Why Obama Needs to Give Out Tire Gauges

[kurtboss]

Obama can say they're inspired by John McCain's eager embrace of the idea. It would make the idea funny and reclaim the Meme.

Positives:

1. Steal the whole symbol from McCain who is using it to mock.

2. Invert the message and make McCain look petty

3. Make Obama seem a bit more light hearted

4. Reinforce the idea that McCain is obsessed with him

5. Get a newscycle and amuse the media

Negatives:
ZERO RISK...someone earlier suggested this is risky because it could reinforce the symbol...don't worry McCain and Rush and Hannity will do that for us if we don't shut them up by inverting the whole thing


SOMEONE PLEASE GET THIS TO OBAMA'S TEAM...it's cheap, stupid, simple and kills a McCain attack...a no brainer

[truthisfreedom]

1. Obama needs to roll out a flat tire that says "McCain's Energy Plan"

[kurtboss]

4. I like that too

Good idea.

[AnnieBW]

2. May I Post This to the My Obama Action Line?

I'll credit you, of course...

[kurtboss]

3. Sure thing

Pleas in fact. :) Thanks

[screembloodymurder]

5. I wonder how much gas we'd save if tune-ups were mandatory.

Start implementing these simple ideas, one-by-one, and after a while ...

[Kire]

6. my father used to tell us to check our tires all the time

so much so, my brother told everybody at his memorial service to check their tires

I'm pretty offended by this ad for this reason.

[scheming daemons]

7. GREAT IDEA

[WorseBeforeBetter]

8. No...he'd be slammed for being unoriginal.

The flat tire symbolizing McNasty's energy policy (posted above) is much better.

[kurtboss]

10. Obama would have to give McCain Credit

That's a key part of it...if Obama is viewed as COPYING McCain, we've defeated the meme's negatives. I think you proved the effectiveness of the idea unintentionally.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

11. You want Obama to be viewed as someone who COPIES McCain's ideas?

How in the world is that a good idea? They'll work it into the "he's not an effective leader" or "he's too inexperienced" meme--it's a lousy idea.

Kee-rist, no wonder we lose elections.

[kurtboss]

13. Let Me Explain This Because You Don't Get It...At All

I don't think you get this at all. The symbol is one McCain claims represents Obama's energy plan. So, the fear (silly in my mind since the GOP is already running with it)is that it would reinforce that Obama honestly believed only a tire gauge would lower gas prices.

If people thought he was copying it from McCain, well it would just cancel out...two trivial ideas (at the worst). Best case is that they would think this was McCain's energy plan Obama was mocking. And the most likely interpretation is that people hadn't been paying attention and would see all these tire gauges and simply not understand it was actually intended to trivialize Obama.

That's why this works:

A. It assumes most people haven't paid close enough attention yet to get the mocking/trivialization

B. It confuses the source of the symbol thereby defusing the potential negative impact (which is actually potentially quite damaging as it seeks to diminish Obama with THE IMPORTANT ISSUE of this election...gas prices).

C. It has all positives for it, no real negatives as the GOP is already pushing this like crazy (putting it on their website, McCain showing one off), now they're selling them

[WorseBeforeBetter]

16. It's dangerous to make those assumptions--he'll be portrayed as defensive and mocked even more.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to don a purple band-aid and long for the good ol' days of 2004.

[kurtboss]

17. I don't see how this is defensive

He suggested the tire inflation. McCain is trying to trivialize Obama with a gimmick. The gimmick can be turned on McCain. The only possible people who'd see it as defensive are people paying close enough attention they know what's it about, know its a lie anyway.


I'm all for going on offense, don't get me wrong. But this is one that shouldnt' be ignored.

[woolldog]

19. Obama's best defense against McCain's cynicism and

negative attacks is humor. That's why your idea is spot on.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

20. Once this hits the Sunday morning talk shows...

I'd say it's too late to respond. Maybe not. Perhaps the "McCain agrees with me" sentiment below has/had some potential.

I need someone to design a bumper sticker for me: Bitter Pennsylvanian for Obama featuring terrorist fists jabbing with tire gauges. (And it's only August...)

[Fridays Child]

9. McCain can't even envision a world where saving $15 or $20 every few months means anything.

He has no idea what it's like to actually need the few extra bucks that properly inflated tires can save. By ridiculing Obama on the tire pressure issue, McCain only exposes himself as the true elitist in this race. But I don't expect the corporate media to state that obvious fact.

[dkf]

12. Who cares if its perceived as being a copycat issue.

People NEED to check their tire pressure and if someone gives it to you, won't you feel more like using it?

I know I would.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

14. He should put "McCain agrees with me!" on them. nt

[kurtboss]

15. I like it

I put up a new thread (my third, yikes!) on this idea because I think it's a big deal and I'm not getting across how damaging it could be to Obama if not handled right away.

[woolldog]

18. Great thread.

I agree with you.