Paris, and Britney, and OJ... oh my!
It's clear what the McCain campaign strategy is, going forward. Don't talk issues (loser for them). Don't make the election about John McCain (crotchety old man). Drag down the debate into bizarre smears of Senator Obama, and hope he chases you down to that level, furthering your message.
How to deal with the positively bizarre campaign of John McCain seems to have temporarily confounded the Obama campaign. After the baseless ad charging that Senator Obama didn't visit troops in Germany because he wanted cameras there, the Obama campaign hit back with facts and won, but that didn't stop the McCain campaign from pushing the lie. Having felt that they established some seed of an idea that Obama is a camera hog, they went to phase two -- to connect him with other publicity seekers, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. The message is clear -- Obama loves publicity and cameras more than taking care of business. What to do now?
The Obama campaign doesn't want to let smears go unanswered, a fatal mistake made by the Kerry campaign in 2004.
And so, the Obama camp let loose with their response ad, citing the McCain ad, and tying it to low-road politics.
The problem with this is that (and engaging in a debate over Britney and Paris), though you're responding and hitting back, you are implicitly repeating their charge.
A much better way to hit back, and not get dragged down to their level, is an equally bizarre and unconventional response, but one that elevates the campaign back up to the level McCain is so loathe to operate.
See, reporters have to report on your response, so use that. McCain surely has a Phase III to his ad/smear campaign, to piggyback on the "Germany Camera Hog / Paris and Britney Camera Hog" campaign. And when they launch it, and reporters call for a response, here's what it should be:
"Did you know that Senator Obama has a detailed plan to reform the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need? Senator Obama will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. The "Making Work Pay" tax credit will completely eliminate income taxes for 10 million Americans."
Why a completely weird reply like this? Because it doesn't repeat the smear, doesn't let the campaign get dragged down. But, more importantly, it refutes the core of the McCain campaign message -- that Obama is a publicity-seeking empty suit --- without repeating the charge. McCain wants to use slime to say you're a celebutante? Respond with detailed plans for the economy, jobs, gas prices, national security, reforming Washington that shows you're actually the ONLY one talking issues in a serious way around here.
That doesn't mean you don't correct the record on background with reporters so their stories correct things that McCain's lying about, but on the record, that's your response.
The media will have to report on this response, because that's their job. And you know what? It will be followed by segment after segment on TV analyzing the "strange" reply. Your reply will be repeated over and over again. People will get to know more and more about the kind of solid plans that you have, and your grasp of the issues they care most about, the more John McCain attacks you.
Pundits will try to figure out why you're responding so unconventionally, and will come to only one conclusion -- Senator Obama is really, honestly trying to raise the level of the debate here and discuss issues with maturity.
Who looks like the REAL petty spoiled brat, then?