Wednesday, February 20, 2008

On the Forthcoming General Election

Gary at Jokers has this to say about McCain vs. Obama election strategy:
1. Make this a foreign policy election. Talk about Iraq. Alot. I can't imagine when voters hear about McCain's insistence upon winning in Iraq versus Obama's insistence upon losing in Iraq that voters are going to want to vote for the candidate that wants to lose...

2. Talk substance. Let Obama talk about hope and about change, but remind voters (esp. independents) that while Barack Obama was experimenting with cocaine and other drugs, that McCain was the one that was fighting for change, for reform, and did actually achieve it...
My thoughts? I don't think the first one is a particularly good idea. The war is not popular even if we are winning it. Since McCain was one of the people Bush tasked with whipping up support for the war in the first place, this tactic open the door for Obama to point that out. He can link McCain to the Bush administration with it. McCain is better off presenting himself as being unaffiliated with the Bush administration's huge negatives as much as possible.

The second? Yes please. McCain has loads of experience. Obama doesn't. Use that. And his message of hope is largely a slogan. Obama's actual policies are all semi-socialist to completely socialist. Bring the real world crashing in. In the real world Obama is actually at Hillary's left. McCain should claim the political center and make Obama work to get it back.

He should focus his campaign on rooting out corruption, balancing the budget, and streamlining government. Essentially run like Clinton did in 1992. Confront Obama with how he intends to pay for his sweeping government programs (by taxing the rich). Use this policy to force Obama into the traditional Democrat class warfare posture which doesn't work for Democrats in general elections.

That's how I would fight it.

No comments: