Do you know the term “October Surprise”? It was coined in 1972 when 10 days pre-election, incumbent President Nixon sucked the remaining oxygen from Democratic candidate George McGovern’s anti-Viet Nam war campaign message by declaring that peace was at hand. Ever since, the term “October Surprise” has been used to describe pre-emptive strikes by one prospective leader designed to strike a powerful blow to the opponent’s election intentions. Or, as in the fun fictional case of “Wag the Dog,” to help the candidate deflect attention from his own brewing scandal.
What October Surprises do you predict this year? Let’s keep a running list here.
Gloria Feldt is the author of No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power. Buy the book here. Engage Gloria for a Speech or Workshop. Tweet @GloriaFeldt and connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ Gloria is the co-founder (with Amy Litzenberger) of Take the Lead, a new initiative to prepare and propel women to leadership parity by 2025. Find them @takeleadwomen and on Facebook.
Latest posts by Gloria Feldt (Posts)
- The Young Politica: Guns on Campus - April 26, 2013
- Women’s Campaign Fund Won’t Settle for Less Than Half - April 24, 2013
- Women’s History Month: Why Sally Jewell as Secretary of the Interior Could be a Historic Win - March 29, 2013
OCTOBER SURPRISES:
Romney states, “I jus can’t cut it. I quit.” Republicans draft Condoleezza Rice.
Obama states, “I’ve had it. Get somebody else.” Hillary may be on the ticket.
Al Sharpton comments, “Now ain’t dat sumptin!”
Herman Cain says, “Why not me?”
New Liberal platform: “Legalize everything except guns.”
New Republican platform: We CAN get our act together – and someday we may.”
The Republicans in Congress get so scared that Romney will lose and they will lose some Senate seats that they pass the JOBS bill in a last ditch effort to claim they are the ones doing something for the economy.