So you're John McCain...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

... and you're down 5-10 points nationally; you're down by double-digits in the Dem states you hoped to pick up (WI, PA, MI); you're down by 3-7 points in the GOP states your opponent hopes to pick up (VA, OH, FL), any one of which will hand him the election. The economic crisis isn't going away, your attacks on your opponent's character aren't sticking, your opponent has more money than God, and you have a vice presidential candidate that roughly 60% of America regards as unqualified for higher office.

It's 27 days until the election. What do you do?

I look forward to the entertainment value of the sarcastic answers, but I actually am interested in serious ones.

[Jon Miller]

Switch VPs

Introduce some shockingly popular legislation to help people in the economy, no I don't mean tax cuts for the wealthy

Introduce some new idea to protect/benefit the elderly

JM

[Velociryx]

I posted this in another thread. It's simple, really. You just crank the spin machine to the next higher gear. And the next higher. It doesn't matter that the claims are rediculous, because some people will believe most anything.

I've included one below to get the Mavericks started. Recommend letting Ms. Palin drop the bomb. Toss a couple of "you betchas!" and winks in with the script, and she'll be all set.

.
.

OMG! Teh newzflash of the century!

Yes, FOX News *just confirmed* that Ms. Palin has it on good authority that Obama has had sex with Osama Bin Laden, and that if elected, he will be moving the infamous terrorist into the big house as his gay lover.

Needless to say, the Ayers terrorist connection has now taken something of a backseat, but stay tuned! With nearly a month left, you never know what OTHER tidbits might be revealed!

-=Vel=-

[Riesstiu IV]

Create a bill to revoke the 13th and 14th amendment and fill it with earmarks that no congressman could refuse. Congress passes the bill and the executive branch signs it into law. Obama's citizenship and civil rights get revoked. McCain becomes president.

[Ecthy]

Originally posted by Riesstiu IV
Create a bill to revoke the 13th and 14th amendment and fill it with earmarks that no congressman could refuse. Congress passes the bill and the executive branch signs it into law. Obama's citizenship and civil rights get revoked. McCain becomes president.

Nowhere does either of those speak of black people. Obama is not a descendant of slaves, eyes.

[Boris Godunov]

Changes to the Constitution have to be approved by 3/4 of the state legislatures as well, so it would never pass before the election.

[Aeson]

This would have been a much easier question to answer last week. Oppose "the bailout", organize R's to support something else, and hold steady. Attack Obama (and D's) incessantly on socializing losses on wall street if he doesn't follow suit. Speak out against Bush as well, since it was his administration's plan.

It really wouldn't matter what the R's solution was. Most voters won't understand anything other than "McCain is against bailing out the rich." (Though +++ points if it actually was an attempt at a fix.) He wins by distancing himself from Bush in the final and probably most memorable issue in voter's minds when ballots are cast. Wins by not being seen as bailing out the rich while Obama is, and he regains some claim to "maverick" that instead has become a sad joke.

Hell, I would have voted for him if he did that (and the fix was anything approaching a real attempt to solve the underlying problems).

Now though... hope the stupid vote (as per The Daily Show's bit) swing your way off attack ads.

[Zkribbler]

McCain must either:

(a) come up with specific proposals that will help the vast majority of Americans or

(b) blow something up and blame it on bin Ladin.

[Boris Godunov]

I think it's too late to dump Palin, at least for ballot purposes. Her name is there. And if he did get rid of her, the right wing of the GOP would go ballistic. She may be ridiculed by most, but the hardcore rightwingers do indeed love her. Many would rather have her on the top of the ticket. Dumping Palin would just piss them off and further reinforce the image that he has bad judgment.

Smearing Obama is really all he has left. He needs the 527s to go as Willie Horton on Obama as possible. It's still not likely to work, but it's all he can do.

[DanS]

McCain needs to wait for the tide to turn. It tends to turn back and forth several times in a campaign.

[Riesstiu IV]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Changes to the Constitution have to be approved by 3/4 of the state legislatures as well, so it would never pass before the election.

Okay, how about this:

Allow Obama to win the election and as a sign of good faith, host a massive dinner party and invite all politicians above Senator McCain in the presidential line of succession. After the toasting Obama, McCain quietly leaves the building, locks the entrances, and detonate a fertilizer bomb hidden in the basement. Make sure to have some wounded orphan at hand to show McCain's heroism.

McCain's family also needs to be killed in the explosion as part of the deception. No sensible person would accuse McCain of this act because his own family was also killed.

Lament the nation's great loss and accept the presidency. Use this terrible national tragedy to enact emergency legislation that gives the executive power unlimited authority and a life long term in office.

Blame the attack on McCain's enemies.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by DanS
McCain needs to wait for the tide to turn. It tends to turn back and forth several times in a campaign.

I'm unaware of any campaign where the tide turned this dramatically, this late. Am I forgetting something?

[Velociryx]

3rd possibility (that few would want to see, but just putting it out there).

Shrub decides that the right and proper thing to do in this time of national financial crisis is to suspend the democratic process and postpone the election indefinitely...

-=Vel=-

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by DanS
McCain needs to wait for the tide to turn. It tends to turn back and forth several times in a campaign.

It has gone back and forth, but McCain has never really been up.

JM

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
I'm unaware of any campaign where the tide turned this dramatically, this late. Am I forgetting something?

Perhaps 1980. Carter and Reagan were essentially tied until their only debate. But it was held a week before the election, and Reagan actually won it.

McCain is obviously not winning the debates. So relying on the campaign to just naturally swing back to him is a surefire losing strategy. I'm all for it.