At work today I was talking with a friend and co-worker, a middle aged Filipino American woman married to a white Republican. She's really cool, very smart and a retired middle school teacher. I know that she hasn't been happy with the Bush years. She's even forwarded me some anti-Bush stuff.
So anyway, the conversation meandered into politics and the Dem convention. I asked her if she'd seen Michelle's speech and she said she'd seen some of it. Then came the bombshell . . .
She said she wasn't sure about Michelle because of all the "stuff" she's been hearing about her i.e. the right wing smears. She didn't like what Michelle had to say before her speech, you know, the I'm not proud of my country crap. I defended Michelle and said "Michelle's a wonderful woman. That stuffs all B.S."
She also was afraid that Michelle wanted to be a co-president "like Hillary" and I assured her Michelle is more interested in being a good mom to her kids and public service, etc. (Heads up: This might be another smear wingers are using against Michelle - strong Democratic woman = big threat to presidency)
So then she says to me . . .
I'm not sure who I'm going to vote for.
I was really taken by surprise at this. I had assumed me and her were on the same page about how to go about getting real change in our country. I mean, I'm sure her husband will probably vote McCain, but she is reasonable and rational in her world view. How could she even be thinking about voting for Mc . . . Mc . . . Same!
To her credit, she says she hates getting all the anti-Obama smear emails from her winger family and friends (my words for them - not hers). She deletes these right away. Still, she is not sure who she will vote for.
I felt the blood rushing to my head and my anger began to boil up - not at her personally, but at the IDEA that she'd even consider throwing her support to McCain. I kept myself in check as I rattled off my displeasure with McSame.
I asked her point blank: "Do you want another four years of Bush policies?"
She scrunched up her eyebrows in thought then said "Well, I'm not as liberal as I'd like to think I am."
Whoa.
She continued. "I still think he's a MAVERICK."
Ugh!!!
Okay, now I'm quickly realizing that the four more years of the same Bush policies isn't going to work on her. She's way too bedazzled by McSame's Maverick image. She doesn't BELIEVE he's as bad as Bush. So I need another talking point, but what?
BINGO!
I decided to come at her from another angle.
"He's a POW, right? Then why don't the vets like him? He's voted against so many pro veteran bills."
I could tell by the look on her face that she was disturbed by this. She's a veteran herself.
Good, but then she asked me: "What has Obama done for vets?"
I admit I didn't know so I said "Well, he's new. McCain's been in the Senate for 20 years!"
"You need to do some more research on McCain," I said. "Check out his voting record on veteran issues."
Her response was:
"Okay, I'll do that. That's something that's really important to me."
The subject then changed back to work issues.
Man! I tell you guys. This is where we'll win or lose this race. The MAVERICK (TM) image is really strong and we (You, me and the Obama team) have got to literally RIP IT APART in a smart, effective way.
I mean, I know the "Just like BUSH" theme is resonating with people, but not with everybody.
The people who are sitting on the fence (independent voters like my friend) need to have a strong reason to not vote for this maverick persona. Yeah, we know it's bull, but lots of people don't.
We need some serious talking points (a list would be nice fellow Kossacks) that quickly point out why he's not really a MAVERICK. Something like:
10 Reasons Why John McCain Isn't Really a Maverick
John McCain: The Real Maverick Exposed
I'm not a political junkie, but I do love lurking at Kos. Would really love some HELP.
I really don't want my friend to go over to the dark side this election, and I'm sure there's lots of people like me having these conversations every day. If my friend can be persuaded to vote for Obama, then she can talk to her conservative friends, etc.
We've got to DESTROY his MAVERICK (TM) image once and for all. He's a Republican opportunist in maverick clothing.
Let's go to WAR!
on John McCain.
Yes we CAN!