The distinction that Rove is making . . . oh, just forget it. No point in talking sense, this is a Rove thread.
Would it be Rove's quote, “But the trouble for Republicans is it’s easier to say what you’re against than what you are for?”
As we saw in 2008 and 2012, Obama lied about what he said he was for, but McCain was cowed into silence over demands to not say "Hussein," and to go soft because it would be "racist" to talk about Obama's past.
Romney's past was portrayed by a series of lies by Obama, but Romney also went soft on retaliating. Obama took advantage of the debates to say his greatest whoppers, knowing that Romney would not rebut, saying things like "The sequestration would not happen," and "if you've got health insurance it doesn't mean a government take over. You keep your own insurance. You keep your own doctor... essentially setting up a group plan that allows you to benefit from group rates that are typically 18 percent lower than if you're out there trying to get insurance on the individual market..."
The Republican candidate cannot be afraid to punch back, hard. Rove is exemplifying all the past GOP consultants who told Republicans to go soft, take the high road, be the nice guy, and it doesn't work.
You can already see it now, a repeat of what the Hillary camp did to Rick Lazio. They will say the Republican invaded her space (bullying the girl), attacking women if they bring up her marriage to Bill, don't like women in powerful positions if they bring up Hillarycare or Benghazi or her lack of accomplishment in the Senate. This is all intended to scare the Republican into acquiesence before the candidate is even chosen.
And it will work because the Republicans have been weakened in spirit, beaten down by the steady Democrat-machine onslaught over everything, and become feckless and afraid to act.
-PJ
I saw Rove saying this on that show with Chris Wallace. When will he realize that the dems relentlessly attack everything they can get their hands on about the Republican candidate from day one and guess what—they win.