How to deal with the blame we will get from the GOP?

[Truth Warrior]

They'll lose because their values and positions didn't match ours, not because a third party candidate "took votes away."

I'm backing Bob Barr. If you want to act like (or be) a jerk, go ahead. And read my signature.

GREAT RP quote, BTW.

Thanks!

 

[Knightskye]

If a question of the evil Ron Paul people messing up another GOP win, I will simply lie and say I voted for McCain.

Why not? McCain lied and said he voted for Bush.

GREAT RP quote, BTW.

 

[torchbearer]

 

[TastyWheat]

If they didn't pick such a war-mongering, senile, liberal candidate I might have bit the bullet and voted Republican. If they didn't pick such a war-mongering, senile, liberal candidate THEY WOULDN'T NEED OUR VOTE!

 

[GunnyFreedom]

My response:

The Republicans lost in 2008 because they strayed from their base. A well known former Gubernatorial candidate in NC, Fred Smith, likes to say something that I find particularly apt in this case -- "You can't win elections as a Republican by acting more liberal, you win them by being more Conservative and offering the Democrats an alternative."

The fact is, that what Mr Smith says is true. If the Democrats wanted to vote for a liberal, they will vote for their own candidate. To win as a Republican, you have to give them a real alternative. In 2008, the GOP nominated John McCain -- one of the most liberal Republicans in the nation, and they lost, because they failed to take Fred Smith's advice to heart.

 

[Grandson of Liberty]

I think I'd have three words for them:

"Make fun, buddy."

(Ahh, remember that one?) The GOP loved to mock us and RP, right up until we cost them the election. Not so funny now, huh?

 

[Flash]

I hope the GOP acknowledges we helped cost them the election.

 

[Broadlighter]

Here's my reply:

"What part of 'you've lost your way don't you understand?'"

Losing to Obama may cause the GOP rank and file to do something they've seemed incapable of doing for many years - self reflection!

 

[speciallyblend]

yep

I think I'd have three words for them:

"Make fun, buddy."

(Ahh, remember that one?) The GOP loved to mock us and RP, right up until we cost them the election. Not so funny now, huh?

mccain will lose colorado,i will buy advertising against mccain and for bob barr here anything to make sure the lying corrupt gop loses it's ass on a silver platter!!!!

 

[SnappleLlama]

I forget...why should I care what the GOP thinks again?

 

[acptulsa]

Atlas just shrugged.

 

[ronpaulhawaii]

This tactic isn't meant to influence us, it's meant to influence those outside of the circle.

CbRP makes a good point here; that being prepared for ALL thrusts from our opponents, (whether they be RINOs, or DINOs) is a good thing. Right and wrong doesn't matter as much on the surface, and being prepared with a clever counterthrust is a traditional approach to dealing with negative press...

Usually the best approach is to ignore it though... see below

Yeah, it's hard to understand unless you have been around politics for a long time.
...
When you don't understand the nature of politics these things look like obvious manipulation but that really isn't what is going on.

Interesting, thanks

If we really do get the blame for a McCain loss, it might start making them actually take the liberty vote seriously.

there is that, too

All that said, here are my raw notes from a class on "handling negative press"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Handling negative information

Most campaign activity is building organization and image

Attacks and defenses excite people the most

Clashes can make or break a campaign

2 types of neg

about you - perhaps the only options -
End the usefullness of the story ASAP
Ignore - most of the time is correct response
response just incites the oppo to continue attacks
campaigns that are continually defending are losers
a vigorous, serious attack cannot be ignored

3 part response (1) - often works
deny
prove the contrary
show moral indignation

3 part response (2)
confess
defend as right at time
show moral idignation that the charge was raised
moral indignation is powerful and contagious

2 part response
confess
laugh it off

3 part (3) this option only works once, if at all
confess
humbly and completely apologize
promise not to do it again

2part (2)
refuse to discuss
immediately change the subject dramatically
sex scandal - wife refutes

Before you are attacked
Frame the attack before it is raised
Brainstorm possible attacks before others do
Be brutally frank - demand candor
Put in context most favorable
Bankruptcy taught understanding of hardship
Spouse (alcohol) problems hint at family values, understanding

Commercials wear out quicker in the boardroom than the living room - 7 times is the charm

about opponent

Don't fire all of your ammo at once - Keep the story alive
Release enough for a round of media and no more, wait till subside, repeat
Clip your opps tail incrementally, your own once


a relatively unknown must raise credibility, name recognition before attacking

an incumbant or popular can mix positive and negative from the start

when is the latest you can raise negative
Thurs afternoon before tues election, it takes time for issue to sink in

two types

Policy issues - public expects attacks on policy - not mud
votes
contributions - received and sent
extremist or crooked associates
policy proposals

Personal or character issue - is mud
never be used by HQ or those close to the campaign
resist the temptation - judgement is impaired

1- ignore the info - most often the right thing to do
triviality can be counterproductive
hard to ignore - we are not impartial - consider whole context/pattern
elections are not a court of law, being right is necessarily important
It is a matter of marketing, not proof

2- Draw play (solid, uncontestable proof)
make charge without producing solid proof.
If opp denies charge, produce irrefutable proof
Opp caught lying to press is deadly

Keep pushing till
opp answers the charge well
opp returns with damaging charge of his own
voters get bored

10 ways to renew an issue

1- Demand an explanation > unsatisfactory
2- Demand the real explanation
3- Demand opp apologize
4- Demand a better apology
5- Have credible outside group push the issue
6- Create a public demonstration with legible signs in appropriate place
7- Letters to the Editor - more frequently read than editorials
8- Articulate people to call talk-radio
9- Get bloggers involved
10- Paid Advertising - "first resort of incompetant"

leaking info is very dangerous

 

[Sematary]

Guys, with new polls showing the race closing in, there is a problem I think we should be prepared for...

If it is an Obama victory, we all know what to expect from the GOP. They will lay the blame solely on our shoulders.

Perhaps that's what they want, either try to guilt us into voting McCain, or try to neutralize the movement by blaming us for sabotaging McCain's campaign.

Either way, I think we should be prepared to deal with these inevitable attacks if or when Obama wins.

Ron Paul Followers Pose Danger For McCain In West
http://wcbstv.com/campaign08/ron.paul.mccain.2.784897.html

What's to deal with? We all know when the Republicans lose it's their own damn fault and I'm more than happy to tell them so. It's not my fault they've become the fascist part of America.

 

[acptulsa]

What's to deal with? We all know when the Republicans lose it's their own damn fault and I'm more than happy to tell them so. It's not my fault they've become the fascist part of America.

And we aren't the only ones who will be saying it.

We aren't the disease, we're just a symptom. Did the fact that the rats left the sinking ship first mean they had something to do with its sinking, or just that they were the wisest passengers?

 

[GunnyFreedom]

I'm not sure that "We didn't vote GOP because we're rats." is going to sell very well to the electorate we are trying to win for the CFL.

 

[acptulsa]

I'm not sure that "We didn't vote GOP because we're rats." is going to sell very well to the electorate we are trying to win for the CFL.

Good point. I'm not saying this is the best simile to use, I'm just saying that having us in lockstep for old times' sake won't help them survive their present malaise. We ain't the disease. We're trying to be the cure.

Maybe we should tell them we're practising "tough love".

 

[GunnyFreedom]

Good point. I'm not saying this is the best simile to use, I'm just saying that having us in lockstep for old times' sake won't help them survive their present malaise. We ain't the disease. We're trying to be the cure.

Maybe we should tell them we're practising "tough love".

That sounds a lot better. Seems to me the point of the exercise in this thread is to be prepared with ammunition to return fire when we get blamed for losing the election for McCain....with a particular eye towards growing the CFL. It's not the guy blaming us we will win, necessarily, but all the other guys standing around listening to the exchange.

 

[Feenix566]

It doesn't matter who wins the Presidency in 2008. Obama and McCain agree on everything that matters. When they accuse us of helping Obama win, tell them that.

 

[Andrew-Austin]

I think by nominating McCain, there is no possible way they could shrug failure off of themselves. They absolutely reek of it. Just base all arguments around the stupidity of nominating McCain.

 

[damien88]

Tell them we voted Republican when we were given a chance to vote for a real Republican