.
Grow up! Wake up! Face the facts about this man.
Stop feeling good about hope and change, and start researching just what he hopes for and the DIRECTION of his change. CHANGE can be for the better, OR it can be for the very worst! Obama will undo the rights of the individual that our country was founded on. And that means YOU and I will lose our freedoms.
Remember when communism was our enemy? Well, to quote a famous comic strip, "We have met the enemy, and they are US!" Or will be if Obama has his way.
Amen to that. We must not let empty suit Obama take office. Marshal all of your resources to help McCain defeat this liberal.