Experience? Doing What?
Thinking about the weird week we had and not being sure which looney story of the week to comment on, I switched on the TV and turned on, "This Week With George Stephanopoulos." I caught the tail end of a surrogates' pissing match (polite version) between Plastic Man Rommney (not to be confused with Plastic Turkey Man) and Tom Daschle. (He MUST be an alien -- Rommney that is.)
Anyway, I was listening to the back and forth and I had one of those screaming thoughts -- haven't we learned enough from the Hillary Campaign? And I mean challenging the claim of experience. Basically, Unless you are running against an incumbent POTUS, you should NEVER abandon the issue of experience to the other guy, nor let them own it as an issue. You do not have to take and hold the hill yourself, but you can not let the enemy control the hill top and set their cannon up there, as they will rain hell down on you from the heights, if you let them.
Don't let them.
So, whenever some flack, hack, or surrogate for McCain trots out the experience line, say the following:
Experience? Doing What?
And if the mouthpiece starts with the soundbites about the mythology, hit back and demand actual specifics. Demand resume bullet points. Say, "That is a . . . well, it is an argument, but that is not what I am asking you for. I am asking you for actual specifics about your candidate's experience. So I ask again. Experience? Doing What?"
Repeat the process as frequently and often as necessary to have the late night talk show hosts pick up the matter as a joke. And even after that, don't completely back off. But you can cut the frequency in half, as a weekly tactical matter.
I did not find this picture, until after finishing the post, above. In light of the homage to "Citizen Kane," let me quote my favorite line from the film:
"You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war."
Hey. Old Hearst is alleged to have actually said it. I am allegedly quoting Hearst, not his fictional altar ego, there.
Anyway . . . . same message, regardless of reference being made to art or to life.
Anyway, I was listening to the back and forth and I had one of those screaming thoughts -- haven't we learned enough from the Hillary Campaign? And I mean challenging the claim of experience. Basically, Unless you are running against an incumbent POTUS, you should NEVER abandon the issue of experience to the other guy, nor let them own it as an issue. You do not have to take and hold the hill yourself, but you can not let the enemy control the hill top and set their cannon up there, as they will rain hell down on you from the heights, if you let them.
Don't let them.
So, whenever some flack, hack, or surrogate for McCain trots out the experience line, say the following:
Experience? Doing What?
And if the mouthpiece starts with the soundbites about the mythology, hit back and demand actual specifics. Demand resume bullet points. Say, "That is a . . . well, it is an argument, but that is not what I am asking you for. I am asking you for actual specifics about your candidate's experience. So I ask again. Experience? Doing What?"
Repeat the process as frequently and often as necessary to have the late night talk show hosts pick up the matter as a joke. And even after that, don't completely back off. But you can cut the frequency in half, as a weekly tactical matter.
I did not find this picture, until after finishing the post, above. In light of the homage to "Citizen Kane," let me quote my favorite line from the film:
"You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war."
Hey. Old Hearst is alleged to have actually said it. I am allegedly quoting Hearst, not his fictional altar ego, there.
Anyway . . . . same message, regardless of reference being made to art or to life.
posted by Abstentus at 10:18 AM
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