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Attack McCain's strength
Rove has unfortunately shown the world the effectiveness of attacking your opponent's strength. McCain's big claim to the presidency is having been a prisoner of war. Directly questioning that as a qualification brought Gen Wesley Clark down, but can it be done another way? Can we tie him to his history in a way that is negative?
John MaCain hasn't left his prison walls behind. He cannot stop talking about his confinement 40 years ago. He ties it to every subject he is asked about. He even says it locked down his choice music.
We need a president who is not trapped in the past, but is looking forward; who has a new and broader vision of America and our stabilizing role in the world.
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Comments (10)
What about his 'strength' in military matters? Why aren't we talking about "Admiral" McCain?
August 17, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have been thinking along these lines for a day or so, also. McCain's entire world view is skewed to a hatred of other cultures. In contrast with Obama's experiences — both negative and positive — living among other cultures, McCain almost uniformly draws his experience of other cultures from being subjected to imprisonment and abuse as a POW.
In short, McCain has a deep, unresolved anger that predisposes him to over-react to perceived threats. Obama is no naive peacenik, but his firsthand knowledge of other cultures does not lend itself to militarism at the drop of any hat.
August 17, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have been extremely pissed about this in a more general sense. We need to find a way to attack this whole polling crap that gives Republicans the advantage in national security. I can think of an extremely effective ad (would piss off a lot of people) showing the Trade Center burning and falling, and the voice over is that President Bush and Condi Rice had received an advisory just the month prior while the President was on vacation that this was in the works... and they did nothing... then turn to scenes of destruction in Iraq with the numbers on the screen of dead U.S. soldiers and Iraquis and the cost of the war so far, identifying that we went after the wrong people to secure oil and war profiteering (maybe show pictures of Halliburton and Exxon logos) for Bush and Cheney's friends... and wind it up with: How come all the polls say the Republicans will protect us against the terrorists... (pause) when they didn't... even though they had been warned?
August 17, 2008 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
"McCain's big claim to the presidency is having been a prisoner of war."
Wouldn't that rather tag McCain as a potential Manchurian Candidate?
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchurian_candidate
August 17, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
That has, in fact, already been suggested. You can view videos on YouTube talking about that possibility. I've heard that he spent two years in solitary confinement, during which time, of course, nobody but his captors and him know what happened. and maybe not even him if he was being given mind-altering drugs and being brainwashed. I hate to bring it up, because I'm sure somebody will say it's unfair, but there's a lot of stuff out there on the 'nets about the Vietnam era vets not supporting him because he collaborated. For those of you who have never heard this long-held belief, try Googling Songbird McCain sometime. I, personally, don't know what to believe, beyond the fact that he seems pretty angry and caught up in the past.
August 17, 2008 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's let Wes Clarke say it again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5bYzL2y7xQ
He says it all in a nutshell, despite being slapped by the msm for speaking the truth.
August 17, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm gonna mention this again (and wherever its necessary): Condi said the U.S. 'will be fine' security-wise if Obama is Pres. THAT ought to be something that Obama could use...is he using it?
August 18, 2008 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank god Obama's campaign is being run by professionals.
August 18, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think the McCain campaign may have overplayed their hand. When the people in American who aren't crazy obsessed with this election, like (cough) US, get a chance to see and listen to Obama, I think they're going to say, whoa, wait a minute, this is not a scary person, this is a smart and funny person who seems to know what he's talking about. And, conversely, wait till they start paying more attention to McCain with his Tourette's style of speaking, DRILL, DRILL, DRILL, WAR, WAR, WAR. I think they're going to start getting a little bit concerned about his bona fides... at least I sure as heck hope so.
August 18, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure this will go over well with Vietnam Vets but how about this:
"John McCain knows how to lose wars"
Vietnam, Iraq = 0 for 2
August 18, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
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