Kerry's campaign staff should be fired. They are totally worthless!

[lottie244]

Any really good campaing manager and staff would have this truth about his testimony before congress put out a long time ago, along with the facts that Kerry was speaking on behalf of hundreds of Viet Nam Vets who wanted their story told but who were afraid of having benefits and health services cut off as well has being black-balled from employment.

The Kerry campaign staff aren't worth a shit!! Have they even posted his testimony on his website? Every spokes person for Kerry appearing on the talk shows runs from his Viet Nam testimony just as they run from being identified as "liberal" There was absolutely nothing to be ashamed of by Kerry's testimony. Once again the Dems and liberals have let the opposition DEFINE our position and re-define the truth as far back as when Kerry actually testified. We will always lose as long as we do this.

[trumad]

1. Woooo Nellie... easy now...

Kerry leads in almost every poll and is doing just fine. I think you're crying wolf in a very ignorant way.

[Karenina]

2. Now Lottie...

May I suggest you send your criticism directly to them? ;-)

[cynatnite]

3. um...no...completely wrong.

The testimony's always been out there and easy to find. Anyone with half a brain could get it.

The Kerry campaign has done a great job, IMO. A little slow in the beginning, but now people are seeing that these swift jerks are nothing but liars and opportunists.

Ted Devine does an exceptional job when he's out there.

If you believe the polls, they'll show that Kerry's well on his way to taking the white house from the thieves.

We won't lose. Take your pessimism elsewhere.

Cyn:)

[Connie_Corleone]

4. Did you look at their rapid response site??

http://blog.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/archives/002516.html#more

This has the real facts about Kerry's testimony in 1971.

I don't know what shows you're watching, but I haven't seen his surrogates running from his testimony. They mention that Kerry was stating what he heard from fellow vets at the wintersoldier meeting. They also mention the award-winning story from the Ohio newspaper about the atrocities committed in Vietnam.

[gasperc]

5. check out electoral-vote.com, things are ok

back to solid leads in IA,WI, MI, PA things look like they have swung to Bush for OH and WV for now, but TN,VA are officially battlegrounds.

From now on, the Kerry campaign will have response ads up right away if only in limited markets so they get alot of "free play" like those smear boat mother fuckers got

[dennis4868]

9. Does Bush have a....

big lead in Ohio? It is suprising to me that Ohio would be so close since so many jobs have been lost in that state since Bush stole the election.

[gasperc]

23. Ohio will be touch and go, the Dem party is weak in the state

that more than half the problem, the Kerry campaign has probably been stuck rebuilding statewide support. They can look to local clubs and congressional candidates for local headquarters and stuff.

[the Kelly Gang]

6. they would have found something else to lie about..so take it in stride

I belive this will backfire on Bush..this isn't Dukakis or McCain or any of the others who crumbled from these attacks

[blondeatlast]

7. Polling AHEAD or nearly neck-and-neck with an incumbent, wartime

president.

Bit the SBVL in the ass.

His testimony is widely available to those who care to look it up.

Frankly, I'd say they are doing a terrific job.

To each his/her own, though.

[The Hair in my Nose]

8. Bush Lite...

... ain't bright!

Why in the hell doesn't Kerry focus on the economic and social agenda? Provide a much needed alternative, explain the imperative of regaining the Supreme court from Rhenquist and Scalia!

Instead he mentions Viet Nam with every breath leading up to the convention and then makes his nomination speech a Viet Nam based candidacy... complete with salute!

As one who detests the Iraq & Afghanistan crusading mentality it is infuriating to hear the debate center around the shrapnel in Kerry's leg! He was a hero, fine. Mention that and move on. Tell folks that the shrapnel reminds him of the folly and price of illadvised wars and pledge to the American people to extract us from this bogus and costly crusade.

Anti-war supporters are Democrats too! We're tired of being the crazy aunt in the basement -- hidden and silenced while the campaign is on!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Bide your time

Accept party discipline or join or form another party. After victory in November, there will be plenty of time to set the direction of the party and influence its goals and directions. In the meantime, if you want Bush defeated, direct your fire outward. It wouldn't be the first time Kerry has faced "friendly fire", but he doesn't need any now either.

[The Hair in my Nose]

17. Accept party discipline or join or form another party

... so it is back to the basement for those of us who are not ashamed of our anti-war stance ???

Hell no! Our party needs a conscience and I for one will call the party and John Kerry, the nominee, to give our country a clear vision of peace rather than promise a kinder gentler general.

Kerry needs to stand on his senate record -- the causes he has espoused for decades and not let this damn campaign be a Viet Nam deja vu.

This war focus is silencing our vision, it hamstrings Edwards from hammering home his powerful two Americas message.

Does "party discipline" mean pretend this present approach can not be challenged?

We're walking off a cliff (a current lead is no indicator that we will have it in three weeks or on election day ... Dukakis).

But hey no need to mention that... just head on down to the basement where the peace wing of the party is cloistered and gagged.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. You can be the conscience later, when it will count for more.

Does "party discipline" mean pretend this present approach can not be challenged?

Of course not. But if you understand the concept that leadership requires followers, and that being a follower when discipline is required is not ignoble, then you will focus on beating Bush, not Kerry. If you want to beat Kerry, or you believe he is going off a cliff, then either jump ship to the Republicans or jump ship to another party, respectively.

Your choice. Attacking the leader at this time and not waiting until after the election is not the way to win this election. The die has been cast. Kerry is the candidate and will win or lose his way. Everything else is the wind at his back or anklebiters.

Are you an anklebiter?

[The Hair in my Nose]

24. Are you an anklebiter?... No

... just holding my nose (hair and all) while I support a pro-war candidate hoping he doesn't mean what he has said.

[no name no slogan]

20. It's not "friendly fire". It's an INTERVENTION

...for a friend who doesn't realize he's drinking himself to death. Kerry is so drunk on the Republican's debating terms, he's not hammering away on the issues the DEMOCRRATS can win on!

The above poster does have a point. Unfortunately the Dems are (once again) letting the Repubs DICTATE THE DEBATE. Instead of talking about how more and more of our troops are dying trying to take over a Shia holy site, we're discussing whether or not our candidate got more than a scratch thirty-five years ago in a war (acknowledged by damn near everybody) that was a big mistake.

Kerry's playing GoreBall this year-- he's letting BushCo dictate the terms of the debate (what happened 35+ years ago) as opposed to hammering Bush where he's got some serious weaknesses (shitty economy, immoral wars, public schools/infrastructure going to hell while we continue to have a cold-war era army).

THAT is the reason why, despite how truly horrendous Bush is, Kerry is STILL not poling over 50% in the polls. Kerry should be kicking Dubya's ass all over the country with things as they are. Instead he chose to focus on his war record from almost 40 years ago instead of on the REAL problems in this country.

Kerry needs to go on the offensive, NOW, and talk about DEMOCRATIC issues-- NOT just answer slimeball allegations by paid BushCo operatives.

[JI7]

19. those who complain the most usually care the least about what they

complain about since if they cared they would be informed about what kerry is saying and doing.

but then we know some just have an agenda.

[senseandsensibility]

10. I think lottie is talking about

the clarity of the message. If any of Kerry's surrogates have explained the situation regarding the vets(ie fear of losing benefits, etc.) in as clear a way as she did in her post, I must have missed it. And it's a great point. They should be stating it clearly. There really is no rebuttal.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. I think Kerry timed this for this week.

I think he timed it for this week. It will dominate the news up until the election, though Senator Roberts, like a good soldier, has trotted out his controversial intelligence plan just because Kerry is counter-attacking.

With luck, there will be enough anger among Republicans at the convention that it will make a stink. They might be angry at the Bush campaign for allowing vets to get trashed, and for looking mean and unprincipled, just when they had hoped to be shining above any protests. Of course many will be angry at Kerry and some may wander off the reservation and forget to project the moderate face the script calls for.

[rocktivity]

12. You're half right--it's his media team that needs to be benched

The people working the grass roots end of the Kerry campaign--the local coordination and the rallies--are obviously on the ball, with poll numbers to show for it. It's the people who are interfacing with the national media who are costing Kerry the undecided vote and a more comfortable lead.

The Kerry camp should be issuing immediate, concise, factual, Bush-undermining statements; calling in to Air America every day (and the news shows if need be); making sure the Dem "surrogates" are completely informed and prepared before going on the air. I realize that they're working at a disadvantage, that the mainstream media are going to screw Kerry no matter what. But why hand them the screwdrivers?

The Bush camp didn't put Kerry in a powder blue hooded jumpsuit. Kerry could have put that to rest by saying, "I had to put on that suit for safety reasons. I didn't put it on for political ones." And by accusing the Smear-Boaters of being politically orchestrated to divert attention away from Bush's military record, he would have run them aground within a week.

:headbang:
rocknation

[WilliamPitt]

14. pzzzzcheee...oh never fucking mind

[freetobegay]

15. Maybe you should apply for the job

You seem to know so much more than they do.

[dolstein]

16. Kerry should run without any staff, like he did during the primaries

Where did all these worthless staff people come from? After Kerry won his party's nominatino without any staff whatsoever, it's a wonder he actually bothered to hire these worthless layabouts.

[trumad]

21. Another classic drive-by posting....

Shit...not even a follow up from the thread starter.... Hello... you out there?

[Claire Beth]

22. Actually Kerry et al are running a smart

campaign. He is known for having a strong finish.

[Tomee450]

25. There does appear to be ineptness.

I don't think the Kerry people are waging a good campaign. They allowed this swiftboat controversy to get completely out of hand.

[NashVegas]

26. Oh, I Don't Know About That

By letting it go on as long as they did, they were able to gather some evidence that Bush's cronies were funding the group and members of Bush's campaign were working with them.

If Kerry had responded in June, would we have gotten our hands on the flyer?

Rope can be your friend if you know how to use it.