Seize control of the presidential campaign, candidates

Ripped from the wires ... Conservative columnist Cal Thomas proposes a way to dispel the partisan cynicism that thus far has ruined the presidential campaign:

By Cal Thomas

Last Monday at a trade show for people who are part of the Florida tourist industry, I asked the 750 assembled for lunch how many were happy with the tone of modern politics? Not a hand was raised.

Since my Democratic friend Bob Beckel and I wrote our book "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America,'' among the public, I have found a growing discontent about a campaign that had promised to be different. Both John McCain and Barack Obama said they wanted to put to rest the divisive and incendiary politics of the past, but in their present campaigns both have now succumbed to politics as usual.

How did this happen when the public consistently says it is sick of it and hates the tearing down of the other candidate rather than the building up of the country?

In this campaign, part of the answer has to do with the massive media buildup of Obama, which has led the McCain campaign to do commercials mocking his "deity.'' It has been the only way McCain thought he could bring Obama down to earth. But a part of the reason also has to do with the veteran handlers, special-interest groups, fund-raisers and other unworthies who have made a lot of money and gained considerable power over the years with their slash-and-burn tactics. Candidates fear losing more than anything else and when confronted with the possibility of political death, they will cling to any lifeline thrown in their direction. If destroying one's opponent has worked before, maybe it will work again -- in spite of the public's distaste.

McCain signaled that maybe this time things would be different when he proposed that he and Obama participate in a series of meetings without a media panel. I called this "An American Conversation.'' I had hoped it could be modeled on the fascinating Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, during which the Senate candidates eloquently battled over the big issues of their day. Lincoln and Douglas toured seven Illinois towns and drew thousands to their debates. The Lincoln-Douglas debates remain one of the great models for civil discourse in the less-than-stellar history of American politics.

The Obama campaign at first indicated it might agree to the meetings, but then someone decided such gatherings might put Obama at a disadvantage, which is hard to imagine given Obama's superior verbal firepower and quick mind. Maybe a consultant, fearful of losing control of the candidate, nixed it. We'll have to wait for the history of this campaign to be written to find out.

Beckel has a suggestion he thinks might yet redeem the time. He thinks that 10 days to two weeks before the campaign ends, one of the candidates should announce he is tired of the negativity and until Election Day will refuse to utter a negative word about his opponent, focusing instead on the positive aspects of his own campaign.

Beckel thinks this would sway the large independent vote in the direction of whichever candidate does it and means it, thereby handing him the election.
It worked for Jim Webb. In 2006, Webb was running against incumbent Senator George Allen, and the race was close. In the closing weeks of the campaign, Webb emphasized positive themes while Allen attacked Webb for racy passages in the novels he had written. Webb narrowly won. Beckel thinks the positive commercials sealed the deal, especially with independent voters.

Beckel also believes -- and I agree -- that Obama and McCain should tell the Commission on Presidential Debates that they are rejecting the tired format of journalists questioning them and they should come up with their own format, modeled after Lincoln-Douglas. The interest level would be sky-high and be reflected in the TV ratings.

Obama and McCain could change politics for a generation if they did this, but if they continue along their current path of mutual destruction, there will be no common ground, only scorched earth that will enhance the bitterness and cynicism most people already have toward politics and politicians.

Contact Thomas, a syndicated columnist, at tmseditors@tribune.com.

Comments?

Comments

[DanielC]

imho,

Until they open the conversation to all five candidates it's all just the banker's choices that spew forth the same old tired promises and then do whatever they want once elected.

It is a farce, especially the Republican this year. If you look at how the Republican "leadership" has manhandled the conventions around the country it's all a shame really for the sheeple to head to the electronic non-auditable polls in November.

DSC

[DanielC]

The latest from the McCain campaign really chaps my hide.

Ok, third party candidates have to work 100 times harder to even get on the ballots in this monopoly system the democrats and republicans have forced on the Americans to maintain control of the governing class. Now we have Mr. McCain who said in 2000 about the primary ballots in New York,

"...
We all know that the Berlin wall is down . . . People should be able to get
on the ballot in states . . . Everybody knows that I am a legitimate candidate.
I should be on the ballot.
..." ~ John McCain

But "Now, a Pennsylvania Republican Party official working on behalf of John McCain has filed a lawsuit to knock Bob Barr off the ballot in the Keystone state. This action is deplorable and we need to make sure every American knows what is going on, as this is probably just the tip of the iceberg of what is to come next."

According to an e-mail alert from the Bob Barr campaign.

"Of course, this action doesn’t even acknowledge that for Bob Barr to get on the ballot required many more signatures than it took for McCain to get on the primary ballot, and to get on the ballot in November required McCain to turn in ZERO signatures."

Now the real funny thing is the fact that McCain had to get signatures to get on the ballot in PA. However, because he accepted FEC funding for the primary run, he made the primary ballot. Then he turns around and says he is not beholding to the FEC primary funding restrictions because he sent a letter to FEC asking to be removed from public funding. Seems that is a point on interest that the Barr campaign forgot about in regards to McCain's campaign.

Seems McCain must be getting nervous about the Barr camp to pull this kind of tactics. But then this campaign has kept delegates from voting for their representatives to the convention in multiple states. So I'm not surprised.

God save America! We need his help now.

DanielC

[DanielC]

I know other fellow Republicans read this blog. I would hope the county party would read these post and present the 'leaderships' side of things in writing.

I've been posting since Jan more so in Feb. and not a single rebut for the actions of McCain's "leadership" attempts at destroying the diplomatic process in our nation’s history that the "old man's" campaign is presenting as fair and balanced election process in America.

Can you explain Nevada or Hawaii or Washington or Oregon or North Dakota or South Dakota or New Mexico or Texas or New Hampshire or Ohio or Pennsylvania or New York or Louisiana or... geez this list is getting long in fraud and misrepresentation of the people of America in the choice for a Republican nominee for President of our Nation.

DanielC