Today's Rasmussesn poll [6] shows something interesting. First, the horse-race number has Obama at 50% and McCain at 45%. But that's not what's interesting. Read this:
Among voters who consider economic issues to be the most important voting issue, Obama leads 65% to 31%. Among all other voters, McCain leads 60% to 36%...
So what other issues might people think are important enough to base their vote on this November? Or what other issues are people pre-disposed to care about when it comes to the differences between the candidates? In a nutshell, cultural and character related issues. And thus far in this campaign, cultural issues have pretty much been invisible. And it's telling on the GOP in the polls.
How many of those folks who are supporting Obama because they feel the economy is the "most important thing" know where he stands on salient social issues like abortion and gay marriage? How many know he voted against (multiple times) mandating medical care for infants that survive an abortion procedure? How many know he opposes state marriage amendments (like those that have passed in over 30 states) that define marriage as what it has been since before our country existed - "one man and one woman"?. How many know his positions on the Second Amendment?
The point is that, in any campaign, you want to fight on ground that is favorable to you. And, no matter what McCain may say, no matter what proposals he may offer to "fix" the economy, there is no way on God's green Earth that the media is going to let him gain traction on that issue....and the voters are not disposed to believe the guy who's a member of the "in" party. So you pivot to the issues that they ARE predisposed to agree with you on.
But, for those issues to matter, you've got to TALK about them. It's time to talk about the culture.
