When McCain was willing to distort a bill protecting children from sex predators for his personal gain, we said, "Thanks, but no thanks. Protecting innocent children is more important to us than winning an election."
When McCain made his first Presidential decision by choosing a VP with the same thought as buying a lottery ticket and said, "How do you like my gambling style?", we said, "Thanks, but no thanks. We don't want a reckless gambling addict in charge of the precious lives of our military men and women. We'll take the careful, solid thinker, instead."
When McCain said I'll keep taxes low and pass on the bill to our children and grandchildren, we said, "Thanks, but no thanks. We're more responsible about our finances than that."
When McCain said vote for me because I'm a maverick, because look, I voted for the most unpopular (deservedly) president 90% of the time, and who but a maverick would do something like that? we said, "Thanks, but no thanks. We're not looking for a maverick of the idiot variety."
When Palin told us she was a fighter of pork and we should put her in charge of our government, we said, "Thanks, but no thanks. No amount of lipstick you wear can hide the record setting pork you've sought and collected."
When Palin told us she was a good christian and we should give her our vote, we said, "Thanks, but no thanks, we don't want anti-Semites and believers in the last days anywhere near The Button."
When Palin asked us to pray with her to have a tax payer funded pipeline built for her State, we said, "Thanks, but no thanks, we can do better supporting alternative energies that benefit the many and keep the environment clean, instead of projects that benefit the few and harm the environment."
etc.
I'm sure others can carry this meme out more creatively and humorously than I have.
My point, however, in writing this diary is to make the point ...
the Republicans have recently proven that a great way to weaken a strategy that is working for the opponent is to just start using it yourself, acting like it was yours all along. For example, they are now the party of change (since experience didn't work.)
So if the phrase "Thanks but no thanks" is making Palin look all Wal-martsy cutesy, the thunder can be stolen when we (Democrats) say to their rhetoric, "Thanks, but no thanks," followed by short reason why.
It'd be great if a group of counter-protesters could get into a Palin event and start chanting, "Thanks, but no thanks," but the gestapo party would probably tear gas everyone ... so that probably wouldn't get very far.