INSIDERS POLL

GOP Insiders Set Sights On Obama

by James A. Barnes and Peter Bell

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008


Q. What portion -- if any -- of the Republican convention program should be devoted to tearing down Barack Obama and the Democratic brand? 

75 votes
More than half        16 percent
About half            55 percent
About a third         16 percent
About a quarter        8 percent
Hardly any             5 percent

Note: This question was asked before the convention schedule was revised in response to Hurricane Gustav.

More than half

"This election is about whether the country is comfortable with Sen. Obama as commander-in-chief. The polls already show they know the McCain brand, but they still see Obama as a stranger. And we can still shape his image."

Bloggers PollNational Journal has invited top bloggers to join in its survey of insiders for the Democratic and Republican conventions.

"To have any real chance of winning, we must make this election all about Obama."

"It must be done artfully, but the reality is that after eight years of George Bush, folks don't want to vote for a Republican, so we must give them ample reasons to vote against the Democrats."

"There's no rebuilding the GOP brand between now and Election Day. We need to bring [Democrats] down to our level."

About half

"Need to take Democrats down, but most important for McCain et al. to define where he wants to lead the country -- and how. It's the vision thing."

"This election is about Barack Obama. McCain has to define him as unfit to lead--and do it quickly."

"But it's a tricky needle to thread when the top of your ticket is an angry white guy."

"GOP is in no position to tear down the 'Democrat brand,' since our own brand is so damaged. But you can target Obama and Obama only. Obama is the 'incumbent' in this election; McCain has to give voters reason to hire him, and fire Obama."

"Obama and 'change' are leading right now, so not hitting him and the party as a whole is not an option. However, the other half better include a coherent message about how McCain will not be Bush, about who McCain is, as opposed to who Obama is not, or the GOP is in big trouble."

"McCain cannot win due to the Bush brand, but Obama can lose because he will not be shown to be the leader McCain is in an unfriendly world."

"We have to define him before the press further lionizes him."

About a third

"Barack is already flagging. What McCain needs are some reasons to elect another Republican."

"It is important to use the convention as a vehicle to define Obama-Biden as leftist, inexperienced, and out of touch with mainstream America -- but not [do that] to excess. Americans want to hear Republican solutions and ideals as well."

About a quarter

"It's important for Republicans to focus on defining what Republicans stand for when millions are watching the convention, and then after the convention vigorously work to expose the opposition's past and what he stands for."

Hardly any

"America is a right-of-center country. The Republicans need to focus on cleaning up their act, and be straight with the America people. Then they will win."

"Might be wishful thinking, but it would be great for the GOP to actually articulate a vision for the future rather than talk about flag pins and 3 a.m. phone calls."

We also asked prominent bloggers to answer this question.

GOP Political Insiders: Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Wayne Berman, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Danny Carroll, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Charlie Crist, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Rick Davis, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Steve Duprey, Debi Durham, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Sam Geduldig, Benjamin Ginsberg, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bruce Keough, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris Lacivita, Jim Lake, Chuck Larson, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Bill McInturff, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Ed Rogers, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Don Sipple, Robin Smith, Javier Soto, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Eric Tanenblatt, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Tom Wilson, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, and Fred Wszolek.

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