Swapping agendas in the presidential campaign

In case you haven’t been paying attention, something big has been stolen right out from under our noses. It’s not a piece of personal property, like a ring. The Democratic Party has stolen the Republican Party agenda, and is using it to try and re-elect President Obama.

This isn’t the first time that the Democrats have embraced Republican campaign tactics and policy. The last time it happened, the Democrats got President Clinton re-elected to a second term. And this time, if you pay careful attention, the Democratic campaign will mirror a lot of those old Republican game plans.

If you recall, Clinton pushed through welfare reform over cries from his Republican opponents that the issue belonged to them. This was followed by countless other programs that had broad appeal to the average voter. Whether it was uniforms for schoolchildren or ideas that appealed to soccer moms, Clinton advanced them and emerged victorious.

When Sen. John Kerry was the Democratic candidate, Republican strategists bombarded him with charge after charge aimed at destroying his credibility. Kerry was accused of being a flip-flopper, and his inconsistencies were highlighted in every commercial. He was attacked as someone who was out of touch and an elitist. His wealth was turned into a liability instead of a plus. His national defense record was challenged to undermine his foreign affairs expertise.

Another tactic was the introduction of social issues into the campaign, from abortion to family values. Churches in the South were enlisted to promote Republican candidates as being trustworthy and pure Americans. Fairly or unfairly, Democrats were portrayed as being wrong on the quality-of-life issues that connect with the average voter.