Obama Using GOP's Confrontational Playbook To Take On Romney

[Lakhota]

By Howard Fineman

WASHINGTON -- As he tries to become only the second Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt to win reelection, Barack Obama is adopting much of the strategic playbook Republicans have developed and used for 40 years.

Of course, on the core substance of policy -- tax rates, regulation and the size and role of government in the economy -- Obama and the post-Reagan Tea Party Republicans couldn't be further apart as the fall campaign begins. And no matter how shrewd or cold-blooded his game plan, the president probably will lose if the economic outlook does not improve more by fall.

But campaign strategy does matter, and there the GOP has a track record and a theory that Obama has always found to his liking as a candidate.

It is more confrontational and definitive than the model used by Bill Clinton, who won election twice (but never with an outright majority) essentially by blurring his party's differences with a conservative GOP.

Starting with Richard Nixon in 1972, and moving on to Ronald Reagan in 1984 and George W. Bush in 2004, Republican incumbents assembled a strategic doctrine that includes the following basic plays: Stress culture, and exploit cultural and regional divisions, especially if doing so helps detract attention from a so-so (or worse) economic record. Declare one's own strength as commander in chief and the opponent's ignorance or weakness (or both) in military and foreign affairs. Paint the foe as out of the mainstream and/or elitist in terms of money, education or both. Highlight wedge issues to expand fissures in the other party. Where possible, speak in sweeping historical terms about the greatness and uniqueness of the country. And evoke symbols of manly recreational endeavor.

In one way or another, Barack Obama already has used all of those, and it is only May. Consider:

Single-Sex Marriage. By declaring his personal belief in the full right of gays and lesbians to marry, the president turned the four-decades-long culture war on its head. He is betting, and there are data to back him up, that the country has changed on this issue. He thinks that his timing is perfect and that he will push the GOP into a regional, cultural and historical corner. The initial, muted reaction of Mitt Romney's campaign shows that Obama might be right. The gay marriage move also dominated the news over a series of gloomy economic reports.

Osama Victory Lap. A week of solemn and sometimes over-the-top moves generated controversy and criticism. I even engaged in some of it. But for the first time since 1972, when Nixon successfully labeled George McGovern an anti-war appeaser, a Democratic presidential candidate has the upper hand on defense and foreign policy. Romney has no experience on the topics, and Obama will press his advantage.

Who's the Elitist? For a generation or more, Republicans have managed to use cultural attacks as a way to paint Democrats as out of touch and out of the mainstream. Obama and his allies are now doing the same thing to Romney, on both culture and money, portraying him as a wealthy, authoritarian and isolated traditionalist.

Wedge Issues. The phrase is often misused. It means forcing the other party to defend an idea, policy or person in such a way that it divides the other party's base. The classic example, used for years if not decades by Reagan, was welfare, which split white and black working-class Democrats. Obama is trying to do the same thing to the GOP on immigration. His administration just filed suit against Arizona's controversial and, to many, egregiously anti-immigrant Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The goal is not just to bring him in line, but to make Republicans defend him.

Transitions in American History. President Obama has, from time to time, expressed his admiration for what he calls Ronald Reagan's transformational role in American life. Reagan was focused on fiscal matters and economic psychology; Obama sees himself as a transformational figure in terms of sociology, demographics and individual rights. Reagan “changed the trajectory of America” and restored economic hope. Obama might not be able to do the same economically, but he wants to sell another kind of hope.

Macho Symbolism. Obama isn't a Sunday rancher like Reagan or George W. Bush. But he is a good athlete and a fanatical fan, and uses both to burnish his regular-guy image on ESPN and elsewhere. The morning after his glitzy and colossal Hollywood fundraiser this week -- just the kind of event that might paint him as "elitist" -- he played basketball with his staff, George Clooney and Tobey Maguire. No disastrously Kerry-esque windsurfing photo ops for the president. And, by the way, Romney is admittedly not much of an athlete. Expect a lot more Obama hoops between now and November.

Barack Obama 2012 Takes Multiple Pages From GOP Playbook

 

[Trajan]

so social issues are...In!!! great..well except when the gop uses them, got it.

a Democratic presidential candidate has the upper hand on defense and foreign policy

i didn't know Howard smoked crack...to bad.

 

[rdean]

I thought it was hilarious when Karl Rove described Obama as the wealthy guy at the country club drinking a martini and leaning against the wall while making snide remarks about everyone else in the room. This sounds exactly like Bush or Romney. But Obama?

 

[Saigon]

Interesting stuff.

My hope is - as always - that the campaign is about policies, not personalities, race or religion.

I'd like to see Romney pushed to declare a clear stance on climate change, but I doubt Obama wants to get into that.

 

[Saigon]

...a Democratic presidential candidate has the upper hand on defense and foreign policy. Romney has no experience on the topics, and Obama will press his advantage.

That may be the single biggest advantage Obama has - although I am not convinced foreign policy is as big an issue for US posters as it is in other, smaller countries.

 

[Trajan]

and what upper hand is this?

 

[Saigon]

and what upper hand is this?

Well, the fact that CONSERVATIVE PM David Cameron in the UK has spoken so admiringly of Obama, for one. He also has had a good relationship with conservative leaders in France, Germany, etc.

The fact that Obama is widely admired around the world for his co-operative approach after years of gaffes and go-it-alone tactics.

The success of the missions in Libya and in nabbing Osama bin Laden are in fairly stark contrast to the hugely costly and largely pointless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan....I would have thought from any objective standpoint this was a bit of a no brainer.

You don't have to agree with a politician to be able to acknowledge his strengths and successes.

 

[Trajan]

so cameron likes him...and that means exactly what?

buish had a good relationship with merkel and sarkozy is out BUT the new guy and obama? Oh for sure they are soul mates.

Libya? for god sakes....bin laden? Oh I see.


so what about the rest?

Iran, NOr korea, syria, yemen, palastine, israel?

 

[Saigon]

Trajan -

I'm sorry, I can't make much sense of your post.

Do you not regard the killing of Osma bin Laden and the fall of Qaddafi as being successes?

The US also seems to have chosen good options in Burma and Uganda/CAR/LRA recently.

I am not sure what you mean with the references to Iran, North Korea etc....quite what is it you would expect US policy to be on those countries?

 

[Trajan]

you chose to pick what you liked and then ignored everywhere else....and you didn't say successes, it was upper hand, bin laden was fine, but since as he stated we have AQ on the run, what practical purpose does it serve? Its a great propaganda victory and?

Libya was an Opéra bouffe affair, he chose the wrong place to spend that political capital. Syria? helllo? are you seriously asking me this?

 

[Saigon]

you chose to pick what you liked and then ignored everywhere else....and you didn't say successes, it was upper hand, bin laden was fine, but since as he stated we have AQ on the run, what practical purpose does it serve? Its a great propaganda victory and?

Libya was an Opéra bouffe affair, he chose the wrong place to spend that political capital. Syria? helllo? are you seriously asking me this?

Yes, I am seriously asking you about Syria.

I am not suggesting that all of Obama's foreign policy decisions have been correct, but he can point to a number of successes, and has good working relationships with most of your key trading partners.

 

[Trajan]

so whats the difference between syria and libya? lets start there.

 

[Lakhota]

Saigon, welcome to the board.

 

[Saigon]

Trajan -

I haven't been to Libya, but based on my experience of Syria, I'd have thought the country was virtually impossible to control militarily.

You have cities of 4 million people (most of whom would be hostile to US troops), you have vast expanses of desert, and you have a lot of rolling hill country. You have porous borders into other hostile territories, which would be impossible to lock down.

You have a widely diverse population representing very different schools of Islam, which may Syria difficult to understand and work with. Make alliances with one group, and you may alienate others.

In a worst case scenario, any military action in Syria would need to take into account the possibility of an escalated conflict involving Kurds in Turkey, Hezbollah units in Lebanon, Al Queda groups in Iraq, and Golani and Druze militia in the south-west, many of whom are battle hardened and well armed.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts....

 

[Annie]

By Howard Fineman

WASHINGTON -- As he tries to become only the second Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt to win reelection,Clinton? Barack Obama is adopting much of the strategic playbook Republicans have developed and used for 40 years.

Of course, on the core substance of policy -- tax rates, regulation and the size and role of government in the economy -- Obama and the post-Reagan Tea Party Republicans couldn't be further apart as the fall campaign begins. except it's spring.And no matter how shrewd or cold-blooded his game plan, the president probably will lose if the economic outlook does not improve more by fall.which of course he has had nothing to do with over the past 3+ years. He's only put forth spending policies and budgets he knows won't get through the house and knows his party's controlled senate will block any that might bring a budget online.

But campaign strategy does matter, and there the GOP has a track record and a theory that Obama has always found to his liking as a candidate.

It is more confrontational and definitive than the model used by Bill Clinton, who won election twice (but never with an outright majority) essentially by blurring his party's differences with a conservative GOP.

Starting with Richard Nixon in 1972, and moving on to Ronald Reagan in 1984 and George W. Bush in 2004, Republican incumbents assembled a strategic doctrine that includes the following basic plays: Stress culture, and exploit cultural and regional divisions, especially if doing so helps detract attention from a so-so (or worse) economic record. Declare one's own strength as commander in chief and the opponent's ignorance or weakness (or both) in military and foreign affairs. Paint the foe as out of the mainstream and/or elitist in terms of money, education or both. Highlight wedge issues to expand fissures in the other party. Where possible, speak in sweeping historical terms about the greatness and uniqueness of the country. And evoke symbols of manly recreational endeavor.

In one way or another, Barack Obama already has used all of those, and it is only May. Consider:

Single-Sex Marriage. By declaring his personal belief in the full right of gays and lesbians to marry, the president turned the four-decades-long culture war on its head. He is betting, and there are data to back him up, that the country has changed on this issue. He thinks that his timing is perfect and that he will push the GOP into a regional, cultural and historical corner. The initial, muted reaction of Mitt Romney's campaign shows that Obama might be right. The gay marriage move also dominated the news over a series of gloomy economic reports.

Osama Victory Lap. A week of solemn and sometimes over-the-top moves generated controversy and criticism. I even engaged in some of it. But for the first time since 1972, when Nixon successfully labeled George McGovern an anti-war appeaser, a Democratic presidential candidate has the upper hand on defense and foreign policy. Romney has no experience on the topics, and Obama will press his advantage.

Who's the Elitist? For a generation or more, Republicans have managed to use cultural attacks as a way to paint Democrats as out of touch and out of the mainstream. Obama and his allies are now doing the same thing to Romney, on both culture and money, portraying him as a wealthy, authoritarian and isolated traditionalist.

Wedge Issues. The phrase is often misused. It means forcing the other party to defend an idea, policy or person in such a way that it divides the other party's base. The classic example, used for years if not decades by Reagan, was welfare, which split white and black working-class Democrats. Obama is trying to do the same thing to the GOP on immigration. His administration just filed suit against Arizona's controversial and, to many, egregiously anti-immigrant Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The goal is not just to bring him in line, but to make Republicans defend him.

Transitions in American History. President Obama has, from time to time, expressed his admiration for what he calls Ronald Reagan's transformational role in American life. Reagan was focused on fiscal matters and economic psychology; Obama sees himself as a transformational figure in terms of sociology, demographics and individual rights. Reagan “changed the trajectory of America” and restored economic hope. Obama might not be able to do the same economically, but he wants to sell another kind of hope.

Macho Symbolism. Obama isn't a Sunday rancher like Reagan or George W. Bush. But he is a good athlete and a fanatical fan, and uses both to burnish his regular-guy image on ESPN and elsewhere. The morning after his glitzy and colossal Hollywood fundraiser this week -- just the kind of event that might paint him as "elitist" -- he played basketball with his staff, George Clooney and Tobey Maguire. No disastrously Kerry-esque windsurfing photo ops for the president. And, by the way, Romney is admittedly not much of an athlete. Expect a lot more Obama hoops between now and November.

Barack Obama 2012 Takes Multiple Pages From GOP Playbook

This may have been the weirdest MSM piece I've read in years, since the Nixon years, really. Wow. I thought better of Fineman and seriously of Lakhota too. Sad.

 

[Lakhota]

Aw, gee, I sure do enjoy the good ole wingnut spin...

 

[Annie]

Aw, gee, I sure do enjoy the good ole wingnut spin...

and that would be?

 

[Lakhota]

I think Fineman has summed it up quite well. Obviously, wingnuts will disagree.

Missed the neocons? Don't worry: Mitt Romney's getting the band together again

The Bushies are back - Mitt Romney - Salon.com

 

[Stephanie]

So Obama has turned the culture WAR on it's head huh?

what a nice guy..divide divide divide

 

[Interpol]

I thought it was hilarious when Karl Rove described Obama as the wealthy guy at the country club drinking a martini and leaning against the wall while making snide remarks about everyone else in the room. This sounds exactly like Bush or Romney. But Obama?

Karl Rove has his convictions and his colorful opinions, and this is one I really disagree with. It's just not Obama. You can't make fun of the guy for 4 years for being a "community organizer" and then turn around and say he's a country club snob when we know that black men are still not really a part of those things, other than to be tipped for drying people's hands in the bathroom.

The foreign policy angle, I think, is important. The usual playbook by Republicans, and a very effective one, is to throw the word appeaser around to describe Democrats on national security.

But this time, throwing that accusation at Obama is like throwing a batting practice fastball right over the heart of the plate for him to hit for a grand slam. "Tell that to Osama Bin Laden" in the first debate would be one of the biggest "Ohhhh, SNAP!!" moments in debate history and it would seal the deal for Obama.

This President is certainly not a wimp on the campaign trail, that's for sure.

As long as unemployment stays where it is now, he'll win, but if the economy chokes the next three months, a real drama is going to unfold.