Bringing McCain/Palin Around

A thought, via 538 (h/t BTD), on going after McCain/Palin... or "not taking the bait," as Armando puts it:

She can make game-changing agitation plays that rouse her home team and provoke the other side into counterattacks that – 100% of the time – end up punishing the team who hits back. Democrats would be smart to understand her as such, and I see a lot of reaction that doesn't seem to grasp what Palin is doing and the value she's providing. I see a lot of Democrats taking a lot of bait.

This applies more to Democratic surrogates than it does to the top-ticket duo. Joe Biden had the smart response yesterday – naming the behavior – expecting it, and then riding through without taking the bait . . . And that’s all he says of Palin’s antics. Name the behavior, even praising the skill with which the agitation was attempted, and then back to focus. It's "the economy, stupid."

McCain wants to feed the "game-changer" meme more than anyone (it's his only shot, to be honest), and picking at the many possible scandals (and admittedly, possible duds in the news cycle) makes for entertaining TeeVee, but isn't a winning strategy.

Palin brings nothing more to the debate than a new voice, and a new attack dog. But the message will be the same, and we've been here before during the primaries, and the start of the GE. For all the "Troopergates" and pregnant teens sucking energy from the chatter, only "earmarks" and "Bush's Third Term" policy ideas will resound with voters in November. There is opportunity immediately with the community organizer digs (a friend emailed me my favorite: Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor... it's funny because it's true) and the ludicrous claim of foreign policy experience because "Alaska is so close to Russia," but outside of that, once the dust settles, it's still Republicans asking us to reward the last 8 years with another 4. Biden has already started down this road, and Obama's recent ads have amplified the refrain. Smart.

The game hasn't changed, only the faces. McCain/Palin offers nothing new.

UPDATE: Rosenberg disagrees.

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