Is there a word when you pwn yourself?

Or, Obama could run ads linking John McCain to a war criminal and known terrorist leader.

Sounds like a sound strategy to me.

Yes, yes it does. Obama is running a real tight ship over there. Very impressive.

If there has ever been a bigger farce of a campaign than the one McCranky is running, I can't remember it.

The pre-announcement of the McCain attack strategy was simply another attempt to get the MSM to give those attacks more oxygen by reporting on them as news (cf. the "Celebrity" ad series). A lot has changed since the celebrity ads, running in the doldrums of summer. The economy spontaneously combusted and Sarah Palin arrived on the scene. Those two things, in my opinion, make it very hard for the MSM to pay much attention to these attacks. While McCain can change the subject, there's just too much going on these days for the media to.

McCain doesn't need to talk about the economy, because everyone already knows he for it ... and against it.

What the Obama Campaign needs to do is juxtapose McCain's calls for an end to partisanship during this crisis against McCain's simultaneous release of attack ads and comments (often immediately following his request) blaming Obama for everything. There's only one word voters will associate with McCain after that: "Hypocrite" (though "chutzpah" probably works too).

Many people are looking past the election and to what kind of economic team Obama will put together. Hope is still alive. McCain and Palin are being seen more as a sad sideshow on our long and difficult road to economic recovery.

The key word in the ad is "dishonorably". It will surely get under McCain's skin. McCain suffers from a permanent sense of shame over having behaved dishonorably in that Vietnamese prison camp by recording propaganda messages that were then used against the US. He was allegedly afraid to face his admiral father when he returned. If Obama keeps describing McCain's personal attack campaign as dishonorable, it might actually induce him to change it. At the very least, it will make him frustrated and angry, and prone to lash out with something unhinged.

Brilliant.
I'm happy.
Hope it runs everywhere....

See what I mean? I posted the following in the last thread - and you've already got a new one up! And on a Sunday! Now, from last thread:

Can I just preface by saying thanks Steve, hilzoy, et al for being the best weekend blog source for online news/analysis? Seriously. While all the other blogs more or less take the weekend off, you guys continue to put up fresh and interesting content - which is great for people like me who actually have more time on the weekends for reading and commenting. I really appreciate it.

Now to the topic: I'm sure McCain WOULD like to change the topic from the economy, and like others have said, it's distressing that we only win when people are concerned they're about to lose it all. But that's our own fault (or the Dems' own fault), Obama included. For example: Joe Biden missed a golden opporutnity the other night when Palin made that crap statement about "not believing in the redistribution of wealth", which is pure-D bullshit. If there is any one thing the Republican party has ALWAYS stood for, it's redistribution of wealth - from the have-nots to the haves. Biden should have said so; instead he cast it as an issue of "fairness". I will credit him with pointing out that under Clinton, with slightly higher income tax rates on the wealthy, EVERYONE made more money, the wealthy included. But most people's level of economic education is not sufficient for them to be able to connect the dots as to WHY that is true. They've been fed a steady diet of trickle-down fantasy and how it's somehow "unfair" to ask people who have benefitted most to pay more for over 30 years now by the GOP; those ideas have become deep-rooted truths in the minds of many, and the only way to change that is to explain to them the reasons why the economy isn't working any more, and won't work again, without some equalization of wealth - which is typically most easily accomplished with a progressive system of taxation - the type of system we no longer have, thanks to the GOP. By 1998 things were already so out of whack that the top 10% owned 70% of the nation's wealth while the bottom 40% owned a mere 2/10ths of 1% - and it's only gotten worse in the 10 years since. How can a consumer economy function when half the population has no money to spend? There's a limit to how much 10% of the population can actually spend and circulate through the economy. We're in a situation now where at best less than half the money supply is in play and that's the half that's keeping the other 270 million of us afloat. It's a situation that's not good for anybody, including those in that top 10%, because lower economic activity means they can't get a return on the massive amounts of money they have that they can't spend and instead invest...and dwindling opportunities for investment are one of the things that drove the housing bust.

People need to understand this stuff, that far from being a "punishment" for wealth, progressive taxation keeps the economy healthy for ALL of us, that there's nothing wrong, evil, or unfair about a system of taxation that protects all of us, including those the GOP has forever been casting as the "victims" of progressive taxation. If the Democrats would undertake the task of educating the populace on some of this stuff, McCain and company would have nowhere left to go. With the added bonus that we might see some sanity returned to the tax system after Obama is elected, with a citizenry pre-inoculated against the caterwauling the GOP will engage in when it occurs. Not to mention that it would collect the money to pay for the bailout from the people most responsible for it, who will feel the bite the least.

yes, very sound strategy. and this too from the Plank:

If Democrats want to deal in an ugly way with McCain, they can talk about the jail sentence served by Cindy McCain's uncle and the suspended sentence her father "served," in connection with illegal activities in their beer distribution business. They can revive the stories of his wildness, his adulterous relationship with Cindy when his first wife (mother of some of his children) was disfigured in an auto accident, his inappropriate senatorial activity on behalf of Charles Keating, and perhaps his not very glorious, pre-prison record in the naval air force. Let's hope that this doesn't happen,and let's hope we've
heard the last of William Ayers, Tony Rezko, and Jeremiah Wright.--Richard Stern

Also, it is time to turn not only Palin into late night gag lines, but also the ridiculous laughing stock punditry.—

Broder’s over the top column praising Palin (looks like his buddy Rove wrote it)

Rich Lowery’s masturbation confessions (aka “Star Bursts�?? GMAFB).

"We think the McCain campaign made a huge error by telling the press that their strategy was to distract from the most important issue facing voters," a senior Obama official told the Politico. "Every attack going forward will be easy to characterize for what it is -- an attempt to distract from the Bush-McCain economic record."'

Since Johnny and Sarah have shit-canned their reliance on a cooperative press by getting free
air by selling each day's new attack spots as 'NEWS', can we expect the Media to stop airing them AS News?

Panic mode has created a situation for McGrump that his must, you becha, double up on the lies, a preannounced.

"his campaign"

Dan,

do you have a source for

"McCain suffers from a permanent sense of shame over having behaved dishonorably in that Vietnamese prison camp by recording propaganda messages that were then used against the US. He was allegedly afraid to face his admiral father when he returned."

I've not read any of the McCain books, so I'm sorry if I'm missing to obvious sources.

Thanks.

We deserve to have someone like Bill Moyers as a moderator of these "fake debates"...WHY, oh WHY, are we stuck with the likes of Brokaw and Schieffer (even Ifill and Leher disappointed - no hard hitting follow-ups just set up the stump speech retorts)...Sadly our media doesn't know how to listen, prepare, question, follow-up and actually investigate the issues of the conversation they are engaged in...they just pick up the daily meme and go with it...

We think the McCain campaign made a huge error by telling the press that their strategy was to distract from the most important issue facing voters,

That may be true, but I think it would be a mistake not to answer the attacks specifically, lest the seed of doubt be planted in the minds of the easily frightened, xenophobic, uncritically thinking American public.

Wow, that is a very effective ad. I hope to see that one in heavy rotation nationally and in swing states. The preemptive nature of it has immense value in inoculating against what's coming, and it plays to Obama's strengths and hits hard at McCain's big weakness - ties to Bush and his insensitivity to those struggling economically. But it's also great visually. You noted the golf cart and the McCain/Bush "happy together" photo but, to me, the image that is most striking is the video of McCain struggling off-balance down the stairs of the plane with his dark glasses on as the announcer says "erratic in a time of crisis." Sure, it's mostly not substantive to highlight someone's frailty, but I think it's effective at a deeper level.

Beautiful ad. I love the image of McCain side-by-side with Bush and the voice-over "We can't afford another president this out of touch"

Zing. I agree with Koreyel, play it everywhere.

I've been sitting back and looking at all this and I am still amazed at how effective, focused and intelligent the Obama campaign has been in dealing with attacks and smears that would have crippled past Democratic Party nominees for President.

Where did this talent come from? Who are Plouffe and Axelrod? What made them? Are there other Democratic electoral geniuses out in the states and big cities waiting to be discovered too. That is an interview/ story I want to read when it is done.

I am also impressed with the general discipline and no drama approach of the democratic party officers and activists. Eyes on the prize, big strategy first, hit back hard. Amazing.

30 days to change America folks, drive it home.

I think they should hammer the "Out of Touch" meme and use this clip to make their point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_jMmiiWsdQ&feature=related

This is the clip where McCain says Americans would refuse to pick lettuce for $50/hr.

I also think his wealth is irrelevant. Its his positions that are the problem.

As a Democrat who was dispirited by the Rove attacks on Kerry (mostly by Kerry's failure to respond to them) I get a warm and fuzzy feeling watching this ad.

john mccain wanted to attend "retired" mafia leader joseph bonanno's 90th birthday party in 1995 but, well, you know, it just wouldn't look right, so instead he sent a birthday telegram.

joseph bonanno may be dead now but his family remember what a good friend they have in john mccain and have continued making contributions to his political campaigns, including this one.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE7D61638F93BA25752C0A963958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/search.php?cid=N00006424&name=Bonanno&employ=(any+employer)&state=(all)&zip=(any+zip)&submit=OK&amt=a&sort=A

and given how we know that ronald reagan was , by his own admission, afflicted with significant memory problems during his presidency, mccain's age should be a significant issue under consideration by voters.

Agree with Huck about the image of frailty. In addition to stumbling a bit, his walk is very tentative, he has an unsure expression and is alone. Considered alongside use of the word "erratic" this ad is without a doubt a play on McCain's age in addition to a preemptive defense.

Actually, I think the relationship of Obama and Ayers (and Wright, et al.) is substantive. One cannot know everything that a president will be called to deal with, so a candidate's character is very important, and one's friends and allies are an important clue to one's character. I hope Obama wins, but honestly I think that Ayers and Wright are signs of a possibly disturbing radicalism and racialism on Obama's part.

Not answering the attacks IMMEDIATELY the Dems loose the instant gratification the Repugs get from the fear ads.

By the way these are easy ones to throw back at them - Obama colluding with terroists - oh please - she should be made to EAT those words. Biden & HRC & other Dems should be very loud in their distaste for those statements. Where are they and why is no Dem stepping up to the plate and calling McPain & co on these statements.

I wonder have the at least visited the idea of forgoing the presidency and focusing on repairing the image and to recruit and train individuals that are adept to campaigning.

They couldn't make it any clearer they don't need to be in power, they can't campaign. "Turn the page." Seriously?

Character does matter. If you believe Obama sat in a church for 20 years and did not hear any of Rev. Wright’s hate speech, that he sat at Frank Marshal Davis’s feet and listened to his poetry and stories (google) That his associations with the New Party of Chicago (google), Ayers, Resko and other shady characters has not influenced Obama’s character and judgement, then you must also beleive, though never having seen me, that I am the sexiest most handsome man alive

I see the trolls are already earning their stipends.
"...I think the relationship of Obama and Ayers...is substantive...". by Neil RC @ 13:42 PM.
Of what? Sen. Obama knows, in passing, someone who, forty years ago, was a leftist radical. There is nothing in Sen. Obama's resume that would even hint at any "support" for any of Ayers' actions four decades ago. Unless, of course, one was either paid to believe so or just can't face the color of Sen. Obama's skin...
"Character does matter...sat in church for 20 years and did not hear...any hate speech...listened to his poetry...associations with the New Party...and other shady characters..." .
In context, almost all of Rev. Wrights' sermons are not "hate", but rather extreme disappointment over the failure of the white majority-controlled government to fulfill the promise of this country - and to execute the laws of the land.
I've read Karl Marx, don't agree with him, but the reading was worthwhile. As for "shady" characters"; if McCain didn't have a lock on the MSM (which looks as if it is giving way), there would reports about his connections to the "Keating 5", various mobsters, gamblers, GWB; shall I continue?

For Doug,
Now you can tell all your friends that the sexiest, most handsom man alive just spoke to you

Team Obama, more use of "The Hug", please.

Jennifer, you are absolutely correct, but the case can be made more simply: average taxpayers just bailed out the wealthy. To the extent that the wealthy increase their wealth, they should repay the country. (Income taxes, capital gains taxes, and estate taxes are how you do that.)

As Americas life comes to a smashing close, Americans are getting squirmish as they're losing the election of their lives. After they lose the election, the only blood that will be spilt on American streets will be their own, in the repugnant colors of red, white and blue, and the dead smell of capitalist freedom and democratic thought. A smell no pig can undoubtedly resist.

A sounder strategy might be McCain driving home Obama's linkage to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, as well as his alliance with voter-fraud-masters ACORN who also helped create the Fannie-Mae-Freddie-Mac problems.

As for Obama and Ayers? People can deny it all they want. But it exists. And wishing it weren't so doesn't lessen what it is and make it go away.

HAHA, AMERICA! THE END IS HERE! OBAMA WINS! OBAMA WINS! OBAMA WINS!

DEATH TO FREEDOM NOW! DEATH TO DEMOCRACY NOW! DEATH TO CAPITALISM
NOW!

DEATH TO AMERICA NOW! DEATH TO AMERICA NOW! DEATH TO AMERICA NOW!

KILL ALL DA BITCHES NOW! KILL ALL DA BITCHES NOW! KILL ALL DA BITCHES
NOW!

RISE OBAMA RISE! RISE OBAMA RISE! RISE OBAMA RISE!

OBAMA 08
OBAMA 08
OBAMA 08

In many states it's probably time for the Obama campaign to only put out positive ads which communicate his policies by briefly listing areas in which he intends to focus, perhaps contrasting his focus or priorities with other administrations of the past.

There are some states (maybe Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia) where they needs ads which can define McCain or contrast their stated policies.

There probably aren't any remaining states where a purely negative ad campaign will do any good. For folks who don't know who McCain is by now they'll never know or care.

I think the McCain camp is sort of putting out feelers or trial balloons to see what the Obama camp responds to. It's probably not overly useful to 'preempt' attacks. I'd rather see them focus ONLY on positive images and aspects of Obama's plans. Don't go shooting yourself in the foot using a cannon when they haven't even pulled out their pea-shooter yet.

Let's see just how much the American people have taken to Barack Obama over the last year and a half.

I will give it less than 6 months before the bumper stickers reading I DID NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA to be across the nation.

I will give it less than 6 months before the bumper stickers reading I DID NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA to be across the nation.

So let me get this straight, if you know lobbyists, i.e. people that represent legitimate interests of the people of the US, then that's bad. But it's okay to serve in a foundation created by an unapologetic terrorist? One thing Obama is good at - cozying up to just the wrong people. No wonder he wants to be buddies with Ahmedinijad, they're birds of a feather!