It will play well against the Bush regime because most voters want change.  The more the Obama Campaign connects McCain with Bush and calls for change the more effective their message will be.  It probably won’t do much to recruit cross over voters but it will definitely motivate Democrats to get out and vote.  

I think the McCain theme should be Integrity.  Again, it probably won’t persuade Democrats to vote for McCain but it will energize the Republicans.  I believe Karl Rove when he said to be successful a candidate needs to direct his/her energy and message to his/her own party.  It is far easier to convince someone to get out and vote for their party’s candidate than it is to convince a voter to vote for the other party.

The Integrity Theme could go something like this:  TV commercials questioning Obama’s association with militants, a racist preacher and a convicted felon.  A clip of Reverend Wright saying, “I don’t say God Bless America, I say God Damn America, “ followed by a voice asking “Would you want to turn the country over to someone who followed this mans teaching for over 20 years?”  Some clips about Ayers and his terrorists activities followed by a voice asking “Can America trust someone who is a close friend and associate with Ayers, a known terrorist, to protect America?”    There could be newspaper print and video snippets about Tony Rezlo, a Syrian immigrant, who conspired with Obama to defraud the tax payers out of an estimate 100 million dollars.  With a voice over asking if this is the “Change” America needs.  

I think Palin would be the perfect candidate to question Obama’s integrity and perhaps her voice could be the voice over in some of the ads.  The Integrity Theme if done right could drive Republicans to the polls in droves.  Rove said he thinks it will be a lot easier getting Republicans to the polls this time than it was in the last two elections.  It is also easier to get Republicans to vote than it is to get Democrats to vote.

Whether you like Rove or not, you have to agree he is a genus when it comes to campaign strategies and winning campaigns. He has never managed a campaign where his candidate didn’t win.

Night Stalker:

Although I've been a member of TER for almost five years, I've never used this forum before, and I'm really enjoying it. I must say, that you are one of the most polically perspicacious individuals that I have come across. That includes all forums on line, or with personal interaction in every day life. It's a pleasure to converse with someone who can look at things objectively, no matter what their political affiliation.  We both seem to have a total grasp of every implication and nuance of the current election process.

You are "spot on" with your assessment that the most important issue for each party is to solidify their base. I think McCain has made a huge gain in that regard. While realizing that Palin has some major negatives, she also is a dream woman for neocons. She's not going to pick up all the disgruntled Hillary supporters, but if she could pick up 10 to 15 %, that would probably be more than enough. I'm a right leaning independant myself,(pro second amendment,pro-choice), so I have issues. We are both intelligent enough to realize that no candidate or party is going to give you everything you want. However, after the major issues, like the economy and global concerns, most people will gravitate towards their core values. For me, that would be keeping the second amendment sacrosanct. For women, I suspect it would be the right of choice? Tough decision if you are an advocate of both positions. Which candidate do you trust more with Supreme Court appointees?

Personally, I don't think that any administration or court will ever overturn either concept. Heller vs. DC was a major triumph for the second amendment advocates this summer, and I could see the same scenario with any potential challenge to Roe Vs. Wade.  The battle may rage for years,but Americans will never give up their guns, and women will never be relagated to back alley abortions again.

In closing, as I see it, this election is going to be a real squeaker, in the same vein as the last two, or a total blow-out. The USA may be ready for an African-American president, but not this one. Colin Powell probably could have won hands down. He'd have my vote! I still like Sarah Palin better than Joe Biden. Hey, she's a lifetime member of the N.R.A. Her favorite meal is moose stew. Case closed! Lol.

Respectfully,
  SS344