Subject: Re: Memo on Obama vs McCain
From: "Begala, Paul" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:21:14 -0500

Wow, Andrew, good work. 

I'm a little concerned, however, that you overstate the case for Obama. Specifically, when you say a vicious attack on Obama's patriotism only costs him 3 points, isn't that only after an equally tough shredding of McCain?  If so, we should state that - because it leads to the conclusion that this is a winnable race...but only if there is a negative campaign against McCain that is sustained, focused and fearless. That's my fundamental strategic premise, at least. 

I am especially worried about the garden-variety tax attack, combined with other "liberal" tropes. The tax attack does real damage, scoring higher against Obama than anything we have tested against McCain. 

Of course, I could be all wrong about this. And I only gave the memo a cursory read on my Blackberry, so I likely missed a lot. But I think we should be realistic - not unreasonably pessimistic nor overly optimistic. And this to me had a tilt toward irrational exuberance. 

But I'd love to be wrong. If things are really this good, let's call the dogs in and piss on the fire; the hunt's over. 

Paul. 

----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Baumann <[email-masked]>
To: ic2008 <[email-masked]>; John Podesta <[email-masked]>; Lori Lodes <[email-masked]>; Begala, Paul; Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza <[email-masked]>; Susan McCue <[email-masked]>; Tara McGuinness <[email-masked]>; Tom Matzzie <[email-masked]>
Sent: Thu Feb 28 17:58:31 2008
Subject: Memo on Obama vs McCain

All,

Attached please find a memo on why Obama is well positioned to beat John McCain, as we discussed in our meeting earlier this week.

Andrew

 

Andrew Baumann

Analyst

10 G Street NE, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20002

Phone: 202 478 8300 / Fax: 202 478 8301

[email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]>  

www.greenbergresearch.com <http://www.greenbergresearch.com>