TRAILING IN THE POLLS AND WITH THE CLOCK TICKING, MCCAIN SHOUTS OUT “THUG LIFE”

After speaking with campaign insiders The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder, just sketched out the “McCain Comeback Plan.”

It’s basically what you would expect, a focus on: Obama’s “associations”… taxes… McCain’s “reformer” credentials, et cetera…

But this little nugget stuck out — the McCain camp will also zero on this month on Obama’s record on crime, which they claim is “far outside the mainstream.”

As a campaign issue, crime — or as Republicans loves to say: “Law and Order” — has received virtually no attention up till now.

However, the GOP will devote a significant amount of time and resources during these last 30 days to attacking Obama on a couple specific crime-related fronts: Gang violence and crack/powder retro-activity.

Marc Ambinder rightly asks: “Are they skating close to the race line here?”… to which the McCain camp replies: “since when is a black candidate given a free pass on these issues?”

An issue like crime is certainly fair game in a political campaign. I would not argue that it should be off limits. But the timing of McCain’s newfound interest in urban violence is deliberate and purposeful.

Back in July, I noted that “if things look bad for McCain come November, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the GOP litter the airwaves with pictures like this one…

… then a cut to an image of Obama smiling and a blank screen that reads: ‘C’mon America, you sure you want to do this?‘”

I was speaking somewhat sarcastically at the time — the GOP’s attack ads won’t be that in-your-face.

But the basic, underlying truth here cannot be ignored: on this issue, at this time, a focus on gang violence in our streets is a deliberate attempt by Republicans to play on racial fears and prejudice.

Were the situation reversed and McCain had both the financial and electoral advantage right now, you can bet that you would NOT see a focus on inner city gang violence from Republicans weeks away from election day. They wouldn’t risk the potential backlash. But this is the situation that we find ourselves in. Desperate times call for…

At this point, all John McCain has left is the hope that he can distract voters’ attention away from the major issues of the day, issues that unify us as Americans — the economy, war, health care — with attacks on Obama’s character and subtle, divisive reminders to white America that say, “he ain’t one of us.”

That said, the absolute worst thing the Obama campaign can do is point this out. They have to avoid taking the bait at all costs — I mean — this is critically important to Obama’s chances at this late juncture.

For Obama or his surrogates to accuse McCain of playing up racial fears will leave them instantly vulnerable to McCain counter-accusing Obama of “playing the race card.” Which is exactly what the McCain people are hoping for.

Pointing out the underlying tactics of what McCain and the Republican 527 groups will do these last 30 days to try to scare white voters is not the same thing as playing the race card. But that’s a subtle distinction that’s altogether lost on the general public and the media.

Three weeks out from election day, the surest way for Obama to blow this thing is if America finds itself debating on national TV whether or not he is playing the race card.

No, what Obama has to do is whenever McCain does his best “Thug Life” attack is stand up there and talk about how he was endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations in September, and remind people (calmly) that the NAPO and other police officers around the nation (1) looked at his record and that of Joe Biden’s and (2) wouldn’t have backed a candidate they considered soft on crime.

He has to remind voters of his plans to rid our streets of assault weapons and “cop killing” semi-automatic hand guns, weapons that penetrate bullet proof vests — and ask Americans why John McCain opposes these measures to make our streets safer and protect our uniformed officers.

He can call McCain’s attacks a desperate attempt to distract voters away from the economy and the war and health care… but that’s about as far as he should go.

And Obama has to hit back hard on this point, early and often — because the later we get in the game, the nastier the Republican attacks will get. Race-baiting is one of the things they do best.

Tags: Barack Obama, crime, John McCain, Law and Order Republicans, McCain crime, McCain Law and Order, McCain using crime to hit Obama, NAPO, Obama endorsed by National Association of Police Office, Obama law and Order, police officers