The Coordinated Blog Campaign

While Jerome asked yesterday why the Obama campaign hasn't had a coordinated blog campaign, let me offer one that all left-of-center bloggers can agree on ... a simple message that would be easy to stick to without any help from 233 N. Michigan.

You simply call McCain a warmonger without calling him a warmonger.

Everyday McCain gives this narrative more validity.  Today he (probably carelessly) agreed that a draft might be necessary to finish the job on Bin Laden.

He's basically created a second American state named Georgia.

He's laughed about bombing Iran ... he's said we could be in Iraq for a millennia, for all he cared.

You see, McCain can't stop himself.  This has been his m.o. since he arrived in Washington.  He makes himself available for any TV camera that asks during any military crisis, voices support for the President and then, sadly, reluctantly (in the case of GOP Presidents) or aggressively (in the case of Dem Presidents) says we're not doing enough.

Because no one ever adds it all up, McCain just sounds tough and informed.  But if you go back ... for example, to the spring of 1999 ... you'll find moments where McCain is on record supporting three large scale U.S. military operations simultaneously.  Then he wanted a land war in Kosovo (because President Clinton's air war clearly wasn't going to be enough), he wanted regime change in Iraq and he wanted an armed attack on Iran to avenge Khobar Towers (yes, three years after the fact, with no conclusive proof that they were behind it.)

McCain shoots off his mouth and orders our troops around, rhetorically, at will.  Except if he's President, it's not rhetorical anymore.  And the idea that we'd need a draft to cover all of McCain's wars isn't theoretical anymore either.

If Democrats can't exploit this issue, we deserve to lose.  McCain is hoping to be the new James K. Polk, in a far more dangerous world.  Tell the truth about McCain and war and he'll think it's hell.



Display:


Re: The Coordinated Blog Campaign (none / 0)

Yea, but my point wasn't that there are no good narratives, but that there is not one being led on by the campaign. I think the McCain camp had it fairly easy, as they just picked up with what Clinton figured out from March onwards. McCain has always been a puzzle to run against for Dems, and for Obama it doesn't seem to be any different. I don't know what their consistent message is against McCain.  I do like the point of your focus, but I doubt its what we'll find the Obama campaign leading on.


by Jerome Armstrong on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 10:51:49 PM EST

Re: The Coordinated Blog Campaign (none / 0)

I agree with you, Jerome, but I think Obama might be too squeamish to take on McCain directly on this issue, it might have to come from surrogates without his direction or even approval.  Whoever shut up Wes Clark did a grave disservice to the campaign.


by Dan Conley on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 10:54:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Coordinated Blog Campaign (none / 0)

mojo'd for "squeamish"

I take it you meant this definition from Webster's online dictionary:

'excessively fastidious or scrupulous in conduct or belief'

(the word 'too' is redundant, though.)


"But not me personally were those cheers for"
by QTG on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 10:59:02 PM EST

Re: The Coordinated Blog Campaign (none / 0)

the above was in reply to Don Conley - sorry for the non-indent.


"But not me personally were those cheers for"
by QTG on Wed Aug 20, 2008 at 10:59:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Coordinated Blog Campaign (none / 0)

So how many blog proprietors want to put this video back up on their front pages (bonus: he talks about his ambition at the end!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-R5Vh5tO Wk&feature=related

If Obama's team isn't going to coordinate messaging strategy online, perhaps someone else should take up the mantle without his approval.  Hell, did W ever actually say he agreed with the SBVT, or did he just let them do their thing?

It's a low-cost operation we're talking about, and if it doesn't report to the campaign, what exactly would Obama be able to do to stop it?  He'd have to "tsk, tsk" it, which would only drive further coverage of the narrative du jour.


by Jay R on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 12:57:22 AM EST


You are not logged in.

In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.

If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.