Strategy and Tactics

29 September 2008 |permalink | email article

James Fallows, the author and national editor of the Atlantic, offers some valuable insights about the John McCain-Barack Obama race 36 days before the election.

McCain’s least self-aware moment in Friday’s debate came at the half-way point, when he said, “I’m afraid Senator Obama doesn’t understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy.”

He suggests that there has been no greater contrast between the two campaigns than the tactical-vs-strategic difference, with McCain demonstrating the primacy of short-time tactics and Obama sticking to a more coherent long-term strategy.
McCain’s dismissive comment suggests he does not understand this.

Fallows offers as examples the ten-day tactical “bounce” from the surprise choice of Sarah Palin, in exchange for the enormous strategic risk in choosing an unvetted and now “obviously unqualified” running mate.

Secondly, McCain rolling the dice with his threat to boycott he debate—and, then, once on stage appearing to be only mildly interested in the financial-bailout deal that 72 hours before was the stated reason for overturning all arguments about the debates.

For many years he points out, Democrats have wondered how their candidates could “win” the debates on logical points — that is, tactics — but lose the larger struggle because these seemed too aggressive or supercilious.

In others words, Democrats have gotten used to winning battles and losing wars.

“Last night, the Democratic candidate showed a far keener grasp of this distinction than did the Republican who accused him of not understanding it.”

Daily Tracking

Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking for Monday — including the first day of post-debate polling —is unchanged.

Barack Obama for the fourth straight day attracts 50% of the vote while John McCain earns either 43% or 44% of the vote.

This advantage matches Obama’s biggest lead yet.

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