10 steps, revisited

In 2004 after Bush was re-elected, I posted an entry to Squidly.com with 10 suggestions for the Democrats if they wanted to “get back in the game” politically. Now that they’ve won, it might be fun to revisit this list and see how close I was.

1. First up, get better candidates. Stereotypical eastern liberals – morose, monotone, anti-war types are probably the worst possible choice you can make in a national election.

Well, it’s hard to argue that Obama is a sterotypical eastern liberal. While he’s been anti-war, he’s upbeat and different. Nailed this one.

2. Distance your party from Hollywood endorsements and radical protesters. Don’t solicit public displays of affection from rockers and movie stars, as these sorts of things piss off probably more people than they impress.

The Hollywood crowd seemed to take a back seat in this election, and while they certainly were vocal, Obama was able to run his own campaign without needing the surrogates. Still, he held fund-raisers with Streisand and Springsteen opened for some of his campaign stops, so I’m going to have to concede this point.

3. Be in touch with and realistic about the prevailing moral attitudes of the country. You don’t have to agree with them, but you do need to be aware and respectful.

Barack Obama was aware of this issue, and was mostly respectful. However there were times when he seemed to lose focus. Everyone remembers the “bitterly clinging to guns and religion” remark. I’m going to call this a draw.

4. Refute the conspiracy theorists. Forget trans-Afghanistan pipelines, Halliburton, and a Bush-9/11 conspiracy. Anything short of a clear denunciation makes you look as though you’re in league with the mystics.

Conspiracy theories played no role that I remember in this election. A non-issue.

5. Identify those things you stand for and clearly state them.

Not a lot of waffling from the Obama campaign, and he was a master of communication throughout.

6. Be comfortable in your own skin. Don’t take on the affect of a hunter, sports fan, or “good ole boy” unless that’s truly who you are. If you’re an intellectual, be an intellectual. Folks can see right through a fake goose hunter, cheese steak eater, or tank commander.

I don’t recall seeing Obama in a tank or crawling around with a deer rifle. He played himself throughout.

7. Be pro-defense, pro-military. Don’t just say it – live it. Back it up with your voting record. America loves a Hawk, and always will.

Obama is hardly a hawk. He portrays himself as a friend to the military, but has also talked about cutting military spending. I think I missed on this one.

8. End class and race warfare as a party platform – once and for all.

This election revolved around class warfare, and race certainly played a big role (although that part was greatly muted by the campaign itself.) I missed on this one as well.

9. Be self-effacing. Own up to your flubs without going out of your way to point out those of your opponent and you’ll reap the rewards. A sense of humor and humility will go a long way.

Obama is smooth, and seems to be willing to admit mistakes – often in a way that indicates strength rather than weakness. Not much to say here other than the guy knows how to give a great interview. He can be funny and humble, and attack without seeming malicious.

10. End fear campaigns. Talk of military drafts and terminated retirement benefits reflect a deeply ingrained willingness to do and say anything to get elected – no matter the facts of the situation.

The draft motif has gone away over the last 4 years, and there was nothing else that really rose up as a “fear issue”. I think Obama stuck to his core beliefs and presented his case without trying to scare people (other than maybe “Big Oil”…

So out of the 10, I think I got 5 right, 3 wrong, and 2 draws – not too bad. The Democrats also brought some new elements to play that I hadn’t considered in 2004. They presented a young, charismatic candidate, they exploited technology (web, television, radio) very well, and they energized the grass roots in a way that they never had before. Young voters actually turned out, and it probably was the difference.