Subject: Re: Next steps
From: "Begala, Paul" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 09:01:45 -0500

I agree on all counts. Free press push to define McCain as a third term for Bush. I tried it on the Today show and got away with it this morning. 

----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Matzzie <[email-masked]>
To: Begala, Paul; Susan McCue <[email-masked]>; John Podesta <[email-masked]>; Stan Greenberg <[email-masked]>; Anna Greenberg <[email-masked]>; Tara McGuinness <[email-masked]>; Zach Schwartz <[email-masked]>
Sent: Wed Feb 06 08:45:50 2008
Subject: Next steps

Well, things are less clear on the Republican side than we thought and they will continue to beat each other up. I think this means we have a little maneuvering space until R candidates start dropping out. It does still look like McCain will win it in the end.

Here is where I think we go:

1. Continue our McCain focused research. Groups, probably a message poll in lieu of state baselines.

2. Start prepping the "McCain is just like Bush. Same old thing." materials. We will all want to open on that even if we don't make that the big play. People need something to say about McCain if asked. Tara's draft talking points serve that purpose.

3. Continue to develop economic scripts and produce economic ads.

Any thoughts? I will ask Ryan to see if we can reconvene for a call this week.