Notre Dame/Michigan State and the election.

1. Karl Rove is not a genius. He is smart and hardworking - what he is doing -again - in this campaign is not hard to see or figure out.
2. Rove frames the debate, goes on offence, executes a multi-platform direct assault over and over again. So ABC does hit job. Chris Wallace does hit job. Condi Rice does hit job. THIS IS COORDINATED. From the top. The message is simple and clear. Bush = good. Democrats = bad. And what story is not in the news this week like it should be??? 16 "Intelligence" agencies say the war in Iraq has increased terrorism. We are hearing about Clinton instead.
I loath Rove - but my my my - He is good.
3. Unless and until Democrats deal with the fact that the GOP is vicious, well coordinated, and perfectly willing to lie, engage in character assassination, and cheat they will not win elections. Defeating these people is not hard. Rove can be defeated. Sadly, the Bob Shrum "let's play nice Democrats" are still ascendant. Democrats are going to have to: A. play offense. and B. "stoop to their level" - because if they don't the criminal insanity will go on. And on. Lives are in the balance. We have got to win.
4. Democrats must face the fact that by and large - the media is now pro Republican. Accept it. Deal with it. Make plans that incorporate the fact that A. Democrats need the media. and B. It will spin any story against Democrats if given the chance.
5. Expect to start hearing chatter like this - "are the Democrats going to botch this election, too?" Like Notre Dame last Saturday against Michigan State - Rove is about to pull out a victory in the last 9 minutes. Why? Cuz our coaches suck. They need to be fired.