If It's Not The Economy, It's Stupid!

There is no denying the Obama campaign had a dismal week last week. It’s not looking any better this week as McCain’s polling numbers continue to climb. McCain has all but sewn a lock on Ohio and Florida and in polls released just this morning, Obama is now in a world of hurt in New York and Minnesota – states which have been solidly democrat in the past but now appear to be in play.

Yet with all of Obama’s problems, the right is still screaming media bias when it comes to Sarah Palin. Me, I don’t buy it. If anything, the media is helping the Palin effect seize the Obama glitter out of the campaign. The media loves Palin and it’s obvious.

How so? If those in the main stream news and my fellow bloggers really hated the Republican nominee for Vice President, they would leave her alone. They wouldn’t even mention her. In politics, even bad press is good press because it gets your name out there and people will remember your name even when they can’t remember the other guy. Three weeks ago, this country had no idea who Sarah Palin was or even how to pronounce her last name. She has had hard media attention since her introduction and now everyone in America knows who she is, even if they don’t like her. Now, I am not out conducting polls, but I am willing to bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in Cindy McCain’s pockets that in a nation wide sample conducted right now, more people would be able to tell you who Governor Sarah Palin is in regards to her role in the presidential race than they could of Joe Biden. Why? When do you hear Biden’s name? How often do you see Joe Biden on television? How often do you hear pundits and commentators and analysts and left wing bloggers and right wigned bloggers talk about Joe Biden? In comparison to Sara Palin – almost never. It’s all Palin all the time. Sounds like a new 24 hour network by Rupert Murdock.

The media is who jumped all over Troopergate. It was the media who ran with the lipstick/pig fiasco and it’s the media who are now jumping up and down over a stupid tanning bed. The media is not hurting her, they are helping her and the Charlie Gibsons and Keith Olbermanns and Lou Dobbs of the world either know this and continue with it, which I am more inclined to believe – or they are completely stupid and need to get their heads out of their asses.

The best way to hurt her is to ignore her. Nothing can kill a political career like apathy. Just ask Jimmy Carter and Bob Dole. But they – the media – won’t leaver her alone. And the more they cover her, the better it is for the McCain campain. The more she’s smeared, the worse it is for Obama.

What does the McCain camp need to do to win? At this point, do what you are doing and hope that team Obama doesn’t change tactics. You are doing what you are supposed to do, playing hard ball with a heavy bat – even if she does wear lipstick.

What does the Obama team need to do? This one is easy: Stop running against Governor Palin. You’re running against John McCain. Make this about him. Make this about his failures. About his record in the senate. Make this about him not being up to the challenge to lead. Make this about his misstatements. Make this about him saying the fundamentals of the economy are strong – make this about him making that particular statement on the very day the stock market tumbled in its hardest and fastest free fall since 9/11. Make this about McCain being out of touch.

Senator Obama, ignore Sarah Palin. And if the media doesn’t – make them. How? Give a speech similar to the one you gave on race, but make it about sexism. Make it about Palin – in a positive light. Tell the American people that you support a woman running for president. Tell them you want equal pay for women. Tell them you want reproductive rights for women. Tell them you want women playing in the NFL. Give a speech on women and how you respect them and how you feel they are the true backbones of this country and how you have more respect for single, working mothers because they have to juggle a work schedule with the hardest job in the world. Praise Governor Palin for all her personal accomplishments. Praise her for her great work she has done with her family. Tell the American people that she deserves to be where she is because she worked hard. Then instruct – order – the media to lay off of her. Once you leave that podium – never bring her up again. If someone asks you about her, turn it on John McCain and the economy.

Senator Obama, you are losing this race and you need to do something about it. You have underestimated John McCain and if you want to make this a good fight, do not let the media paint Palin as another Agnew or Quayle.

Governor Palin may be out of touch and she may not have the experience – but let Biden hit her on that.

Everyone needs to stay on message. Obama, McCain, Biden the media – and yes, even the voters.