By Thomas Nagorski

Oct 14, 2008 12:14pm

Help The Candidates

Three weeks to go. You’ve just assumed control of the McCain campaign. What’s the one thing you’ll do — to turn things around? AND… Same question — with the Obama campaign: What’s the key — to holding your lead?

User Comments

Obama camp needs to come clean, quit playing with words and lay it on the table…all of it.
McCain camp needs to get fired up, quit being a door mat.

Posted by: samhiguchi | October 14, 2008, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm

Get rid of Sarah Palin for starters. Lets just get down to the facts here, McCain has no plans. He has do so many things wrong it is hard to say where he should go from here. They have told so many lies the trust is gone. My advise to him is to retire and enjoy his wife’s wealth. It is time for a new generation, we can not afford living in the past anymore. What was good for the geese is no longer good for the gander.

Posted by: becky | October 14, 2008, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm

John McCain,
HONESTY is the best policy.
Honestly, Barack Obama associated himself with the Annenberg Foundation, founded by a Republican and friend of Ronald Reagan, along with other high visibility, respectable Republicans, Independents and Democrats.
There they talked about children, how the public schools had failed them and how to reform them.
The Annenberg foundation is no more a radical den of subversives than the Boy Scouts of America!
Honestly, John McCain cashed in his remaining honor on this one. He has none left.
But if he admits it now, he can start the long road of recovery.

Posted by: John | October 14, 2008, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm

To John McCain:
It is the middle class, stup*d.
While the wealthy have doubled their wealth since 1980, the middle class have been on a road to nowhere. No improvement in the inflation adjusted wages. No development of new jobs in this country. No real investment by the government in the future.
And no justice for the middle class. The Republicans have rewritten the rules every chance they can to concentrate wealth amoung the few, the wealthy, the Republican donars.
SO MY ADVICE to John McCain is to appologize for the Republican party’s decade long war on the middle class.

Posted by: John | October 14, 2008, 12:34 pm 12:34 pm

Obama is going to the four corners while McCain is trying a full court press. I hated it when Dean Smith held up four fingers, but Carolina won a lot of games that way.

Posted by: Mortimer Snerd | October 14, 2008, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm

John McCain,
I just read an article that you will be attacking Obama at the next debate over Ayers… ummm… lessons never learned. Be careful, lies come back at ya.

Posted by: becky | October 14, 2008, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm

If i were heading John Mccain’s campaign,
Firstly, I would get rid of sara palin. she is a disaster and only appeals to teh worst of the rightwingers in teh republican party.
secondly, he needs to stop attacking Obama and sit down with his economic advisers (assuming he has one), and think of a coherent plan to implement that will fix the credit crisis.
thirdly, he needs to fire the Karl Roves in his campaign, and get the moderate Republicans who are not saying Bomb-bomb Iran.
Oh last and not the least, lose Joe Lieberman. That neocon is done as far as credibility and even where his loyalties lie. Seems like he is more a friend of Israel than USA.

Posted by: Tom | October 14, 2008, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm

One way Hillary defeated Obama during the last primary contest was to have smaller crowds that are up and personal while Obama was having bigger crowds with no personal closeness to the voters.
Obama has changed that and is using Hillary tactics now. Senator McCain will lose if he continues with the big crowds with Palin. Big crowds excites but many leave without taking anything out.

Posted by: James | October 14, 2008, 12:42 pm 12:42 pm

Caps lock is not cruise control for intelligence.

Posted by: Enough | October 14, 2008, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm

TJ, THE CLINTONITE: You people don’t make any sense. If you feel his good enough to lead when the Economy is bad why would you want anyone else in office when the economy is good?

Posted by: becky | October 14, 2008, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm

I would send Sarah Plain packing and give Colin Powell what ever it took(cash, credit ,power or what ever)to get him on my ticket. Then maybe just maybe you might win. This is probably a no go because I have heard General Powell’s does not want him to run. Perhaps ditching the baracutta in favor of Joe Liberman and getting Colin Powell to commit to McCain publically would be helpful. I was listening to MCCain until she came on beard.

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | October 14, 2008, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm

My advice
Stop the attacks and adds that say only what is bad about your opponent (they haven’t exactly worked, so why keep doing them)
Tell the American people what YOU are going to do…
Act, speak, and react with the dignity, honor, respect, compassion, and integrity, one would expect from the highest (and second highest) office in the land. Stop the playground mentality of “telling tales and calling names” that are untrue, unjustified, and tend to stir up the worst in people.
Instead do the most to bring out the best in people (and yourself) Isn’t that what we want in a leader, a society, a country…the best?
Wouldn’t it be a wonder if the last 3 weeks of the political season were conducted in such a way that American’s could say “This is the way a civilized society conducts itself and its politics. That American’s, whatever their party, could be proud of the way the process was conducted. Hmmm maybe “wonder” isn’t a big enough word.

Posted by: marli | October 14, 2008, 1:05 pm 1:05 pm

Jenny Rome GA: Sorry Colin Powell is on board with Obama. I read he was an advisor to him on Iraq.

Posted by: becky | October 14, 2008, 1:05 pm 1:05 pm

Obama – stay on message! Continue to lead. Don’t follow McCain and his distractions.
McCain – keep attacking and stay negative. Your base loves it and no one else cares. Love the way it’s worked so far!
Gallop Poll:
Obama 51%
McCain 41%

Posted by: Dear Abby | October 14, 2008, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm

I would send Sarah Plain packing and give Colin Powell what ever it took(cash, credit ,power or what ever)to get him on my ticket. Then maybe just maybe you might win.
———————–
I really like Powell. Only honest man in the Bush Administration as far as I can tell.
He was against invading Iraq. He followed orders (as he should have as a soldier) but tried to get Bush and Cheney to realize it was a horrible idea. They ignored him.
Then they gave him a bunch of bunk info, and used HIS credibility to deliver it to the UN. That’s when Powell quit.
I’ve heard Powell is actually backing Obama now. I like him even more!

Posted by: Not a bad suggestion | October 14, 2008, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm

Obama needs to demand ACORN refund the monies given to them for voter registration serices.

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | October 14, 2008, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm

James – Well put. Long live religious freedoms as long as you dont go around blouing up builings and killing others in the name of it.

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | October 14, 2008, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm

Both candidates need to make the uninformed public understand that they cannot make all their promises come true. They can PROPOSE legislation and they can certainly sign legislation or veto it, but they can’t put their “plans” on the table in the White House and make it happen without the Congress and Senate voting FIRST.
So you see, people, they can promise you all you want to hear, but can/will they ever deliver???

Posted by: Judith11 | October 14, 2008, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm

Listen to the ones that say get rid of Palin – she is a thorn in McCain’s side. She is a hindrance to him, and I and many others wonder what happened to McCain to choose her. She is totally full of untruths, look at her lifestyle.
Be honest – don’t slam others – face the issues. Don’t condemn others when you haven’t done any better.
This has totally turned republicans off. I have friends who are republicans and are now voting for Obama because of the dirtiness of this election. Palin is not a plus at all. Look at her record in Alaska – this can explain it all. Not honest, not up with the issues and cannot even answer a question to the press or media.

Posted by: ka | October 14, 2008, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm

for McCain, get with the 21st century.
for Obama, McCain is the past, Obama is the future, roll your sleeve’s up and time to go to work….

Posted by: Pat | October 14, 2008, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm

If I was McCain I would apologize for the campaign I was running, and let the American people see how quickly you can change and adapt when headed down the wrong moral direction. That would impress me.

Posted by: Justine | October 14, 2008, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm

I think McCain needs to throw a Hail Mary.
1) Proposing dropping nukes on Iran and Pakistan. I’m not suggesting that makes any sense, but it might gain votes.
2) Support legislation making all online porn required to be free.
3) Blame it all on China in the debates.
4) Proposing building 100 new nuclear power plants, with waste being shipped to a country that we’ll invade in the future.

Posted by: HailMary | October 14, 2008, 1:47 pm 1:47 pm

Obama needs to Expose John Mccain for the shady liar he is!

Posted by: angie | October 14, 2008, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm

mcain get over it! obama – continue what you have been doing. a campaign strategy that will change all future campaigns. Obama gets it – Mccain walks in circles talking to himself.

Posted by: cjr | October 14, 2008, 1:52 pm 1:52 pm

Stop havinmg those Huffs McCain!

Posted by: Thinking | October 14, 2008, 2:12 pm 2:12 pm

Marli says it best with her post. Both sides need to highlight their positives and explain how their leadership is going to help America. No matter who wins, we can’t have half of our country hoping that the president fails in order to feel vindicated.
I think John Wayne sums this up after JFK won over Nixon, “I didn’t vote for him, but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.” Both sides need to reassure us that they’ll do a good job first before knocking down their opponent.

Posted by: Casey | October 14, 2008, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm

For Obama. Keep pushing on the economy.
For McCain-
1. Dump Sarah Palin Get Olympia Snowe
2. Tax cuts for the poor and middle class in this country.
3. Make healthcare a right not a privilege.
4. Bring the troops home from Iraq now.
5. Freeze the price of gasoline.
6. Dump all the Christian conservative mentality.
Another thing. Obama is not a muslim and so what if he was. What’s wrong with that. I respect everyone’s religion even if I don’t agree with. Just keep you religious views off my freedom.

Posted by: Dickie | October 14, 2008, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm

I would come to this last debate in my old military uniform, recite my experiences as a POW while holding up poster size photos of me laying the bed recovering. And while the strains of “America, The Beautiful” are playing in the background, I would attribute every bad decision I ever made to my POW trauma and ask the audience’s forgiveness

Posted by: Daniel H. Kroener | October 14, 2008, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm

Sen. Obama’s Economic Plan:
‘subsidies to working families’:
High food and enery prices are not helped by subsidies. Create more goods; find new ways for fueling; keep drilling in the meantime. These actions will lower the cost of food and energy.
(Also, conserve. Oil prices are dropping
because we are using less.)
-I do not want a handout from anyone.-
I want to work. (I do work – fyi).
‘Mutual responsibility and reciprocity’:
If banks, for now on, have to cover high risk loans, that in itself eliminates personal responsibility. The banks will be ‘co-signing’ YOUR loan.
Where’s the logic in that?
Obama did not think this one through.
Or maybe he did.

Posted by: Don't need no welfare state -everybody pulled their weight | October 14, 2008, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm

ABC asks what I would do to help McCain’s campaign…
Well, mainly, I’d tell Senator McCain to stop harping on the PAST and tell us how he would solve our economic mess.
I don’t need to hear more insults from the candidates about each other; we need fresh ideas about the FUTURE.
We cannot change the past.

Posted by: Rhys | October 14, 2008, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm

John McCain is reaching for straws he has no plan for the economy.
John McCain’s best days are behind him, the “Rocker is Awaiting”.

Posted by: lookup | October 14, 2008, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm

Senator Obama- stay cool and calm at this debate tomorrow for starters. Then camp out in my state of VA, and dispatch Joe to camp out in Ohio…Turning these 2 lead to a blowout. Next, make that call and say, “It’s time, you said you would be there when I needed you. The time is now, lets do this thing. Then, for this 30 minute spot you have coming up, unleash the endorsement from Colin Powell that you have been saving up for a special occasion. The rest is history folks…
Senator McCain- Verbally re-assure voters that you aren’t going to auction off your soul and let the GOP run the White House like they have run your campaign. Admit that the way you have run the campaign was a mistake and resume the maverick role from 2000. Say, “these statements might very well lose this election, but I refuse to walk into the Highest Office in this nation I love like this. I am going back to the maverick, and hope the voters will trust me enough to put me in there.” Too late to drop Palin, but not too late to speak out on why he made the irrational pick. The John McCain of today isn’t going to get in the White House. He needs to do something to show flashes of his old self.

Posted by: PoliticsAsUsual | October 14, 2008, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm

the democrats have a lot of nerve talking about ‘auctioning off your soul’.

Posted by: yeah, politics as usual | October 14, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm

Just saw Obama talking to a plumber -
The plumber asked Obama, “Are you going
to tax me more?”
Then Obama replied, “Well, I want to
spread the wealth.”
Obama didn’t even stop to think. Yes, he’s going to ‘spread the wealth’ by
taking more money from that plumber and
from people who work very hard to get
what they have.
Obama wants to change America to something I don’t recognize.
Well, actually, I do.
Red China had a similar program.
I don’t recommend it.
Call me crazy if you want to.
I’m just going by Sen. Obama’s statement.
You could say Obama was ‘misunderstood’.
So what did he mean?

Posted by: I believe you. | October 14, 2008, 5:54 pm 5:54 pm

Okay here are some of the reasone I am for McCain he is honest..So he owns 8 houses and 13 cars…Wow I think this shows he knows how to manage his money..And would be able to run the state the way his house is ran..Just think if he can accompolish that what he can do for the USA..It shows he is able to manage and successful. Plus he went to war to fight for our country and is not ashame of it..
OBAMA and the DUMBACRATS I MEAN DEMOCRATS CAN YOU GET THE PEOPLE THE ANSWERE TO THESE QUESTIONS..I THINK THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO VOTING..
Could you please help me find these things Sir?
1. Occidental College records — Not released
2. Columbia College records — Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper — “Not available”
4. Harvard College records — Not released
5. Selective Service Registration — Not released
6. Medical records — Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule — Not available
8. Your Illinois State Senate records — Not available
9. Law practice client list — Not released
10. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate — Not released
11. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth — Not released
12. Record of your baptism — Not available
Oh and one more thing Senator, I can’t seem to find any articles you published as editor of the Harvard Law Review, or as a Professor at the University of Chicago. Can you explain that to me Sir?
SOUNDS LIKE OBAMA CAN’T EVEN MANAGE HIS PERSONAL FILES THEY ARE ALL LOST HID OR COVERED…

Posted by: LACE | October 14, 2008, 7:26 pm 7:26 pm

Hello
Please avoid all the negative and focus more on the Positive as this is what we all need!
Thank you

Posted by: Cherie! | October 15, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm

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