Election Killers

I consider myself a young man. I am 33 years old and have had the opportunity to vote for President only 3 times. Of course I actually do vote every year, and even in some primaries (anyone who does not has no right to make any political commentary). I could go on and on about the issues with our political system, but I will spare you of that. The point of this post is thus: every election has some cooked up pseudo issue that seems to turn the balance of momentum and ends up being a big part of the outcome. Whether it has any relevance to the election or the candidate's ability to lead, it is brought up in a big "GOTCHA" moment for maximum political effect.

1976
I was 1 and have no recollection of Jimmy Carter's ineffectual campaign. All he had to do was say I am a democrat and Nixon was a Republican. Nixon was not popular at the time!

1980
I was still too young, but Reagan had a similar strategy. I am a Republican and Jimmy Carter is a Democrat. Carter also failed miserably as President.

1984: Reagan's Age
The first election I remember. Reagan was the oldest President ever, and the Democrats and Mondale tried to use it against him. Reagan famously neutralized the issue in the second debate saying, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." He went on to win in a landslide.

1988: Willie Horton
Bush Sr. took on Michael Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts. The Bush campaign ran an ad about Dukakis' prison furlough program that allowed a convicted murderer to commit a rape on leave. A damning ad that may have turned the tide in a close election.

1992: "Read my Lips..."
Bush lost to Clinton for one reason: the economy tanked while he was in office. The damning ad run by the Dems showed a clip of Bush in 1988 saying, "Read my lips: no new taxes." Of course he had raised taxes, and he lost miserably. Incidentally, the main reason was actually Ross Perot, and not the ad.

1996: Age Strikes Again
Bob Dole tried to take on the very popular Clinton without success. Again, age became an issue, and it was compounded by Dole's war injury that made him appear even older. Although no "Gotcha" moment occurred, Dole did famously refer to the Dodgers as the Brooklyn Dodgers. It really didn't matter. Clinton won easily.

2000: Clinton's Ghost
Again, no major "Gotcha" moments, as younger Bush successfully campaigned on a moral platform in wake of Clinton's multiple scandals in office. Gore was boring and had to try and dissociate himself from his former boss, and he lost in the closest margin ever.

2004: Swift Boat
Now the pattern has emerged and is crystal clear. When Bush beat Kerry, an independent group attacked Kerry mercilessly on his Vietnam service record while serving on a Swift boat. Swift Vets and POWs for Truth stated that he had lied and embellished his record, and Kerry was unable to respond or clarify the issue. Bush wins easily, and the term "Swift Boat" enters the political lexicon. (Obama even recently said he would not let the Republicans "Swift Boat" his comments about putting lipstick on a pig regarding Palin).

2008: The Bridge To Nowhere
It is painfully clear that both parties are maneuvering to make this the "Gotcha" issue of 2008. Pictured at the top of this post, the Bridge to Nowhere was designed to connect the Alaskan coastal city of Ketchikan to its airport on sparsely populated Gravina Island. The funding was approved by Congress, but Palin stated famously that she rejected the funds saying, "Thanks, but no thanks" in her convention speech. Seizing upon a potential Swift Boat issue, Democrats quickly announced that Palin had publicly supported the bridge while running for governer of Alaska. Furthermore, she accepted the funds but used them for other projects. It seemed they had that "Gotcha" moment for 2008.

However, the Democrats should be careful what they ask for. The headline story on CNN.com today shows how the Republicans have COMPLETELY TURNED THIS AROUND ON OBAMA AND BIDEN! Both senators voted to approve the funding for the Bridge to Nowhere as part of a larger transportation bill. You may think that it was just a small part of a larger bill. However, a Republican senator specifically introduced an amendment to the bill that exclusively rejected funding for the Bridge to Nowhere. Biden and Obama rejected that. Even worse, the proposed amendment by Senator Coburn had redirected those funds to Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana to repair damage to roads and bridges. Of course, that money never went to Louisiana!

I think this issue will continue to get air time, and may turn out to be a defining moment in this election. The upcoming debates may solidify that. However, if it doesn't work out, there is still enough time for another "Swift Boat" attack!