Correct Political response (Bridge-to-Nowhere)

The campaign's focus on Palin as a flip-flopper (for it before she was against it) on the bridge is laughably bad... "Don't vote for McCain, his running mate is almost as bad as John Kerry" is a response-to-nowhere.

I have seen several TV journalists find the right focus on this issue in simply reporting the story, but the campaign isn't getting it because they are afraid because Obama voted for the bill with the bridge money in it. So what?? There is a correct line of attack sufficiently devastating that the "you voted for it" come-back is rendered meaningless.

The correct line of attack is that she kept the money. Do not respond to what your opponent literally says, respond to what people hear. Respond to the message.

You've all probably heard Governor Palin bragging on how she said "Thanks but no thanks" to that federal tax money for the bridge to nowhere. Well, I have some news for you... she kept the money. Yes, you heard me right... she KEPT THE MONEY. Every penny of it.

Her "thanks but no thanks" doesn't show she's a maverick. It just shows that she has bad manners. The way I was raised, if you're going to take all the bridge to nowhere money and spend all the bridge to nowhere money, and not give one single penny of that money back to the American tax-payers, why draw the line at "thank you?"

She kept the money.

Because isn't that the whole point? It's the money. Nobody would care about the bridge if it were free. She said "no thanks" to the bridge but she took the money anyway.

Think about it:

Me: "Hey, Sarah. Merry Christmas! For a gift, I took a bunch of money from a bunch of complete strangers so you could buy yourself a pony."

Sarah: "A pony! That's great!"

(Later)

Me: "Actually, we changed our mind. Everyone is pissed that I took their money for that pony. We're going to take it back."

Sarah: "I didn't want your stupid pony anyway!"

(Pause)

Sarah: "Instead of the pony, I'm just gonna keep the money. Mkay?"

:hi:

That's the point. For all we know she bought Moosehead beer for everyone.

She lied about the bridge to nowhere.

She lied about selling the ex-governor's jet on eBay.

She even lied about firing her chef.

She's on the Can't-Talk-Straight-Express and she can't stop.

Haven't we had enough of a President and a Vice President who can't tell the American people the truth?

The American people want the truth.

Vote Obama '08.


... Writing these is like falling off a log. The McCain/Palin campaign serves them up to be knocked out of the park on a daily basis. If I can write them, why can't Obama's campaign?

for other things!

It won't work.

I am not suggesting she acted improperly.

But the average person hearing her self-righteous stump speech *hears* a claim that she did not accept the money.

Attack messages, not words.