Republican strategy for 08?

Question

What do you expect the GOP will do (or what do you want them to do) in their bid for the 2008 presidential race? What sort of global strategies do you think they'll employ? Whom do you think will have the largest support from the base? Do you expect a smear campaign or a positive campaign? One of hope or one of fear? Will that vary by candidate and/or by opponent? What do you think?

(NOTE: When I asked "what do you think", I used the word "think", not "feel". Opinions driven by emotion are nice, but opinions driven by facts are much better. Please avoid partisanship and augmentum ad hominem. Thanks.)

Answer 1

I think it's unfortunate that the Republicans don't seem to need much of a strategy, because they won't stretch themselves to field someone truly worthy. All they need is a noncontroversial candidate that people feel comfortable with. I was considering the Democratic possibilities and you have a token woman and a token black. Many are uncomfortable with Hillary because when she was first lady, she pretended to be an elected official (with the health care issue). She's a controlling, domineering and controversial woman. Obama may be charismatic, but do we need a political revivalist and isn't he likely to be a loose cannon? Nobody knows because he's untested. It makes me wonder if the Democratic party has any strategy other than to shoot itself in the foot.

As I stated in the beginning, the Republicans don't need much of a strategy if people are uncomfortable with the Democratic offerings. I've noticed that the Democrats have introduced a new version of the assault weapon ban in congress. The Clinton one was not renewed because it produced no results. This isn't surprising because it didn't address a known problem. This new version, however, is even more draconian and has no expiration date. This attempt so close to a presidential election can be spun in an especially unfavorable way.

It seems to me that it's Democrats that are chanting, "Four more years," this time. Don't ask me why they do this. Is anybody in charge of things over there?

Answer 2

If the neocons still control the GOP they will lose. I want them to listen to what the people are saying and do what people want.

Smear campaign seems to be the norm now. It used to be common and they let up a bit at the beginning of the 20th Century and then Regan began it again in 1980 after a little from LBJ in 1964. The last few have really been dirty. If Karl Rove is involved you can be sure it will be dirty. Hilary is no slouch when it comes to that stuff too. Ya gotta fight fire with fire.

Hopefully we will have a campaign from both sides that is a campaign of hope for the future. No Bushs are running so it might be positive. Again if Karl Rove is in it you can be sure it will be negative and scary.

It depends on who is running, how desperate they are and who is running their campaign whether it is full of hope and joy or fear and mud.

Both sides are capable of positive and negative campaigns.

If the rest of the nation is like California was in the governor race of 06 the guy with the dirty and negative campaign will lose. Phil Angelides, after a dirty campaign defeted his top opponent, went after Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger who basically ran a clean campaign until he felt he had no choice but to fight back.

Kerry didn't fight back in 2004 and it cost him.

Answer 3

Reps and Dems strategy for 08 1/2 (it doesn't matter who you vote for):

Get all of the illegals into this country and make em' legal so my boss (big business) will have all the slave labor they want. This will also end the strangle hold of the middle class on government; imagine them as*holes actually thinking that they can own something in my country.

Open the lines even more to FREE TRADE; this take care of any chance that the LITTLE MAN has of ever owning his own business; how cheeky!

Put more apples, Oreo's, banana's and taco's in power in low positions; this will screw the government up even more and give me something to blame the sorry state of the US on.

Wuss out in the Middle East. Hel* they only got about 10 more years of oil left, after that they'll be sand n1993rs like in the past with nothing to blow up but each others camels. This'll make me look good to all of the bleeding heart no-nothings.

Yup, that's the plan and it don't matter who hires me to run, the Dem's or the Rep's; it's all the same anymore!

GET OUT AND VOTE YOU DS'S IN 08, YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW THE FACTS JUST LISTEN TO THE MEDIA.

Answer 4

Think unity. Instead of having a dozen candidates, they'll showcase a few, whom really aren't much to brag about. Once the Dems get into their free for all, the Reps will come up with One candidater and they'll put all their support behind him.

Also, the reps will not put their resources into a state in which they have no hope and
concentrate on the swing states.

Answer 5

The main candidates who have a chance will need to work based on hope, separating themselves from the current administration and offering "fresh, new ideas" that can bring dignity back to the GOP.

It will be hard--for the time being--to do a smear campaign against some of these squeaky clean liberals like Obama.

Answer 6

That's easy. All they've got to do is help Hillary win the Democratic nomination. The election's in the bag after that.

Answer 7

DEY R GUNNA PUT US ALL DA CONDENTRATION CMPAS! DEN RAPEND US WIT TEH COWS LOL!!!!!!!! N WE R GUNNA LOL!!! ROFLZ BUT DEY R BADS!

STEVEN H! SPEAK TRUTH 2 POWRE!!!!!!! GOOD JOBD!

Answer 8

No, as long as they are united they will do well. However, if they lose, the whole country will lose.