Lessons Learned
EmailABC News’ Andy Fies reports: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., knows how ugly and even politically effective it is to be thought of as being like a pig. It’s one of the many lessons he learned in 2000.
In a tense New York primary battle that year, then-Gov. George W. Bush ran a radio ad accusing McCain of being hostile to breast cancer research. Though Bush cited McCain’s Web site and criticism of certain “pork barrel” legislation to back his charge, it was not an accurate portrayal of his stand on the subject. It was also a very sensitive issue for McCain, since his sister had suffered from the disease.
He fiercely attacked Bush for the tactic: ”It really is what is so distasteful and unpleasant about politics, that the Bush campaign would run an ad saying I’m against funding for breast cancer research," McCain said. ”I’ve voted for it many times.” ("The 2000 Campaign: New York; Bush and McCain Battle for Support in High Stakes Territory," NYT 03/04/2000)
Bush’s reply suggested John McCain was acting a little porcine: “I don’t think the senator should be squealing about pork and then squealing when somebody disagrees with one of the cuts he wants to make.”
Could this stinging moment be in McCain’s head, eight years later, as his campaign persists in falsely saying that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., called Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin a pig?
Perhaps not.
But tactically, it is clear, and it has been frequently noted, that McCain learned well the lessons from his last run in 2000, with his courtship of the Republican base being the most obvious example.
Another example stands out since the Republican convention.
Rewind again to 2000 when McCain surprised everyone with a resounding win over George Bush in the New Hampshire primary. His success was based, in large part, on the "reformer" theme. He even proclaimed in his New Hampshire victory speech that the Republican Party had "recovered its heritage of reform."
So, how did his opponent, Bush, respond? By quickly seizing the reform theme as his own. Within days of his New Hampshire loss, Bush had shifted from "compassionate conservative" to "reformer with results." Banners and signs with the new slogan were everywhere in South Carolina, the primary that followed New Hampshire.
Certainly there was more to Bush’s South Carolina victory than latching onto McCain’s theme. But it was a very visible component of his winning strategy.
Now, McCain, who initially based his run on experience and preparedness, has almost wrestled the "change" theme from his opponent … the theme on which Obama has run for the past 20 months. He called attention to the strategy with one of the big applause lines of his convention speech: "Change is coming."
While the Arizona senator hasn’t gone so far as to print up placards trumpeting "change," he’s made it a prominent motif of his campaign and it seems to be working. According to the new ABC News/Washington Post poll, McCain has gained significantly on Obama as the one who would do more to change government. Obama’s 32-point lead on the question in June is now down to a 12-point advantage.
McCain may want to keep Bush at a distance … but not his tactics.
Perhaps Obama could learn something from McCain, circa 2000. McCain didn’t take up the gauntlet of distortion thrown down by Bush … at least not to the same degree, and Obama has followed the same strategy, more or less. Then, McCain trusted that ”People will figure it out … And if they don’t figure it out, we’ll have run an honorable campaign.”
Look how far that got him eight years ago.
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i am disappointed in the dems. a new democrat i am voting for mccain.
Posted by: ron | September 10, 2008, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
For people who hate Palin. Please read this article from a woman who interviewed Palin for the Vogue magazine.
Http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2008/09/11/ftpalin111.xml
I am pro-life, but I can comfortably vote for Palin.
Posted by: amy | September 10, 2008, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
From:
Head of State
http://tinyurl.com/55atsk
Monday, September 08, 2008
Fear and the Result of Our Decisions: Media, Palin and Iraq
I recall keenly the days of the run-up to the Iraq war. How many journalists–including those I knew and admired–drew back from criticism of obvious gaps and flaws in the logic leading to the conflict; who, despite stories of critical importance for the future of the nation hanging before them, left them hanging in the group-reinforced fear that they would be accused of a lack of patriotism if they were to report them.
And so they were left to be reported long after–in books looking back at the clear issues, landmark errors, and trail of missed opportunities that has led to the fatal outcomes we now see before us.
The issues were there at the time. To be reported.
They were not.
Today, they are again being cowed, by an equally powerful fear of unnecessary intimidation and restraint, the consequences of which stretch far beyond those that we have seen in Iraq.
At a time when we are at war, the economy in shambles, when today Fannie and Freddie Mac are, for the first time in their history, in effect being nationalized, we are being swept by emotion and fear–career fear–into ignoring a situation that would likely send us tumbling into the unknown.
For the short-term fear that each journalist feels, in being perceived as “unpatriotic” to vague, manifest threats regarding gender–they fail to report issues that have nothing to do with gender: the preparedness of a candidate for Vice President of the United States, running alongside an elderly and chronically ill Presidential candidate.
Instead–just as in the run-up to Iraq–each is making the easier choice–to join the risk-averse chorus of personality pieces, each, in the same diffusion of responsibility that had such a major role in leading us into the war in Iraq, taking the route that leads away from fact, regardless of gender.
As in Iraq, reporting fact–regardless of pressure for a mindless conformity and silence–represented actual patriotism, providing the nation with the information it needed to make a reliable and authentic decision, so reporting the facts here–regardless of pressure for an unthinking conformity represents a true balance, a true equality, a true lack of bias.
This is a time of difficult decisions. However, those decisions–your decisions–matter. We have seen this.
Report it. Don’t be cowed.
Cite:
Head of State
http://tinyurl.com/55atsk
Posted by: Marie Stewart | September 10, 2008, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
Not only Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” comment offensive, but he plagiarized the first part of that speech from a Washington post comic. Watch the video and then look at the ad: http://noquarterusa.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/toonsnipped11.jpg
Obama- change you can xerox.
Posted by: mikeWill | September 10, 2008, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
McSame has spent 26 years in the US senate with no record of reform or change: You can put a lipstik on a pig it is still a pig and McSame knows that the change mantra is not he’s but Obama’s theme during these elections, you cannot shamelessly still, fabricate and lie and hopefully McCain is noble enough to avoid the repetition of his mistakes.
Posted by: BKMC | September 10, 2008, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
amy, elections are not about hate or love for a candidate. But what can an elected politician do to improve people’s life. You are pro-life as Palin is, so you can vote for her, but the rest of us are pro-choice we will vote against her.
Posted by: BKMC | September 10, 2008, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
I heard the remarks from Senator Obama. He was making a sexist swipe at Sarah Palin, just as he was making a sexist swipe at Hillary when he made the famous statment that sometimes “the claws come out.” Men may not get this, but women do. Maybe that’s why Hillary isn’t out there trashing Sarah Palin with the angry. She had her share of being sexist treatment, and now it’s happening to Sarah Palin. And the left-wing expects women to fall into line like loyal little soldiers? Not this moderate Democratic woman. McCain/Palin 08
Posted by: Carrie | September 10, 2008, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
McCain and Palin have a problem with the truth and I don’t want another couple of liars in office.
Posted by: Lie to me, I like it | September 10, 2008, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
It’s funny when idiots like Carrie come in here pretending to be Democrats voting for McCain/Palin. Let me give you some breakign news: You are not Democrats. besides, lets see how Palin performs when they take her out of her little safe box and the Press can grill her on her endless lies.
Posted by: Kevin | September 10, 2008, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
I certain Obama did not mean to insult pigs.
Posted by: bob in texas | September 10, 2008, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
McCain has stolen OBAMA’S Theme “CHANGE”
and he is just another failed politician
from Washington. McCain is a great liar.
We can not be convinced that he is the reformer or change. He doesn’t have anything to offer.
McCain/Palin = Bush 8 yaers
Posted by: I.A.T smith | September 10, 2008, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm
My wife is a Hillary voter that is very comfortable voting for Obama. Our son is home from Iraq, via Walter Reed. Years ago we were Republicans, but after the way McCain turned his back on our veterans (I’m also a vet) I will do all I can to see the man defeated. McCain is not good for our troops and worse for out veterans.
Posted by: Rednecks for Obama | September 10, 2008, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm
sorry about the typo, I meant worse for OUR veterans.
Posted by: Rednecks for Obama | September 10, 2008, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm
McCain is running as Bush and Obama is running as Jimmy Carter. Jeez, I think I’ll vote 3rd party this year!
Posted by: argh! | September 10, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
how is it so many column inches are devoted to this instead of a single, substantive, issue-oriented story? Callign heerself a dog is OK, but that Obama used the word “lipstick”, I was unaware that Palin had copyrighted the word. GET OVER IT! I want to hear about the issues that are going to affect me and my family in the next four years and what each of these candidates plans to do about them.
Posted by: Jason | September 10, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
“I want to hear about the issues that are going to affect me and my family in the next four years and what each of these candidates plans to do about them”.
Well said Jason.
Posted by: Rednecks for Obama | September 10, 2008, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm
ron please reregister as a republican because you are not a democrat if youre voting for that loser bush clone
Posted by: Bhrandon | September 10, 2008, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm
Mccain has never turned his back on our veterans, you are wrong, or a dem starting rumors.. McCain is and always has been a good man. Shame on you.
Posted by: casey | September 10, 2008, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
If you really want change, get rid of Pelosi and her Dem squad, they’ve let the American people down everytime change was offered. Even went on vacation instead of voting on energy policy, knowing 70% of American citizens wanted it. Still haven’t voted on it.
Posted by: casey | September 10, 2008, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm
The writers of this bog should really do their home work. The McCain/Palin ticket is ahead in most of the polls.
The Obama Democrats refuse to acknowledge that the gas price increase and mortgage crisis came after the Democrats took over Congress yet Obama is two years behind in knowledge and are still blaming the Bush Administration. Obama must play the Blame Game. He has nothing else.
Posted by: Mai | September 10, 2008, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm
I am shocked at the cheapness of American politics as put forward by the Republican party.
Most of the shots at Palin came from the independent blog internet world, but these sleazy ads about Obama are official ads coming out of the Republican party.
How can Christians support such sleazebag performers. Let’s call a spade a spade – the Republicans are sinking to new lows with their Swift Boat lies, distortions and distractions.
Vote the Republican Party OUT of office!
Posted by: Pedro | September 10, 2008, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
McCain may want to keep George W. Bush at a distance… but not his tactics.
Yes, strike back fast and often. Just what he is doing.
Posted by: Waggdogg | September 10, 2008, 8:19 pm 8:19 pm
MEMO
—-
Committee to Elect McCain/Palin
To: Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Anne Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, FOX NEWS Staff, McCain/Palin Campaign Staff
From: Karl Rove
cc: RNC mailing list
Date: Tuesday, Sept 09, 2009
Time: 8:32 p.m.
Re: Effective Ways to Smear Sen. Barack Obama
More to come…
Posted by: Campaing to elect McCain/Palin '08 | September 10, 2008, 10:08 pm 10:08 pm
MEMO to Republican Mailing List from
Desk of Karl Rove
—-
I’ve been hired on to work behind-the-scenes as special consultant to the McCain/Palin election campaign.
This is all hush hush of course, and off-the-record.
Officially, I’m still only working as a consultant for FOX News Channel.;-)
Here are a couple of talking points I’d like you to start “drilling” home over the next month or so.
Republicans know that the surest way to get our people elected is if we can stir up a sense of urgency or panic in the American public around one or two “primal” themes.
This year, we’re going with “SEX & RACE” and “OIL”.
Here’s how:
============
More to come….
Posted by: Campaign to elect McCain/Palin '08 | September 10, 2008, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm
I don’t understand ABC Political Radar’s filtering policy. Could you post Rules & Guidelines somewhere?
Posted by: Mystified | September 10, 2008, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
Truth be told, Obama’s worst enemy is Obama. He is in fact largely unknown, untested, and very inexperienced – not the qualifications generally required for the US presidency. He exhibited poor judgment by snubbing 18-million-vote Hillary Clinton as VP, and instead went with Joe Biden from the good old boy Washington establishment. Now he’s scrambling to make up those lost votes, but it’s becoming plain that behind the rhetoric, there is no substance!
Posted by: Phil | September 11, 2008, 12:17 am 12:17 am
Obama was absolutely brilliant on Late Night with David Letterman tonight.
He finished off all the nonsense with McCain’s attack ad, and showed himself measured, intelligent and with personal depth – and he carried it off with a lot of class and diplomacy – something missing from the sleazebag Republican presentations I saw at their convention.
He was also pretty damn quick-witted and funny.
Thank goodness their are a few politicians around with some class.
Posted by: Pedro | September 11, 2008, 5:23 am 5:23 am
Ok, let’s be civil and give Barack Hussein Obama the benefit of the doubt–that he really didn’t mean the ‘lipstick on a pig’ comment was directed at Sarah Palin (don’t believe it, but ok, let’s go from there)
Do we REALLY want a president who makes such language gaffs representing us in the foreign arena? He made this huge blunder, which, despite whether or not he intended it, offended a great many people.
What will happen when he’s talking with foreigners, some of whom will need interpreters? Will he make such blunders and ruin relations with those folks? Harvard grad aside (you’d think Harvard would have taught him better), he just doesn’t have the command of language necessary in this volatile world.
The ‘lipstick on a pig’ offended many unarmed, reasonable, Americans. What happens when he verbally messes up and offends armed known enemies of America?
Scary.
Posted by: Even giving Obama the benefit of the doubt | September 11, 2008, 8:54 am 8:54 am
What did Hillary say, if you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen? That phrase about the pig is so common in politics that its been used by every party in every election. If Palin is insulted, why doesn’t SHE say so? Is McCain her knight in shining armor? What kind of VP can’t stand up for herself or himself? I thought it was great on Letterman when Obama said, if I HAD been referring to the vice president nominee, she would have been the lipstick, not the pig. The pig was McCain’s policies. Get onto the issues, McCain, or shut up.
Posted by: katharine | September 11, 2008, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
“Do we REALLY want a president who makes such language gaffs representing us in the foreign arena? He made this huge blunder, which, despite whether or not he intended it, offended a great many people.”
Are you kidding? Have you been paying attention for the past 8 years? W has gaffed almost weekly. Anyone who speaks in front of camera as much as our political candidates do is bound to let a phrase slip by once in a while. Ease up! Let’s talk about the real issues…and what will be the plan.
Posted by: joyce | September 11, 2008, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm
“Let a Phrase slip by”
“LET A PHRASE SLIP BY” ????
Did you really say that Joyce? That was a SLIP? I’d hate to see what is intentional. Yeesh. How dumb can he be, even if he meant nothing????
Joyce, you want to talk about the real issues? Like how Obama supports infanticide? Like how he chums up with radical left wing nuts and what kind of influence that will have on policy? Or how about his Robin Hood “steal from the rich and give to the poor”–how’s THAT going to help the economy? The rich are the ones providing jobs, the risk-takers. Obama sure isn’t very smart for being an Ivy League grad-trying to put a new spin on the same old tired liberal ideas… The plan will be: Obama won’t have to worry about it because he’s going to be back in Illinois and John McCain will take care of things.
Posted by: Obama are you serious? | September 11, 2008, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm