In the New Republic, Nate Silver (author of fivethirtyeight.com blog) wrote this excellent piece, which I recommend you all read. I think he's spot on with his analysis of this race so far.
Obama needs to move from the "introducing the candidate" phase (which McCain could short circuit being the celebrity in the race) and move onto the policy argument phase. I suspect that pivot is what the convention will be about. I hope so.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Earth to Obama: Summer's Over
Posted by The Law Talking Guy at 11:14 AM
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8 comments:
LTG,
Obama is running this ad A LOT during the Olympic coverage in all 50 states.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRgWpa_rnWQ
I know, I've seen it everywhere. It shows potatoes, farmers, and windmills. It doesn't mention gas prices, health care, or any substance except creating jobs from renewable energy. I think it's a crappy ad.
Yeah. Obama has to take it up a notch and he shouldn't be waiting for the convention to do so. Taking a vacation is fine, but he needs to come back and play hardball on policy.
Your disdain for farmers aside, I think the ad plays well in states that in play. The attempted working class appeal of the ad is obvious. Creating jobs is a HUGE issue in states where Bush won or lost by less than 5%.
Out of curiosity what would you guys like to see in an Obama ad?
I don't think picking up a pile of potatoes is very working class. Agriculture, as you know, RBR, is a vanishingly small part of the national workforce. I kept wondering why I was being offered dirty potatoes, or whether I was to vote for a Farmer's market.
That aside,that is what I would like to see:
(1) images of Bush and McCain together over and over and over and over again, with the slogan, "Don't reward Bush with a third term." Or something like that. Bush praising McCain. McCain praising Bush. Over and over again. Till it hurts.
(2) Gas prices got you down? don't vote for another Republican. Obama '08.
(3) We need a change. Change change change change change. Crowds. Excitement. Change change change.
(4) Change change change.
(5) Pictures of suburban homes in foreclosure.
(6) Health insurance for all. Make small business able to compete and encourage individual entrepreneurship by unchaining health insurance from employment.
(7) Iraq is Still A Mess. McCain + 100 years in Iraq. He Still Thinks there are WMD?
(8) McCain the Maverick - too risky. Shooting his mouth off. That "bomb bomb bomb Iran" footage. "Speak softly and carry a big stick, not the other way around." [maybe the double entendre is too much]
(9) I always wanted to juxtapose Bob Dole with Richard III. I know it's not a crowd pleaser. McCain does almost as well in that role.
(10) Show Bush praising Brownie for Katrina. Show the Katrina mess. Show Bush/McCain together again and again. Say "we need competence, not rhetoric."
(11) Show a picture of Obama and the words, "He Saved You from Hillary." [Just Kidding]
(12) I want to see Eddie Murphy do a re-run of his "Mr. Robinson's neighborhood," but with Obama. After the election is over, that is.
(13) Talk about the GI Bill that McCain voted against!!!!
(14) Talk about the generational compact in social security and medicare. Promise no privatization. Reach out to old folks like there's no tomorrow, because that's true for some of them.
(15) Paint McCain as too right wing.
Where's Osama? Where's Osama?
LTG, that reminds me: the best campaign sign I ever saw was one a protester held at a Bush rally during the 2004 election. Sadly, it is even more relevant today than it was then.
Where are the WMDs?
Where's Osama?
Where's my job?
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