Selling me a nickel for a dime

I've been getting more and more frustrated by the dishonest campaign being run by John McCain, and the lack of a reaction by the Obama camp. I understand that responding presents a difficult equation - you don't want McCain to set Obama's agenda, and cannot allow Senator Obama to come across as angry or bitter.

But the campaign needs to do something, and I would like to see a snappy advertising campaign that targets McCain's integrity over and over based on the vulgar campaign that he has been running.

Specifically, I would propose a series of advertisements along the following lines:

(1) Short clips of demonstrable lies about Obama by the McCain camp (such as the complete distortion about the sex ed law);
(2) A statement that John McCain has to know that this is a lie, and that everyone knows that the reality is the polar opposite of what McCain has said;
(3) Then state that if Obama were running his campaign like McCain runs his, he'd would accuse him of [yadda yadda] because of this quote, which we have taken out of context, just like McCain has repeatedly done to us;
(4) But we're running a different kind of campaign, one whose goal is not just to win, but to change course, improve our nation, and let America live up to it's promise;
(5) So to John McCain and the Republican lies, I say "Enough!" It's time for a change.
(7) I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message.

This probably needs a fair amount of work, but the idea is to not focus on defense (although getting the rebuttal in), but instead to make McCain's lack of honesty and decency the issue.

It's time to step away from policy and tear down the illusion of McCain's integrity and decency, to reflect loud and clear that Barack Obama is a better man than John McCain. A campaign that draws on the distinction between the true character of the two men. Relentlessly beat McCain's image down. Use the word "lie" over and over. Use McCain's nasty campaign against him, but do it by being on offense. No apologies, no explanations, just a concise statement that McCain is a liar.

Just as important, don't fall into the trap of playing to a Democratic base. Don't get distracted and talk about McCain's relationship with lobbyists, his hiring of Rove protégés, whatever. Make this all about McCain, and make it clear that the man is a dangerous jerk. Don't give the Chris Matthews cadre the opportunity to say this is McCain's people, not McCain. Stop conceding that this guy is a hero. McCain's campaign is trash, the campaign speaks for McCain, and McCain is his campaign.

(And, I would add, don't be shy about saying that on the issue of McCain's character, Joe Biden was woefully, horribly wrong, that he was mislead by someone who has now proved that he didn't deserve the respect that he was given, and that, just like with respect to the vote for the war, Biden has learned from his mistake. This part may be over the line, but I wouldn't be afraid to say that it turns out that some Democrats developed a respect for McCain because of the way he was slimed by the Bush campaign, but that in some battles like Bush-McCain - like the Iraq-Iran war - neither side actually deserved our backing. If they respond about what this says about Biden's judgment, say that Biden is along for his experience and relationships, but that it's Obama's judgment that matters. With Palin in the campaign, the McCain camp cannot make the argument about what happens if the VP is elevated to president, except to the radical base that Obama isn't going to win over in any event.)

And, finally, don't back down when McCain responds with his characteristic distress about the tone of the campaign, his sympathetic-sounding interviews with a media that still reflexively kowtow's to McCain. When McCain complains about tone, tear him apart for being the problem.

Make it clear that when Obama is talking about Change, McCain is a significant part of what needs to be changed.