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United States Presidential Election, 2008 (view source)
Revision as of 15:10, September 9, 2008
, 15:10, September 9, 2008→Republican Strategy
With the unfolding of the campaign season and watching the Democratic strategy and how it was playing out in the press and polls, the McCain campaign decided not to cede the moniker of change to Obama, but rather to take it upon themselves by emphasizing that McCain has a track record of change - while Obama does not. The McCain campaign feels it needs to have the voters ask who can be trusted more to get the job done, and if that occurs, then they have the advantage.
With the unfolding of the campaign season and watching the Democratic strategy and how it was playing out in the press and polls, the McCain campaign decided not to cede the moniker of change to Obama, but rather to take it upon themselves by emphasizing that McCain has a track record of change - while Obama does not. The McCain campaign feels it needs to have the voters ask who can be trusted more to get the job done, and if that occurs, then they have the advantage.
After emphasizing in the primary campaigns his conservative values, he has focused more during the general election campaign on his personal biography. <ref>"In the past week, McCain — with new running mate Sarah Palin always close by his side — has transformed the Republican campaign narrative into what amounts to a running biography of this new political odd couple."[http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13275.html Not About Issues]</ref> During the primary campaign, McCain stated he would support [[Bush]]'s tax cuts, after earlier opposition. McCain responded that he would now vote against his own earlier immigration plan. In doing so, he hoped to woo conservative voters on social and fiscal conservative issues. But during the general election campaign, he has worked to promote his "maverick" image. A campaign ad proclaims, "He battled Republicans and reformed Washington..."
One aspect of the campaign that has also been widely noted, and a reversal of the "right-to-center" tack the campaign has taken, is the change in attitude towards the press by the McCain campaign. McCain was oft-noted for having a friendly rapport with reporters, even going so far to having a barbecue at his ranch for the press, and he and his aides once referred to the press as his "base". He has also stated that, should he win the election, he would hold weekly press conferences. But in the general election, the relationship has grown more acrimonious, and with the pick of Sarah Palin, a near blackout of the media has occurred. Over a week-and-a-half has gone by without the vice presidential nominee granting a single interview to the press. The first interview has been scheduled for September 10th and 11th, a two-day interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson. Campaign manager Rick Davis had stated, "So until at which point in time we feel like the news media is going to treat her with some level of respect and deference, I think it would be foolhardy to put her out into that kind of environment."<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/08/palin_still_off_limits_for_press_inquiries/ Palin still off-limits for press inquiries]</ref> The argument against a "liberal media" has been a Republican strategy since 1970, with [[Spiro Agnew]] calling the media "nattering nabobs of negativism", and can be used to shore up unity in the party against a common enemy.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1839416,00.html?imw=Y McCain's Bias Claim: Truth or Tactic?]</ref>
===Democratic Strategy===
===Democratic Strategy===