This post is the flip side of the coin from my previously optimistic post about McCain's chances in the general election.
In a marketing sense, a brand is the aggregate of expecations and feelings that consumers have about the organization behind it. When you think of Hummer, you think of incredibly sturdy, military-type passenger vehicles. When you think of Petco, you think of a one-stop shop for all your pet needs.
Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich branded the Republican party as the group devoted to smaller government and fiscal responsibility. Newt was more successful than Reagan in actually achieving this, but that's because Congress makes the budgets, not the president.
Looking at the press releases coming out of Barack Obama's campaign, it's pretty obvious that they are going to try to tie John McCain to president Bush and our upcoming massive deficits, despite the fact that McCain fought the wild increases in spending almost every step of the way. The Republican party has wiped out its brand through profligate spending and fiscal irresponsibility.
Buick could run ads all day long suggesting that they make performance sports cars, but no one would ever believe it. That's because we can all see with our own eyes that Buick actually manufactures sofas on wheels. Ferrari makes performance cars, not Buick. All the ads in the world won't change the brand.
While Rush and Sean Hannity and the entire Republican party can have websites and talk shows and ad campaigns saying they are in favor of limited government and fiscal responsibility, it will do very little good. We can all see with our own eyes that the budget deficit is going to be more than $400B. While the Democrats are now the ones passing these budgets and have plans to drive the deficit even higher, the Republicans deserve plenty of blame for all of it. They can no longer distinguish their brand from that of the Democrats.
That's going to be a heavy burden for McCain to bear as the campaign goes forward even though he doesn't deserve to be tarred with the same brush. Isn't it ironic that the RINO the "true conservatives" all despise is the one who is going to pay the price for their mistakes?
4 comments:
"Isn't it ironic that the RINO the "true conservatives" all despise is the one who is going to pay the price for their mistakes?"
their mistakes..? Its been the "true conservatives" who have been consistently critical of those GOP party members who haven't been fiscally responsible.
McCain has trouble aplenty by way of his own doing above and beyond having to contend with the branding image of Republicans as big spenders.
Doesn't Barack has a big bill pending - or a bill they've let him sign his name to in order to give him an accomplishment - that will put the money/spending argument in McCain's favor - something that ties us to UN mandates, something to do with poverty, the poverty bill? - It's not coming to me... but aren't his spending proposals and his intent to raise taxes, like it or not conservatives have to turn out to prevent. have to vote McCain in.
Rose, funny you should mention. I hope I'm not breaching blog comment etiquette but stop by when you get a chance.
I've made no secret of my affection for Obama over on my own blog, so feel free to take what I say with a grain of salt. That said.....
I have no clue who's going to win come November. It's too far away, and there's a lot of possible scenarios for how things could play out between now and then. However, one thing I am certain of: no matter how you slice it, Obama has a much better chance against McCain than Clinton does.
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