Letters to the Editor
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A One-Two Punch to Use vs. McCain
Back in 1980, Reagan had a powerful one-two combination to throw at the hapless Carter: The economy was in a shambles, and the Iran hostage situation--getting daily coverage in the media--brought into question America's standing in the world as the mightiest of the then-two Superpowers.
Reagan hit Carter with relentless Iran-jabs, and then delivered the coup de grace right cross on Jimmy's chin with the state of the economy. It was a clean, knockout...no contest really.
This election, it's the dems who are armed with the double barreled rifle. As today's news exemplifies, the economy, not merely the housing market, is heading into the abyss. McCain himself has admitted to his lack of understanding of economics. To win, the dems need to make the economy the subject of relentless jabbing. One after another, quick, snappy shots on Bush's management of the economy will take their toll on Johnny Mac.
Then, the knockout blow becomes Iraq and the mis-(or non-)strategy of the War on Terror. But McCain is not as doctrinaire a supporter of the Bush Strategy as most think.
Like it or not, McCain was one of the first to go public with the opinion that the Iraq adventure was launched with too few troops to accomplish the mission. He was one of the first to publicly call for Rumfeld's resignation. Unlike Vietnam, the anti-war movement today has not demonized the military. In fact, the military, especially once they retire, have been among the strongest critics of the tactics and strategy of the Bush Administration. In some sense, McCain was the channel for currently serving military leaders to get their views into the public discourse. Underestimating McCain, even with his loose lipped remarks like the "100 years in Iraq", would be a tragic blunder by the dems.
The task of the dems is to make McCain the modern Carter by putting him in the position of defending the indefensible: the Bush Administration's utter incompetence in both Foreign and Domestic policy. Outflank him, cut down his wiggle-room. And, most import, DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HIM..he's no Jimmy Carter.