What's going on at the McCain campaign?

[ConservativeMan55]

For months on end McCain has been hammering Obama on anything they could get their hands on.

Obama's celebrity status, gaffes, lipstick on a pig, etc.

And for months McCain gained and kept a good leading edge in the polls.

Suddenly after the lipstick on a pig comment.. I see McCain's campaign going soft!

NO ads on Obama trying to negotiate for the US Government? They put out a statement.

And McCain has allowed Obama/Biden to take the economic issue. No ads on all of the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac advisors on Obama's staff?

We've let a several news cycles go by and McCain has MISSED several points he could have attacked on!!

Is it money? What's the deal? McCain stopped attacking and Obama started gaining ground. I see it in the latest Rasmussen poll.

[ConservativeMan55]

Is the McCain campaign just going to let the Iraq story go????????

[italianquaker]

Funny I have been thinking the same thing.

[impeachedrapist]

What’s going on? They’re currently winning a close race. That’s what.

[NYC Republican]

I agree with you... My frank assessment is... JM needs to put the Rezko/Ayers/Wright/Most Lib Record/ZeroAccomplishments AND the media bias, in front of America... and soon.... The closer we get to the election, the more the MSM will paint it as "dirty tricks"...

IMHO, if these aren't brought up, front and center, it's President ZeroHussein

[cripplecreek]

McCain being McCain. After all, lets not forget how he spoke about the swift boat vets.

[library user]

Yep, I’ve been thinking the same thing.

Some here think McCain is saving it for the debates, but I’m not so sure.

I would not wait!

The time is now!

[ConservativeMan55]

After the lipstick on a pig thing I think the campaign got scared.

They’ve let several HUGE points of attack go. The news cycles have passed.

[anniegetyourgun]

I'm developing a theory that has to do with how the left smackdown is always about conservative westerners/southwesterners being stupid. That appears to be the same tactic they are trying to lay on Palin. It is the same tactic they use on Bush....and Reagan before that.

I'm not sure that it doesn't get the libs some traction with the undecided voters. The moderates and undecided are often very prone to go with how people will view them. They don't want to be associated with someone who is painted as "stupid" because they like to think they are above it all - ergo, intellectual.

Analysis?

[tedrich]

McCain needs to pound the fact home that he was behind a bill in 2005 that would have more stringently regulated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He, along with some other Republican senators saw this coming, and the Democrats killed it! Not to mention that in 2003 President Bush’s administration also called for more regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but that measure didn’t make it to a vote either!

[Conservative Actuary]

McCain needs to decide if he wants to be president more than he wants to be invited to a Vice-President Biden’s cocktail party.

[ConservativeMan55]

McCain did not run an ad on the Iraq story and a 527 had to pick it up and run an ad?

If it’s the McCain campaign saving money I’d understand. But I think they got scared after the lipstick on a pig deal.

[MayflowerMadam]

And why did Palin blame “Wall Street” for the economic meltdown this week? It started with the dems’ scam of feathering their own nests via Fannie & Freddie. Plus - McCain had warned about this years ago but was shot down by dems. WHY DID SHE BLAME WALL STREET?

[gracesdad]

“Obama’s celebrity status,”

Given the excitement and some of the rhetoric about Palin, this one would be pretty tough to use now. She’s achieved her own celebrity status, not unlike Obama.

[new cruelty]

He’s holding ground, giving his opponent enough rope to hang himself.

[bahblahbah]

He should save hit attacks for the debates and afterwards... what I think he needs is a health care pivot though that focuses hard on reducing costs by nudging people to take care of themselves...

[nathanbedford]

I have felt the way you do for some time now now. Here is a vanity from two days ago:

It appears that the campaigns have entered a moment of equipoise. John McCain's masterstroke in selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate has about run its course leaving the race in the Electoral College in the balance.

Meanwhile, Wall Street has "melted down." This tends to favor Democrats who are traditional regulators of capitalism and further tends to reinforce their dreary version of the American economy. It gives them an opportunity to point fingers and blame Republicans because George Bush is in the White House. McCain has moved to confront the Wall Street meltdown but only defensively. He has taken steps to deflect the blame away from himself and onto both political parties, George Bush, and "selfish" Wall Street capitalists. At the same time, Sarah Palin has been confronted with a unprecedented series of attacks which cumulatively show signs of capping if not diminishing her astonishing popularity.

The danger now is that the convention/Palin surge has reached its high water mark and could even recede leaving the McCain ticket exposed to the many daunting secular trends which virtually all the pundits send have made his chances seem so poor and his advancement to this point so miraculous. It is unnecessary here to rehearse those demographic, economic, and media driven factors which make this a very difficult year for Republicans. If the surge has in fact run its course, if it is in full flood, McCain is in danger of being swept back by the inertia which always favored the Democrats this season.

In this state of equipoise, the McCain campaign can remain essentially passive as it has since the Wall Street problem began or it can move over to offense. Those who believe that political campaigns are won on defense will probably oppose the recommendations to follow. My belief is that if McCain does not take charge of events, events will take charge of his campaign and these events will be largely described by the media. If events do not take charge, and the media does not take charge, the debates will decide the affair.

That sounds to me like three ways to lose.

McCain and Palin have declared themselves to be the people who can go to Washington and actually reform that mess, unbeholden to party or interest group, they say they are qualified because they are possessed of a record in Alaska and in the Senate of actual reform.

Let the reformers reform!

The house has just passed one of the most cynical political travesties in the history of an institution renowned for its cynicism. The bill which purports to permit offshore drilling in effect prohibits offshore drilling wherever there is any oil to drill. In reality it permits no drilling but rather subsidizes it impractical left-wing alternative energy hobbyhorses. It is a cynical move to cover Democrats fingerprints which are all over the energy fiasco and $3-$4 gasoline.

Here is a holy crusade ready to be led by the woman whom John McCain has said would head up energy in his administration. If Palin cannot effectively shred the House Democrats for this travesty and bring the American people to a boil on the subject, there is no issue on which she can lead, there is no place where she can reform.

In a stroke she can free herself of the Lilliputian attacks alleging she is too small for the job and transform herself into a major player on one of the most important issues which confront voters. She can do it with the single issue upon which she is most knowledgeable. It would validate her as a reformer and validate McCain's choice for Vice President. It would put the Democrats entirely on the defensive on an issue where they cannot win if they are only confronted but which they can contrive to camouflage if the McCain camp remains passive or even vague. Promises that we will drill offshore are now not enough. We have this travesty of a bill before us and it is the perfect vehicle to expose the Democrats and illuminate McCain and the Republicans.

Seize the mettle!

At the same time, while Palin is making a very serious address before an important forum on energy focused around the offshore drilling bill, McCain should be scheduling his own attack on the issue of the finance problem in Wall Street and Main Street. McCain's own record on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae looks to be clean and it looks like he timely called for reform. Although he took some money, it does not appear that it affected his posture on reform. The same cannot be said of the whole Democrat elite. McCain should name names and go right after them, Obama not excepted, as one of the largest recipients of taxpayer money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. McCain should hang Lehman Brothers right around their necks. He should indict the Democrats as the authors of the subprime mess.

If McCain does not act now, the show trials in the house, and no doubt the Senate, will make a hash of the politics and put the blame on George Bush, and by extension all Republicans. If McCain does not act now, the media will put the issue away and we might never recover. Obama is already explicitly blaming the Republicans, George Bush, and by extension, John McCain, for the Wall Street meltdown. John McCain has gone on the morning shows and called for an investigation by a "commission."

McCain says he can reform, McCain says he is not afraid, then let McCain for once reform the Democrats. Find a venue, I say, and lay out the indictment, tell the people that it' s the fault of the Democrats, tell them that so long as the Democrats are in power of financial system it cannot be reformed, tell them that we will never clean up Wall Street and we will never get any oil out of the ground so long as Democrats are running the show. Tell them that every well that we do not drill finances another Russian nuclear bomber flying out of Venezuela. Tell them that every well we do not drill means good American jobs languishing. Tell them that every well we do not drill means America gets weaker before its enemies

Forget Teddy Roosevelt and this damned nonsense about greedy capitalists and the need for regulation, instead remember Harry Truman and his righteous indignation about a party that puts itself over country. John McCain, if you cannot hang this around the neck of Barney Frank who opposed the original reform legislation of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, around the neck of Charlie Rangel who is a tax cheat and who insisted on subprime mortgages, around the neck of Nancy Pelosi who engineered a sham drilling bill while Americans are being impoverished at the pumps, around the neck of Barak Obama as a Chicago hack on the take from all of them, you ain't no reformer.

That's half the battle, the rest consists of telling the country that the road to recovery comes from cheap energy and transparency not from engrossing government and putting people like Jamie Gorelick in charge of financial institutions where they cooked the books and wrote themselves checks from taxpayer funds for tens of millions of dollars. Real reform comes from transparency. Lay out how you will make it transparent. Show how the Democrats blocked transparency, how they blocked the very hearings which they now demand. Demand an investigation by the Attorney General-not by politicians-because some of this was criminal. Tell Americans that it was not capitalism which failed us but Democrats who have perverted capitalism out of personal greed. Make the case!

John McCain thinks he can skate this controversy by skating around his own party. He cannot. The media will not let him. They will make sure that the Democrats hang Wall Street around his neck.

Consider a day on FreeRepublic: Attacks against McCain and Republicans are made by Democrats and trumpeted in the mainstream media, or they are made directly by the mainstream media. The replies? Too often we read them from publications like National Review or Human Events only too infrequently do we see a major publication like The Wall Street Journal ride to the rescue. We cannot win an election being bludgeoned by the mainstream media and defended only in the blogosphere. Somehow McCain must break into the cycle.

John McCain, you can try if you want to deflect the financial crisis by mealymouthing and telling the people that there is enough blame to go around, or you can tell them the truth. You can win independents or you can throw away the base that you won by your brilliant pick of Sarah Palin. You can make your presidency worth the effort, worthy of the millions who want to put their trust in you, worthy of the commitment you made in your cell at the Hanoi Hilton to serve your country. You can demonstrate that you really understand that reform does not mean sodomizing Democrats, it means putting people first.

Seize the initiative, drive it home and take the election!

[ConservativeMan55]

Agreed. The left tries to do it.. and if people believe it.. they ARE stupid lol.

[Blue Turtle]

ISSUE TO HAMMER OBAMA:
1. IRAQ - Obama willingly tried to stop our troop withdrawal until he gets elected.
2. ECONOMY - Obama - huge recipient of fannie mae money.
3. PALIN EMAIL - Obama thugs have hacked her personal account (you know it, I know it)
4. MICHELLE OBAMA - where is she?
5. REVEREND WRIGHT - where is he?

[Nervous Tick]

hand wringing “concern troll” thread ping

[AZScreamingEagle]

McCain needs to hit back, especially on the economy, he has the facts on his side and he can’t let Obama control the debate and the perception that Obama actually has some sort of tangent economic plan, which he obviously doesn’t.

[ConservativeMan55]

There’s a big difference there. She has substance and Obama does not.

It still can be used successfully.

[tatown]

I had a feeling that momentum was going to reverse as soon as the Lehman Bros. mess started to unravel this weekend. McCain has not linked Obama/dem congress to Fannie Mae/Freddy Mac and he continues to play the financial situation on defense. I fear that waiting until the debates to try and regain momentum is a big mistake...

[Dawn531]

MHO, and time will tell if I’m right, is that since the first debate is on foreign policy, McCain may not want to tip his hand, as to the accusations and ammunition he will use against Obama in that debate. By putting it on the air, that gives the Obama campaign time to formulate a strategy to come up with an explanation to the charge.

Since Obama is notoriously bad, when speaking off the cuff, if McCain springs this stuff during a debate (which will be watched and paid attention to much more than a few internet or tv ads)...McCain can really hit one out of the park during the debates.

[palomonte]

I don’t think they’ve gone soft or gotten scared.

I think that they are unsure how to proceed at this time with the financial meltdown.

I do agree that they need to strike...hard...right now.

[ConservativeMan55]

McCain missed several points of attack and now he ended up on defense.

Instead of talking about the economy right now.. Obama should be on defense about the Iraq story.

McCain should have FORCED Obama to make a statement and explanation about the Iraq thing.

Just like he did with the lipstick on a pig comment.

[mouse1]

Could be a money issue. I just received a call asking for $25, $50 or $75.

[rivercat]

This will all come down to September 26th and October 2nd, and possibly October 7th and 15th. I believe that the VP debate may be the real tie-breaker, in that if Sarah Palin comes across as “Presidential”, then McCain wins in November. Of course, if McCain gets hammered by Obama in any of the debates, then it’s over no matter what Sarah does against Plugs.

[impeachedrapist]

But I think they got scared after the lipstick on a pig deal.

Why? I remember 95% of the forum (I was in the other 5%) thought it was a wonderful idea for McCain to make a public stink out of Obama's stupid comment.

McCain's campaign is doing fine. The only thing I've seen change recently is the Dems/media has gone after Palin with a fury and after McCain a bit, too.

They're fine.

[wally-balls]

“...I fear that waiting until the debates to try and regain momentum is a big mistake...”

Indeed. Too many people will have irrevocably made up their minds if these issues continue to go uncontested prior to the debates.

[ConservativeMan55]

Yep!

I’m in the media and I understand just how important it is to control that news cycle.

Force your opponent to go on defense, control the news cycle and all his attacks on you will be barely mentioned by the media.

[tatown]

Should have....but he DIDN’T.

[ConservativeMan55]

I agree with the lipstick on a pig ad, etc. I’m glad we attacked them on it.

I just remember seeing McCain on the View and they were hammering him for that ad.. and McCain looked VERY uncomfortable.

[rivercat]

Yeah, where the heck is Mrs. Obama? Maybe she’s getting some “work” done, or acting lessons.

[impeachedrapist]

Given the excitement and some of the rhetoric about Palin, this one would be pretty tough to use now. She’s achieved her own celebrity status, not unlike Obama.

If they can run around chirping about Palin's lack of experience (while ignoring she's WAY more qualified than their Presidential nominee), then we can mock the Obamessiah's celebrity status while ignoring hers.

[Resolute Conservative]

Maybe since the MSM cannot cover it once it is outed on national tv.

However McCain has always maintained he won’t be “nasty”.

[NavyCanDo]

Obama is going to ride Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac all the way to the White House if McCain lets him. Its the old. “Its The Economy Stupid” game that was played successfully by the Democrats before.

[uncbob]

No ads on all of the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac advisors on Obama's staff?

I posted several weeks ago when the unemployment figures came out that McCain needed to get on the dems ruining the economy--The economy trumps all for the majority of people who forgot all about terrorism

Probably because genius Rove said McCain should ease off his attack ads

[JFC]

You must not be watching him right now on FOX.. he is kicking butt!

[impeachedrapist]

I agree with the lipstick on a pig ad, etc. I’m glad we attacked them on it.

That's fine. I thought it was a fairly foolish move by the campaign. But if it was the right move (as you think) and worked well, then why would McCain/Palin change tactics afterwards?

[Pharmer]

Keeping his powder dry...IMO. Lots of time between now and November. A lot can happen... Debates, Phillies win World Series. Eagles go 8-0. Flyers season starts. Markets crash. Stuff like that.

People right now either know who they are going to vote for or they are flakes. And flakes vote on their opinions they formed thirty seconds ago. If those people make up the 10% of the vote that keep shifting around in the polls then McCain doesn't need to reach out at them now he needs them in late October after the debates. McCain is wise to save his money for those folks.

BTW our local WPHT morning “conservative” Michael Smerconich is one of them. Douche Bag! Did I say the Phillies win the World Series?

[library user]

I was listening to Laura Ingraham’s evening radio show around 11PM last night and I think she said McCain came out and tied Obama to Fannie Mae and so on, but I haven’t seen any video of it.

[Salamander]

He just now directly connected The Zero with Fannie & Freddie.
Currently expounding upon the connection, ad librium.

[JustaCowgirl]

I would not wait! The time is now!

I agree. Let the MSM howl with outrage that McCain dares to talk bad about the Messiah. Get the truth out, John, and let them howl!

You can talk about reform all you want, but too many people only respond to simple sound bites. Reform is an abstract concept. So are hope and change, as a matter of fact. You have to get down in the trenches and tell it like it is!

Oh yeah! McCain is talking about Obama taking money from Fannie Mae now! Go John!

[proud2beconservativeinNJ]

Here he goes after Obama/Fannie Mae NOW. in Cedar Radids live.

[Reagan Man]

Shifts in momentum happen all the time during Presidential campaigns. We are in the post convention phase and the race has tightened. In politics, there are times to go on offense and there are times when you just sit back and watch your opponents implode.

Right now Obama and his liberal pals are running wild, lashing out hoping to damage McCain and Palin with anything and everything they can think of. Its called desperation.

[Salamander]

McC just tied Zero’s neck to Fannie/Freddie meltdown with a good strong rope.

[brooklynlou]

Cause Lehman, Bear Stears, Morgan Stanley and others leveraged themselves to such an insane degree that if the economy stumbled their companies would teeter and create a potential domino effect that effects everyone. Their greed is a piece of the puzzle, so is the Congress’ negligence at doing its job. In order for any attack to work, McCain has to go Maverick and attack both parties as being complicit as well as Wall Street.

[teletech]

This thread should be emailed to the McCain campaign.

[jersey117]

I think it’s part of the strategy. Let Obama do himself in. Let him spend his money in states he didn’t think he’d have to. Let Obama go on the attack while McCain rises above it and looks more Presidential. As Palin said in her interview last night: the American people are not stupid - they know what’s going on. If you noticed in the last round of ads from McCain, the media played it up as “back and forth” attacks and tried to deligitimze McCain’s ads. Let him save the money and go in for the kill later.