The Campaign Ad John McCain Should Make

CNN had this interesting gimmick when they broadcast the debates.  They gave undecided Ohio voters a dial they could turn up when they liked what they heard and down when they didn't.  The choice of the state was interesting because no Republican has won a Presidential election without winning Ohio, yet if the CNN graph is to be believed, undecided Ohio voters ... especially women ... hate it when one guy attacks the other.  The meter plummets, and during the debates, that was especially true of John McCain's attacks on Barack Obama.

An article in the conservative Wall Street Journal last week made the case that McCain's attack strategy on television is also turning many voters off.  Here's the link.  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122411284505038359.html

McCain is even resorting to a tactic he publicly denounced when he ran for President eight years ago.  'Robo-calling.'  Highly negative phone calls made by computers to likely voters in swing states, but far from earning more voters, the feedback indicates it has horrified them instead.  Suddenly, McCain finds himself having to defend once 'safe' states like North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

It looks like desperate tactics by a desperate man, and that isn't the real John McCain.  If he wants to mount the most historic comeback in Presidential politics, he needs to change tactics just like he pushed for with the surge to turn the war in Iraq.  I think he should 'go positive.'

There's some evidence it can work.  In Minnesota, Republican Senator Norm Coleman was dropping like a rock in the polls against Democrat Al Franken (yes, the same Al Franken who was a former comedian on Saturday Night Live and wrote the best selling political book "Lies and the Liars That Tell Them" ... THAT Al Franken).  Coleman saw his one-time double-digit lead turn into a 5 point deficit, but the feeling now is that his campaign is regaining momentum.  What did he do?  He pulled every negative campaign ad off the air and asked his opponents (there's an independent in the race as well) to do the same.  Will it be enough to save his seat?  We'll find out November 4th, but Coleman realized not changing his tactics would have led to certain defeat.

So how could John McCain do the same?  By using ads to point out his biggest strengths and differences with Obama in a positive way.  It might go like this.

"I'm John McCain, and on November 4th, I know you face an important choice.  I have nothing but respect for my opponent , but if elected, he would face enormous pressure from a Democratic Congress to spend more and raise taxes.  In this time of crisis, we can't afford it.  I'll work with Congress, but pledge to veto any bill that spends more and takes us deeper into debt.  My support of the surge in Iraq also shows I have the judgment to lead America in dangerous times.  Yes, America needs change, but we need the right kind of change, and that is why I'm working so hard to earn your trust and your vote."

What does he have to lose?

Comments

[norma]

The mistake McCain made when he named Sarah Palin as VP was not naming who would be in his cabinet. I think that would have helped his chances and perhaps it could have nudged Obama to name is cabinet also and perhaps the campain would be different that what it is today.