Whoever is the Democratic nominee is the next President Of The United States. That is a foregone conclusion. There will be a Republican stand-in for the general election in 2008 because the law asks for it, otherwise it is pretty much a shoo-in for us. It might even feel neck and neck when we are finally up to it, but we are going to win the general. That part is guaranteed. W has created too much of a stink in Iraq, and he has messed up the national budget too much. To the Chinese, every single American owes one, literally. Too much money has been borrowed.
And the Democratic nominee will have been decided by February 5. On February 6 he should decide on his running mate and keep up the momentum. Don't lose a beat. Go right in.
And for the first time, thanks to Howard Dean, we are going to have a true primary season where much of the country matters, it is not just hinterland places like Iowa. I lost some major respect for Iowa in 2004. Yes, I was there when it happened. I was in the state. It was such a f____g anticlimax.
So go figure. You thought we were early. We are not early. The election is already on. From now until February 5, 2008 is the general election for all practical purposes. And the monthly debates are crucial. You got to start speaking directly to the national audience right away.
The election is now, and the election is national, so get on it.
Barack is going to have to start to win the debates. He has lost two in a row. He lost the health care one in Nevada. He lost the one in South Carolina. He had the best first quarter of any candidate. Otherwise Hillary has won the two debates. And she has given herself a boost in the polls. Barack, you have disappointed. Stop saying you have had only a few weeks. You have had a lifetime. Now get on it.
Bad MySpace Move By Barack Obama
And give a phone call to that MySpace guy. Send out some positive vibes. It costs only a few cents.
Health Care
What you say is the problem is not that we don't have a great plan. We have had many many great plans. The problem is that we have failed to sell any of those plans to the electorate. The problem has not been lack of policy prescriptions, the problem has been a lack of political selling.
Who did I get this nudge from? I got it from Barack. He is the one who made this observation. But he made it before the Nevada debate. He did not make it during the Nevada debate. During the Nevada debate, he instead made an excuse. He said he had had "only a few weeks" since his launch. Stop making excuses. The camera lights are on. This is prime time already. The election is on.
You offer a basic plan. The plan basically is that you will inject market forces into the health care industry so as to bring the costs down across the board. And that you are for universal health care. And that you will have delivered by the end of your first term. And then you say you expect the specifics of your plan to evolve. But the most important part of your plan is that you are going to involve the American people in the nitty gritty of the health care debate right away.
That political selling part, and that you just need one term is where you distinguish yourself from Hillary. Hillary is stuck with Iraq, and she is stuck with delivering health care over two terms in the White House. The idea of two terms is insensitive. That is too long a wait.
Health Care As A Spectrum
Another 9/11 Style Attack
That is a very real possibility. It could be something horrendous as a dirty bomb in some major American city. It could be an attack in some subway somewhere, DC, New York. It could be some airliner blown over the Atlantic. Likely it will be continued attacks in the other so-called "infidel" countries. Spain, England. Others could follow. Or it could be England again.
You say if there is another 9/11 style attack, the retaliation will be swift and hard. You are running for Commander In Chief. During times of insecurity, the most important role of the president is that of Commander In Chief. Can you provide security?
But here too you have an edge over Hillary. You say you want to finish the unfinished business in Afghanistan, that you already know who will be behind another 9/11 attack if there is one. That you want to get Osama. And there all options are open. That way you are strong on defense issues without having to stop towing your line that Iraq is a "dumb" war. You portray Iraq as the war that cost us the war in Afghanistan. Osama got away.
Iraq will cost Hillary the presidency, though not the White House. She is most suited to be your running mate. She is Lyndon Johnson to your JFK.
Barack Lost The South Carolina Debate
Long Walk To Freedom
Long Walk To Freedom: Just A Third World Guy Dazzled By The City
Muscular Gender Agenda
HillCast
Obama Gameplan: Stable, Democratic Iraq
