Should Obama go Patton on McCain?

[DenButsu]

Paul Begala thinks so.

Here's David Kurtz interviewing Paul Begala for tpm (video link):

PB: I have a seven point plan for uniting the party. Attack, attack, attack, attack, attack, attack, attack.

DK: Well I was going to ask you about that, because there's been a lot of discussion on the Republican side about Barack wanting to get out of Iraq for political reasons, for personal ambition. Do you feel like the Obama campaign has been hitting back hard enough on those -

PB: I never think anybody hits back hard enough. And it's not about hitting back, it's about hitting first. You know, there's a big myth in my party that we should do better at rapid response. No, we should do better at rapid attack. They ruined the country in their first term, they ruined the world in their second. Don't we have a right to attack instead of simply respond? You know? I'm a George S. Patton Democrat. He said the purpose of war is not to die for your country, it's to make the other son of a ***** die for his country. The purpose of a campaign is not to answer their attack. It's to make them answer our attack.

DK: So is Joe Biden a good choice in that regard?

PB: There could not be a better choice...

[KingJamsI]

Paul Begala thinks so.

Here's David Kurtz interviewing Paul Begala for tpm (video link):

A Tad bit extreme from my perspective, but he makes some good points. I guess I just wish for a political climate where that wasn't what it took to make people listen.

[ari1013]

I understand where Begala's coming from. I just really wish it didn't always have to come down to this every single election year.

[SmthBluCitrus]

Agreed ari ...

But, it's really easy to see why it is the way it is. In the style election we have (between Republicans and Democrats) with no realistic third party, the difference has to be made between right and wrong/yes and no. And, it's difficult to get the message that "the other side is wrong" without conveying it in a negative manner. It's easier to be nasty ... and it's effective.

[DenButsu]

Count me among the "I wish it wasn't so"s.

But it does seem to me like it may have come to this now. Just this week, $3 million in battleground states spent on Ayers smear/attack ads.

But I'm interested to hear, from conservatives specifically, what they think of this in terms of strategy.

My thinking at this point is that Obama has already crossed enough lines so that he won't be able to successfully portray himself as "above the fray" any longer. So there's less risk politically than there was, say, a month ago, in just going for it.

[RogerRomo]

Count me among the "I wish it wasn't so"s.

But it does seem to me like it may have come to this now. Just this week, $3 million in battleground states spent on Ayers smear/attack ads.

But I'm interested to hear, from conservatives specifically, what they think of this in terms of strategy.

My thinking at this point is that Obama has already crossed enough lines so that he won't be able to successfully portray himself as "above the fray" any longer. So there's less risk politically than there was, say, a month ago, in just going for it.

These "attack ads", expose the truth about your messiah. More should have been spent. Just wait and watch the fun that unfolds in the debates. Your boy is going to look like a whipped puppy dog. There are lots of things the McCain Campaign is holding off on letting out... Some real gems are coming out about Obama. The clock is ticking... Obama hasn't crossed any lines. What strategy do you speak of for his campaign? Be a rock star???

[Bosox Believer]

Just wait and watch the fun that unfolds in the debates. Your boy is going to look like a whipped puppy dog.

Haha, I can't wait. I hope to see you back Romo after the debates. I have every confidence that you are not going to like what you see.

[ink]

I wish it didn't come down to this, but I see Begala's point. I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more fire from Obama. If he wants something, it wouldn't hurt him or the party to articulate it clearly and then go after it hard in a debate. If he plays the cool guy on defense all the time, his opponents will fill in the blanks with whatever junk they want to. Besides, I'd like to see a more determined leader, especially in tough political times. And I like the comment Begala made that the other party ruined the country in the first term and ruined the world in the second. It's hyperbole, but it drives home the stakes at issue.

[ink]

CNN is really hammering the need for "red meat" from speakers at the DNC. David Gergen seems to think that the Dems are being too nice and the Republicans are just sitting at home watching the convention and sharpening their knives. Gergen wants a "battle cry".