Obama- be bold and surprise us
Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:05:13 PM PDT
Senator Obama has gotten lots of advice about strategy from the site and throughout the media and I'm sure that he has gotten more from his own advisers. But I have an idea that I believe has only received slight mention.
Senator Obama should invite Senator Dodd to Wyoming and instead of giving his standard stump speech they should talk about FISA. Dodd begins by speaking against retroactive immunity and for exclusivity and then Obama integrates those specific aims into his themes of hope instead of fear and transparency in government.
At the same time Senator Obama should be lobbying those Congress members and Senators who have endorsed him, and even those who have not, to vote against immunity and for exclusivity. He makes a targeted request to volunteers in those Congressional districts/states to call their representatives and urge them to oppose any retroactive immunity and support the exclusivity provisions. Then he follows by spending a million dollars to run ads in Congressional districts to help swing votes.
Below the flip, there would be several immediate and long-term advantages for both the campaign and of course for the actual FISA bill that is passed.
In the short term for the campaign, it will surprise the media and regardless of how they spin it, they'll be focused on it.
In the long term, Senator Obama will be striking a blow against the myth that he is all talk and no action, by effectively doing his job as Senator right now. He'd be striking a blow against the myth that his campaign is short on specifics. Obama would be demonstrating leadership and courage, crucial qualities going up against Senator McCain.
Most importantly, he'll show that he is willing to challenge Republican talking points and fear mongering in the reddest states!
This will demonstrate to Congress members and Senators that they'll have an effective advocate on the campaign trail this fall and it will give political cover to them. Unless they really are for the immunity provisions, this should give them enough support to work against immunity and force Bush to veto a FISA bill without immunity or swallow it.
