Question
The Obama campaign never does "win the day"/one day strategies.
Assuming that statement, what's the strategy on this "Say it to my face" strategy, daring McCain to talk about Ayers himself?
Just to out "butch" McCain? Luring McCain into going "too far?"
Do they have polling on the Ayers attacks saying...? Does the Ayers attack poll badly among women? Surburbanites?
They figure McCain's going to do it anyway, so they're framing?
What's the backside of this strategy? What's the "snap" in daring McCain down this path?
Assuming that statement, what's the strategy on this "Say it to my face" strategy, daring McCain to talk about Ayers himself?
Just to out "butch" McCain? Luring McCain into going "too far?"
Do they have polling on the Ayers attacks saying...? Does the Ayers attack poll badly among women? Surburbanites?
They figure McCain's going to do it anyway, so they're framing?
What's the backside of this strategy? What's the "snap" in daring McCain down this path?
posted by mikevotes at
6:01 PM
8 Comments:
I think it's two fold: to make McCain look small... dishonorable... desperate, and to goad him into pushing the issue.
I'm guessing the reality of Ayers and the Obama-Ayers "connection" would make McCain's fret alert. So let's stoke this... let's have McCain push and push. At some point the media -- a Special Report -- will expose the hate-stoking McCain/Palin rhetoric as pathetic.
If McCain does bring this up in the next debate I expect Obama may have a sharp, concise smack down. Though that would deviate from the Obama m.o. we've come to expect.
Who knows? Time will tell.
By
-epm, at 9:43 PM
I think that's it. I think it's poke McCain until he overreaches or has to stop because of damage to reputation or polling.
The Obama folks are just so careful about stuff like this that you know it's not just some quick decision/reaction. They've worked through it and have some purpose.
By
mikevotes, at 9:58 PM
I think that EPM made a point a couple of days ago that McCain was taking the "high road" and letting Sara do the attacking to fire up the base. Assuming that is their strategy, (and it looks like Obama's camp is making that assumption) this basically forces them to come together on their message, drawing McCain further away from the center.
If he refuses, like you say, he looks chicken****. And if he goes there, they probably have something on deck to respond with but I think the first point is more important.
Also, as a related point, Obama doesn't have to respond to Palin's attacks. This takes away some of her power and gives the Obama camp an out on all this mudslinging. "You want to sling-mud? Do it yourself, McCain, with your creepy smile and all the rest." Not only less effective, but also unappealing to the middle.
I don't think this is a win the day strategy, this is how they will deal with attacks from Palin until the election.
By
Praguetwin, at 3:14 AM
I agree.
Also, One of the things the McCain camp has been doing is having its "women" (Palin, Cindy McCain) do most of the worst attacking, probably to try and bait Obama into a false sexism charge.
This gets around that, and attacks McCain.
Plus, the press loves this "tough guy" back and forth.
By
mikevotes, at 6:31 AM
Good point. Maybe they want Michelle to engage in some cat-fighting as well, considering her numbers were pretty bad when she injected herself into the fray.
I wonder if Obama will call him out on this in the final debate.
By
Praguetwin, at 9:44 AM
I hadn't picked up on the fact that it's the McCain women that are making the most poison personal attacks. There might be something of a strategy to that. Or it might be because they couldn't find another GOP surrogate to crawl that low. Something Mike's pointed out.
I still think McCain's hope was to keep himself personally out of the soup ("I never accused Obama of palling around with terrorists"). But what's happening is what I suggested -- and Mike pointed out in a couple of posts up -- the monster of the mob is out of its cage. McCain IS now in the thick of the soup... And he's completely at a loss as to what he should do. ("Shit. Now what do I do?")
Don't forget, this wing of the base NEVER liked McCain. They still don't. Now they're openly and vocally challenging him at his rallies to, essentially, do something about the Muslim terrorist, Barack HUSSEIN Obama... They're pushing McCain to take up their seditious cause.
Oh, and as Mike pointed out as well, this whole vile push doesn't seem to be moving the polls one bit.
Now what, John. Now whata you got? "Bring it, baby. Say it to my face, old man."
Tues, 15 Oct. 9:00EDT/10 Central.
By
-epm, at 9:45 AM
So -- has anyone gone to the university where this guy Ayers teaches, and interviewed him?
I've been watching for that, but haven't seen it. Anyone?
By
Anonymous, at 9:56 AM
Pragurtwin, The have to be a little more careful with Michelle because her fav/unfav's aren't really solid. They're trying to soft focus her and take her out of the race.
....
EPM, I think they're doing it because of the complexities in Obama hitting the women back.
And I definitely see your two channels argument now. McCain didn't bring up Ayers todfay when he was on his own.
And, again, this was his nuclear game-changer.
.....
Anon, Ayers has pretty much refused all requests for interview.
By
mikevotes, at 3:57 PM
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