An adviser molds a tighter, more aggressive McCain campaign

[dkf]

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/07/america/07schmidt.php

By Jim Rutenberg and Adam Nagourney
Published: September 7, 2008

ST. PAUL: It was what aides to Senator John McCain describe as probably the worst night of his campaign. As Senator Barack Obama claimed the Democratic nomination before a cheering sea of faces on national television, McCain countered with a lackluster speech in a half-empty hall, posed in front of a pea-green screen that became fodder for late-night comedy.

Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser to McCain who worked on President George W. Bush's campaign in 2004, could barely hide his fury in the coming days, as he announced — to anyone who would listen — that he would personally make certain the McCain campaign would never again embarrass McCain.

"Fun Steve is dead," Schmidt said.

In the three months since that night in June, the McCain organization has become a campaign transformed: an elbows-out, risk-taking, disciplined machine that was on display here last week at the Republican convention that nominated McCain. And the catalyst for the change has largely been Schmidt, 37, a veteran of the winning 2002 congressional and 2004 presidential campaigns, where he worked closely with Karl Rove, then Bush's senior strategist.

----

This is what I wish for Obama because I'm as mad as this guy was.

[FrenchieCat]

1. But McCain has been embarassed since, and will continue to be.

Just Nargourney trying to turn a sows ear into a silk purse. It ain't gonna work.

[geek tragedy]

Yeah, his convention was a real embarrassment.

I mean, McCain is only up by 4-10 points. Wow, he's really sinking.

[FrenchieCat]

9. The convention was terrible, and I guess you think that we are stupid.

I understand a media that influences, but that is not the same thing as a good convention.

I can only hope you are not that stupid....

[geek tragedy]

14. A convention is good for one thing--helping the candidate

get elected.

Their convention persuaded more people than ours. Therefore, it was a better convention.

[Cha]

18. You don't know that..you just repeat shit you

think you know..loser.

[NYC_SKP]

46. Clearly,

The turd at hand is a Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton fan who can't take it, and has become fully aroused with the bad news about the winning candidate.

I don't care how long a member has been here, if all they can do is post "I'm on the record that Obama will lose" fucked up posts, they can eat shit and die.

Fuckwad.

I'm glad you're here and not silent about the bullshit.

:hi:

[amborin]

53. hey

don't shoot the messenger

the emergence of palin was pure rove

it's been said many times, in many places....by DEMS

who want Obama to win

do you want a feel good, pat on the back, post?

I've seen this before, in 2004

anyone who voiced any concern about K's campaign on here was viciously attacked, just like you're doing now

you're not being very helpful

[NYC_SKP]

60. follow the threads.

my comment was a reply to a reply to a particular doomsayer.

Nothing about Palin or Rove in that one.

Everyone wants Obama to go into attack mode now, that's fine, I disagree.

But there are a few members who are bitter and objectively being disruptive and I call bullshit on them, nothing more.

I stand by my comments.

[Democat]

22. Their convention was good enough to win over voters!

McCain's convention was "good" because he is now beating Obama in the polls.

Their convention was more successful than ours.

We praise them, they slam us. Welcome to 2004.

[Chan790]

61. Ugh...

Their convention won over voters, our convention won over voters...convention bounces are less than meaningless. Historically, you have better chances of predicting the outcome by coin-flip than by polls more than a month out...doubly so if that poll is within 2 weeks of the end of the party convention of the candidate leading the poll. It's the short period where according to conventional logic McCain should be leading. Bush McSame's at the top of his convention bounce, we're towards the end of ours.

Seriously people, chill the f*ck out.

You know what might actually lose this race for Obama?:

-Chicken Littlism.

-Over-reacting to the GOP convention bounce.

-Becoming rash.

-Changing what has worked for BO to this point.

-Silly people on the internet saying silly shit that will be used against Obama. (Yeah...every fucknut from Freeps to the media to the campaigns reads this site. Just ask any of the dozens of DUers who have been quoted off this board in the past in print.)

-Thinking Obama is just like Kerry, Gore, Mondale, Dukakis.

-Fatalism.

-Getting hung-up on Sarah Palin.

-Quitting doing the things that will ultimately make a difference like GOTV, writing LTTE, voter registration.

[madfloridian]

65. They only got their base on board. Others are leaving.

My family is moderate Republican, they won't be voting for that ticket.

[geek tragedy]

2. That man is exactly what the Obama camp needs.

They need someone to shake that operation up and get in Barack's grill. What they are doing is a FAIL.

[madfloridian]

6. You want Obama to have a Rove follower? You are a busy bee today.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2430

[geek tragedy]

8. I want someone who practices winning instead

of healing and uniting.

[democracy1st]

64. are you doing any volunteer work for the Obama campaign ?

[1corona4u]

23. You know what.....

Everyone is tired of your whiny ass bullshit!

Get off the board and go eat some fucking twinkies you slug.

[dkf]

33. We don't need exactly that man...we need someone with our values

who can be as aggressive as that man.

[madfloridian]

3. Did you realize Schmidt is a Karl Rove fellow and follower?

McCain's whole campaign is run by them. I have no sympathy no pity. I hope Obama does not lower himself to their ugly tactics.

The Rise of the Rovians.

[geek tragedy]

5. I hope Barack does. I would rather win than lose

with honor.

[GrizzlyMan]

4. I've been saying it for years

Our presidential nominee needs someone like Rove on our side. Someone willing to take risks, bend the rules, get nasty, lie and cheat to win if necessary. People can poo-poo that and talk about "being different from them" and "ethics" all they want, but the fact of the matter is unless we win, we can't undo the damage the Repukes have done the last eight years and we can't keep them from continuing their campaign to destroy this country.

This isn't little league baseball or horse shoes, winning IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS. How you get to that point doesn't matter.

[geek tragedy]

7. You mean like Bill Clinton? n/t

[GrizzlyMan]

10. No, but sort of...

I'm not talking about candidates, I'm talking about campaign strategists and managers.

[madfloridian]

13. Is this an organized effort today to make our candidate look bad?

Seems that way.

[geek tragedy]

16. No, his campaign SUCKS though.

I mean, they praise McCain about as much as Sarah Palin does.

[dkf]

21. All I want is to be as aggressive as these guys are.

And as aggressive as Hillary was.

[madfloridian]

And you want Karl Rove types.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2430

[Democat]

29. Now it's our fault that he is taking a beating?

Right. And it's our fault and Kerry and Gore were too wimpy to beat Bush.

Don't kill the messenger.

[madfloridian]

57. Whose fault.

[NYC_SKP]

39. Apparently so, a few members are concerned, it's quite unfortunate. nt

[Blue_Roses]

12. oh, bullshit! Good grief

yeah, just forget about that little thing called character and honor:eyes:

[GrizzlyMan]

15. That no longer counts with the American people

Or did you miss the last 8 years? You can have character and honor when you're in the WH. It's a loser on the trail at this stage in history.

[geek tragedy]

17. Yes, let's do that.

It's called 'winning.'

[Democat]

24. Character and honor?

How's that working out for John Kerry?

In politics, winning is everything.

[madfloridian]

11. You guys are advocating using Karl Rove tactics. Read this.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2430

The rise of the Rovians.

You are undermining our candidate in thread after thread today.

[GrizzlyMan]

19. By my count Rove is 2-0 in generals

As a chief strategist. He is a loathsome character, but he gets it done. His methods get it done.

[geek tragedy]

20. His own mealy-mouthed wussy campaign is undermining him.

If he can't stand toe to toe with the Rovians, he shouldn't have gotten in the ring.

[MarjorieG]

28. Really easy to be tough by the keyboard and no accountability. I've had it with the punk stuff.

I'm obviously too old for this.

[flamingdem]

31. Everywhere I look on DU I see Geek Tragedy wringing it's hands... I feel bad for you! nt

[Binka]

26. Schmidt Is A Human Turd A Fucking Wanker Wannabe

Fuck this Nazi little shit. Fuck him and his nonsense up the ass. He is a fucking asshole without a purpose. Screw off Schmidt. You are SHIT.

[dkf]

27. Having a tight disciplined aggressive campaign is Rovian?

With that attitude we really will lose.

[amborin]

55. picking

palin was pure rove

[madfloridian]

63. Schmidt is a Rove disciple. All McCain's campaign is.

This is ridiculous.

[amborin]

62. how

is it undermining to say we need rovian tactics?

[gravity]

25. Obama campaign is doing excellent

It is the most organized Democratic campaign ever, and these guys know what they are doing. There is no need for Rovian style politics, which just hurts our credibility. We can't beat the republicans playing their own game anyways.

[dkf]

30. It is the most organized on the ground campaign ever.

That is what won Obama the nomination. Hillary didn't get tight and disciplined in her message until it was too late.

[geek tragedy]

35. Ground game doesn't win big elections.

Message does.

And McCain's message team is ten times better than Obama's.

[dkf]

37. Yep.

But Obama's team is putting a whole lot of faith in the ground game and that worries me. I think it is making our guys over confident and is leaving them vulnerable on the messaging side.

[geek tragedy]

42. I'm on the record as stating they're going to lose.

"You know what they call a candidate who's counting on a lot of new voters? A loser."

James Carville.

[dkf]

44. Nah. I think when it becomes more obvious then they'll do something.

I just don't like how slow they are.

[geek tragedy]

45. Too late.

They needed to negatively brand McCain in June or July.

Horse is out of the barn now.

Because they had to play Johnny High Road.

[NYC_SKP]

47. You should try playing "Johnny High Road"... try being helpful. nt

[dkf]

48. McCain WAS negatively branded.

but he managed to re-brand himself in one fell swoop with Palin.

That is why it was important to nip her in the bud, which can still be done if only they try.

[gravity]

38. We need to focus on the message, but not the Rovian politics

Obama just needs to stress the economy, the ticket to victory, instead of getting involved with the Republican drama. Call them out on their partisan bickering but don't play their game.

[GrizzlyMan]

32. Their ground game and fundraising are impressive

And w have an impressive candidate. But WTF are they doing praising McCain every time they get in front of a camera? That comes off as weakness to a lot of people who don't follow politics closely.

It's time to get nasty. People like it. Just ask Bob Corker, George W. Bush and Saxby Chambliss.

[gravity]

40. Most independents respect McCain

Obama shows respect towards McCain to connect with the swing voters. He also wants to prevent the country from getting into a us vs them mentallity, which plays into the Republicans hands. We can't win that battle.

We have to change the game, and bring the focus back to the issues and call the republicans out on their political bullshit, not participate in it.

[dkf]

49. He's trying to change the game, but you can only take so many hits without looking weak.

I'm not sure what he wants is possible. If changing politics is the hill he wants to die on...

[gravity]

54. He hasn't taken any real hits

This isn't a swiftboat attack, so relax. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Palin's novelty will where off soon, and the Democrats will go back on top of their game.

The Obama campaign knows what they hell they are doing, and have experienced events like this. Hillary certainly provided good training, and Obama will go offensive when the time comes. There is no need to panic

[dkf]

59. You sound like my stock broker. lol.

[gravity]

66. Ha! I work in finance

[GrizzlyMan]

50. I disagree

The way you change the game is to get nasty, to call them on their bullshit in a forceful way that resonates with lazy, low info voters. Reeling off "qualifiers" every time they talk about McCain on camera is a weak stick move. It needs to stop. This is a war. It needs to start looking like one on our end.

[flamingdem]

34. I agree. In terms of electoral votes Obama/Biden nearly has it sewn up nt

[dkf]

36. With the national polls swinging, I have a feeling the state polls will follow.

I am not happy.

[NYC_SKP]

41. Et tu, dkf? Take heart...national polls are notoriously weak in predicting..

...meaningful events. I've read several essays today by mathematicians far more conversant than I in matters of statistics and polling.

I'm confident that we must wait at least 5 days before we begin to draw any conclusions.

Take one of these, with fluids: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/patience-poll-watchers.html

:hi:

[dkf]

43. I hope you are right...

[NYC_SKP]

67. Here's something else on the matter.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6980484

Just don't despair, and don't stop working hard to win.

I know so many people who have never been involved before, and I think it's a pretty common phenomenon.

And our EV numbers still look great, I feel fine.

G'night!

[madfloridian]

51. Coming out of the woodwork...loving that Karl Rove.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2430

A little obvious.

[dkf]

56. I don't love Karl Rove...I love being aggressive. Isn't that why we fell for Howard?

If you aren't on the offensive you are on the defensive. It feels like we are always playing defense lately.

[madfloridian]

58. Do I know you anymore? You are loving Karl Rove disciples?

I don't think so.

I don't recall your posting stuff begging for Karl Rove disciples to take over Obama's campaign.

[dkf]

68. Howard had ads up attacking the Repubs earlier than Obama

I bet he is not happy either. Of course, he works for Obama now so we will never hear it.

[madfloridian]

69. You should not want Rove types near our party.

[amborin]

52. i posted that also earlier today, from the NY TIMES

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6973717&mesg_id=6973717>