Kerry will be on Meet the Press this Sunday

[Killarney]

This is his chance. Bush blew MTP. Bush blew his press conference. Kerry has taken a step back to allow Bush to implode all week. Polls are showing that people are not satisfied with Bush, but they don't KNOW Kerry. This is Kerry's chance. If he can come across well on MTP, this could be fantastic. Show that Americans have a fantastic other option to Bush. Give some good soundbites that the news can replay. Come on Kerry...

[fertilizeonarbusto]

1. As long as

he doesn't let Mediawhore Russert push him around. In fact, if he bats Russie back good, he might pick up a few votes from people happy to see ANYONE stand up to that pompous windbag.

[fujiyama]

10. Exactly

I remember a great article on slate a while back that said how to debate Russert.

I though Ted Kennedy did a great job. He didn't give an inch. I hope Kerry is also as forceful.

[demnan]

2. I heard him on the Ed Shultz show yesterday

and it was so refreshing to hear a man with ideas on how to get things done who can speak and think articulately.

The bar isn't very high, Kerry could talk better in his sleep than Bush can awake.

[skooooo]

3. Will he be wearing an earpiece???

....Or is he actually able to think for himself..?

[molly]

5. He was debate champ at Yale

so I think he can think and is fast on his feet.

[Debi]

11. Are you calling him a master debater??

:evilgrin:

[jpgray]

4. Russert will be whoring like no tomorrow, I'm sure

Kerry needs to especially be ready on these points:

1. That he offers no different plan from Bush in Iraq

2. That he was inconsistent on Iraq

3. Some BS about 527s subverting Democracy

4. Gas tax

5. Any apparent contradiction in his Senate votes

6. 'Are you really a Catholic?' BS

There are a few more I'm neglecting, but the good news is he can answer every one of these effectively.

1. His answer about 'de-Americanizing' the occupation sounds pretty good and will probably make a lot more sense to people than Bush's nonsense--he should remind people that Bush wants permanent bases, and that the turning over of power on June 30 seems an empty symbolic (and political) gesture.

2. The only real point where his statements are inconsistent was believing there were WMD in Iraq. His 'I voted for a process' doesn't fly very well, but explaining how he always wanted the UN to take a leading role will resonate, as will his consistent calls for a wide coalition BEFORE we made any kind of a mess in Iraq. He can note that Bush didn't give a crap until he really put his foot in it. Also, his consistent wish that all peaceful means be exhausted (inspections!) will sound pretty good. He didn't exactly VOTE for those things, and Russert will hit back that way.

3. This one he can swat away--all he has to say is that he has no control over these groups, and that as long as they operate within the rules it's not much of an issue. He could talk about the waste involved in these expensive campaigns, however, and remind people that the GOP will try to use this loophole as well.

4. Dick Cheney, Wyoming, 80s. Same time, same gas tax plan (more expensive). He can argue that he wished to lower dependence on foreign oil, and now connect that wish with his current plan for an alternative energy Manhattan project.

5. This is a no-win for Kerry, because explaining Senate intricacies is not going to win him any fans. He should mention that sometimes a feel-good bill like a 'freedom is good' resolution will have tons of pork and graft tacked on to it, and so even though voting against it is the right thing to do, one will still be politically attacked out of context.

6. He should smack this one out of the park. Bring up the death penalty, the Pope against the war, and then ask if those politicians are refused communion as well. Of course they are not. He should ask if every female Catholic who believes in a woman's right to choose should be excommunicated from the church. He can take this one easy.

[CityDem]

6. Add another regarding tax returns

I would not be surprised if Russert asks why Kerry won't release his wifes tax returns. He will have the media clips from the 90 campaign where Kerry attacked his opponent lack of full disclosure. Like it or not, this will become a bigger and bigger issue as the campaign goes forward.

[jpgray]

7. Heard about it, he can say Teresa is independent

She controls her own money, so she will have to decide on that. :D

[beyurslf]

8. Average middle Americans are not going to by that.

Swing voters in the mid west.... suburban moms... They are a married couple and I don't think most Americans will think they are "separate" when it comes to their taxes.

[Leilani]

9. I hope he keeps his answers short

& non-rambling.

Also, English, rather than Senatese is preferred language.

[Awsi Dooger]

12. That's by far the best advice

Standing up to Russert will thrill Democratic zealots and provoke a lengthy but meaningless DU thread.

The swing voters who decide elections will be looking for common sense short sound bytes and a persistent threat of normalcy. Areas where John Edwards excels but Kerry has shown frustratingly little improvement since sewing the nomination. But Kerry is much better during Q & A sessions like Meet The Press than in prepared speeches, which continue to be gruesome, virtually unwatchable, policy-yarn marathons.

Gore flubbed a Meet The Press outing during the 2000 campaign, but that was much later, July or early August. I'll be interested if Russert tries to savage Kerry this time, or backs off a bit to provide Kerry a false sense of security before the much more important Sunday appearance(s) later in the campaign.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

13. Kerry is on..not really listening to it..

..my partner is. Seems like Kerry is on the defensive, trying to set the record straight on his votes/statements.