As the election gets closer, things continue to get interesting.
The first “negative AD” volly was shot today by the McCain campaign. It tried to compare Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton…VERY popular, but with no substance.
All indications is that it sort of backfired, and came across a little lame.
While I understand that its important that the candidates compare and contrast each other, this is my feeling about what the McCain campaign will have to do:
Compare and contrast policies.
Anything else will not work.
Talk about what McCain has to offer.
Todays attempt at negative campaigning seemed to indicate that it will be a losing proposition to focus too much on things like Obamas popularity being “shallow”.
While I don’t think McCain will win the “War of the Sound Bite”…he HAS to come accross more inspiring than he is
I know that many of you feel that McCain coming across as less-than-inspiring is because of the media’s fawning over Obama. However, could it be that Obama is just more “media friendly” with huge rallys, that have almost a “revival” feel, instead of it being some type of conspiracy against McCain?
[quote]Mufasa wrote:
As the election gets closer, things continue to get interesting.
The first “negative AD” volly was shot today by the McCain campaign. It tried to compare Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton…VERY popular, but with no substance.
All indications is that it sort of backfired, and came across a little lame.
While I understand that its important that the candidates compare and contrast each other, this is my feeling about what the McCain campaign will have to do:
Compare and contrast policies.
Anything else will not work.
Talk about what McCain has to offer.
Todays attempt at negative campaigning seemed to indicate that it will be a losing proposition to focus too much on things like Obamas popularity being “shallow”.
While I don’t think McCain will win the “War of the Sound Bite”…he HAS to come accross more inspiring than he is
I know that many of you feel that McCain coming across as less-than-inspiring is because of the media’s fawning over Obama. However, could it be that Obama is just more “media friendly” with huge rallys, that have almost a “revival” feel, instead of it being some type of conspiracy against McCain?
Let’s Discuss…
Mufasa
[/quote]
You’re kidding yourself if you think McCain is going to be making this a substantive battle of policy prescriptions. He has always had a shaky grasp of that stuff. McCain, even more than Obama, has and will campaign on biography. War hero, service, etc., with or without insinuations about Obama’s religion and “Americanness.”
We may get heavy doses of “right on the surge,” which speaks far more to obstinacy than any greater understanding of the war or how to win it, and “victory in Iraq,” whatever that means at this stage.
He has to be able to define Obama under his terms before Obama is able to define himself. Obama is still a large unknown to many, McCain has to implant the idea that Obama is just too new to the scene to be able to run the scene before Obama is able to stop it or get another idea out there. In addition to that, he just needs to shut up for a while about anything but Obama, his campaign staff has to stop ‘helping’. His campaign is just not working at all.
It seems as though the last time the “War Hero” angle worked was with Eisenhower!
Another problem. As the Liberal Press has been happy to point out, one of McCains first moves after his release from captivity was to dump his disabled wife and marry a rich Beer Heiress.
(I don’t think that the Obama campaign will officially “use” this information; but its out there nonetheless).
JFK came off as younger, “hipper”, more in touch with the ppl
Media eats that shit up. What looks better on TV some old white dude who is older than your grandfather talking about economics or some young black man who is yelling “CHANGE” and “HOPE” every other word?
McCain will not win the media war. He needs to win the policy war and win the Hillary supporters
[quote]Mufasa wrote:
It seems as though the last time the “War Hero” angle worked was with Eisenhower!
Another problem. As the Liberal Press has been happy to point out, one of McCains first moves after his release from captivity was to dump his disabled wife and marry a rich Beer Heiress.
[/quote]
It’s kind of funny you’re using the Daily Mail, that’s regarded as a rabidly right-wing paper in Britain.
I wouldn’t be so sure about the press backing Obama to the hilt. Remember, they have always been huge fans of McCain, and helped to both get him going in 2000 and rise from the dead in 2008 (primaries both). There’s a reason he once called the media “my base.”
Just let Obama talk. He will implode on his own. McCain simply needs to comment on the gaffe’s he makes.
Once they debate together I predict things will not go well for Obama. When people see the two together the clear choice will emerge. Obama is simply too naive and inexperienced for the job.
McCain’s ad, although tasteless to some, is a statement of the obvious. McCain has to do the job the media should be doing to set himself apart from the messiah.
(Talking about the JFK election; didn’t it take Sam Giancana muscling some people in West Virginia to get him over-the-Top? Even if not true, THE ELECTION WAS VERY CLOSE).
This one will be also. Related to some things brought up:
Obama will hold his own in the debates.
Obama will outshine McCain in their respective conventions. (Obama was “made” for that kind of thing).
The “Republican Machine” has yet to release its fury. (Sorry for repeating myself, but its true).
Whose voters will come out “en masse” to vote? (I think that the edge, at this point, has to be with McCain’s people. Younger voters have still not proven that registrstion and showing up at rally’s = voting).
Negative campaigning (I think) is the expertise of the GOP. But will it work for McCain?
McCain’s ad, although tasteless to some, is a statement of the obvious. McCain has to do the job the media should be doing to set himself apart from the messiah.[/quote]
My friends and I refer to Obama as Black Jesus hahaha
But the young voters he is attracting will not come out and vote. Republicans have a much stronger voting base. Obama will talk the talk, but many fear (and realize) he wont walk the walk
Every campaign will have some negative campaigns. I don’t think that is terribly unnatural, as long as it doesn’t go too far, because it is part of telling people why the other guy isn’t the right choice.
That said, I think McCain has to try and unravel Obama and point out his flaws to a certain extent, because we have seen that the MSM is (up to this point) unwilling to do it.
Normally, candidates get to fly above the much to an extent because the media (theoretically) writes the stories pointing out the candidate’s missteps, flip-flops, inconsistencies, etc. Not so in this election.
I think you may be a tad optimistic. Obama does not fare well off-script. Take away the comfort of his teleprompter - which is the safety blanket of Obama’s very controlled message - and he is not impressive.
Note how Obama refused to join McCain in a series of “Lincoln-Douglas” style debates, wanting to limit his campaign to prepared speeches. There is a reason.
It’s not that I think McCain is Cicero, but Obama likes the comforts of broad platitudes and a monopoly of attention - a debate won’t give him his preferred structure. He also has demonstrated a bit of a glass jaw when asked questions he doesn’t like.
I think you may be a tad optimistic. Obama does not fare well off-script. Take away the comfort of his teleprompter - which is the safety blanket of Obama’s very controlled message - and he is not impressive.
Note how Obama refused to join McCain in a series of “Lincoln-Douglas” style debates, wanting to limit his campaign to prepared speeches. There is a reason.
It’s not that I think McCain is Cicero, but Obama likes the comforts of broad platitudes and a monopoly of attention - a debate won’t give him his preferred structure. He also has demonstrated a bit of a glass jaw when asked questions he doesn’t like.[/quote]
He didn’t fare too well against Hillary. If Hillary was not so shrill more people would have noticed.
[quote]tg2hbk4488 wrote:
Media eats that shit up. What looks better on TV some old white dude who is older than your grandfather talking about economics [/quote]
When did the guy talk “economics”? All I’ve seen him throw are attacks at the Democrats rather than anything that shows he will spend any less than Bush. Heck, on many occasions, he came up as completely clueless.
So, no. If you’re going to use the grandpa image get it right and say that he’s talking about “patriotism”, “war” and belligerence. 90% of his material revolves around this.
What will serve McCain best, is a genuinely excited tech-savvy fanbase. Obama’s got that, and they actually do all the work for him when it comes to attacking McCain while he keeps his hands clean. Once he gets that, the media maybe more interested in what the geezer has to say (Ron Paul, anyone?). Developing some charisma might help a lot as well. But that’s clearly not going to happen.
Obama is running on his own message, or illusion thereof. Whatever that is, he’s doing it very well. McCain’s central message is “I’m not Obama”, and that’s not helping one bit. He comes off as desperate in his Obama bashing ads and out-of-touch with campaigning for support. Obama, on the other hand, comes off as a natural speaker who was born to fire up people and preach in front of cameras. Those are all pretty substantial differences, and there’s nothing McCain can do at this point to compensate for that.
[quote]lixy wrote:
McCain’s central message is “I’m not Obama”, and that’s not helping one bit. [/quote]
I beg to differ. Obama is running off the message of “I’m not Bush”. That is how many people see this election it is Obama vs “Bush”
What people need to realize is McCain is different than Bush, but once McCain gets people to realize this, and cuts down Obama for jsut ranting “Change” and “Hope” every moment, then he will do fine.
