Dems suspicious of McCain pullout - Obama camp sticks to Mich. game plan

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit News

Saturday, October 4, 2008
Dems suspicious of McCain pullout
Obama camp sticks to Mich. game plan; some strategists wonder if GOP move is a trick.
Gordon Trowbridge and Deb Price / Detroit News Washington Bureau


On the day after John McCain scratched Michigan from the battleground state list, Barack Obama's campaign said it would pretend the whole announcement never happened, Democrats wondered if it was all a trick, and Sarah Palin asked for a second chance to win over the state's voters.

"We're not going to be left flat-footed here," an Obama campaign source said Friday. The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said there has been no discussion within the campaign of moving staff to other states, as the McCain campaign said Thursday it will do. For now, Obama's television ads remain on the air, and the campaign will continue its aggressive field organizing efforts, including a voter registration drive before Michigan's Monday deadline.

That will be welcome news to Democratic insiders, who fretted Friday about the possibility of a McCain ruse to lull them into complacency and of fears the Obama campaign would let up on its efforts here.

"I was depressed," Democratic National Committee member Debbie Dingell said Friday of the hours after McCain's decision. "I knew immediately it meant both campaigns would be pulling out resources.

Read more: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081004/POLITICS01/810040377

[and-justice-for-all]

1. It would not be a good idea forthe Obama Campaign..

to alter their plan because of McInsane.

Well crap, I hate to say this but, stay the course.

[EFerrari]

8. Not a good idea because MI is ripe to be stolen.

They have to stay there and keep their eyes OPEN.

[djp2]

15. Love your signature line!

[pinto]

2. Good call. The upper Mississippi states are apt to nail it for Obama.

Especially if one, maybe two, Atlantic coast red states go blue.

:kick:

[Iggo]

3. Why change a plan that's working?

Stick to the plan in Michigan.

[and-justice-for-all]

31. Indeed..nt

[Gregory1230]

4. Good thinking...

I don't trust McCain camp would pullout from Mich. I think the move is a trick. You never know they may change their mind before election. It is wise idea about Obama camp are still doing there. :)

[jimlup]

19. One thing that each party does is assume that ...

The other party has the same world view as they do. I think a lot of Dems would consider this a possible "trick" because they are intelligent enough to reason through such a strategy. Likewise, the Republicans are always paranoid about possible character assassination because that is how they view politics.

While I agree that we should continue our strategy in Michigan, the repukes aren't smart enough to actually pull off a complex strategic "trick" like pretending to pull out of Michigan but not actually doing it. The only thing they really know is to attack the "character" of the other side. Which is exactly what they are going to do in the next month... it will reach the level of incoherent shrill attacks too. The repukes have a losing hand and they are getting more and more desperate.

[elzenmahn]

24. We've seen this before...

...remember when McGrampy was going to "suspend" his campaign due to the financial crisis, even though he was still raising money through his website and running ads?

Nice try, Grampy.

[K8-EEE]

5. Very wise.

They are running a really smart campaign.

[Beetwasher]

6. That's The Beauty Of Having Obama's Amazing Resources And Ground Game

They can stick to their plan regardless of what McIdiot does. They can stay in Mich and STILL pummel McCain everywhere else!

[truthisfreedom]

7. I was immediately suspicious. If Obama can afford to keep it all in play, he should.

McCain's last "pull out" was a lie.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

9. Goes without saying, but Obama's running such a smart campaign.

Keep it up!

[Jackpine Radical]

10. An old 1st Cav trick in Vietnam was called the "false extraction."

The cav moved its troops mostly by helicopter. Whenever we left an encampment, VC forces would move in to look for stuff we had left behind--food, stray ammo, whatever. So every once in a while, the helos would land and only part of the company would get on, leaving behind a platoon in an ambush emplacement.

For some reason that came to mind when I heard about John McCain pulling out of MI--just like he "suspended" his campaign (taking time out for a nap, I guess).

[bulloney]

12. McCain's staying in Michigan. They'll say that Palin's recent grandstanding

about her wanting to not give up on Michigan will be used to announce they're staying and show that Palin does indeed have a say in the McCain campaign.

They're sandbagging and hoping Obama gets complacent in Michigan and McCain seizes the state out from under them.

[happygoluckytoyou]

11. "YEAH... and i'm suspending my campaign until the financial crisis is over!" McCain & the Express

[llmart]

13. As a Michigander......

I have to say that Obama better not pull out of Michigan. I always thought that we were the state that would be stolen in this election.

[Robbien]

16. There's a diary at dKos from an Obama campaign worker. They are not quitting.

Saturday Canvassing in Michigan

I live in the largest city in Oakland County, Michigan. Oakland County is the county that Time Magazine called the new battleground in swing state Michigan. For anybody who thinks we're resting on our laurels now that the McCain campaign claims to be pulling out of Michigan, rest assured that we were up and out canvassing this morning, just like every Saturday morning since the Obama for Michigan Campaign rolled into town.



This morning I canvassed an apartment complex and a small condo complex down the street from a public golf course. At the apartments, most of the residents were younger, in their 20's and 30's. Some were young couples or singles, a couple were single mothers. All of them were enthusiastic Obama supporters who, though they weren't thrilled to come to the door at 10 AM, were thrilled that at least it was a fellow Obama supporter ringing their bell. Everyone cited the economy, healthcare, Iraq and/or education as the main issues they were concerned about. One woman said that taxes are her number one concern. When I assured her that Obama was only planning to raise the tax rate for individuals making $250K or more, she nodded, laughing and said "I know and believe me, I don't have that problem!".

At the condos, I rang the door of one that had a realtor's lockbox hanging on the doorknob. The door was answered by a middle-aged woman with a Russian accent. She turned out to be an enthusiastic Obama supporter who, despite being a U.S. citizen for the past 17 years, had never before voted. She and her husband had both gotten registered last week specifically so that they could vote for Obama. She said that she was on medical leave, struggling with no health insurance, and no offers on their condo that would actually cover what they owed the bank. She told me this with equal parts outrage and fear. "This isn't supposed to happen in America!" she said. "They say healthcare for everybody is wrong, that it's communism, but back in Russia, it made a difference for people!"

I told her that we have all sorts of institutions that people pay for collectively and use individually. I said, "If I have a fire at my home and call the fire department, they won't ask me to have a check ready for them before they connect the hoses."

"Exactly!" she said excitedly. "We need some basic healthcare for everybody! Nothing fancy, just the basics."

she goes on to blog some more reactions to her canvassing

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/4/142838/897/350/620038

Sure sounds to me as if there is no change in the Obama Campaign.

[Overseas]

14. Yes please carry on, dear Obama team, you've done well so far.

I trust you know best how to deal with the McSame off the wall moves.

They'll probably try some feints too. Pretend to leave somewhere to see what you all will do. Glad you're ready for them.

[Hawaii Hiker]

17. I think Republicans might be trying some Jedi mind trick here:

Though I think Obama is in pretty good shape in Michigan, I wouldn't put it in the DEFINITE Obama column like a California, New York, Illinois, Hawaii, etc. etc yet...

I think the Obama team should keep staff there, as well as run ads...Michigan is too important....

[Festivito]

18. Seen stickers [Democrat ~ McCain] on closer inspection...

The small small type over DEMOCRAT is "another" then in the midde is a smallish "for".

But, for the people pumping gas, it looks like the Democrat is McCain.

Funny creatures these publicans.

[Faygo Kid]

20. Yep. "My friends, Sarah has been a game changer, and we are BACK in the great state of Michigan"

Cheers, huzzah, etc.

Won't work. Michigan is now Obama country.

[lib2DaBone]

21. No..Listen Dems....you do whatever McCain wants you to do..

Should the Dems happen to grow a backbone ... It would ruin everything. Why are Liberman, Pelosi and Reid.. still saying that they are Dems? Just do whatever a Republican tells you to do.

[davidinalameda]

32. don't you have a bridge to crawl back under?

[Richd506]

22. I knew it!

I knew he was trying to pull something!

[xxqqqzme]

23. Oh, no, not another lie

from the mcshame campaign? Shocking!

[arikara]

25. Good for them...

...although if it is a trick, I think it will hurt McLame in the long run if people start perceiving him as running out of money, not managing his finances etc.

[jennied]

26. Sounds exactly like...

how McCain tried to cancel lure Obama away from the debate

[Orrex]

29. I agree

No doubt McCain is "suspending his campaign" again while he pulls out of Michigan...

[shaniqua6392]

27. McCain is still playing ads on the television here in Michigan

and his campaign sings are popping up all over like dandelions!! When exactly is he pulling out of Michigan? I think it is a scam.

[Bozita]

30. Yes, and a lot of those ads are from the RNC

Saw about a half-dozen during a football game this afternoon.

[shaniqua6392]

33. Yes...The RNC ones are really nasty.

But I have still seen some paid for by McCain. I am sure the RNC will keep running them here even if McCain does stop.

[Bozita]

34. McCain and RNC ads are still running on Sunday morning.

IMHO, the RNC ads are aimed at saving the useless asses of McCotter, Knollenberg, Miller, etc.

[democracy1st]

28. that darn McCain didn't tell Palin :)

about the scam lol

[Fire1]

35. Since his announcement, McCain ads have been running at

least 4 to 1 in Oakland County, Mich. We'll see if he 'pulls ads' tomorrow. Never underestimate a snake.

[radfringe]

36. should run a few ads with this theme

McCain may have abandoned Michigan, but I haven't, and I won't abandon the millions of Americans without jobs, without health insurance. I won't abandon the millions of Americans who have lost their homes because of the reckless deregulation that led to the economic mess. I won't abandon our veterans, our seniors, our children when they need a responsibile government - not more of the same.

[Bozita]

37. Great Idea! Fast and easy to make and place. It'd be a KILLER message!