McCain's Strategy: Wright or Wrong?
Sharon Grigsby, in The Dallas Morning News Opinion blog, asks whether John McCain should or shouldn't mention the Rev. Jeremiah Wright in tonight's third and last presidential debate against Barack Obama.
Arguing against bringing up Wright are recent polls that indicate that negative, personal attacks are backfiring on John McCain. Arguing in favor of bringing up Wright are the polls that indicate McCain is behind, far behind, and unless he shakes up the race, he'll lose November 4. Maybe more important, his right wing base is demanding he use Wright and Ayers to attack Obama. McCain risks losing independents if he does; he risks losing his base if he doesn't. What to do. What to do.
In my opinion, Wright, Ayers, and Rezko aren't the game changers Republicans hope. The polls are right. McCain's own negatives will go up, perhaps more than Obama's, if McCain attacks Obama with these personal associations. This is especially true with Wright, as McCain is on record as saying he won't make Wright an issue in this campaign. To do so now, late in the campaign, when he's losing, will look like a cynical, me-first, honor-be-damned political move on McCain's part.
McCain's only hope is to finesse the issue. He needs to attack Obama, and attack him hard, but on the economy and on Obama's judgment regarding his economic policies. If he attacks hard enough, he just might satisfy his base, who want McCain to tear into Obama, and he might even attract some independents who harbor lingering doubts about Obama's ability to resolve the economic crisis we're in.
What I'm recommending will be tricky to pull off. McCain hasn't shown any great debating skill, so the chances he can pull it off are slim (even if he decides on my strategy in the first place). But in my opinion, it's the only chance he has to close the poll gap and win the election.
Steve Blow Goes To The Fair
Steve Blow descends into self-parody with an unread column today in The Dallas Morning News titled, "State Fair Livestock Tour Enlightens City Folk."
1 comment:
Initial reaction on debate...
McCain won the debate, Obama advanced his campaign. McCain did what he had to do, attack, attack, attack, make the election a referendum on Obama. Obama did what he had to do, show voters he's competent, unflappable, entirely convincing as President of the United States. McCain played the hand he was dealt. Obama had a better hand to play and didn't make a mistake.
Advantage: Obama.
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