Legal Commentary

Karl Rove Gives Obama Six Pointers to Recover and Win

By Jeralyn

Karl Rove, writing in Newsweek, says Obama needs to recover from his recent fumbles. He offers six tips:

• Get a new stump speech, the message in his current one has become old and tired.
• When you're on the defense, as with Rev. Wright, choose one explanation and stick to it.
• Get back to the Senate and do some work there. His legislative record is thin and needs bolstering. He says, pick an issue and own it.
• Get back to the Senate, part II: Also, he hasn't shown he has the unifying ability he claims in his red states, blue states unity pitch. He should introduce bipartisan bills that Republicans can get behind. Also, name some specific Republicans he'd put in his Administration.

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• Stop the partisan attacks. Don't do what you criticize. He's supposed to be above partisan politics and should act like it.
• Offer up more substantive policy proposals. No more bluffing.

And don't think those position papers written by academics and posted on the Web do the job. They have a check-the-box quality to them. Americans want to see your passion and commitment to things they care about, in ways that give them confidence you're up to the job. They can smell when something is poll-tested and focus-grouped, not from the heart.

So, will Obama take Rove's advice? I doubt he'll go back to the Senate, he can't afford to lose time on the campaign trail. He probably won't retool his policies because that would require a lot of time learning the details of the new plans and he's going to be in defensive mode at least through May 6.

As to picking one story and sticking to it, if Obama picks up any more baggage like Wright and Rezko, it may not matter what story he tells. As to Wright and Rezko, it's too late. Although, Rezko is but a blip compared to the media sensation Wright is causing.

So, what advice does Rove have for Hillary?

Full post as published by TalkLeft on April 28, 2008 (boomark / email).