Do Dems Need Swift Boat Strategy of Their Own?

The high road is beginning to look like the Bridge to Nowhere. The Democrats need an ad campaign that draws sharp contrasts and hits voters in their gut.

Democrats value inclusion, fairness, and being nonjudgmental, all of which lead to heavily nuanced arguments. After all, they want to represent things accurately. But something Paul Begala said struck me: Democrats are famous for 12 point plans and three point losses.

The Republicans are masters at slapping a silly label on something and making it stick. They create indelible images that smack the public in the face. And it works. I keep thinking, not this time. Not this election. But the fact is, it may actually be this time and this election yet again.

A harder hitting ad campaign doesn't mean the message needs to be lost; it just needs to be more crisp and vivid. For example:

1. Show an image of a man with his finger on "the button," and then cut to file footage and testimonials of McCain's anger meltdowns.

2. Juxtapose images of the health care McCain has received with the health care that middle class families, as well as veterans under the Bush administration receive.

3. Contrast images of McCain's Champagne-chic lifestyle, hobnobbing with lobbyists and oil execs and flying on private jets against images of struggling middle class families with foreclosure signs in their yard.

4. Turn the swift-boating back on them by doing a montage ad of the Republican talking points, i.e. pigs and lipstick, fifth grade whining that the press isn't being nice, contrasted with Democratic talking points, i.e. plans to increase jobs, provide health care, and grow the economy.

These types of ads don't even come close to being swift boat ads--to get in the boat, you must have disregard for the truth and take distraction to a new level.

Off the top of my head, I though of about a dozen of the swift boat type ads, but I couldn't bring myself to print them. I must still have hope. Not this time? Not this election?

Follow Caroline Presno on Twitter: www.twitter.com/drcaroline09