Todd Akin vs. The Student

It’s Todd Akin vs. The People. More specifically, it’s Todd Akin vs. The Student.

At least that’s been the message from the McCaskill campaign for the past few weeks. Instead of taking the cheap shot and nailing her opponent for his infamous comments on “legitimate rape,” McCaskill has shifted the debate to campus, calling out Akin for his opposition to federal education assistance and casting the federal loan debate in the light of middle-class rhetoric.

“The only guaranteed ticket to the middle class is a college education. I am not aware that there is another guaranteed ticket.”

By referencing the middle class apocalypse dominating the political environment, McCaskill created a sense of urgency with three implications:

Not for you.

1.    There are a lot of people being left out, and few have access to that golden ticket. If you are not part of those privileged few, the “wealthy kids and a few athletes that are really talented…and maybe a few academic rock stars,” then you're out of luck. But if you want that access and opportunity for prosperity, then there's only one recognizable hero...

2.   The federal government is the only entity capable of equitably funding a large swath of the state’s student population. To swear by the benefits of the feds at a time when most Americans wouldn’t touch Washington with a ten-foot stick is risky, but McCaskill overcomes the connotations with confidence:

“I am not aware of people who think that the federal government should quit backing student loans and completely get out of the business of helping kids get to college.” 

By claiming ignorance of opposition to the issue, McCaskill assumes the support for her position, a risky but admirable technique. More importantly, she rules out any sources of reasonable opposition, including…

     3. Todd Akin is the enemy of students, preferring rigid ideology over the concerns of students, at least according to an effectively caustic McCaskill attack ad.

The image of an aloof Akin in the closing seconds reinforces his helplessness, McCaskill’s competence, and the general imbalance of the election. It’s clear that McCaskill owns the issue and Akin just “makes Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum look like hippies.”