Hillary needs to stop bashing Trump

[Hermit For Peace]

Speaking for myself, I'm real tired of all the bashing from both sides, but since I'm a Hillary backer, I care more about what she does.

And I think she should focus on what people care about and want to hear about than wasting time Trump bashing. Everyone already knows how awful he is. Don't help plaster his mug all over the news even more than it is. He dominates the headlines.

So Hillary, stop with the bashing already. Focus on your accomplishments and ideas and goals. Focus on YOU and the American people.

Trump is doing a fine job of digging his own grave.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

нет. clinton is not popular enough (and will almost certainly not become popular enough) to run a purely positive campaign. plus ofc the stubby-fingered rapist and all that he represents need to be crushed mercilessly.

[cinyc]

If this election were about accomplishments, ideas and goals, we'd have different nominees right now. 

[Inmate Trump]

She has to keep attacking him. He's not going to stop bashing her, she's got to fight back and counter his attacks with her own.

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

Eh.

I suspect both campaigns want to replicate 2012 (aka, turn out the base, don't realign) but attempt to lower turnout for the other team.

Manafort/Trump suspect that replaying 2012  for Dems because 2012 featured the single best (inspirational, hard working) candidate with the single best campaign in history, so relitigating it with 'Crooked Hillary' should produce more favorable results. This is why Manafort has attempted to make Trump more 'conventional,' by picking Pence etc etc.

Mook/Clinton want to relitigate 2012 because in close national elections, Obama-style campaigning (by which I mean data-driven, large field operations coupled with microtargeted advertisements) is incredibly effective at turning out the base. They can get the people who already LIKE Clinton to turn out, and can probably win by 1-2 points no matter what.

Another factor as to why Trump and Clinton are just digging the trenches: as evergreen astutely pointed out, Sec. Clinton isn't that popular, and Trump is a 'stubby fingered rapist.' Both candidates have 100% name ID, and are highly divisive.

I suspect that the population of those who are undecided BETWEEN Clinton and Trump  exclusively is vanishingly small. Those who have not decided that they dislike one candidate less than the other enough to affirmatively vote for them, or that they liked one candidate enough all along, are likely deciding between a vote for Clinton/Trump (if one is on the left or right), a vote for a third party, or not voting at all.

Negative campaigning pays off in this scenario. All of the people that like you will vote for you, no matter what you say or do. All of the people that dislike you less than the other candidate will be convinced by bringing up negatives about the opposing ticket.

Each candidate's weakness is the people who are deciding between the opposing ticket and throwing away their vote in some fashion. The 'movables' in this scenario are movable from the opposing camp out of the universe. Thus it makes sense to discourage those people from voting (meaningfully) in any way possible.  

As a bit of a tangent, this is why I think Warren is the smartest pick for Clinton. To the extent that she has people in her 'camp' who might vote for Stein or stay at home, they're brought in by a Warren pick. The moderates who would be alienated by such a move are moved NOT into the Trumpiverse, but into the Johnson/NOTA camp. Thus, it's a net pickup. She picks up some votes from Progs, and doesn't lose any votes to Trump.

[SillyAmerican]

On the contrary, Hillary needs to keep bashing Trump, because if/when people start paying attention to her positions and her shortcomings, the beneficiary is Donald Trump. The only reason the GOP is not clobbering Hillary Clinton right now? Donald Trump.

[RaphaelDLG]

On the contrary, Hillary needs to keep bashing Trump, because if/when people start paying attention to her positions and her shortcomings, the beneficiary is Donald Trump. The only reason the GOP is not clobbering Hillary Clinton right now? Donald Trump.

This.  Hillary's campaign doesn't have a either remotely coherent message or a likeable personality to rely on.  She should hit Donald hard, and keep people from being too distracted by his charisma to realize what an awful person he is.

[Fuzzy Bear]

On the contrary, Hillary needs to keep bashing Trump, because if/when people start paying attention to her positions and her shortcomings, the beneficiary is Donald Trump. The only reason the GOP is not clobbering Hillary Clinton right now? Donald Trump.

If I were advising Hillary, I'd tell her 2 things:

1.  Keep the attacks up.  Get in the dirt with Trump.  Being the first "tomboy" President is appealing.  (I'm serious about this; she needs to go whole hog on that tack; it'll make her more likeable.)

2.  Pick Jeff Merkley as your running mate.  He's a Sanders supporter who'll be a loyal soldier.  Don't pick Warren; she's an inexperienced flake (albeit one with a following).  Merkley's a grown-up who shows well.

[Wells]

Actually, Hillary should make the entire narrative of the election about how absolutely, unequivocally awful Trump is.

[HillOfANight]

http://saintpetersblog.com/hillary-clinton-airing-thousands-positive-ads-donald-trump-silent/

Since June 8, the day after she claimed the Democratic nomination, Clinton has put at least 30,700 commercials on broadcast TV

The majority highlight her work as first lady to expand health care for children.

[Maxwell]

She has to do both - when you attack, your own negatives go up as well, so she has to put out enough positive material to where her favorables don't sink too low.

[Fuzzy Bear]

On the contrary, Hillary needs to keep bashing Trump, because if/when people start paying attention to her positions and her shortcomings, the beneficiary is Donald Trump. The only reason the GOP is not clobbering Hillary Clinton right now? Donald Trump.

This.  Hillary's campaign doesn't have a either remotely coherent message or a likeable personality to rely on.  She should hit Donald hard, and keep people from being too distracted by his charisma to realize what an awful person he is.

One thing Hillary should NOT do is talk about what she did as FLOTUS.  That's not a government position; that's sort of volunteer work, and folks aren't impressed with that. 

Hillary's been a Senator for 8 years and Secretary of State for 4 years.  That's normally considered adequate stand-alone experience to be a viable Presidential candidate for a "career politician".  If she can't make her case on what she did there; if folks view her as mediocre in both of those positions, why should anyone think she'll be a successful President.

[Hermit For Peace]

I see that most posters think Hillary should keep up the attack. Maybe you are right, but I wish that she would set a different standard as a female candidate. She is well known, unlike some people here intimated. She does have negatives, and that's why she should be emphasizing all her accomplishments in her life.

I can't help feeling very tired and bored with the attack dog stuff, and that's why I especially do not like Elizabeth Warren any longer. She is too masculine in her approach to attacking Trump, and I find that very unsettling and predictable.

I would rather that politicians act like human beings than attack dogs.

[SillyAmerican]

On the contrary, Hillary needs to keep bashing Trump, because if/when people start paying attention to her positions and her shortcomings, the beneficiary is Donald Trump. The only reason the GOP is not clobbering Hillary Clinton right now? Donald Trump.

This.  Hillary's campaign doesn't have a either remotely coherent message or a likeable personality to rely on.  She should hit Donald hard, and keep people from being too distracted by his charisma to realize what an awful person he is.

One thing Hillary should NOT do is talk about what she did as FLOTUS.  That's not a government position; that's sort of volunteer work, and folks aren't impressed with that. 

Hillary's been a Senator for 8 years and Secretary of State for 4 years.  That's normally considered adequate stand-alone experience to be a viable Presidential candidate for a "career politician".  If she can't make her case on what she did there; if folks view her as mediocre in both of those positions, why should anyone think she'll be a successful President.

Exactly my thinking; being elected/appointed to positions is insufficient if you can't point to accomplishments made while holding those positions. I don't think she has anything to point to, which is why I believe her best approach is to keep the attention on Donald Trump, in hopes of creating enough fear and uncertainty within the electorate to secure a win. It's a bit sad that in the world we live in, this is a legitimate approach to winning the highest office of the land...

[DINGO Joe]

After the goon show the Republican convention has been, it would be nice to contrast it with a positive convention.  Certainly it's not possible to go an entire convention without mentioning Trump, but an overall positive tone would be a nice contrast.

[Deblano]

нет. clinton is not popular enough (and will almost certainly not become popular enough) to run a purely positive campaign. plus ofc the stubby-fingered rapist and all that he represents need to be crushed mercilessly.

[Devout Centrist]

She's going to hammer Trump while also presenting policies and a vision for America beyond bashing Trump. The Republicans have basically laid it all on attacking Clinton not on her policy, but on past mistakes. This gives her a real opening to mix in attack ads with positive ads about her vision and accomplishments.

[MasterJedi]

I would go all out on Trump=voting for a rapist part. Get Trump's ex wife and business associate to break their gag orders and find anyone else who Trump has raped (probably wouldn't be that hard to find them) and make TV and radio adds and get them out there circulating having people tell their story about how Trump raped them and is a sociopath.

[MK]

She can't because no one likes her unlike atlas forums the rest of the country isn't so far up her @$$.

[Taco Truck 🚚]

She is too masculine

Oh, Atlas...

[DrScholl]

Why should she? Trump is not entitled to the Presidency. What is going to be the next request? That she drop out in his favor? Give me a break.

[RaphaelDLG]

I see that most posters think Hillary should keep up the attack. Maybe you are right, but I wish that she would set a different standard as a female candidate. She is well known, unlike some people here intimated. She does have negatives, and that's why she should be emphasizing all her accomplishments in her life.

I can't help feeling very tired and bored with the attack dog stuff, and that's why I especially do not like Elizabeth Warren any longer. She is too masculine in her approach to attacking Trump, and I find that very unsettling and predictable.

I would rather that politicians act like human beings than attack dogs.

1) I genuinely sympathize with your desire for a more high-minded campaign, but she will lose if she does not do some attacking.  Would you like a President Trump or a President Clinton?

2) To the bolded:  What is a "feminine" approach to attacking? 

As an aside, Elizabeth Warren is the best, and I hope I will eventually live in a world where I could have a smart daughter like her who would not have to put up with too much bullsh**t criticism.

[Hermit For Peace]

Why should she? Trump is not entitled to the Presidency. What is going to be the next request? That she drop out in his favor? Give me a break.

Because this campaign is about Hillary, not Trump, and that's why she should stop putting so much focus on him, and put it all on her and her policies and her experience. People are fed up with the negative stuff in politics.

[Mehmentum]

Why would Hillary want to punt on her single greatest advantage in this election?

[Hermit For Peace]

On the contrary, Hillary needs to keep bashing Trump, because if/when people start paying attention to her positions and her shortcomings, the beneficiary is Donald Trump. The only reason the GOP is not clobbering Hillary Clinton right now? Donald Trump.

This.  Hillary's campaign doesn't have a either remotely coherent message or a likeable personality to rely on.  She should hit Donald hard, and keep people from being too distracted by his charisma to realize what an awful person he is.

One thing Hillary should NOT do is talk about what she did as FLOTUS.  That's not a government position; that's sort of volunteer work, and folks aren't impressed with that. 

Hillary's been a Senator for 8 years and Secretary of State for 4 years.  That's normally considered adequate stand-alone experience to be a viable Presidential candidate for a "career politician".  If she can't make her case on what she did there; if folks view her as mediocre in both of those positions, why should anyone think she'll be a successful President.

But Hillary is good at establishing working relationships with members of Congress, and that is a strength she has. She works at it tirelessly. After the awful relationship Obama and Congress have had, Hillary should be playing up her abilities to get conversations going and alliances on both side of the aisle so that voters can be reassured that she will get things done. It's not all about initiating bills and all that stuff. There's internal behind the scenes stuff that goes on which is vital to a smooth running operation.

See, it's a different ballgame I tell you, with having a female running for President. We females place emphasis on relationships naturally, and that is a big plus in present day reality.

Bashing your opponent and talking dirty and fighting and getting negative and ugly, in my view, are all traditional masculine ways of campaigning. I want to see Hillary not get sucked into that trap. Ideally I'd like her to show the country a better way to go about campaigning. That would impress the hell out of me.