Democrats, Hire Mark Twain!
Say what you will about Republican low blows, they consistently "outframe" the opposition. For example:
If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty suit'.
If you are a part-time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an 'experienced executive'.
Democrats need to learn to frame the negatives of the Republican candidates more effectively, beating them to the ball and taking shots on goal, rather than always playing goalie.
I suggest they put Mark Twain on the payroll, using his eternal one-line zingers to puncture the Rovian campaign lies, distortions and smears with humor.
It was Twain who said:
“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter. . . . Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.”
So here are some examples from Twain that Senators Obama and Biden could profitably use (with attribution, of course):
If the Republicans cite dubious or misleading statistics, begin setting the record straight with: “Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.”
When proposing something necessary but controversial: “Necessity is the mother of taking chances.”
When criticizing the Bush administration: “Loyalty to the country always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it.” (Precludes the administration from calling its critics “unpatriotic.”)
In response to some hypocritical right-wing attempt to legislate morality: “Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits.”
Or if in the debates, Obama cites a Republican lie, start with “In my opponent's ads, 'Truth is more of a stranger than fiction.'”
Or if in the debates, McCain exceeds his time limit in response to a question: “No sinner is ever saved after the first twenty minutes of a sermon.”
Or if they get on Obama for his “elitist Harvard education,” puncture it with a self-deprecating: “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” and go on to talk about what he learned as a community organizer.
When McCain denies saying something he actually said: “If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”
On Iraq: “It is easier to stay out than get out.”
Or in an inspirational talk: “Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.” Or “Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”
Criticizing Republican intransigence: “Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul.”
Regarding McCain's flip flops on issues after taking millions in special interest money: "You tell me who'd a man gits his corn pone an' I'll tell you what his 'pinions is."
When they deliberately misuse a word or twist Obama’s words: “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”
When he catches McCain in a flagrant lie or misrepresentation begin with: “Regarding your last statement, I am reminded of a line from Mark Twain: 'Man is the Only Animal that Blushes. Or needs to.’”
After a bloviated response to a question about an issue on which the Republicans have been notably ineffective: “Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.”
Regarding Sarah Palin’s exaggerations of her record or credentials: “Don't tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish.”
In defense of liberals: “The radical [liberal] of one century is the conservative of the next. The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them.” (e.g., social security, unemployment insurance, 5-day work week, paid holidays, Medicare, seat belts, food labels.)
And finally, regarding the McCain campaign’s lies: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” Or: “One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.” (Using humor and metaphor you can get away with calling someone a liar to his face.)
“The history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.” This is what the Carl Roves of this world are counting on.
“Humor must not professedly teach and it must not professedly preach, but it must do both if it would live forever.” Bless you Sam Clemens.