They’re very good at negative campaigning– they’re not so good at governing.
The Swamp
I don't know where Barack Obama came up with this line. Whether it was planned by the campaign or something he just said from his heart. But he should use this line until election day. It is a simple truth that cannot be ignored even by low information voters.
Republicans are not good at governing. They are good at winning elections but as soon as they get in there they screw stuff up. George W. was excellent at winning elections and being negative and look at what happened.
This should be the key element in Obama's strategy in the coming months. It is both preventive defense and very good offense. It's not personal, it merely states the fact that for the past eight years we have been under incompetant government.
The Obama team should put this on every commercial they have. It is the core of what is wrong with the government today. It is effective. And it is catchy enough that the media will play it.
He should seriously think of a commercial connecting negative campaigning to Bush. He could even use an old campaign commercial against Kerry. Then the announcer should say:
John McCain is using the same negative tactics that George W. Bush made four years ago.
Shows pictures of the Iraq War, stocks going down on Wall Street, Katrinia.
John McCain knows how to run negative campaigns. But does he know how to govern?
Picture of Bush and McCain hugging.
Play that from here until the election and it will be effective. Use it Obama team.