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August 25, 2008

McCain’s strategy is the wedge

As the Democrats assemble in Denver this week and kick off their National Convention today, the campaign of the presidential campaign of Republican John McCain is to capitalize on Barack Obama’s decision to tap senior senator Joe Biden as hiss running mate.

Biden’s selection as the bottom half of the Dem ticket this cycle for President is sure to anger some former supporters of former Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton.

McCain is releasing an ad titled “Debra” which features one such angered supporter, a former delegate for Ms. Clinton. The ad presumes that there is division among Democrats moving into the week-long party in Colorado.

The convention is to feature a speech by Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton titled “securing America’s Future” where the former President will speak about the economic records of his administration versus that of the current Commander in Chief. While it is unexpected that the former President will take an open shot at his wife’s former rival, Republicans will be looking for any hint of dissention to show that Obama is not ready to lead as support isn’t solid even among left-wing partisans.

Therefore, as McCain is expected to name his choice for VP just after the Democratic Convention to change the channel as GOP activists assemble in Minneapolis-St. Paul for their convention, look for McCain to name a conservative Republican such as Romney or Huckabee to emphasize unity in his own party.

Like Obama, McCain not only has a challenge capturing independents but he faces a battle in invigoriting his own base to get out the vote in November. Obama’s choice of Biden and the added foreign policy experience that the Dem ticket sorely needed will reassure independents but will sour part of his base, especially the working class and women that supported Clinton. McCain’s challenge lies in invigorating his base. He is already stronger among independents than Obama (being a centrist Republican vs. liberal Democrat Obama) but in this, he faces a challenge exciting the GOP base, much of which consists of evangelicals which turned out for Bush/Cheney in 2000 and 2004. Look for McCain to make a nod towards the base by selecting a conservative’s Republican such as Romney or Huckabee. McCain is messaging on Democrat division with Obama’s passing on Clinton, therefore the Republican ticket will likely show McCain emphasizing his party’s unity by looking towards the right rather than the centre.

This entry was authored by at 08:59 AM | Tweet this | Comments (4)
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  • mike

    Now Who will McCain Pick They have shot their self in the foot when it comes to Romney McCain released attack ads on the Biden Pick because Biden said some things negitve toward Obama during the primary.

    Romney called McCain dishonest during the Primary, and more.

    Huckabee came in second during the Primary not Romney., This wont go over well with the Christian Base.

    Romney and McCain would be the Super Rich ticket. In a middle Class Election.

    Biden will win working class Votes, Romney will remind the working class he is the guy that lays you off.

    Biden will be filmed going to church every sunday, Romney will be filmed going to a Mormon church, making the base of the GOP more then Uncomfortable.

    So who should McCain pick??

    Huckabee would energize the Base.

    Huckabee is veiwed as Middle class, Winning overwhelming working class voters.

    Huckabee didnt attack McCain during the primary.

    Huckabee can hold his own with anyone in debates.

    Huckabee Has 1 house

    Huckabee is the most logical, despite what the bloggers that are on Romney's payroll say. By the way, the radio host of Republican talk radio
    they are on the Romney payroll too. Romney should learn he cant buy an election. He outspent every candidate during the primarys, even outspending Huckabee 6 to 1. Huckabee still got more delegates.

    http://www.HotPres.com McCain Dui? http://www.duihlepguide.com

  • Observant

    I'm just wondering how 'race' will affect the election and the vote. It's an aspect of the election that nobody will want to openly talk about, but it will reside in the back of everybody's mind. Listening to Afro-American Democrat spokespersons, they are not mentioning race, but you can sense their eagerness to test race in the election. For them it's an indicator how far the US has evolved. Of course if Colin Powell was McCain's running mate, that would bring race to the forefront! The undercurrents of racism cannot be ignored, because I suspect Hillary's supporters are turned off Obama regardless of what she may say about unity.

  • tiberiu84

    The payroll services always seem to work when it comes to an election campaign and its results… Investing can prove very efficient in a matter of advertising and making your goals heard to the wide public.

  • tiberiu84

    The payroll services always seem to work when it comes to an election campaign and its results… Investing can prove very efficient in a matter of advertising and making your goals heard to the wide public.

@E_steeves oy
Stephen Taylor - email@stephentaylor.ca
Stephen Taylor is a scientist, political analyst and a blogger. Taylor writes here regularly and is the founder of bloggingtories.ca. Taylor has contributed to Macleans, CTV, talk radio and has been a featured speaker on new media at numerous events including the Western Standard Cruise and the Forum for Public Policy. In December 2008, Taylor organized Rally for Canada, a series of rallies held coast-to-coast to protest the proposed coalition government.