McCain Finds Americans No Longer Buying Into the Spec Market on Dread

As expected, John McCain is trying to turn the stretch run of the campaign away from the economy and back to national security. He knows Americans are afraid of losing their jobs, their homes, their 401Ks, and their life's savings -- but he wants them to put all of that on the backburner and focus on the fear of losing their lives.

Accordingly, his latest Hail Mary bomb comes equipped with a nuclear warhead.

McCain barreled through the door Joe Biden opened with his ill-advised comments about Obama being tested within the first six months of his presidency, flashing back to the Cuban Missile crisis and painting Obama as "untried, untested" and a national security liability.

In contrast, McCain insisted, "I've been tested." Of course, the kind of test given a 26 year-old Navy pilot assigned to Cuban targets, as McCain was during October 1962, is very different from the test a president would face in that kind of crisis. But who needs to worry about details like that when you are playing the mushroom cloud card?

With time running short, Team McCain wants to cover as many fear bases as possible. So along with the Missiles of October, the McCain campaign also rolled out a new round of robocalls designed to convince voters that Obama has "a disturbing history of coddling criminals" and would be soft on "sex offenders, drug dealers, and murderers."

Beware, America: if the nukes don't get you, the sociopaths, the junkies, and the perverts will.

Unfortunately for McCain, playing the Be Afraid game has gotten a lot more complicated than it was back in the good old days when all you had to say was "Cipro" and "duct tape" and the electorate would reach for its GOP security blanket. Between 2001 and 2004, every time the government issued a terror alert, Bush's approval rating would go up. It was positively Pavlovian.

A new study pdf conducted by UC Berkeley sociologists Robb Willer and Nick Adams, and published this month in the journal Current Research in Social Psychology, suggests voter reactions to those kinds of threats may be changing -- and that terror warnings or the evocation of looming attacks may, in fact, have the opposite impact on McCain than they had on Bush (you see, McCain's right: they aren't the same!). Especially when it comes to swing voters. We may have finally reached the point when voters are thinking: "Fool us with the fear card once, shame on you. Fool us with the fear card 279 times, shame on us... We won't be fooled again."

John Kerry still believes Halloween 2004's bin Laden video was one of the main reasons he lost. But the confused -- and panicked -- reaction of the McCain camp to yesterday's pro-McCain posting on an al-Qaeda affiliated website, shows how the rules of the terror game have changed.

McCain's surrogates went to great lengths to pooh-pooh the notion that al-Qaeda would prefer McCain's hawkishness to Obama's more reasoned approach to foreign policy. Yet, in the same breath, senior McCain foreign-policy advisor Randy Scheunemann announced, "John McCain will spend what it takes to win" in Iraq. An approach that fits perfectly with bin Laden's "bleed to bankruptcy" strategy.

For his part, Obama is refusing to buy into McCain's divide-the-economy-from-national security-and-conquer strategy. "We often hear about two debates, one on national security and one on the economy," he said yesterday after meeting with his national security team, including Gary Hart, Madeleine Albright, and Richard Holbrooke. "But that's a false distinction. We can't afford another president who ignores the fundamentals of our economy while running up record deficits to fight a war without end in Iraq. We must be strong at home to be strong abroad. That's one of the lessons of our history."

Throughout his speech, he repeatedly hammered home the "foreign security implications of our economic crisis" and the impact of the Iraq war on our military readiness, our ability to deal with the "grave" situation in Afghanistan, and America's bottom line, saying: "For the sake of our economy, our military, and the long-term stability of Iraq," we need to bring "a responsible end to the war."

And he even challenged McCain's over-inflated national security credentials, pointing out the very different approach he would bring to taking on bin Laden, the growing threat from al-Qaeda along the Pakistan border, and making Afghanistan, not Iraq, the central front in the war on terror. "As president, [McCain] would continue the policies that have put our economy into crisis and, I believe, [are a] danger to our national security."

Obama's steady hand during the economic meltdown and his unflappable bearing during all three debates has clearly had an impact. Coming out of the conventions, McCain had a 14-point lead on who would be better able to handle international affairs; that has shrunk to a within-the-margin-of-error 3-point gap.

Given the wide lead Obama holds on dealing with the economy, "helping the middle class," and health care, and his advantage on handling taxes (sorry, Joe the Plumber), it's to be expected that McCain will keep trotting out the mushroom clouds, the murderers, and the sex offenders. Fear is all he has left to sell. It would be the best news to come out of the campaign so far if the American voter is no longer willing to buy into the spec market on dread.

For those of you in Minnesota, I will be speaking at St. Olaf College Monday, October 27th. The speech will begin at 7:00 PM in Boe Memorial Chapel.

Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

Comments

[fatburner267]

I have longed wanted someone to address McCain's constant referral to his "having already been tested" credentials. My 10 year old asked me when was he president before to have been tested in the face of handling a war or an attacked on America and I couldn't answer her. What gives him the experience he is always talking about when it comes to handling an international crises in this country? I am baffled? He's a paper pusher a sign-here if voter not an action hero. Has been for 26 years. So where is his international foreign relations experience in leadership and decision making in actually handling these tests. So, what's he talking about?

[littlered]

Your daughter is absolutely right. I don't know if McCain refers to being a POW or waiting orders whether or not to bomb Cuba. I respect his work for the country but I don't see him working any differently in those situations than many other POWs or military persons. You do what you are told to do and that's it.

But it's like a mantra. He keeps repeating it.

One person even claimed to me that you are failed in your misson if you are a POW.

[bud812]

I so hope that the conservative and christian right aggendas die with this election ,mankind will never evolve untill there is a true division of church and state!

[als1]

Losing life savings, etc, IS life threatening in a sliding economy. Without sufficient resources We will not be able to take the necessary vital steps to counteract and adapt to Climate Disruption, which could destroy ALL LIFE on earth if allowed to reach the critical mass point of no return. A sick economy IS a National Security Threat. Therefore, further DEFICIT WAR SPENDING is also a National Security Threat, (not to mention all the resultant hatred of the USA that encourages new recruits to the terrorist camps). Man is an endangered species by His own hand.

[munki]

"untried, untested".­..
hmmm how about all those intellectuals surrounding him?

McCain claims he is tested for 26 years... but it is harder to tell them...
the world has changed...

[roshni]

And his testing told him Palin was a good VP pick?
Go figure....­........

[anthonycrane]

As in Ohio in '04, and Katherine Harris' old seat district in '06, the computer 'glitches' are due to have an effect on this election as well....Pl­ease let us be vigilant and expose and prevent all the vote switching incidents that may occur, hoping to swing this country's election yet again. REPORT ALL INCIDENTS!

[newpantaloons]

Here's my take on McCain and his constant fear mongering. I think the real reason it doesn't seem to be working is because McCain is just not believeable as a 'protector'. George Bush could, at least, be seen as somewhat of a 'protector' (Ugh, I can't believe I am writing this). McCain, because of his physical appearance and his age, just looks silly when he tries to act tough. He comes off as a bully with a 'Napolean' complex. It just looks like an odd fit for him and so, people think he is either lying or trying to justify being a short, less-than-powerful man. He would be much more believeable as a 'diplomat', but that is so not him!

[goldcoastsailor]

Real Americans don't need the government to protect us from anything but itself.

[alvdh1]

No Roads, No Bridges, No instituions of Higher Learning, No Social Security, No Environmental Regulation, No Financial Regulation, No Airports or Air Traffic Control, just utter chaos is what the short sighted individuals, who go around spouting off bunk, want for America. You have no sense of history nor a sense of the progress we have made socially in this country. I sure that in your tiny wisdom, you have forgotten what the price of a hand held calculator cost in the early 70's and what it cost today. Who bought those computer chips in the millions? The defense Department, a government organization, supported the R&D and purchase of the chips that launched this indispensible industry. You have been listening to the Republican mantra of no government, no regulation and no taxes for so long that you have developed tunnel vision.

Government is fine as long as it is working for the people. Every time they have gone to work for corporate America, to the exclusion of the people, it has failed. The Hoover, Reagan, Bush and Bush administrations went to work for corporate American and it failed in every experiment. Does the Depression induced bank failures, Reagan induced S&L Failure and the current economic collapse ring any bells in your head?

[Matt7]

Good post.

[miocid31]

great post!

[gdwtch52]

and don't forget (that as the Palin's recent comments proclaim)no more research for diseases involving fruit flies....r­esearch to develop treatments and find causes for special needs autistic children. No, no more earmarks for scientists looking for answers we all may need.

[forthepeople1]

TO: alvdh1: Your post was powerfully correct and right on target and well stated! Thank you as well! 10 More days to go. McCain has tried all cards, the race card, the Palin-is-a- female card, the terrorist-­Pal'N-arou­nd- Ayers card, the-OBAMA- he's-not-q­ualified-t­o-be-presi­dent,card, the-I-have­-to-cancel­-my-campai­gn-to-go-t­o=Washingt­on-and-fix the Bailout card, and now this let's scare-you-war-card. None have worked. All of them backfired. They will continue to backfire right in his face! And his ship is sinking as the Republican Rovian Rats continue to jump ship, or throw him under the bus in the next days ahead, it will be a political joy to watch!

[forthepeople1]

Powerful Post, thanks!

[oldgeek1]

When you don't care about facts or honesty the Republicans still have more to peddle than fear.

There apparently is no shortage of either fear or smear in the Republican bad of tricks since they have thrown out the pretense of a party of honesty and integrity, with the ends justifying the means. The Karl Rove playbook is still in circulation, however this time many have read that piece of fiction and know that there is not a happy ending.

A troubled economy the result of low tax's and ever increasing federal spending, in no small part for the war, has taken its toll. The premise that you give tax payers more to spend by taking less was Ronald Raegan's, but he knew that it required the Government to spend less, that did not happen and much, not all but much is the result of huge Defense increases that made us weaker not stronger.

We have serious troubles, partly financial but more profound a lack of honesty, earnest and competency. Sarah Palin is the post child for the Republican Party, a pretty package with no substance being sold as part of the solution rather than being held up as part of the problem. S

All of the above is what is wrong and do as I say not as I do is not being bought in this election, its about time.

[ECDPilgrim]

I have no fear that once again we will have the ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. When are we finally, and I mean finally going to get a candidate who is not fatally flawed. This has been the most embarrassing election yet with Obama and his socialism and Biden scaring the country.

Try being hones with us and telling us how far the party is off track. Who cares what the republicans are doing, we win if we vote for Barack. But know what-our PUMA group will blow this election for us.
Party Unity My Ass- Keep your socialism

[Ksisay]

Uh, pardon me, but socialism is giving our hard-earned money to bail out Wall Street. A move that was touted as "necessary" (though it hasn't worked), because of the deregulation zeal of the Republicans.

[paulanms]

Here is what you should be afraid of: "Race Course Against White Supremacy," a new book by William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, and one readers comment.
On the Free Republic forum, a contributor wrote:
"Bill Ayers 'gets it.' Here's what he understands: One strategy to undermine culture is to discredit its values and history. Of course, reducing American history to a simplistic notion of 'white supremacy' is absurd, but that’s the point. The point is to slowly undermine the confidence of people about the values and history of their own culture so they'll be less willing to defend and protect it. Along the way, you've also created a structure of 'them' (so-called 'white' people, meaning, in this context, people from western and northern Europe) and 'us' (everyone else). This creates internal conflict based on simple, easy to understand qualities like skin color.
"Eventually, the culture becomes so disillusioned and split apart that an organized cadre of leaders can take control and establish a new kind of society – like the Bolsheviks did in 1917, or the National Socialists in 1933, or the followers of Mao in 1949," the forum participant wrote.
Matthew
ELECTION 2008
Ayers, Dohrn: 'White supremacy' responsible for America's troubles
New book blames race for 'bigotry' in society

----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------
Posted: October 25, 2008
1:00 am Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

[MRb1000]

Arianna could you find out more about what happen on this case?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d98t2c2XZE

[pokemon]

Being in the Military means simply you served your nation. I did it in combat... on the ground... with people shooting at me. Never got caught though.

Frankly I am glad he served, but his service means squat to me when it comes to running a government.

Obama clearly has more ability, and we need that more then anger.

[roshni]

Thanks for your service and your post.

[Dimslie]

If Obama wins, he can forget the honeymoon. We won't forget the last 8 years and payback will be sweet.

[Steelsil]

The latest Giuliani robo call is almost recordbreaking in its sleaziness. It claimed, completely falsely, that Obama is against mandatory jail time for child molesters, rapists, and murders. It turns my stomach to see the despicable libel and slander to which the Republicans have turned.

Senator Goldwater's granddaughter and the rest of his descendants have endorsed Obama because they can't stomach the sleaziness of the Republican campaign or the philosophy of the 'new' Republicans-today's Republican party is nothing like the Republican party of Goldwater, Rockefeller, and Eisenhower. George W. Bush and Karl Rove have turned a fiscally conservative, socially moderate, small government party into a disgusting machine for the looting of the taxpayers by well connected big businesses like Halliburton and Bechtel. They favor intrusion into private matters such as whether or not a woman should get an abortion, and Palin favors the end of separation of Church and State. McCain clearly would give us more of the same as the current Administration. Their incompetence has given us huge budget deficits and a catastrophic failure of the banking and finance system. No wonder traditional Republicans like George Will and Secretary Powell are leaving the party in droves. The new Republican party's motto should be, "Not your father's Republican Party -Unfortunately!" Vote Obama for a return to sanity and responsibility.

[mulishmissourian]

I agree with much of your commentary. However, I don't believe that traditional Republicans will leave the party even though they intend to vote for Obama. We certainly are witnessing divisiveness in the GOP. It makes me wonder if the GOP and the RNC have anything in common.

[Geologist1]

Traditional Republicans do leave when they get fed up. My first presidential ballot was for Eisenhower' first term. I gagged down Nixon. However, I voted for Carter because I was so angry with Reagan and Phyllis Schafly for cutting the Equal Rights plank out of the platform. The first Equal Rights plank ever put in was when Wendell Wilkie ran against Roosevelt. As a woman in what used to be a man's field (geology), I had endured and watched other women endure less than fair treatment in the 50's and 60's. I needed that plank to stay in and level the playing field. It is much more level today with women making up about half of the enrollment at some graduate schools in geology.
I have never voted for another Republican. I would have voted for Colin Powell but I understand why he did not run. I admire Obama and I think that he will be a good president who listens and evaluates before he decides. The decisions will be critical to the survival of this country. The economic problems are real, climate change is real, immigration problems are real, our failing educational system is real, health care problems are real and our toxic political mess will not help solve any thing. I just hope that he wins in a landslide.

[iam4obamabiden]

John McCain better hope no state proves to be funky in trying to suppress the vote or something funky happening with the machines. WE ARE NOT IN THE MOOD FOR THIS. John McCain better start getting used to the idea that he has failed the Republican Party and himself...­but the American People win as he has lost.