Taking the 2008 advice Obama gave his myrmidons, the Republicans are giving them a taste of their own in your face medicine.
From Big Government.
The “counter-convention” will feature GOP leaders–including Sen. Marco Rubio (FL), Gov. Nikki Haley (SC), and Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus–among fifty Republican “communicators.” There will also be zany, street-theater tactics–such as “You Build It” Legos and a NASCAR race car emblazoned with the number “12.”
The Republican Party has never done anything like this before, and is showing an ability to adapt both to the new media era and to the Alinskyite “community organizing” tactics of Obama himself. Amidst the fun and fanfare, the counter-conventioneers will push a pointed message, asking Democrats and Americans in general whether they feel they are better off than they were four years ago–a key question in re-election campaigns.
Democrats had planned similar tactics at the Republican National Convention. Vice President Joe Biden, for example, was to have addressed a rally in Tampa on the first day of the RNC, but the event was canceled (as was the first day of the convention) due to concerns about the possible impact of what was then Tropical Storm Isaac. Later, Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz turned up, together with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL) and DNC speaker/contraception activist Sandra Fluke.
Wasserman Schultz and her colleagues, however, showed little stomach for debate or confrontation, and sought out friendly liberal or mainstream media outlets. Their goal was evidently to send a message of strength to their core supporters, not to challenge Republicans for the attention and trust of independent voters watching the convention.
Paul Ryan made a visit to Greenville, N.C.
As Democrats head to Charlotte to nominate President Obama for a second term, Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan made an appearance on the other side of the state to hammer home the message that Americans are not better off than they were four years ago.
“We’re gonna hear a lot of words from Charlotte this week. But here’s the kind of words we’re not gonna hear We’re not gonna hear evidence and facts about how people are better off,” Ryan told a crowd of over 2,000 people at East Carolina University. “You see, the president cannot run on this record. He’s run out of ideas. And so that is why he’s going to be running a campaign based on envy and division, based on frustration and anger.”
Ryan led the Republican messaging effort on Monday while nominee Mitt Romney was out of the public eye preparing for the presidential debates. His remarks were targeted at inconsistent answers over the weekend from top Democrats in response to interview questions about whether Americans are better off now than they were four years ago, the quadrennial question that faces incumbents running for reelection. Asked the question on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland answered, “No, but that’s not the question of this election.”
That’s not the question??? That’s only one of the questions and one of many problems.
More to follow.