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BREAKING: Convention Back On?

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  September 1st, 2008 at 10:09 AM  | 

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Image descriptionThe GOP Convention may very well get back on. Rumors are floating around the XCEL Center that the convention may be geared back up a few notches after Gustav came in weaker than expected.

Here, though, is what some of the behind the scenes people are bristling about: The McCain Campaign has ordered all punches against the Obama campaign taken out of speeches for the entire convention duration.

Several of the speakers had great lines contrasting Sarah Palin to both Joe Biden and Barack Obama. They were told to tone down their rhetoric or axe the statements all together.

Meanwhile, the Obama campaign has encouraged the left to continue pushing the looney story that Sarah Palin’s youngest child is actually her sixteen year old daughter’s child.

Likewise, on CNN, James Carville is showing pictures of the town hall of Wasilla, AK to disparage Governor Palin’s experience and attack small town America.

Nice guys finish last, Senator McCain.

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COMMENTS

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  • gclaghorn
  • kowalski

    I’ll be clear, here: I think we should have pointed statements at the RNC, but they should be accurate, well-written, and most of all clever. They shouldn’t be obdurate or self-congratulatory. If that’s what McCain means, his advice is sound.

    Think “fencing” — not “chain saw.”

  • kowalski

    If McCain’s intention is to prod some of the speakers and the speechwriters to be more William F. Buckley and less Ann Coulter, I think that’s sound advice, and wise. Well-spoken and witty != timid, and I still believe the Republican Party has some reconstruction to do in this regard. The words we choose are important, and we need to recapture the high ground in the eyes of Americans. It can be done without being wallflowers.

  • youthgrunt

    this week at the convention is not mudslinging. The Dems are doing so much negative stuff that it is not necessary to make yourself look vindictive.

    I want to see the most patriotic celebration of the greatness of America and its future with a McCain/Palin administration. Lots of flag waving. Lots of stories of people who are overcoming adversity to better themselves (i.e. the counterpart to the line of whiners that the Dems put forward).

    Announce that in a McCain Presidency, Palin will head a bi-partisan commission to ferret out unethical behavior in the executive department.

    Cast the most positive image of the country, its future, and a McCain administration. Some swipes and Obama/Biden would be good, but that should be done with humor.

  • fisk2521

    According to a recent quote from Dan Fowler, former DNC Chairman:

    “The hurricane?s going to hit New Orleans about the time they start. The timing is — at least it appears now that it?ll be there Monday. That just demonstrates that God?s on our side. [Laughter] Everything?s cool.”

    If the hurricane is less of a threat and the RNC convention is back on, does that mean he now believes that God is on OUR side now?

  • kyle8

    certainly I have been one of the loudest here detesting the modern tone of politics. But you can still strike at your foes using wit, and truth, and not hit below the belt.

  • alaskaescapeartist

    Very true on that characterization… but I don’t think McCain has been too soft when it comes to his media strategy.

    Pulling the punches from the Convention may not be a bad idea, given all the surrounding circumstances. I’d be more inclined, in this rare instance, to allow the Left to throw a few more ineffective punches.

    I would really enjoy being a part of the McCain-Palin media team right now.

    If they go a little soft during the convention, there will be plenty of time for keeping their powder dry.

  • richterm

    We have plenty of time to fire all guns after the convention. Now that the Obamessiah is safely nominated, we have seen some pointed jabs from McCain’s camp in response to idiotic comments.

    As Bill Whittle so eloquently put it, we’re “inside the Dem’s decision loop”. They are freaking out and their panic is obvious. We can set the tone and force them to either respond or look foolish,

  • kowalski

    That’s what our speeches should be. ‘Nuff said.

  • Oz

    Review the Palin speech from Ohio.

    Top notch and positive.

    A lot of people will be watching to see Palin so keep it positive now.

    Leave the the trash talking to our 527s and maybe a couple of carefully crafted debate zingers.

  • rbdwiggins

    But, unless Sen. McCain comes to his senses and allows partisans to be partisan at a convention that’s tailor-made for partisans, it’s a complete waste of bandwidth.

    Cut through Obama’s lofty rhetoric and define his candidacy in no uncertain terms. Un-mistakenly definitive terms that even unaffiliated voters can clearly comprehend.

  • kyle8

    Thank you

  • redneck_hippie

    will not be a levee broach.

    Bad-mouthing Dems is better left to the talk shows. I agree that the convention needs to be positive. I still remember cringing when Obama went into attack mode for his DNC speech. It really hurt him, I believe, with undecideds.

  • redneck_hippie

    will not be a levee broach.

    Bad-mouthing Dems is better left to the talk shows. I agree that the convention needs to be positive. I still remember cringing when Obama went into attack mode for his DNC speech. It really hurt him, I believe, with undecideds.

  • c17wife

    points of a diary I had planned to write here in these comments.

    I don’t want to hear that the sky is falling and America sucks anymore. I don’t even really want to hear that Barack sucks this week (even though he does).

    I want a convention that focuses on the greatness of America. Her triumphs over adversity, her enduring spirit, and her people.

    Steve Schmidt has so far proven to be a master at this game. I have no doubt he will come out with guns a blazing next week.

  • janis

    Now there’s a winning strategy. Didn’t they issue ANY memos against that sort of thing after Obambi’s “bitter, clinging to their guns and bibles…” remark?

    No wonder our trolls are so utterly stupid, given that their party leaders spend so much time shooting from the lip instead of from the hip.

    Let them keep on dissing small town America. It’s a win-win for us.

  • Beto_Ochoa

    Meanwhile, the Obama campaign has encouraged the left to continue pushing the looney story that Sarah Palin’s youngest child is actually her sixteen year old daughter’s child.

    This is Obama’s M.O., He employs a three to seven day rule.

    • 1: Have operatives push an outrageous smear.

    • 2: Wait until it is leaving the news cycle (3-7 days)

    • 3: Re-open the wound with a denouncement

    • 4: Wait until the story has been rehashed by the press with minimal mention of the denouncement.

    In the near term to that news cycle falling off, press new smear.

    Seminar callers are receiving their talking points and will swamp the phone lines of all local and national talk radio.
    It’s gonna’ be a brutal campaign.

  • IJB

    Sorry folks, but some of us want the Dems’ name dragged through the mud.

    I am personally sick to death of “The New Tone” – it’s the one absolutely undisputed failure of Bush’s 2 terms.

    Those of us in The Base want some red meat. If McCain replays the mistake that the Dems made in their 2004 convention, it will depress enthusiasm and help get Obama elected.

    The country needs to be told what Obama & Biden & co. are all about. If they take those messages out of the convention entirely, it’ll be a bust.

    Positive messages? Yes. But let’s also throw some punches against the other side – those guys deserve it, and the country deserves the truth.

  • Rod_Patrick

    I will whine on this. Obama and their lies during the Denver Convention should be opposed!

    But, of course, if that’s what McCain wants, let’s have it his way.

    Anyway, some subtle attacks are allowed wrt to on issues, right?

  • furious

    …the one who attended high school in Donadlsonville, LA (pop. 7,605)?

    What a self-loathing ingrate. I’d expect that from Begala, but I thought Carville was a little smarter and more genuine.

  • jsteele

    This approach is the same as the one that got Bush saddled with the Katrina albatross — the albatross that resulted in us having to tip toe around a hurricane approaching New Orleand but not mentioning one approaching Georgia. Be nice, don’t respond to smears and the press will be nice in return.

    This is just more of McCain’s be nice approach that has been so successful in the past. Note to McCain: John, no matter how nice you are the Dems and the press are not really going to like you or us.

  • johnt

    the Democrats will find it, anything to crawl and slither lower than whatever is the current bottom.

    I refer to the “story” about Palin’s child, this from the human scum that objected to Obama being referred to as Hussien, which after all is his name.

    Then there’s Jimmy Carville, who in a better age would be selling pencils on street corners to earn his pittance.
    Has it occurred to these high IQ types that apart from the zombies in their own party normal people know she’s currently a governor and will recognize a childish gambit for what it is?

  • streetwise

    Fox is showing stunning video of the upper 9th ward, with an angry, choppy Lake Pontchartrain lapping over the levee walls.

    Don Fowler must be disappointed that the Coast Guard secured a loose barge that threatened to breach the walls.

  • Rod_Patrick
  • Achance

    then. Only Democrat’s daughters are off limits.

  • Rod_Patrick
  • NightTwister

    So long as they use condoms and abort any mistakes.

  • Rod_Patrick

    I’ll get some air first. This is so infuriating. They are detroying the innocence and name of a young teenage American. It may somehow affect the girl if she learns about this attack.

  • NightTwister

    Isn’t that thrice redundant?

  • Rod_Patrick

    you really know how to turn everything into ROFLMAO, aren’t you, Night?

    ROFLMAO! I’m okey now.

  • Illinicon

    is to provide a 4-day infomerical as to why your candidate is better than the other guy. Given what is happening in the Gulf Coast, I could see wanting to cut the most inflammory stuff out, but stuff that is fair and sharp criticism of the Obama/Biden ticket needs to stay in.

  • Martin_A_Knight

    Just when I was ready to dance a victory dance over the grave of New Tone™, it’s come back to life again!

  • itrytobenice

    Big O came off as angry, assaultive, discouraging, backward looking, and negative.

    Now it’s time for a week of proud Americans cheering America and our great ticket of two reformers promising a bright American future.

    Big O condemns himself every time he opens his mouth to assault America, our future, John McCain and Sarah Palin.

  • QueenOfCups

    We have much to be grateful for.