Don't Be Afraid to Talk About National Security Posted by Ilan Goldenberg

Democracy Corps has a great new poll out on national security and the 20068 election cycle (Also look at the slides(pdf)).  I think the overall conclusion is:  Democrats should address national security head on because they can beat Republicans on this issue.

There has been a pretty intensive debate in recent years in Democratic circles about the best foreign policy and national security message.  And it's gotten going again in the last few months as we head into the 2008 election cycle.  On the one hand there is the school of thought that argues that Democrats need to link national security to domestic failures and argue that the Bush Administration has the wrong priorities.  Portray the Iraq war as damaging our economy and our interests at home and promise to bring our troops home.   This seems to make a lot of sense considering the current economic situation.

The other school of thought argues for taking the security issue head on and arguing that Republicans have been reckless and irresponsible in Iraq and and that Democrats  will bring our troops home and focus on the other national security challenges that we face all over the world.  It argues that Democrats will never overcome their historic deficit on national security as long as they shy away from the issue and do not address it head on. 

Democracy Corps went ahead and tested both message options against John McCain's message.

John McCain says: I have been involved in every national security issue over the past 20 years, and having served this country, I know how important our security is. Barack Obama seems hesitant to stand up for America, and would run up the white flag of surrender in Iraq, pulling out our troops, handing al Qaeda a victory, and endangering our vital interests. I was the leading supporter of the surge, which is now succeeding,and I will press for victory in Iraq. I will also strengthen our military, restructure our intelligence agencies, and build missile defenses to protect us from rogue regimes like Iran.

Priorities At Home Message:  We need a change of priorities in our policies abroad. George Bush failed to stand up for American workers on trade and oil, and his failed policies in Iraq cost us trillions of dollars and thousands of lives. John McCain was Bush's biggest supporter on Iraq, and would keep our troops there for 100 years. As president, I will start bringing our troops home from Iraq during my first 60 days, direct more of that spending to our needs at home, insist on labor protections in our trade agreements, and support alternative energy to reduce our dependence on oil from dangerous regimes.

Security Message:  We cannot afford more of the reckless, extreme national security policies of the Bush years that lost us trillions of dollars and thousands of lives in Iraq. But John McCain was Bush's biggest supporter on Iraq and says he is willing to keep our troops there for 100 years. I would strengthen America's security by bringing home our troops from Iraq during 2009, doing what we need to win in Afghanistan, rebuilding our alliances, and pursuing a new alternative energy policy, including alternative sources, to reduce our dependence on oil from dangerous regimes.

The results are interesting:

Both the “priorities” and “strengthen America’s security” narratives beat the McCain narrative by about 8 points... But among the key bloc of independents, the “strengthen America’s security” is much stronger. The priorities narrative beats the McCain narrative by an average of 5 points, but the “strengthen America’s security” narrative beats McCain by a whopping 26 points... One factor that helps power this message is the characterization of the Bush-McCain Republican national security policies as “reckless” and “extreme.” By a 10-point margin (40 to 30 percent), voters believe Republicans are more “extreme” on national security; by a 41-35 margin, they believe Republicans are more “reckless.”

So, basically what this seems to say is that while the priorities message is a good one for core Democratic constituencies , the security message has a broader appeal to the swing constituency that is necessary for a general election.   Democrats shouldn't shy away from the national security debate because they can win it.

Comments

[Don Bacon]

The success of the "security" message reflects the uniquely effective US government propaganda strategy of making Americans afraid, very afraid, of "Islamofascists" -- a fear evident nowhere else in the world. Aren't we special.

As to "doing what we need to win in Afghanistan" -- do Vietnam and Iraq ring a bell? The bell has already tolled in that forsaken land for the Russians in the last century and the Brits in the century before that, but the US, in the seventh year of its fantasy of victory in Afghanistan, has learned nothing.

Well, whatever the word merchants can cook up to win the next election. We have to keep our priorities straight, never mind the bodies piling up outside the door.

[twelve sky Gold]

Welcome to our game world, my friend asks me to buy some 12sky gold . I do not know how to use the twelvesky Gold ; my friend tells me how to use. I will thank for my friends bringing me in this world. I am not regret to buy 12Sky Silver Coins . We all love game, if you want to play it, please buy 12 sky gold and join us. Please do not hesitate to have game.

[wakfu kamas]

Welcome to our game world, my friend asks me to buy some wakfu gold . I do not know how to use the wakfu money ; my friend tells me how to use. I will thank for my friends bringing me in this world. I am not regret to buy wakfu kama . We all love game, if you want to play it, please buy wakfu kamas and join us. Please do not hesitate to have game.

[eve online isk]

When you have eve isk, you will become strong. With eve online isk, you can upgrade and admire by others. You can buy eve online isk to start the journey of the world. So, do not hesitate, let us move to buy isk

[buy shaiya gold]

When you have shaiya gold, you will become strong. With shaiya money, you can upgrade and admire by others. You can use cheap shaiya gold to start the journey of the world. So, do not hesitate, let us move to buy shaiya gold

[wakfu kama]

At that time, I was a naive; I must used money to buy wakfu kamas , as that I would not depend on myself. But I was not regret to buy wakfu kama . It is just a way bring me to the success.

[cheap habbo credits]

I will feel very anxious. Why I buy habbo gold , please it gives me such a warm place. At the moment, I have cheap habbo credits .

[maple mesos]

Do want to know the magic of online games, and here you can get more maple mesos. Do you want to have a try? Come on and mesos can make you happy.

[Perfect World Gold]

What do you know Perfect World Gold. You can get Buy Perfect World Gold here.

[buy 2moons dil]

I usually buy 2moons dil through Internet and advice from my friends, so I gain a lot of cheap 2moons gold and harvest in life.

[Mulberry Handbags]

usually buy 2moons dil through Internet and advice from my friends, so I gain a lot of cheap 2moons gold and harvest in life.

[replica Tiffany Bangle]

usually buy 2moons dil through Internet and advice from my friends, so I gain a lot of cheap 2moons gold and harvest in life.

[cheap coach handbags]

Thank you for your sharing! I like i very much!

[r4 dsi gold]

Perhaps the best thing about Redstate's delusional wingnuttia and outright twisting of the truth is maybe, just maybe, they will be able to pull off pushing a sure fire looser (or should I say sure fire quitter) to be the Rushthugliklan nominee against Obama in 2012.

[safdsf]

Smart Phone Parts Leading smart phone parts, PDA Parts, data capture parts, Cell Phone Parts, mobile phone parts, iPhone Parts, LCD screen and digitizer supplier offers experienced,Data Capture Parts, timely, cost competitive, GlobalDirectParts,worldwide logistics support. We are the reliable parts supplier that delivers competitive price & quality assurance,Global Direct Parts, on time.

[Network]

thanks for sharing Sohbet many people are pay more attention to one's swearing than before, especially a watch.Muhabbet.
Perhaps when you went to some place far away Sohbet you must borrow it from friends you can get everything you want in this game Chat money to invest in other industry which will return you good profit. Sohbet when you look at Chat
the surface of the watches viaload great any cool Exsohbet from the city you live in and thought you knew nobody there Egitim Fourth, there were various signs of political conflict among shia. If they split 3 ways or 4 ways, the sunnis and the kurds could often be the Sohbet swing votes in the politics. If they felt they had political clout out of proportion to their numbers, they could settle in Sohbet and do politics and not feel oppressed.

[find hosting]

i read a lot of stuff and i found that the way of writing to clearifing that exactly want to say was very good so i am impressed and ilike to come again in future