The Banking Collapse Will Propel Obama to Victory

If he wants it to, that is. In the only statement that has broken through, Obama actually said “I certainly don't fault Sen. McCain for these problems, but I do fault the economic philosophy he subscribes to.” Fault him for God’s sake. Stop being so nuanced! The Obama campaign should immediately release an ad that asks why McCain has been wasting his time talking about nonsense when we have real problems in our lives. Obama can list all of the specious, identity-based arguments (celebrity, lipstick on a pig, cosmopolitan, etc.) and ask why McCain is so obsessed with him when the country is falling apart.

But the Obama Campaign has to be quick to seize the high ground on the current economic crisis. If they do, they can successfully reframe the debate on the issues. There is not doubt in my mind that Obama will win if voters make their decision based on issues, not identity. If the campaign hesitates at all though, McCain will claim the “Wall St. Reformer” mantle for himself though, the truth be damned.

This is the best chance the Dems have to really raise Palin’s negatives. When this much is going wrong in our economy, who wants the female incarnation of Dan Quayle to be a 72 year-old’s heartbeat away from the Presidency?

JWilkes had a great article on the substance of the Lehman failure and the Bush / McCain response to it. Complex as the subject is, the politics are simple. Hit McCain, and hit him hard. He’ll either have to defend the last eight years and alienate independents, or disown them and alienate the 30% of people who still think that Bush is a great president.

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