I think this is just part of the strategy but not the McCain camps ultimate objective.
Let's be totally honest here,, William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright are old news. They have been brought up before and they're not exactly game changers. Want proof,, just ask the Clinton campaign.
This is a time as I noted yesterday with the economic situation dominating the landscape.
By the way the market fell 508 points today, so the politics of destruction would seem like a rather tone deaf move for this evenings town hall debate?
The McCain camp isn't stupid so changing the subject with re-tread stories can not be their real strategy hear to get a game changing event to go their way.
So what is their goal with the current mudslinging?
Personally, I think it's to cause Barack Obama and Democrats to lose their temper and trip into a reprehensible statement. To have a prominent Democratic figure saying something really off color would dominate the news cycle for 24-48 hours .
Maybe they're trying to get Joe Biden or Michelle Obama to lose their tempers and cause the Obama campaign to have to pivot onto defense for a couple of days and disavow a principles remarks.
The first and biggest problem with this strategy is that Barack Obama is too smart, smooth, and disciplined to fall into this trap personally. As long as he doesn't say something really stupid the blow to the campaign would be minimized. Barack Obama looks pretty unflappable thus far.
Joe Biden and Michelle Obama are certainly passionate people with a tendency to let their emotions get the best of them. Yet they are surely being coached on what pitfalls to avoid. It's possible one of them slips up, but still find it unlikely.
So if the Michelle doesn't say something about 'baking cookies' and Joe Biden doesn't call Sarah Palin a 'floozy' then what Democrats have the profile that Obama would not be able to brush it off?
Here's the second problem with the McCain strategy. The only other Democrats that are high enough profile to swing a Presidential news cycle by saying something offensive are the Clintons. Yet, the Clintons have shown no willingness to get their hands dirty in this race and aren't going to impugn their reputation to defend Obama.
The third problem is that while they are throwing these accusations out there, Obama is winning undecided voters by focusing on the economy. He's focusing on the issue that voters overwhelmingly rate as number one right now.
So why am I bringing this up?
The past couple days have had some very tough and nasty attacks from John McCain and Sarah Palin. These attacks are making Democrat, myself included, rather angry.
It's important though for us not to lose focus as supporters.
What I vow to do is to follow the lead of the man I hope will be the next President,, Barack Obama.
I was not a early supporter of Obama's Presidential Campaign. There have been times I have been thrilled with him, times I have been irritated with him, and times I wanted him to get in the face of the Republicans.
But his read of the electorate and his own temperament has been spot on much better than me. I have been so impressed and proud and dignity he has shown during the campaign, in particular the past couple week.
He has been a leader and an example for both Democrats and the country.
There are four weeks to elect him and we need to get it done. Here's how we do it.
Just as Barack Obama and Joe Biden have showed in the debates and for the past couple weeks, we all need to raise the level of civility, common sense, and intelligence in our actions.
Obama and Biden have shown Democrats can act like adults, instead of a spoiled bully on the playground.
Obama and Biden have shown in tough times they can act and govern with a calm hand in tough times as opposed to an erratic, spastic way.
Obama and Biden have showed people they are the ticket that wants to bring the country together with a message of hope and ideas instead of a message of divisiveness, attacks, and ideology.
The high road is the hard road and many ask how can we take this route and still win?
The answer is simple,,, by outworking the other side.
As supporters we need to be positive and pro-active and hit the pavement to ensure victory.
Volunteer for Obama or a local campaign.
Talk to your friends, family, and co-workers to make sure they are informed and make sure that they vote. Check and see if there is early voting in your area, and get it out of the way.
Put a yard sign up, put a bumper sticker on your car because every little bit helps and in a democracy,,, change is pushed through by us.
The way that we lose is to assume victory. As an old political worker we hate polls that show big leads. They make our job harder.
Why?
Big leads, lead to complacency and in elections, complacency kills. If everyone votes,, Obama will win. If Democrats think they have this in the bag, it will be far to close.
Let us be the party of ideals and values in this election, and not rise to the bait of hatred, bigotry, and zealotry. The kind of zealotry that we have seen in just the past couple days by supporters of McCain and Palin.
At McCain and Palin events over the past couple of days supporters of the candidates have been heard shouting "terrorist" and "kill him" when they are talking about Obama.
It's understandable why Democrats, Independents, even Republicans would hear this and want to react with vitriolic anger and disgust. I have talked to moderate Republicans are cringing with embarrassment.
Instead of acting on anger,, lets put that energy into winning and because reacting to score political points,,, will not take us where we want to go, either as a people, or as a country.
Come November 4th, we need to get more votes and that is something we can effect and something I have decided to participate in,, not just comment on.
More on the plans for 17people to help Obama and Biden turn out the vote,,, in articles to come.
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