The Final Week

As we head into the final full week of the campaign, news stories develop quickly. I find it impossible to keep up with every development. Regardless of what happens we should focus on three events during the next nine days. If we talk about these items and warn about them well in advance of their happening, they will be less likely to harm us.

1) Voter fraud, cheating, intimidation. Virtually the entire blogosphere is buzzing about the Dems' illegal activities across the country. We have to keep the pressure on and remind everyone that DNC cheating will influence the outcome. That way, we are less likely to be viewed as sore losers if we have to file suit to overturn fraudulent results. We are less likely to be viewed as usurpers if the courts prevent the Dems from cheating or if fraudulent Dem votes are discounted. Local officials need backbone in order to resist cheating. Our efforts to spread the news will give them backbone. If officials know that fraud will see the light of day, they may be braver in stopping it.

Look for Ohio to be this year's Florida. Most of the illegal registration/ provisional ballot/misleading ballot controversy has centered in that state. That is where the crack story surfaced. At least one Bush headquarters break-in happened there. Also look at Wisconsin, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Florida and elsewhere.

2) Terrorist attacks. It is almost impossible to predict when or where terrorist attacks will come. Bush has become almost a victim of his own success. We have gone so long without a major attack, it is hard to imagine another one coming. It is hard not to greet the warnings with a yawn.

If an attack comes, we must be prepared to respond. We must mentally prepare our blog response now.

We have been warning about terrorist attacks for months, while the Dems have been accusing Bush of inventing heightened terror alerts for political gain. We must remind the voters that the Democrats have downplayed the possibility of an attack for months. We must also remind the voters that we can't let the terrorists force us to change leaders like they did in Spain.

One scenario is more than a mere possibility, it is nearly certain to occur. The terrorists will step up their attacks in Iraq this week. We should prepare for simultaneous, massive car bombs, suicide bombs and other similar attacks throughout Iraq. We must prepare for many U.S. casualties, and massive Iraqi military losses. We should warn of this now, so that we will not be viewed as having presented too rosy a picture. The Dems will accuse us of having been asleep, overly optimistic, etc. Only if we come out with warnings, will we diffuse this attack.

3) The Dems' October surprise. The Dems may not need one - at least not apart from their cheating and the terrorists attacks. The cheating may BE the October surprise. Or, the Democrats might simply plan to capitalize on whatever attacks the terrorists employ.

Even so, remember the last minute DUI story of 2000, or the Caspar Weinberger indictment of 1992. Whatever comes out this Thursday or Friday, it will be false, irrelevant, old or a combination of all three. The Dan Rather memos would have been the October surprise had the SwiftBoatVets not forced the Dems'/CBS' hand.

Prepare the blogosphere for the possibility of an October surprise so that whatever surprise the Dems have in store will be blunted. If it is not a surprise, it will lose effectiveness.
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All of the above three items will hurt us only if we and the swing voters are surprised. Our role is to prepare them for whatever news may come. That is why we are the New Media.

Regardless of the outcome, prepare to continue the fight after November 2, 2004. More on that later this week.