If you're right about people wanting to vote for someone instead of against someone, the envisioned ad wouldn't be the best strategy. I think McCain would do well to focus more on his ideas than on Obama's inexperience/celebrity/associating with unpopular people. Some of the ideas I've heard from him sound interesting, his campaign has been run frivolously though.

Take for instance the tire pressure gauges they sent out with "Obama's Energy Plan" on them. That was cheap political theater. There's much more to Obama's energy plan and they know it. What's this world coming to when a republican presidential campaign can't find anything to latch on to besides tire gauges in a plan that includes a $150 billion spending proposal.


You're probably right anyway, I could see them running an ad like you described.

In all fairness, that's not really true. I think his idea of removing barriers to competition in health insurance are interesting. His health-care proposals could be an improvement over current conditions. His ideas don't go as far toward helping the needy (especially children) as I'd like to see, but their not entirely without merit. Likewise with his idea of building new nuclear plants. He's not nearly as committed (not even anywhere close) to renewable energy as I'd like to see, but nuclear plants aren't a bad idea, IMO.



I agree here. While he's not completely devoid of ideas, they're not of the same quality or quantity as Obama's. I think his campaign understands this, hence the smear ads.


The smear tactics do absolutely zero to make me care what McCain or his campaign has to say, whereas talk of using competition to improve the health care system might make me inclined to check out his website to take a look at his plan.