From The Hotline for Monday, Aug. 10, 2009

Yes, We Can't

Monday, Aug. 10, 2009


A 30-sec attack ad by Corzine against his GOP rival mentions George W. Bush six times. Dem plans for winning OH and MO SEN seats depend on effectively casting likely GOP nominees as Bush lackeys. And in VA GOV, Dem Deeds says GOPer McDonnell will move the state backwards on social issues.

-- Just months after the "Hope" and "Yes We Can" election, have Dems abandoned future-focused campaigns? Instead Dems seem ready to ditch the "here's what we're fighting for" to "here's what were fighting against." That mantra launched Dems to victory in '06 and '08. But will it ring true now that they're the ones in charge?

-- In VA, the Deeds camp wants to pick up those Obama voters in NoVA who at this point look disengaged. How does he reignite that passion? Inspire them w/talk of Obama's vision on health-care reform, climate change and/or economic recovery? True believers got an earful from Obama himself 8/6 p.m. in McLean. But Deeds hopes to undermine McDonnell's moderate image w/attacks on his conservative positions on abortion. McDonnell, meanwhile, is hoping the economy is what drove voters to Obama in the first place, and will drive them back to the GOP in the end.

-- While we warn against using off-year GOV contests as bellwethers, VA and NJ could give us our first real test of "Bush coattails." Is the fear of "returning" to Bush-era policies more worrisome to voters than the going forward w/those proposed by Obama?

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