Obama Campaign Strategy Suggestions (it’s time to take off the gloves)
March 6th, 2008 Posted in Clinton, Obama
The Obama campaign has avoided negativity and gratuitous attacks. That’s a matter of integrity, and it’s nice that someone has finally proved that it works.
On the other hand, it’s time to put Hillary out of her misery. It’s important that these attacks be fair, not be made directly by Obama himself, and that they stem from the nature of her own campaign–i.e., that they point out the implications of her own nastiness.
Some things I’d like to see:
- Hang McCain around Clinton’s neck the way Bush will be hung around McCain’s. If she thinks that after her, McCain is the next best commander-in-chief, then she ought to bear the burden of that view. Run ads showing her and McCain together. Point out similarities in their voting records and views–especially on Iraq, Iran, and NAFTA. Call her McCain Light. Show her with Liebermann as well, just for texture.
- Because Clinton is a whiny victim, ask voters whether they really want someone with a victim-mentality as commander in chief–someone who is thin-skinned and so brittle that she can’t fight a fair campaign; highlight her instability, her bizarre range of moods–from condescending scold to tearful victim, from bitter complainer to euphoric winner, from pandering flatterer to angry fear-monger, from solemn admonisher to sarcastic fool. All that takes is editing together a few clips in a way that shows her to be the bi-polar (multi-polar!) candidate that she is
- If Clinton counts being next to Bill Clinton at 3am when he picks up the phone as commander-in-chief experience, ask voters to compare this absurd notion to a husband having experience in law because he’s around when his lawyer wife picks up phone calls in front of him or discusses his day with him. Ask voters if we want someone who dramatically overestimates her own experience and seems unaware of her own shortcomings. Dissect her “35 years”–again, a series of images and clips are all that’s required. Her she is in law school; as a corporate lawyer; on the board of wal-mart; contrast this to Obama’s career in public service–again, visually.
- Clinton as an experienced manager: simply highlight the way she’s run her campaign–the short-sighted strategies that damage the party; the financial mismanagement; the internal discord
- Claim that Clinton cares more about herself and her power than about the party [this a very borderline strategy that if it can be done at all would have to be done well--important for Obama not to appear to be complaining or implying that he's already won and that future primaries aren't important]
- Create an ad that alternates between Clinton’s attacks and her complaints about Obama’s attacks and media coverage. One attack clip, one complaint clip. No voice-over. Just a quick line as summation at the end, something like “whether she’s on the attack or thinks she’s a victim, is Hillary Clinton in touch with reality?” It’s important that these attacks merely highlight all the inconsistencies and contradictions internal to her own logic
Update: (1) is already being rolled out:
“For seven years she aligned herself with Sen. McCain in putting all our eggs in General Musharaf’s basked,” Craig said. “And she aligned herself with Sen. McCain when they both criticized Barack Obama for taking action against al Qaeda leadership, which has taken safe havens in Pakistan. She aligned herself with Sen. McCain in supporting the Kyl-Lieberman resolution”
They need to keep this up in earnest–in public statements and in ads. There needs to be a concerted take-down of her character and emotional stability. My suggestions aren’t very nice, but a knock-out punch is required to keep her from damaging the party and Obama any further.
Update II: Larry David’s hilarious version of (2) here:
How is it that she became the one who’s perceived as more equipped to answer that 3 a.m. call than the unflappable Obama? He, with the ice in his veins, who doesn’t panic when he’s losing or get too giddy when he’s winning, who’s as comfortable in his own skin as she’s uncomfortable in hers. There have been times in this campaign when she seemed so unhinged that I worried she’d actually kill herself if she lost.
3 Responses to “Obama Campaign Strategy Suggestions (it’s time to take off the gloves)”
By Jean on Mar 6, 2008
Consider Clintons most current statements, that she’d consider a Clinton/ Obama ticket! Is America listening to this? Are they hearing what I’m hearing? After trashing Obama, accusing him of empty rhetoric, having his heads in the clouds, and the bombshell, when asked if she thought he was a christian, her answeringwith, as far as I know, she’d actually offer him the second most important job in he country, which makes him president if something happens and she can’t serve, with out being able to say with conviction, that he’s no Islamic terrorist!Her own supporters actually started this rumor on the internet, and was fired by her, when it was brought to her attention that it was known it came from her campaign! What is she thinking, you should ask! I’ll tell you, she’s thinking that she will sell the vice presidency to gain all the Obama supporters, Independents, cross over Republicans and Dems. not scurrently supporting her! What does that say about Hillary Clinton! The same thing it says about a citizen selling security docements to another country, she has no patriotism for her country! Greed dictates her actions! Obama needs to verbalize that he not only denounce any such notion, of sharingher ticket, but rejects it as well! We his supporters don’t want him joined on a status quo ticket with Hillary Clinton! There campaign styles are different, she’s use smear and fear and he campaigns with integrity! If we his supporters, thought he’d join her, we’d stop supporting him! He also needs to let the super delegates know he won’t consider a ticket with her, so they’ll realize if they want us, his supporters, they need to give him the nomination! We won’t tolerate a two for one!
By Jean on Mar 6, 2008
MEDIA GREED UPSETS TUESDAY’S PRIMARY BY USING SMEAR TACTICS AGAINST OBAMA, WHILE PRETENDING IT WAS DUE TO A RED PHONE!
This smear tactics appear to have been levelled
to give Hillary ammunition to continue the race, so they the media, can continue to enjoy the cash cow that exist as long as the race goes on! They claim it was Obama’s getting caught! No, it was the media, smearing him the day before the election! We all know that the race was tight , with 4 points between them in Ohio, and a dead heat in Texas, the day before the media smear blitz was introduced. As fot the Canada meeting, when the media introduced the blitz, they conveniently forgot to mention that Obama didn’t authorize or know of the meeting, so was answering honestly when he said there was no meeting! No one had informed him there was one! He needs to investigate to see if he has a sell out in his campaign, because not even an idiot would have called such a meeting! Especially since only the president and congress can make NAFTA changes! Obama is neither the president, nor the nominee yet! The media gave the full information that clears Obama, on the next day after their smear tactics, while voters were already on their way, or already had been to the polls to vote! By withholding these facts, wwhen the blitz came out, it made Obama aappear dishonest, which added weight to the first smear blitz regarding a link between Obama and Retzko! Voters went to the polls thinking Obama was a liar with empty speeches! Today, CNN Situation Room came out with what they already knew, when they made the smear, that the link was not negative in any way against Obama! They are now trying to blame the loss of votes on the red phone, and on Obama being caught! Caught at what! He was caught in a media smear campaign, probably planned to take place the day before the primary election,in order to give Hillary more votes so race could continue to provide them with a cash cow and high ratings! Shame on the Media! They smeared him for cash and ratings, and now they hide behind a red phone, and the lame excuse that he was caught,all a lie, because we now know he wasn’t caught at anything except a big smear tactic! Let’s be honest here, if the media really want to be fair to Hillary, whocomplained she received all the questions first, they would have just given Obama, all the first questions at the next debate! No they used the fairness issues to pull the wool over the American public’s eye! The public should take them to task! After all, the monies the media is scooping up as this race goes on, all comes from our pockets, we’re the ones footing the bill to support our candidate!
By Gary W. Schmelz on Jun 18, 2008
I suggest Obama compromise on the offshore drilling situation.
The democratic position on offshore drilling should be that offshore drilling should only be allowed if the money obtained from this activity be used used to develop and expand upon alternate energy industries (wind generators, solar power, etc) and revitalize our nations railroad system.
At this time most “experts” believe that even if additional supplies of crude oil are discovered there will only be enough to support demands for about ten years. So it is important that we not allow new oil discoveries be used to put us back into the “business as usual situation” resulting in the nation returning to the same crisis situation in ten years.
If new oil explorations results in the discovery of new fossil fuels it will temporarily help reduce market speculation and give us time to develop new industries in alternate energy. These industries should become part of America’s new vision for the future. This vision can also help guide us towards becoming a nation which demonstrates to the world how serious we are about reducing global pollution.