Fineman: Dems Tell Me Campaign Will Be "Down And Dirty" Attack

[totodeinhere]

Fineman reveals that the Democratic strategy in 2012 for the presidential and Congressional elections will be "down and dirty."

"It's not going to be a 'Morning in America' campaign, it's going to be a darkness at midnight campaign about the Republicans. it's going to be about the fact that the Republicans in Congress pushed Paul Ryan's bill Medicare, about how they pushed Cut, Cap and Balance. It's about how Republicans wanted to dismantle Wall Street reform. It's going to be about how the Republican presidential candidates have embraced the Tea Party."

Well I sure hope so. It's about time. No more Mr. Nice Guy. Hit 'em where it hurts. If Fineman's sources are correct, then it might just be a fun campaign.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/09/01/fineman_dems_tell_me_campaign_will_be_down_and_dirty_attack_on_gop.html

[Imajika]

1. The fact that the campaign has to be down and dirty is not particularly great...

I hope it works. It will be fun for the most politically partisan - and I include myself as I will really enjoy watching Obama call out the teabaggers for the nuts and idiots they are. Still, we're only going to run this sort of campaign because the economy sucks and there is no good economic message to bring to the people. President Obama would MUCH rather run a positive, "things are getting better" campaign if he could.

[totodeinhere]

5. Negative campaigning usually works. That's why it's so common.

If that's what it takes to win I'm all for it.

[karynnj]

9. Sometimes it can lose a victory as well

The case I think of is Jon Corzine, who was extremely unpopular personally (unlike Obama). He ran an almost entirely negative campaign with the thought being that if fewer people came out, the strong GOTV Democrats can do would lead to a win. It instead absolutely turned off solid Democrats. (It was the WORST time I ever had phone banking.)

Yet, he had a good story he could have told that would have countered the Republicans - and he gave it about a year earlier speaking to Democrats in my county. He managed to cut about 20% from the budget (as he had to do by law) but did it without lowering the money to schools or cutting children's health. He did eliminate a property tax rebate for the wealthier residents. As it was, that "tax increase" was the key issue in my county - and the other side - what was saved was not out there in any ads or statements. Many Democrats I explained it to had no idea that he had to make such drastic cuts or that he had saved what their values agreed was important.

That said, I would not call what Fineman called "negative campaigning". It is, instead telling the truth aout where we are economically - as much as Obama is comfortable with - and laying out the two alternatives. The Ryan budget and cut, cap, and balance are where the Republicans want to take us.

It is LESS negative than the Bush campaign - "The terrorists will get you if you elect Kerry, because he won't be as "tough" as W.

[tblue37]

14. A citizen told Harry Truman to "Give 'em hell, Harry!"--meaning the republicans, of course.

He responded that he just told the truth about them and they []thought that was hell.

Telling the truth is not the same as slinging mud--it's just a matter of pointing out that the mud is aleady there, covering your opponent from head to toe, because he deliberately wallowed in it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. It Worked Great For Jimmy Carter

~

[SoCalDemGrrl]

6. With present day Repubs it ALWAYS has to be DOWN & DIRTY

Go Obama - - -Hit em again and again

[geek tragedy]

15. Obama's been a failure at making the country better, so the only

argument (which is true!!!) is that Republicans would make things a whole lot worse.

[mazzarro]

2. Then why is Obama still playing nice with them now?

If Obama and his campaign know or if they have decided that the campaign is going to be down and dirty, they might as well start being hard with the rethugs/teabaggers right NOW!

[boppers]

7. Rope-a-dope.

Also known as "white-of-their-eyes", "keep-your-powder-dry", and other names.

Basically, let the opponent waste time and resources over a prolonged period, and then retaliate with the energy saved/stored by not being hyper-aggressive too early.

In a street fight, it looks like this:
Party R: Demands a fight
Party D: Offers negotiations
R: throws a punch
D: dodges, doesn't raise fists, offers negotiations
R: charges for a take down
D: dodges, offers negotiations again
R: Pulls a knife
D: Pulls a gun and ends the fight

[MrsCorleone]

11. It's all about timing.

Don't want to lose more Dems to the influx of corporate Citizens United spending like we did the last time.

[Marsala]

16. They're waiting for Perry to get the nomination

Then they obliterate him with his statements about Social Security and Medicare.

The downside to this is if the Republicans still win, they can claim a mandate to return the country to the 19th century.

[Modern_Matthew]

3. I wholeheartedly approve. nt

[Merlot]

4. That's not "down and dirty" it's HONEST.

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. "hit 'em where it hurts".

It doesn't hurt if you are equally vulnerable to the same punch.

Cutting medicare? Austerity religion? Weak wall street reforms? Are these clear differentiators between us and them?

After all this wrestling, we're just as muddy as the pig.

[yellowcanine]

10. In 1948 Harry Truman ran against the "Do Nothing" Republican Congress.

No reason Obama should not adopt the same strategy in 2012.

[Safetykitten]

13. Oh joy! Duelling dystopias.