McCain is readying a general-election strategy — can the Dems?

February 6, 2008

There’s been ample discussion in recent weeks about which Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, would be the stronger general election candidate against John McCain. Most of the recent polls seem to point to Obama having a slight edge in this department, though not all.

But the trick at this point should be for both Clinton and Obama to prove it by starting to campaign against McCain now. Because it certainly looks like McCain is getting ready to go on the offensive again them.

One long term consequence of the protracted Dem contest is that it’s now clear that Hillary and Obama will simultaneously be battling each other while likely GOP nominee John McCain starts sharpening his attacks on Dems in preparation for a grueling general election.

McCain adviser Charlie Black made a very compelling case today that it’s mathematically impossible for him to lose at this point. And McCain himself said at a presser today he was cancelling a trip to Europe to wrap things up and start taking on the Dems.

It sets up an unpleasant scenario — for the next couple of months, Clinton will go after Obama, Obama will go after Clinton, and McCain will go after Clinton and Obama.

Why play that game? If Obama and Clinton want to be the Dem who can take on McCain in the fall, why not prove their mettle by going on the offensive against him now?

Oliver Willis had a good item about this earlier today.

Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama, you both have battled so far to what is more or less still a draw. Recent history has shown that neither campaign benefits from out front barbs against each other, and while I expect for the “under the radar” campaign to always be back and forth, I would suggest for your public statements to now focus yourselves on one named target: John McCain.

Barring the resurrection of Zombie Regan, McCain is the GOP frontrunner and almost a lock for the nomination. Regardless of the GOP base’s disaffection for him, they are still likely to rally around him in order to hold on to the White House. He also has more appeal to independents and Democrats than is comfortable.

In order to counteract that and also demonstrate to primary voters your national appeal, it’s time to brutally compare yourselves and the Democratic party versus John McCain and his party. Personalize it, define him anew in the public mindset. Compete with each other over who best knocks McCain off his perch.

Sounds right to me. Indeed, I’d like to think Democratic partisans would do the exact same thing. On the one hand, McCain has a quarter-century of experience and broad appeal to independents. On the other, he’s a flip-flopping Republican with temperament and character issues who wants four more years of Bush-Cheney on everything from fiscal policy to foreign policy to healthcare. Those who want a change next year should be talking about this every day for the next nine months, regardless of who’s up or down in the Democratic race.

2008 is shaping up to be a great opportunity for Dems, but if Clinton and Obama spent the months preceding the convention tearing each other down, McCain will be thrilled. As such, the message from the party to the candidates should be simple: we’ll vote for the Democrat in the primaries who proves himself or herself best able to fight McCain in the fall.

I think if Obama and Clinton run the right kind of campaign, the country could be watching to see who the next President is as McCain disappears into obscurity, and they could do that by demonstrating how they’d go after McCain, the same way Hillary was on every Republican’s lips.

  • I assume both primary campaigns will start to HAMMER McCain now. Why wouldn’t they? They should tie him to Bush as often as possible.

    Actually, this might be a good test for each candidate, to see who’ll go over McCain the hardest.

  • Our General Election Strategy is easy:
    Make Obama our nominee.

    If Obama is our nominee, we win easy.

    If Hillary is our nominee, we will have to deal with the overwhelming Clinton Hatred backlash that exists in this nation. She hasn’t had to deal with that much in the primaries, as many democrats like her and her husband. But many people are independants because they Hate the Clintons.

    There is not a significant portion of potential democratic voters who despise Obama the way Clintons are despised.

    If Obama is our nominee, we will win the presidency.
    If Hillary is our nominee, John McCain has a great shot at being our next president.

    Simple as that.

  • @3 Yep, more or less. I don’t think Obama’s win is easy actually, but much easier – and with a much greater upside potential.

  • GREAT idea Steve – and Oliver. Now how do we get the Clinton and Obama campaigns to understand this is the way to go? Heck, how do we get them to even get this into their consciousness?

  • “McCain himself said at a presser today he was cancelling a trip to Europe to wrap things up and start taking on the Dems”

    Canceling a trip to Europe? What the …?

  • If somebody likes Clinton, aren’t they already a supporter? Is there any person in the nation who is really undecided on their opinion of the Clintons?

    Obama has the potential to attract new voters to the party. Hillary looks good in the party election, but she will be crucified for the sins of Clintons past when the general election comes around.

    Hillary has little ability to attract new voters. You either love her or hate her, no in between, and those that love her are already on her side.

  • Gaging the candidates by their ability to attack McCain is a nice idea but, in the general election Clinton’s attacks will be discounted by many undecided and almost all Republicans as sheer reflex.

    On another note, MSNBC just reported that Clinton loaned five million dollars to her own campaign last month because Obama had so far outstripped Clinton in fund raising. Maybe she should offer Bloomberg the VP job – I hear that he has a buttload of cash.

  • I think CB has got it right. This is an election based upon defining the failures of the Repugs and changing their course of more than 8 years of corruption. There is little gained by assembling a firing squad and lining up in a circle. Having the Clintons and Obama remind America of the limitless number of scandals of BuchCo. would be great fun. Showing that McCain represents more of the same would be perfect.

  • The pros: Obama has a natural defense against McCain concerning the war. Clinton has a obvious advantage over McCain concerning the economy. I think these built-in advantages will play well in an electorate frustrated with both (and neither look to be realistically getting better by November).

    McCain is old (shocking, I know), and I’m sure the campaign trail is hard for everyone. Huckabee and Romney could make it longer and harder for him, wearing him out. I have a feeling he’s more likely to slip up the more tired he gets. Another ‘Bomb Iran’ and he’s in trouble.

    The cons: Democratic over saturation may be the only way to make an old white guy seem ‘fresh.’ McCain still plays well among independents, despite his conservative record, and frankly, I think the conservatives will pinch their nose and unite against either Obama or Clinton in November.

    I can’t stress it enough, but the Republicans excel at campaigning. So many of these states are set up to fall their way through gerrymandering and other nefarious tricks; how many dominantly minority districts will we hear about after the election with only one often malfunctioning machines and six hours waits to vote? Campaigning is what they do, and they aren’t afraid to cheat. It simply can’t be a close election or the GOP will win.

  • Neither Obama nor Clinton should be very concerned about McCain. They both know that no republican will win the WH this election. Just pointing out conditions now, the Bush administration’s disaster show is the same as dealing with McCain since a vote for him is just another vote for Bush.

    Dems and Independents voting democratic out number republican voters by the millions already. This campaign “fight show” is meant to make money for the MSM because this is the media’s profit heaven.
    The only presidential “race” is the democratic primary…the rest is just so the media has something to print…to maintain their sense of credibility. Republicans are out…period and NO we won’t be sitting back doing nothing due to a false sense of security…the public is furious at what has happened to this country and their outrage compels them to make sure it is stopped, that our democracy is restored, and that the disastrous republican policies and obstructionism are halted and overturned…The republicans got nothing, McCain is not a threat. Relax, no republican will win the WH this election…period. The voters will see to that overwhelmingly.

  • Hillary has little ability to attract new voters.

    I’d be curious if you have the slightest actual data to support this, because if 100% of the “new voters” turning out in record numbers in primaries were for Obama, he’d have run the table easily. Some of that new turnout has to be for Clinton — in other words, she is attracting new voters, too, albeit not as many as Obama, but enough when combined with longer-time Democratic voters to keep up with Obama’s new votes.

  • I thought that Obama and Clinton started the anti-McCain campaign in the last debate.

    Was I the only one listening?

  • Clinton had a 20% lead in the polls 2 weeks ago. Now it is gone.

    Looks like the new voters are for Obama. That is a huge gap to shrink in a couple of weeks.

    Clinton’s act is old, there is no way that a moderate who might vote for Obama would even consider Hillary.

    I am very worried about Hillary winning the nomination (especially if she wins it on a Super Delegate push, despite Obama winning the pledged Delegate total).

  • ***demo 4life comment #3*** “…But many people are independants because they Hate the Clintons….” Hate the Clintons what…their policies…what…or are you just saying they hate them as people? Isn’t this a republican talking point…there is no consensus on this, it is just opinion…which apparently you want to believe.

    Hillary is not Bill but you lump them together. How is it that Bill has been noted to be one of the most popular and well liked presidents in modern history but you state that he and Hillary both are so hated?
    Republicans leaders (and the CIA with operation mockingbird) set out to gather info on any dem or other they perceive might one day be a threat to their idea of one party rule and set about gathering info or begin early to set innuendos of hate and incompetence and corruption to be able to destroy or smear said person when needed. You are spouting this stuff as if it is real truth without anything more than hearsay knowledge. There are those out there who hate anybody and everybody but repeating this over and over doesn’t make it true but it does make it acceptable as if it were true by repetition.

    Hillary has been attacked for years now with outrageous accusations from repubs without any of it sticking. She’s well vetted. Don’t buy into this stupid republican idea that her nomination would mean defeat for the democrats. No matter who we nominate they will win the WH this election. After the horrors of Bush and McCain just being another vote for Bush policies there is no way in hell that a republican will win the WH. Repubs know Clinton will not be easily trampled on once in office. Remember when she asked the DoD for their withdrawal plans and they refused to be cooperative saying it was none of her business? This is why they don’t want her for president…she knows what she’s doing. Both Obama and Clinton are loved and either will easily defeat any republican overwhelmingly. Stop using this bogus point as reason to fear a Hillary nomination as it is simply not true

  • CB: If Obama and Clinton want to be the Dem who can take on McCain in the fall, why not prove their mettle by going on the offensive against him now?

    You are a lover of great speeches right?
    Did you see Barack’s speech last night?
    It was his best ever. And he laid into McCain with just the proper dose:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dzHDzvTfzQ

  • Hillary has the women vote, that’s it. They will win you the Dem primary, but not the general.

  • bjobotts @17

    Let’s be serious here. The Clintons are very polarizing people. There isn’t much middle ground on public opinion regarding that family. I guess the term “Love ’em or Hate ’em” is appropriate. And those that Love ’em are already voting for Hillary.

    Hillary is not Bill, but it is impossible to separate them. As Hillary just loaned $5 mill to her campaign, there are many independants who view that money as something she has because her husband sold pardons or helped a sleazeball land a foreign oil contract.

    I don’t hate the Clintons. I like their policies. I don’t like the image and negative stigma they have placed on our party (Al Gore would have won if Clinton was more liked).

    You say that one cannot lump Bill and Hillary together, but Republicans will still have a fun time doing that. And Bill being used as a major campaign chip for Hillary makes him free game for the attacks.

    If we want to win the General Election, we need Obama. Hillary would allow the Republicans to keep it close and potentially steal the election again.

  • @18 For those interested:
    The attack on the republicans comes at the 12 minute mark.

  • Lest you take yourselves too seriously…

    I live on wooded acreage high above St. Dobson’s empire in Colorado. Four years ago I caucused with a half-dozen gnarly old codgers. Last night, with a foot of snow on the ground and temps in the teens, 63 voters showed up with kids in tow. The mob was excited, clueless and noisy. Then the tribal priest recited a chant to the gods for wisdom and a GOP victory while the crowd groveled. I popped a handful of Tums. The straw poll results follow:
    Romney – 30
    Huckabee – 18
    McCain – 10
    Ron Paul – 5
    The precinct was allotted 7 delegates and 7 alternates. The mob, fresh with wisdom from the gods, nominated a motley bunch whose subsequent assignment was to declare for their presidential preference and convince everyone they were worthy to represent us. In a process directed by god-delegated wisdom, we elected our 7 delegates; four of which were pledged to Romney and the remaining 3 to Paul (whom I must assume was mistaken for an apostle). There was only a single nominee pledged to Huckabee whose plea was (I kid you not) that his birthday was today and happened to coincide with that of (drum roll and genuflection) Ronald Reagan. I was so impressed with this omen that, in addition to supporting my 3 Libertarian Leaning brethren, I added him to my list in hopes of inciting mischief. Alas, even with 18 votes for the Huck in the straw poll, this hapless nominee could not seem to get that requisite second vote that might have allowed him an opportunity to travel and become famous.

    I popped another handful of Tums as I pondered what this all means. What if this silly scenario plays throughout the country? What supercilious insight will the MSM pundits spew on the morrow? What will the markets do? What of those engaged hordes who spend months honing their opinions to ensure that their one vote comes with an impeccable pedigree?

  • re VRWC Dude said:
    Doesn’t anyone proof read these stories for typos and grammatical errors?
    IM doin the best ican boss

  • Not yet another post of “the Dems can’t lose this fall! Shoo-in!”

    *puke*

    If that’s not Republican concern-trolling, you have got to be freaking kidding me.

    If you can’t look at yesterday’s results and see that Obama is the (BY FAR) best shot the Dems have for victory, I don’t know what to tell you.

    He beats Hillary with Independents almost 2 to 1 in some states and subgroups.

    He gets massive turnout in tiny, deep-red flyover states.

    He is admired and respected by the Right, even if they won’t ever vote for him.

    And you want to risk HILLARY?

    How many times do you need to hear this before you WAKE UP?

  • You are all completely out of your freaking minds, you know that? If you want to take down McCain, then all you have to do is play out his work ethos in the Senate. The decrepit little warmonger doesn’t even show up for work!

    Look at today, for example—the country’s teetering on a full-blown recession, and can he even bother to show up and vote on the stimulus package?

    Nope—he’s too busy trying to beat up on some primary opponents who are all but throttled as it is. Huck is going nowhere outside the ‘Vangee base, and Mittens can’t buy enough votes for a clean win at the convention.

    But McCain can’t bother to show up and earn his own paycheck? I’d call that “theft of wages”—and it’ll be easy to beat a guy by playing him out as a thief, a liar, and a total lay-about.

    Not to mention that he’s the spitting image of Nikita Khrushchev. Play that one out to the conservative base, and see how poorly he plays out then.

    McCain is not Reagan. Stop treating him like he is. You’re elevating him to a pedestal faster than some of the ReThugs, for crying out loud….

  • I would suggest for your public statements to now focus yourselves on one named target: John McCain. — Oliver Willis, quoted by CB

    I’d amend this, by adding Huckabee to the target list, just in case McCain does pick him for the running mate, to beef up his credentials with the nut-base. Leaving Romney out of the line of attack — at least for the time being — would marginalize him nicely (not worth bothering about). Besides, he’s doing his own sniping, which is jus’ fine with me.

    But I agree, 100%, with Willis’ next statement:
    […] it’s time to brutally compare yourselves and the Democratic party versus John McCain and his party.
    It, really, should be “pox on you *and* the horse you rode in on”. And Repub party is that horse…

  • If Clinton and Obama were really about the good of this country, the good of the party and the health of people everywhere they would bury the hatchet and join forces. Simplistic, yet, it answers the question on how to seal the deal against another four years of economic and militaristic pitfalls. If people really want change, really believe in doing something different–well, start with this idea. Be a party of ONE, focus on the change you want to make for the good of all, not just to be a political rock star in the history books.

    Are they really about change, are they willing to test status quo and REALLY make history? Y not?!

  • I have zero confidence that the country which elected Bush TWICE could not elect McCAIN. We are told in every sentence in every media outlet that McCain is a straight-talking maverick. People will think they are getting change — as if the person at the top makes all that much difference. Clinton and Obama and everyone else needs to link him to Bush and Cheney and Delay and Foley and Frist and Lott and Gonzales and Iraq and Enron and mortgage crisis and Katrina and the REPUBLICAN brand at every possible opportunity — and get mad about it! We are fed up with the skyrocketing deficit and corruption and incompetence & waste in government and CEOs making billions. Hammer on security as well — the challenge of terrorism can be met NOT ONLY with after-the-fact REVENGE WAR but also with SMART and STRONG policies of intelligence, diplomacy, allies, police work, securing ports and chemical plants, etc. — all of which was resisted by REPUBs — people can see that EEEHAW has not worked and McCain wants more of the same in spades.

    Clintona and Obama and everyone else need to got after REPUBs non-stop and let whichever one gets the nomination get it and let the other support that decision wholeheartedly. Hammer on McCain’s temperament, and slimey courting of Falwell et al. out of naked ambition, and ignorance of economics, and age, and anything else.

  • Some people are way overestimating Hillary’s negatives. I prefer Obama, but Hillary too can beat McCain.

    Remember, McCain is a ancient warmonger with PTSD. Any long national exposure in front of the cameras will do him in. He’s too old. He’ll keel over before the first state of the union. He’ll lose his temper in front of the cameras.

  • Senator John McCain have done well. It is a big miracle how he has triumphed in the primaries, despite all the financial hardship he had some months ago that nearly derailed his campaign
    Congratulations to you, senator. You are a good man. A war hero.
    But I must tell you that the candidate you will be facing in the final election will be formidable. it will be either Billary or Obama, (Mr. Bam Bam)
    Are you sure you are going to level them with a knockout punch with your current low key Mr. Good guy campaigning? I doubt it. I don’t see any fire blazing out from your belly. This may be the only opportunity for you to achieve your presidential ambition because of your age. So, it is either now or never. You should be fighting like a wounded lion, like Mitt did!!!h. But you are not. You are just slouching around, banking on your reputation to help you to win. To defeat either of the Dem candidates, you would need more than reputation, buddy.
    This is going to be the battle of your life or you would lose, so get the gloves out and go for it.

  • AP has released a poll claiming that Obama could beat McCain. I want to advise Obama to be very cautious in going after McCain if he wins the nomination. McCain is a man and is not like Billary. He is also a war hero and highly respected. It may not be easy to beat him.

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