Here's a question I haven't seen asked.
Why did the McCain campaign feel the need to feed a frontpage story to the WaPo announcing that they were going to start attacking next Wednesday? Why pre-announce it now, and give the Obama camp the chance to get on the air first?
(Later:Here's the ad.)
So why would they pre-announce? 1) Are they trying to lay the groundwork so that a sudden negative jolt doesn't seem so jarring? 2) Did they feel the need to send out a message of "fighting and not giving up" to their supporters as McCain went into seclusion for two days? 3) Are they trying to set up the debate somehow? 4) Are they trying to get the media to write groundwork stories for them? 5) Maybe they want Palin to trial balloon some attacks while McCain is off the trail, but they had to pre-announce the strategy so no one thought she'd gone off on her own?
It just seems odd to me. Any other ideas? Help me here.
Later: As Praguetwin points out, doesn't telegraphing make it less effective, making it look more like the cynical strategy of a losing campaign? (Especially when your campaign staff issues quotes saying that's exactly what you're doing.)
Later: Apparently, Karl Rove agrees with me. (shiver.)
His campaign is going up Monday on national cable stations with a scathing ad saying: “Three quarters of a million jobs lost this year. Our financial system in turmoil. And John McCain? Erratic in a crisis. Out of touch on the economy. No wonder his campaign wants to change the subject.
“Turn the page on the financial crisis by launching dishonorable, dishonest ‘assaults’ against Barack Obama. Struggling families can't turn the page on this economy, and we can't afford another president who is this out of touch.”
....“I'm Barack Obama and I approved this message.”
(Later:Here's the ad.)
So why would they pre-announce? 1) Are they trying to lay the groundwork so that a sudden negative jolt doesn't seem so jarring? 2) Did they feel the need to send out a message of "fighting and not giving up" to their supporters as McCain went into seclusion for two days? 3) Are they trying to set up the debate somehow? 4) Are they trying to get the media to write groundwork stories for them? 5) Maybe they want Palin to trial balloon some attacks while McCain is off the trail, but they had to pre-announce the strategy so no one thought she'd gone off on her own?
It just seems odd to me. Any other ideas? Help me here.
Later: As Praguetwin points out, doesn't telegraphing make it less effective, making it look more like the cynical strategy of a losing campaign? (Especially when your campaign staff issues quotes saying that's exactly what you're doing.)
Later: Apparently, Karl Rove agrees with me. (shiver.)
posted by mikevotes at
9:38 PM
9 Comments:
"Maybe they want Palin to trial balloon some attacks while McCain is off the trail, but they had to pre-announce the strategy so no one thought she'd gone nuts?"
If not nut, then so no one thought she was going off the reservation... again. That's what I think. But if people were put off by McCain's sarcastic condescension in the debate, they'll be more so by Palin because she just over acts when she's mugging for an audience.
By
-epm, at 10:19 PM
YEah, that's what I was after, but I thought it was getting a little wordy. I may change it to your wording.
And, if attack is the new strategy, and the debate is the launch, we're going to get alot more McCain attitude at the debate.
By
mikevotes, at 10:21 PM
Looks like Palin has already launched. Coddling terrorists worked years ago. I don't think this is going to fly.
But to your question, it just seems weird that they would announce it. It takes a lot of the bite out of the attacks when you know that they are just acting out of desperation. Are they that stupid?
I'm really at a loss to explain this one.
By
Praguetwin, at 7:00 AM
That first flier seems to have kinda flopped in the media at least.
Of course, it didn't have ad support and it was by the second on the ticket to donors.
And, your point about telegraphing, I didn't even mention. I may throw it in there. (If my paraphrase is inexact and you don't want it attributed, let me know.)
By
mikevotes, at 7:29 AM
Your paraphrasing is far superior to the original, but yeah, that is what I was trying to say... clumsily.
By
Praguetwin, at 9:46 AM
Thanks. I like to credit commenters for the ideas, but, I also hate to put words in your mouth.
By
mikevotes, at 10:15 AM
They are trying to boost morale.
Republicans really believe that recycling these smears will turn things around. They simply cannot bring themselves to believe that those outside the "base" don't care about Wright, Ayers, and Rezko, so the smears are ostensibly failing because people just haven't heard enough about these smears.
Therefore, this announcement is a message to the base that "the gloves are off" and that they should expect things to turn around quickly. If they didn't do this announcement, the base would have nothing to hang their hopes on. Now the base can sit back and smile while waiting for the smears to do their putative damage.
By
Todd Dugdale , at 11:18 AM
And Rove agrees with us. Does that makes us wonks?
I think Feinstein nails it, and so does Murphy (did I get the name right?)
Ifill, though, was my favorite comment.
By
Praguetwin, at 1:08 PM
Todd. Morale is a big part of it, I think. One of the big pro-McCain people I know was very down until he heard about this.
The idea being that they're so certain they're right and if only other people "knew what they know".....
They really believe this will turn the election.
So, I think you're dead on.
The only problem is, it's just suspending balls in the air. Another effort at a short term fix.
.....
Praguetwin, It's being portrayed as very political, so it's already undermined. Bad, bad campaigning.
By
mikevotes, at 2:38 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home