I realize coaches and analysts claim the big games are won with defense. And certainly, defense is important. But you also need an offense. How many games have been lost trying hang onto a thin lead?
So it is with Obama’s campaign as another diary notes and Frank Rich suggested Sunday.
Several weeks ago we had Dobson's verses Obama’s interpretation of the Bible.
Then McCain’s people got a few days on which candidate a terrorist attack would help the most.
Last week Obama was expected to choose between McCain’s hurt feelings and Clark’s remarks that being a POW doesn’t necessarily make one Presidential material.
Even when Obama gets in some strong words like when he hits hard against McCain’s economics, it is still largely defensive. He is blocking the other guy’s offense rather than proposing his own agenda and talking points.
It is time for Obama and the Democrats to take the led on defining issues. Why are they letting the Republican dictate the topics? I don’t get it.
Obama needs act like a President. He needs go on the offense and define the talking point.
Each week Obama would hold a press conference to announce another "Change from Bush" policy his presidency would make. He could get special supporters of those policies to make the announcements with him.
I’m proposing a series of weekly issues with the following criteria.
- An issue that President Bush opposes. In fact, the weekly press release should start with a phrase like, "As President I will reverse President Bush’s ...."
- The majority of Americans disagree with President Bush on this issue. And the talking points need to reflect those aspects of the issues that appeal to most Americans.
I offer an example for week one.
As President, I will reverse President Bush’s ban on federal funding of stem cell research. Polls show that a large majority of Americans favor this research. A July 2003 ABC Poll found 80% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans favored stem cell research.
The white paper and talking points on stem cell research need to stress the following:
- The potential to help people with serious health problems like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, etc. Almost everyone has a family member or friend with one of these diseases so it becomes a personal life and death issue for them
- Only stem cells that are to be discarded will be used. Polls show that when only stem cells about to be destroyed anyway are to be used, people are much more favorable to this issue.
Here are a few suggestions for following weeks.
"As President will close Gitmo!"
"As President I will ban torture!"
"As President I will invest in solar energy and other alternative energy sources."
"As President I will be tough on white collar criminals."
"As President I will protect Social Security."
What other topics would satisfy the two rules noted above - 1) different from Bush and 2) Most American's disagree with Bush on this issue