Us Primary Politics Follow

BY TAYLOR MARSH The first video above is a McCain flashback, compliments of the Obama’s rapid response team. The second video is McCain moving away from the attack ads, then reintroducing himself as "The Original Maverick." Obama’s spokesperson Bill Burton responded earlier today: "Senator McCain wants Americans to forget that during the Republican primary, he said that Americans were better off than we were eight years ago, and that he thinks we’ve made ’great progress economically.’ He wants us to forget that he’s fully embraced the Bush policies he once opposed, and bragged about supporting those policies ’more than 90 percent of time.’ The truth is, being a maverick isn’t practicing the same kind of politics we have seen from Washington for decades, it isn’t having a campaign run by Washington lobbyists, and it’s certainly not promoting the same policies that have led America down the wrong path these past eight years." If I had to guess, I’d say the McCain team, at least for the short-term, feels they’ve done what they need to do on the negative side, though that by no means will stop. McCain’s team did some damage with the "Celebrity" ad, especially after Obama’s response, which got him tangled up in talking about race that may have been meant as a warning to McCain, but backfired instead. McCain’s team also has to get back to reminding people of McCain’s persona and why he used to be called "maverick," which is long forgotten for many. There is nothing better for doing that than reinforcing the memory of what John McCain was before he embraced Bush to get the nomination. Obama’s mission is to make sure that "The Original Maverick" doesn’t stick. To do that they’ve got to tie Bush around McCain’s neck to remind everyone that electing McCain will never change Washington or the direction of this country. It cannot be just about a third term for Bush, because many people who actually vote do have a memory of the McCain they once liked. Obama’s team simply has to start tearing away at McCain by going after his record, including on veterans issues, though there’s no evidence the Obama camp has the stomach for that yet. Turning into your opponent’s strengths is how you get it done. Republicans do it all the time, with Kerry, then recently with Obama. We all know it’s Obama who has to pass the test in the voters’ minds, but it can’t simply be about Obama. McCain’s voting record has got to be questioned before the Republican convention, where his biographical story will take center stage. No one should underestimate the power of that tale. Least of all Obama’s team and the Democrats planning the convention. Talk it over. Open thread.