Should the Dems use the McCaskill-Akin strategy?

[King]

With Rubio, Rand, Ryan, Portman, and Christie all taking positions recently which offend the base, this might be a worthwhile strategy, especially if Hillary bows out and the nominee is not as strong on the Democratic side.  There's definitely an opening for Santorum in 2016 as the last defender of strong social conservatism, but he'll likely face obstacles from the GOP leaders.  If the Dems can make up the money difference for him by forming PACs against the rest of the field, he'll stand a real chance, though.

[badgate]

I think taking the strategy to a larger scale would backfire. No (D)

[Dereich]

I think taking the strategy to a larger scale would backfire. Yes (O)

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The Democrats should offend their base as little as these Republicans have. Chained CPI is totally retarded.

[badgate]

I think taking the strategy to a larger scale would backfire. Yes (O)

[pbrower2a]

Let the Republicans make their own mistakes.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

I think taking the strategy to a larger scale would backfire. No (D)

[opebo]

I think taking the strategy to a larger scale would backfire. No (D)

Yes, it would be quite dangerous.  That said, even if it did backfire I'd much rather have a President Santorum than a Rubio, Rand, Ryan, Portman, or Christie.

[Mister Mets]

It's not a bad idea, since some Republican talking heads are pretty dumb, and can easily be convinced that Democrats are scared of a true conservative.

One problem is that presidential elections deal with a higher class of candidate. Akin was a congressman from a very conservative district, while Angle was a former state legislator. Unlike those two, the scariest presidential contenders have at least demonstrated the ability to win statewide office.

It is easier to pull off in a statewide election, since it's easier to stay on message in a statewide campaign in a local media market. It's tougher when there's a national campaign.

[Mister Mets]

Two more complications for the strategy.

It works when the other candidates in the primary are unimpressive or unknown. So the alternatives to Sharron Angle in the 2010 Nevada primary were a man who lost his previous bids for State Senate and Secretary of State, and a former State Senator who made a serious gaffe about buying health insurance with chickens. Akin was a Congressman who defeated a businessman in his early 60s, and a former state treasurer.

Presumably, the alternatives to the Akin of Republican presidential contenders will be much more appealing.

The strategy also requires the Dems to agree on the worst possible Republican. That may not be immediately obvious. Although James Carville may be trying to start this with his praise of Cruz.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/james-carville-heaps-praise-on-ted-cruz-most-talented-and-fearless-gop-politician-of-last-30-years/

[bedstuy]

What if you could change the outcome from Christie to Santorum, or Paul, or Cruz, with $10 million in dark money super-pac ads?  Wouldn't that be the best $10 million dollars Democrats have ever spent?