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Some Ideas for Senator McCain
- Filed under: Presidential, Republicans '08
- Date: May 8,2008
Assuming the unforeseen does not happen, we have our match up set for November. John McCain for the good guys, Barack Obama for them. In a normal cycle, McCain would win in a cakewalk. However, 2008 is not your average cycle. There is an unpopular war, the economy is perceived as being weak, gas prices are at levels where people want to walk instead of drive, there is an unpopular same party incumbent president, etc. There is a lot going against McCain. The good news for him is that he is running against more or less an undefined candidate in Obama, one who is so liberal that in normal years he might have trouble winning anywhere but Vermont, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia (shout out to Walter Mondale from D.C!!!)
Now that most liberal senator currently serving has secured the Dukakis / McGovern coalition in order to wrap up loose ends on his side, what does McCain have to do to win over Republican holdouts and Democrats who are skeptical of Obama? I could also include "independents" in the category McCain needs, but at heart I think everyone is on one side or the other. They just don't want to admit it and enjoying being courted by both sides. Well, I will tell you what McCain needs to do. He needs to go out and talk about and fight for conservative principles. Principles in some respects the Bush Administration lost along the way. He needs to show the contrast between his own policies and those of the socialist from Illinois.
Some people are talking about a new "Contract with America." I am not in favor of recycling old plays, but something similar is needed in 2008 – just not with the same name. Here are some issues McCain should feel free to discuss on the trail:
Taxes & Spending: Everyone hates to be taxed; even Howard Metzenbaum. Obama will raise taxes on everything and everyone. The deficit didn't rise because of the Bush tax cuts – it rose because of out of control spending by the GOP majority, enabled by the lack of ink in the veto pen in the Oval Office. McCain needs to get his message of cutting spending, cutting earmarks, and cutting taxes across to people. He must present a clear economic-growth plan for everyone to see. Day after day after day he has to remind people about what will be the clear differences between him and Obama here.
Judges: McCain voted for both Roberts and Alito; he also fought for Robert Bork back in the day. This is a strong suit for him. It is necessary to keep reminding people about this. Republican voters need to see that he has backed conservative judges, as many of them remember his Gang of 14 nonsense. I sure do. Nothing can quite stir up our base like talking about "activist judges." Obama will surely appoint his fair share of them if he gets the chance. Reminds me of my nightmares in 2004 of Kerry standing in the Rose Garden announcing Alan Dershowitz would replace Chief Justice Rehnquist. Remind people of the close balance of the Supreme Court. The next president will get an appointment to the High Court or two. Or three. Obama making those decisions makes me shake while typing.
Energy Plan: I have seen nothing but complaining from Democrats on this topic, yet they never are able to offer any worthwhile solutions. Block this, against that, can't do this, etc. McCain needs to lay out what it is he plans to do. What does he propose other than the gas tax holiday? That isn't going to cut it. I know he can't say to drill in ANWR; he voted against it.
Border Security: This is a tough one for McCain, since his name is all over "McCain-Kennedy." He just has to suck it up and admit he was wrong before and say that nothing else gets done before securing the border. Yes, this will expose him to a flip flopping charge. I am well aware, and so is he. But it is really the only option. This is the biggest reason that the conservatives who are saying they won't vote for him are pointing to. Does he want free (for them) government health care for illegal immigrants? Obama does.
Free Trade: "The last time we had a protectionist president was Herbert Hoover [in office from 1929 to 1933] and look how that worked out," says Charlie Black, a senior adviser to Mr McCain. "We think we can win this debate in a general election." I don't know what Obama (or Hillary) really thinks about trade. Obama has gone way left on the economy and trade to try and appeal to blue collar workers he is having trouble with. Trade isn't a one way street – sometimes Democrats don't seem to comprehend that.
Iraq & National Security: McCain needs to reframe the issue away from Bush and explain the consequences of failure there and around the world. Remind people that Obama wants to talk directly to Iran. Pretty simple.
Social Issues: He can hammer away here. Guns, gay marriage, partial-birth abortion. It should be a field day. Obama does not share values with the average American. Obama supporters will consider these issues "distractions." Anything that hurts their candidate is a "distraction." It doesn't mean they aren't effective.
Get Tough: McCain isn't going to be able to keep up this charade of being above the fray. That isn't how it works. Negative ads work. He is going to have to be willing to go after Obama if he really wants this, which I can only assume he does. No more telling state parties what ads they should or should not run. The left isn't going to reciprocate. McCain has to hit back and not stand around and say something like "I am not going to reach down to that level." They hate being out of the White House and will come after you, Senator McCain. Be ready to fight.
McCain needs to hit on these issues and paint the contrast between him and Obama. If McCain makes his case the way he needs to and we still lose, well then Republicans were never going to win this time around. But that is not what I believe. I believe McCain can win if he has a good game plan. The contrast between McCain and Obama couldn't be wider. Now he just has to go out and make people realize it.
Oh, and take Mitt Romney as your VP. Also, it is too much to ask spell check programs to start understanding that "McCain" and "Obama" are not spelling errors?
16 Responses for "Some Ideas for Senator McCain"
Here are more tips for John McCain:
1. Don't die. Seriously, that would ruin your campaign in the coming months.
2. Change parties. Good lord, with that big R you're screwed. And you won't be able to take your boy Liebermann to the White House with you.
3. Unpack those cheeks. Seriously, they may not have had them in the 1800s when you were born McCant, but we have refrigerators now. You can store your food there.
Recite selected sections of Obama's global hunger bill on national television, in front of a huge picture of Kofi Anan.
McCain needs to run almost a flawless campaign to win but he is the only Republican who could have won this year so they were smart to nominate him over the others.
I would like to see anyone not Romney for his running mate.
Alex, the VP selections will be critical. I agree that Romney is a dud and would be a bad pick. Honestly, I think Lieberman is at the top of McCain's list to be the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee.
The question to ask is if Lieberman would turn away more Republicans than Independents and Democrats he would bring in. I would say that it would slightly help McCain – but I dont think he is going to take him.
Obamas selection is not critical, because his supporters dont care who he picks. He could take Bill Jefferson from Louisiana and be praised for "giving him a second chance."
The neo-con twins. McCain/Lieberman. Oh yes, please go for it. More fun that way.
Ya' got nothin', Ben.
Alright….you have two issues. But only abortion and judges. The rest of what you listed is ridiculous, sorry. McCain really is the third term of George, the Younger, on everything else…..and the voters want change, not more of the same.
The only crowd that will be attracted to McCain on judges and the abortion issue are the far right talibangelicals. McCain, really, has NOTHING to offer working and middle class families….he really doesn't and what's worse is that what he does plan to do will make those same voters worse off.
Defense is not McCain's strong suit either. Though a veteran, he is a pre-emptive war neo-conservative. The country has soundly rejected that extremism. McCain wants to stay in Iraq and broaden the conflict, while the voters want our troops home.
40 states.
Let me break this story down…
1) Intro: ben recites a bunch of things about Obama that I literally just heard Karl Rove say about the climate of 2008.
2) Taxes: Ben lies about Obama's tax agenda, which will not raise taxes on those making less than 100K (90% of americans)
3) Judges: Ben is honest about McCain's record, but dellusional about the will of the people….the idea of a court that will repeal abortion scares a vast majority of Americans
4) Energy: Ben lies about Obama not having a plan and acts like ANWR is a some big issue in resolving the serious problems, along with ignoring blame McBush's war in Iraq has caused with energy costs.
5) Border: Ben starts to admit there is no real difference on their policy, but then lies about Obama wanting to pay for health care of the undocumented.
6) Trade: No lies, and no substance on the issue. And here is something I am sure of: McCain will give doublespeak when campaigning in Ohio and Michigan on these issues.
7) Iraq: Much like Ben always does, he gives the least focus oto the most important distinguishing issue of the election. McCain was for the war and for it continuing. Obama is not. you can re-frame that all you want…it still makes McCain a loser.
Other than that, this was a great story.
Wow that means I beat Rove to it then.
Distance self from bush
Impossible
Alex arshinkoff is that you?
Thats a good one to say Obama wont raise taxes on those under $100,000. We already know he will raise taxes on investors via the capital gains tax. He might not know this but some people who make less than $100K actually do invest. The other taxes will come about if he is elected unless he is dumb enough to discuss them prior to then.
just guessing, but the only stock most middle class folks have is that in their retirement, which they do not pay capital gains taxes on.
AND my understanding is that the capital gains tax rate is still calculated at for individuals based on your ordinary income tax rate. So if he raises the rate on some (those making over, say, $250K), that does not raise the rate on those making less. It is a myth that the rate is or has to be the same for all "investors". Accordingly, there is no reason to believe Obama will raise taxes on those very few "investors" making less than 100K.
But Joe's premise is that Obama will just lie about this stuff anyway. Of course, this ignores that Obama is the candidate that has not been proven to be a flip-flopping political panderer.
40 states Rev?
Obama would be a mortal lock to lose in Utah, Idaho, Georgia, Mississipipi, Alabama, Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota.
I dont think he would run the table.
Maybe not.
Good point Ben about Obama's choice of a running mate. He could choose just about anyone–his campaign is built on image, coolness, and hope because he doesn't have much of a political voting record to stand on and he has not addressed how he will really fund all the proposals he espouses. Look at how often opposites are paired on the national slate. In fact parties are often looking for the someone to balance out the ticket (attract other voters of a different persuasion). The biggiest concern for a voter if what happens if the president dies–then the choice of VP could be crucial. McCain /Lieberman? Obama/???
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