So, now we have an election.

[pinto]

I personally don't see McCain reinventing himself as an agent of change in 2 months, nor do I see Palin moving far beyond the attack role she has been handed, especially with a two week cone of silence.

The Republican agenda seems rooted in old-school Rovian politics - work to co-opt the Democrats strong points, ignore your own weaknesses. And "catapult" the propaganda. I don't think it'll fly this time. They've gone to that poison well once too often.

[pkz]

1. If the ostriches in WV will get their heads out of the sand

and not believe that ole guns and gay Rovesh*t this time, we could turn it blue again.

Seriously...might go BLUE....all unions are backing Obama, Manchin, Rockefella and Byrd too.

I do think Wally World is the largest employer though, and they will go RED

[LSparkle]

2. But our team needs to remind voters of this ...

They ARE running an election that ISN'T ABOUT ISSUES!
(And this time, they've even ADMITTED as much!) People
are hopefully awake enough (or are at least waking up)
to realize this, but it's up to our ticket to push
this EVERY SINGLE DAY ... Remind the public that "here
they go again" with the same old stale approach that
they've tried before.

Obama ought to include the line, "DO THEY THINK WE'RE
(YOU'RE) STUPID?" in every single speech, because it's
really an insult to the American electorate, not to
him and Joe Biden.

[KittyWampus]

3. Pinto, what is McCain's biggest weaknesses that we could exploit?

[pinto]

4. He's not a leader. Missed ~ 60% of floor votes, when he did vote ~ 90% pro Bushco.

(He's no maverick.)

Admittedly unclear on economic policy and procedure. (Uncertain in uncertain times.)

100 years in Iraq or two? ("Straight talk" is no more than a campaign slogan.)

Out of touch with day-to-day realities. (Who is middle class?)

Blind vetting of permanent tax loopholes for upper income Americans. (Unfair to the shrinking middle class.)

Blind vetting of an extremist running mate. (Again, no maverick, a panderer to the fringe of his party.)

He's not Reagan redux. ( As much as he'd like to be perceived.)

[pinto]

5. That's my first take. I'm sure other members will have more points.

[Cleita]

6. I think his age is a real concern. Can he carry the workload

24/7 that a working President needs to do? Or will he have a bunch of greys in the shadows doing the work, inefficiently, while he takes naps and goes to bed after dinner. I'm sixty eight and I know I couldn't handle the work load and I haven't had any battles yet with diseases like cancer.

[mvd]

8. Good ones, pinto

I'd add:

- over a hundred lobbyists influencing his campaign
- all his flip-flops have been to the right wing (stem cell research, tax cuts, etc.)
- says how he acknowledges man-made global warming, but will not cut emissons

[pinto]

9. Yeah, his lobbyist list is lengthy as well as his "new" campaign staff -

all retreads from past, divisive Republican wedge issue, slime campaigns.

[terrya]

10. Good points and summation, pinto

Thanks and recommended.

[Diamonique]

7. He has no core beliefs.

That's why he changes his positions to whatever will help him politically at the time.