Ray Malone's Commentary

The most important part of a general election is the get out the vote efforts by both parties. The one with the best effort almost always wins. To motivate voters to vote, one must have a keen interest in politics and a lot of knowledge.

The really bad situation is when a candidates weak points are never brought to the surface until the general election campaign. Most of the the candidate's volunteers haven't a clue about how to respond to new attacks. By the time the best response has been prepared the damage has been done.

In the 2000 general election Bush had a 5 or 6 point lead going into the final few days. Then the Bush Drunken Driving Conviction story hit the news. It is credited with turning an easy Bush win to a very close race. It likely cost a Senate seat or two as well. Had that Bush DUI conviction story hit the fan in the primary campaign... Bush would have won easily and would have very likely controlled the Senate for the entire first two years.

But no one did any nasty reporting or attacks on George W. Bush... That was considered the Democrat's Duty. The Democrats waited until the most effective moment to do their DUTY?

The dumbest thing any party can do is NOT engage in a full out no holds barred scrimmage during the primary season. To do so leaves all the weak points of the nominee for the opposition to bring out and air.. to bring to the public when it can cost the nominee the election.

A winning team in sports or in politics fights the scrimmage with all their might.. testing each leading candidate with all the attacks lesser players can muster. Then the team comes together to play the real game.

THAT IS THE WAY IT IS DONE... THAT IS, IF THE TEAM WANTS TO WIN!

If you just want to be PC and lose, then never ever say anything negative about any Republican candidate. Just keep telling people that is Hillary's job.. especially when what she attacks late in the campaign with what proves to be effective opposition.

In 1992 all the negative stuff on CLINTON came out early in the PRIMARY SEASON!! You don't suppose that was planned do you? Do you remember the Clinton's using the term OLD NEWS in the general election!!!!

If every reason a candidate should not be elected is aired long before he earns the nomination, then his campaign can not be blindsided. He has been hit with the worst and has been able to survive it.

A NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THAT CANDIDATE WILL NOT WORK!!!

The most destructive thing a campaign can face is an attack by the other party for which his supporters have not been prepared.

I remember talking to Jerry ford about Reagan's 11th commandment. Jerry had barely defeated Reagan in the 1976 Republican primary. Then Jerry lost the general election.

Ford knew how effective at attacking opponents Reagan was. He also angry that Reagan had refused to concede in 1976.... even after he had lost the primaries. Reagan engaged in the divisive act of insisting on being nominated and voted on at the convention.

Did it occur to Jerry that Reagan's 1980 attempt depended in large measure on Ford losing in 1976? Jerry asked why else would Reagan do such a divisive thing in 1976?The continued race by Reagan after all was lost allowed the media to point out how divisive the primary campaign had been.

Now it was 1980 and Reagan was the nominee and his campaign was the subject of discussion. Jerry asked , "Do You know who the "fellow Republican" is in Reagan's "Speak no evil of a fellow Republican bit?"

Jerry answered his own question......"Reagan's 'Fellow Republican" is actually Ronald Reagan!! I know damn well it has never been Jerry Ford."