The Republicans' Plan for Obama

Ardent Republicans seem to be rooting for Senator Clinton in the primary election in order to consolidate their constituents' deep-seated disdain for her in November. However, they realize that it may be formidable and charismatic Barack Obama on the ticket in the fall.

An excellent piece from Politico reveals the GOP propaganda machine's ideas on Obama's political weaknesses. Last weekend, at a RNC big donor "winter retreat" starring Karl Rove in Beverly Hills, deep-pocketed Republicans congregated to hobnob and plot to land John McCain in the Oval Office. A PowerPoint presentation made to the attendees listed five presumed pressure points for an Obama candidacy in the general election:

#1: A seeming incongruity between Obama and the mantle of commander in chief.

#2: During Obama's days in the Illinois state Senate, his "pattern of voting 'present' offers many openings to question his candidacy."

#3: There is hope for the GOP faithful that "we can be confident in a campaign about issues."

#4: "Undisciplined messaging carries great risk."

#5: "His greatest weakness is inexperience. He is not ready to be commander in chief. He is not ready to be president."

It would be too easy to look at these five Republican points of criticism and turn them against George W. Bush in 2000.

However for Obama, the inevitable racist insinuations from #1 will be ugly. Numbers 2 and 4 open the door to being labeled empty, or worse, not "decisive," a cousin to the dreaded "flip-flopper."

Numbers 3 and 5 are weak for Republicans, though. Sixty-nine percent of the country thinks we're going in the wrong direction. They don't want a continuation of Bush's policies. And #5 can be overcome by Obama's uncanny ability to rally people for change and to get out the vote with younger and more racially diverse constituencies.

It will take heavy doses of whispered slime, insinuation, and fear for the GOP to take down Barack Obama. Prepare for the onslaught. Rove and company did it successfully to McCain in 2000 and Kerry in 2004. With presumptive candidate McCain's recent unqualified praise for him, Rove and his dirty tricks will surely be in the mix again.

Will America have finally caught on?

Dan Brown is the author of The Great Expectations School.

Comments

[Doofus]

Does Obama have enough 'experience' to increase the National Debt by another 50% over the next few years?

Does he have the 'strength' to take on a piss-ant dictator somewhere and still be fighting the same wars two terms later?

Does he have the 'nerve' to deny the problem of Global Warming in the face of amazing natural disasters and still do *nothing*?

Does he have the 'creativity' to do anything useful or effective over the next few years, unlike the present incumbent?

Well, we'll just have to find out, won't we?

[ozamerican]

This list was presented at a dog and pony show for campaign donors. That tells you something, doesn't it? It was presented to give people who'd donated $15,000+ the sense that they're being treated like insiders. Does anyone really think the Republicans would reveal their secret attack strategy to a roomful of fans and donors, all of whom were then free to go leak it at will?

[modmom]

Rove was so effective in '06-wasn't he? His "wins" has more to do with disenfranchising segments of the Democratic base and plain dirty tricks than in any strategy.

In Ohio, I am surprised at newbies, both independents and former Republicans who are coming out to work on the Obama campaign. Folks are tired at being lied to and having words parsed. If we can get a fair election (look at those Harlem precincts encountering 0 votes for Obama reported in the NYT), we will have the first Af Am president in our nation's history!

[HowardRoarke]

We'll, know shortly. Hillary also realizes the Republican plan is her only hope of beating Barack, too.

[Wilson33]

It won't be an worse than what the Clinton's have already done to him! I love how you libs think that the Republicans are the ones that play dirty when the whole country has seen how the Clinton's play dirty. The Republicans have not done a thing to Obama, it has been all Bill & Hillary, but yet, you libs continue to say that it will be the Republicans that will play dirty.

Amazingly laughable!

[socsandtwigs]

I heartily agree with Wilson33! And as a liberal democrat this is a part of why I support Obama - Hillary and Bill have always done well with the Rove playbook - now thankfully we have a better choice! If he has withstood the Clinton machine, he can withstand anything! Obama '08!

[LeftRight]

"It would be too easy to look at these five Republican points of criticism and turn them against George W. Bush in 2000."

What are you talking about? It would be too easy to apply them to george bush NOW!!

[SShaw490]

I hope America has caught on. But the Hillary attacks are much more lethal because they'll have much more substance. She'll answer for every Bill Clinton foible for the last 20 years, and THEN they'll start talking about the ones she's created on her own.

The real slime attacks won't make much difference - the people who are willing to believe them aren't going to vote for any Democrat anyway, and the ones who hear them and then are made aware of the lies they contain will be repulsed by them.

[Ork]

Yes true the hitlery camp is more dangerous because they live shadow under the same family called democrats - yet it defies how shameless and desperate they have lately.