Hit Back Harder

I can't believe that the Obama campaign's comeback after Palin's Peak and some nasty attacks by Republicans consisted of the same recycled stale news that McCain is out of touch and is a Bush redux. Common guys, if you can't do better than that then admit it and resign and let somebody else do a capable job for the first time in a democratic campaign after JFK (and I certainly don't mean Kerry). I'll give you a quick rundown of what you should be doing.

Whenever the McCain campaign comes out with an attack ad (or verbal attack) HIT BACK with a HUGE RESPONSE which should just floor them. For example, I've outlined in my previous post how you should have responded to the 'Lipstick Ad' (Post link - http://www.hitbackharder.com/blogengine.net/post/2008/09/10/Why-isnt-the-Obama-campaign-hitting-back-harder-on-the-Lipstick-on-a-pig-comment.aspx). The response to the 'Sex Education' attack should have been equally forceful with the idea that the tables should be turned on their intention to use the attack to create a negative image of Obama as a person, make him lose his credibility and attack his very character to show him as person who is no way eligible to be president. These attacks are god's gifts to to the democrats and provide an effortless way to undermine the credibility of McCain and show their campaign (and their candidate by association) as scheming, immoral and knowingly manipulating the American voter's minds to get elected.

As I wrote in the lipstick post the monstrous response to every attack should include words like 'The McCain campaign has knowingly twisted Senator's Obama's words (and/or votes) and has adopted a lowly road to this campaign of trying blatantly cheap and dirty tricks to get elected.' The same approach can be used for the Sex education attack.  It is completely obvious from the law that Senator Obama voted for that this law can by no means be called sex education and is a very well-intentioned measure to prevent our children from getting abused and make our children aware of the predators that are around'. There is no room for doubt for any person who has read this law, so this clearly shows that once more the McCain campaign has adopted the disgusting tactic of spreading blantant lies about Senator Obama to malign him and create a nagative image of him amongst the voters. They have compromised their principles so far thay they don't even think twice about knocking down laws that protect our children fr0om the horrors of abuse.' ... I'm sure you get the idea and can take it up from here.

It is extremely critical that the response is given back immediately after an attack and should be so huge that it should flood every communications medium and should not only drown their attack but should show them in extremely poor light for adopting such underhanded and lowly campaign tactics. Any delay in responding or more importantly (which is what is happening) NOT RESPONDING seriously endangers the image of the candidate under attack (Senator Obama) which is very difficult to reverse once it sticks (like it happenned with John Kerry .. .very difficult to shake off the image of a waffling weak french poodle). Also, I'm surprised that the All American campaign teams cannot be insightful enough to figure out how an ordinary american average joe from the mainlands (the 'battlegrounds' which the Obama campaign is supposed to be focusing on) thinks. They respect a guy who stands up for himself and defends himself from unjustified attacks and would likely think of a guy to who keeps quiet under attacks as weak (or guilty as charged). That is one image you cannot afford to have for your candidate especially in a time of war when national security is always in the background of voters' minds. I haven;t spent all my time in America but it's amazing that I can feel the pulse of a regular American much more easily that the Obama campaign folks. There's very little time for you guys to change tack and I implore not to reject any advice outright and come up with a forceful campaign which gives due importance to the importance of image building in a campaign.

 More to follow .. there's so much so add on the winning campaign strategy. 

Election Strategy