How Can Obama Best Counter the Attacks?

[On the Road]

It appears that the recent attack ads and wave of media "questions" are taking a toll on Obama's poll numbers.

It is difficult to counter personal attacks without becoming defensive and reinforcing the meme. Earlier in the campaign, the Obama camp was quick and vigorous in its response to all attacks. The last couple of weeks have been a departure, and it shows. I personally don't think Obama can wait it out this time. Whatever the campaign is doing is not being heard. I am reminded of the early days of the swiftboats and it scares me.

So, what is the best tactic for the Obama camp to defuse these attacks and take back momentum?

[Colobo]

1. I don't know- the GOP has come out swinging and Obama must do something about it.

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. Attack the opposition on their "strong suit", although how McCain the TRAITOR runs on.....

Attack the opposition on their "strong suit", although how McCain the TRAITOR runs on his "experience" as an incompetent bomber pilot who squealed on his mates and his country is beyond me.

[Median Democrat]

3. Run an Ad on John McCain featuring this clip...

Folks born in the 70s and before will get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yZHveWFvqM

[TwilightGardener]

4. Have 527's make ads quoting GOP Senators who are terrified of McNutz's temperament.

Then show an apocalyptic scene of a nuclear WW3.

[flamingdem]

5. Tie McCain to Big Oil and their Billions in Profit and High Gas Prices n/t

McCain is using drilling to attack Obama via people's perceived pocketbooks. They think: I'll save $200 a month if McCain gets drilling going. Sadly, this is what has worked before for Republicans with Low Information voters.

[TwilightGardener]

6. That's good, but that's issues stuff. We need to shred his character.

[Virginia Dare]

29. Agreed, attack the "straight-talk maverick" nonsense..

he's already put several chinks in his own armor by acting like another sleazy politician. Time to go for the kill.

[flamingdem]

32. He's anti-abortion, anti-birthcontrol, anti-womem (He calls-them-trollops-&-c**ts!) n/t

[flamingdem]

34. He's pro-war, pro-drilling, pro-tax the poor, he must be made to look ugly and mean! n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. Run that clip of McCain...

saying that Bush should be the 2008 republican nominee.

[Colobo]

8. They should make McClown look like a crazy-ass old fart. A clueless guy.

[TwilightGardener]

9. Here's another from my idea bag: go minimalist, run the clip of the

Viagra/Birth Control question and his response...all twenty painful seconds of it. Then ask, is this man fit to lead?

[Union Yes]

10. John McCain WILL enact a military draft.

Why the dems have not worked this angle is one of this campaign's biggest mysteries.

A military draft is imminent if we are to continue our warmongering ways all over this globe.

Bushco and McCain are drafting plans for a full scale invasion of Iran. That would require an infusion of fresh troops.

No way that can happen without a military draft.

Bushco/McCain will start WW3.

[On the Road]

11. I Think for One Thing, Obama Should Rachet Up the Charge That

McCain has no proposals, no ideas, and that he doesn't understand the country's problems.

And that he is breaking his own commitment to run a positive campaign out of desperation.

Obama has said similar things recently, but they have not gotten traction. Obama knows how to get traction when he wants to.

It is difficult because it would be best for Obama to keep his own promise of a positive campaign. But if it's framed as a defense (which it is) it could work. Desperation and cluelessness are not only true, but believable.

[LaPera]

12. Talk about the fucking issues! Health care, SS, education, environment, economy, vets

these are issues the republicans do NOT want to talk about and why they keep putting out smokescreens with bullshit day after day after day.

They as in every election are controlling the dialogue and never discussing real issues that matter...the only issue republican want to bring up are dividing non issues, gun control, gay marriage, abortions, flag burning, race, etc...

Because when the dialogue comes around to real issues (as it rarely does) our infrastructure, tax cuts for the rich, gas prices, alternative energy, warmongering, torture, personal freedoms, domestic eavesdropping, jobs, inflation, weak dollar, decreasing wages, the republicans are fucked!
They've fucked up everything while in power for the past 71/2 years and six of those with complete and total power.

[TwilightGardener]

15. That was tried in 2000 and 2004. How'd that work for ya?

[LaPera]

16. What was tried? 2000 & 2004 non issues were the order of the day by the republicans as they always

are.

In 2004 the republicans talk was all about fear & more fear NEVER the issues! In 2000 it was all about bullshit, Clinton and bringing integrity back to the WH, NEVER about the real issues! What in the fuck are you talking about?

In 2008 just as they are doing now, what they want the focus to be on is Obama....NOT the issues and they are again succeeding!!!

[TwilightGardener]

18. Did character attacks work for the GOP, or did intelligent discussion of the issues

work for us?

[LaPera]

20. So you're saying forget about issues attack....yeah that'll fucking work...

and the republicans love that kind of fight keeps everyone's mind about what the election and the past eight year of fascism off of what it all brrn about!

Republicans love attack ads...(unless they are directed at them and then they they bitch & moan screaming unfair democrats - and then the frighten Dem's politely back-off) ... Republicans though, NEVER back-off, Republicans know that attack ads are effective and WIN ELECTIONS! (And why the republicans are spending at least 60 million dollars on new negative attack ads, all across the country)...

AND to top it all off ---- Wimpy-assed Democrats get turned-off by attack ads - and don't vote...They don't vote...instead of voting, the idiot moderate democrats get turned off and refuse to vote…What fucking pin-heads!!!

Republicans love it that mousy Dem’s won’t vote and get “turned-off! While Republicans love and NEED attack ads. Republicans will make up, lie, distort, smear anything it takes to destroy their democratic opponent - They don't focus on nothing else but winning, fighting to the very end and destroying! Most Dem's aren't up to or prepared for that kind of campaigning and fighting...(and the Republicans know it).

That's all the republicans can ever run on...surely NOT republican ideology, republicans must and need to pretend to care about democratic issues when running for office during campaigns. Always. Even Bush ran twice on democratic issues,….health care, Social Security, worker concerns, wages, pension, benefits, the environment, balance budget, etc… All Democratic issues!

All while running vicious attack ads on their democratic opponents character – Because character attacks (swift boating) are extremely effective, its what people pay attention to, it’s what wins election for republicans…

And one thing EVERY Democratic candidate running can ALWAYS count on is Republican attack ads – on a democrats character.

[TwilightGardener]

23. It's not a one-front battle--you can't just answer character attacks with

issues and comparisons of records. You need to hit back on your opponent's character, as well.

[LaPera]

24. Did you read anything....AGAIN!!!!

Republicans love attack ads...(unless they are directed at them and then they they bitch & moan screaming unfair democrats - and then the frighten Dem's politely back-off) ... Republicans though, NEVER back-off, Republicans know that attack ads are effective and WIN ELECTIONS! (And why the republicans are spending at least 60 million dollars on new negative attack ads, all across the country)...

AND to top it all off ---- Wimpy-assed Democrats get turned-off by attack ads - and don't vote...They don't vote...instead of voting, the idiot moderate democrats get turned off and refuse to vote…What fucking pin-heads!!!

Republicans love it that mousy Dem’s won’t vote and get “turned-off! While Republicans love and NEED attack ads. Republicans will make up, lie, distort, smear anything it takes to destroy their democratic opponent - They don't focus on nothing else but winning, fighting to the very end and destroying! Most Dem's aren't up to or prepared for that kind of campaigning and fighting...(and the Republicans know it).

That's all the republicans can ever run on...surely NOT republican ideology, republicans must and need to pretend to care about democratic issues when running for office during campaigns. Always. Even Bush ran twice on democratic issues,….health care, Social Security, worker concerns, wages, pension, benefits, the environment, balance budget, etc… All Democratic issues!

All while running vicious attack ads on their democratic opponents character – Because character attacks (swift boating) are extremely effective, its what people pay attention to, it’s what wins election for republicans…

And one thing EVERY Democratic candidate running can ALWAYS count on is Republican attack ads – on a democrats character.

Again, attack ads, attacks on opponents character work! It's effective! Manipulate the facts!! Lie and slime the fucks, distort, smear, character assassination is extremely effective it works. Fuck the issues! Not for the soft at heart or the mealy mouth, mousy democrats!

Don't you agree?

[TwilightGardener]

26. You are countering your own argument and bolstering mine. We both

agree that character attacks and smears work. And yet you think the media will allow us to steer the topic of conversation to issues, on which we're certainly on firm ground. Again, you can talk issues till you're blue in the face, but they BY THEMSELVES are not the proper response when someone's calling you a elite effeminate uppity empty suit who hates wounded troops and thinks genocide is A-OK. When someone punched you on the playground during recess, did you show him your A+ on your math paper in return?

[LaPera]

28. One can do both if one is clever....issues must also be brought to the foreground

because republicans have effectively (and are continuing to) keeping them in the background....because they don't have a leg to stand on....never do....And attack, attack with dialogue about how McCain is avoiding the issues because he's a Bush clone, an elitist, represents only the corporations and the wealthy and how McCain wants to keep wars going to increase profits for the rich....But Obama and most Dems don't have the balls to be so blunt and make the attacks issue oriented and kicks right to McCain's balls....

However, I think you'd prefer......Use attack ads, attacks on opponents character indeed work! It's effective! Manipulate the facts!! Lie and slime the fucks, distort, smear, character assassination is extremely effective and it does influence. Fuck the issues! Not for the soft at heart or the mealy mouth, mousy democrats! Do as the republicans do, lies and all the other trashing!!

[iconicgnom]

13. Countering the ads should be a sideshow -- but counter them with substance.

Otherwise, he should continue as he's doing, setting the agenda, defining the terms of debate, enthusing the people with his positive and healthy and hopeful message.

And NOT get trapped into a reactionary mode, allowing Republican negativity set the agenda, set the tone of the debate. NOT NOT NOT allow that to happen. Counter the Repub campaign negative ads with a hint of scorn for the negativity of their vision - and ALWAYS finish the ads with a point of positive and hopeful substance.

I think he's doing an incomparably fantastic job of it!

[Overseas]

14. John Sidney McCain III has cultivated his pals in the media for 20 years now

In spite of his record of voting for Bush policies 95% of the time, in spite of his seven homes, $520 shoes and unlimited credit cards, the friends JSM III has cultivated in the corporate media are still working for him. In spite of the exposure of the bias against Obama in their coverage, they continue to cover up JSM III's mistakes and show all his ads slamming Obama. Call it news because the ads are unusually trashy and you're good to go.

I keep hoping hammering away with McCain's full name and great wealth will get the message across that JSM III is not like you and me. That understanding is growing but still too slowly for me.

[predfan]

17. Come out every morning with a shake of the head and a chuckle,

and say "well you won't believe what they did yesterday"

take five minutes and quote every crazy thing the McCain camp said in the last 24 hours.

Then talk about substance. Cheaper than explanation ads, more effective.

They'll have spent millions the day before, and we'll just laugh at it.

[On the Road]

19. That's a Very Good Pose to Strike

Reminiscent of Reagan's "there you go again."

[predfan]

22. quick sound bites, certain to be picked up, said with a smile........the

more outlandish the previous day's McCainism's, the louder and longer the chuckle.

[polichick]

21. A bunch of sharp ads with accurate policy info that refutes McCain's bullshit.

[Hutzpa]

25. McCain is in bed with

oil companies, lobbyist, corporatist special interest and we can't find anything
to stick him with, c'mon... what about all the gaffe he has been making, there
are untold amount of clip that can be used in an ad with him saying those words.

[flamingdem]

35. wow, great photo of the democratic dog n/t

[Blue_Roses]

27. they've put out an awesome ad this morning.

have you seen it?

[Virginia Dare]

30. No, what is the content?...n/t

[writes3000]

31. Obama should ratchet up his attacks on Bush. And then point out McCain is his biggest cheerleader.

Stay on the attack on Bush and the economy.

[Hamlette]

33. hang on. I've been scared Obama was about to lose many times before but he pulled it out

I'm beginning to have some confidence he will pick the right tone and turn this around.

[americanstranger]

36. The Obama Template.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6567733

It's worked like a charm so far.

- as

[DeepModem Mom]

37. Don't repeat Gore and Kerry. Fight the hell back. Whatever it takes. nt