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Do you think that attacking McCains Service Record would be an effective political tactic?

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bryant69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:03 AM
Original message
Poll question: Do you think that attacking McCains Service Record would be an effective political tactic?
Not arguing the facts as much as the effectiveness of this tactic.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com
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NightWatcher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:06 AM
Response to Original message
1. unfortunately there'd be blowback from making fun of a sick, old, tired, mentally unfit, confused...
it'd be seen as picking on the weak
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eshfemme Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:09 AM
Response to Original message
2. We've already seen what happened to Clark.
Despite the fact that what Clark said was pretty reasonable, the media punditry quickly seized upon it and distorted it to the point where Clark was villainized for even daring to mention McCain's POW experience. I suspect that if McCain's service record is questioned, the reaction will be even more extreme than what happened when Bush's much more meager "record" was called into question.

Sorry but military service just seems to call up one of those immediate roadblocks. It'd blow back badly.
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IndianaJones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:10 AM
Response to Original message
3. you mean pointing out his cowardice and borderline treason? nt.
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Richardo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:11 AM
Response to Reply #3
5. Yes. You'd never win that argument.
You'd just be labled a military-hating liberal and dismissed forthwith.
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bryant69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:11 AM
Response to Reply #3
6. If that's how you would characterize it yes, that's what I am talking about. n/t
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IndianaJones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:13 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. i think it could be somewhat effective if done correctly. nt.
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bryant69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:20 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. How would you do it? n/t
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IndianaJones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:39 AM
Response to Reply #8
10. thats the challenge. I'm not sure how. The safer course is probably not using it. nt.
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Richardo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:10 AM
Response to Original message
4. Total backfire - and - completely unnecessary
Present-day McCain is 100x more vulnerable on real issues than POW McCain is.
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Tierra_y_Libertad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 09:36 AM
Response to Original message
9. His war record should be shown to be irrelevant to the job.
The whole concept of military service as a qualification for public office should be questioned.
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DeeDeeNY Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:43 AM
Response to Reply #9
21. What you said.
Yes. Exactly.
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Jim__ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:01 AM
Response to Original message
11. We should respect McCain's war record and attack his policies - n/t
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Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:06 AM
Response to Original message
12. "Attacking his service record" = what, exactly??
I think pointing out the truth about his service record is different from "attacking" it, yet some people -- including Democrats -- FREAK OUT whenever that's done. I think it would help a great deal for more Democrats to treat it matter-of-factly.
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Javaman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:18 AM
Response to Original message
13. mclame has enough fuck ups from his post military career to
do damage for a very long time.

let's put Viet Nam to rest already.
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old mark Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:28 AM
Response to Reply #13
16. Actually, he was an above average pilot.
It is wishful thinking to believe he was an idiot. He is a terrible speaker, and would be a rotten president, but to "attack" his service in the Navy is really stupid. It would certainly backfire, and deserves to.

mark
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Javaman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:32 AM
Response to Reply #16
18. I'm not here to argue his merits as a pilot. nt
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B Calm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:20 AM
Response to Original message
14. Attack his mental sickness. Anybody who was locked up in a cage
has to be a mental case. After eight years of President Chuckle-nuts, don't you people think that good mental health is important to be a leader of this country?

Hell, I'm truly sorry for McCain that he was captured in Vietnam and locked up in a cage for years, but you have to know this experience screwed him up! He has a history of mental health problems. I've heard he was even on the suicide watch list for a period of time. McCain will not release his mental health record and that should give everyone pause. . . .

Old Vietnam Veteran B Calm
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elizfeelinggreat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:25 AM
Response to Original message
15. no but talking about this might be very effective:
"The most notable recipient of Swift Boat largesse is John McCain, erstwhile front-runner and Stand Up Guy. When the Swift Boat ads were first unleashed, McCain was alone among his Republican colleagues to condemn them. A fellow Vietnam veteran, a good friend of Kerry's and a former target of smears about his own service, McCain called the ads "dishonest and dishonorable," a "cheap stunt," and he urged Bush to condemn them. But in pursuit of the GOP nomination, McCain ditched the mantle of maverick for that of hack, and his once-floundering, possibly rejuvenated campaign has been aided along the way by $61,650 from Swift Boat donors and their associates. "There is such a thing as dirty money," said Senator Kerry in a statement, after The Nation informed him of McCain's FEC records. "I'm surprised that the John McCain I knew who was smeared in 2000 and thought so-called Swift Boating was wrong in 2004 would feel comfortable taking their money after seeing the way it was used to hurt the veterans I know he loves." (McCain's office did not return calls for comment.)"

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080107/hayes
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rurallib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:31 AM
Response to Original message
17. If we owned the media like the GOoPers do it could work
just like it did on John Kerry. But since they own the media there would be a 24X7 crazy ranting, raving, maniacal pillaging of all things democratic by the wingers. Since most of America seems to like to just hear talking points this would immediately distract from any other issue.
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paparush Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:32 AM
Response to Original message
19. So, Rove tatics work for Repugs, but not for Dems?
The current results suggest that 'Murkins will buy Rovian attacktics when slung by Repugs, but not if Dems try the same approach?

Attack the candidate's greatest, perceived, strength.
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bryant69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:39 AM
Response to Reply #19
20. Well there are two responses to that
one is that the Media has been trained to think the worst of Democrats - and will happily parrot republican claims - but the counter tactics won't work because they won't let McCain be tarnished.

The second is that Rove represents a lot of what I hate about Limbaugh Conservatives and the Modern Conservative movement; I'm not sure I want to emulate him even if it would be successful.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com
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paparush Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 10:44 AM
Response to Reply #20
22. Bryant - I hear what you are saying. However, considering the last two Presdential Election cycles-
If slaughtering Kittens in Time Square would get more people to vote Democratic, I'd be there. I think Rove is a pig and should spend the rest of his life in prison, but we, and by 'we' I mean the entire planet, cannot abide another Neocon president.
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Sparkly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 11:01 AM
Response to Reply #22
24. I agree with you. nt
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elizfeelinggreat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 11:43 AM
Response to Reply #22
25. I agree!
If only it were as easy as using their tactics...

The key would be to get the "media" to view kitten slaughtering as a Strength - because at this point anything the GOP does is viewed through that lens and that's why it works for them.

Our party really needs to find a way to change the corporate control of the media. And some accountability for the hotheads who spread lies to the detriment of our society.
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Toucano Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 11:00 AM
Response to Original message
23. It is difficult to change people's opinion about someone.
It is much easier to reinforce something they already believe.

Pick a negative and reinforce it.

Up thread someone mentioned his mental stability.

I think people already suspect he might not be too stable (tiger cage! tiger cage!). Maybe that's his weak spot.
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bryant69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 01:39 PM
Response to Reply #23
26. yes - he does have a legendary temper as well
That might be a better line of attack.

Bryant
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JerseygirlCT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-07-08 01:54 PM
Response to Original message
27. It's a total loser of an idea, and would totally backfire. Besides,
there's plenty to attack him on - it's unnecessary.
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