It was Kerry's to lose, and he is losing it

[lil-petunia]

I am shocked at how dismal this campaign is turning out. Are we seeing Al Gore revisted, instead of Clintonesque destruction of an inept, disliked, possibly demented, sitting president?

Not only has our side been out-thought and out-planned, they managed to get the Kerry campaign to concentrate on Viet Nam, of all things, forcing him to defend his actions 30 years later. What idiot in the campaign allowed that to happen?

While Bush has plausible deniability about his role in the Swift Boat ads, and while smirkingly pretending to maintain the high ground with his "No 527s, none" approach, the Kerry campaign has missed the boat completely. Here is the litany of their errors:
a) They respond to Swifties by throwing temper tantrums.
b) they send inept speakers to the media, many of whom cannot deal with the idea that Rove and company will lie at any cost.
c) they actually RESPOND to news media requests for a talking (?) head when the subject is Swifties. Just how dumb is that? If they refused to send anyone, it would be better because the story would have died an early death. But no. They send inept morons incapable of fighting fire with fire. This gives the media more meat to chew on. It keeps the story alive. It makes people start questioning Kerry's honesty - at the same time that Bush gets a free ride about his Alabama activities. And the ineptness of our talking heads makes people wonder if Kerry has something to hide. THIS IS CRAZY.
d) they have not raised one issue with legs in this campaign. not one.
e) by caving in on the Iraqi war, and joining the Bush side of this issue, this team of idiots has insulted the intelligence of 50% of the population who know that without WMD, nukes, AQ ties, that this war of Perle's Wolfie's and Cheney's was an complete and utter deadly mistake. No wonder people are luke warm at best about this Krew of Keystone Kops.
f) The economic news is horrific. the Tax breaks did not work. Where is Kerry on this issue? IT IS THE ECONOMY, STUPID! Unfortunately, it seems to be, where is Kerry on any issue?

I don't blame Kerry personally. But the people running his campaign have been, at best, pathetic, incompetent and incapable of seeing what is really needed. We have 60+ days to get rid of the evil shrub. We needed a counterpart to Lee Atwater, instead, we are getting cholesteral free, diet, faux pseudo-white bread. We needed a smart, focused compaign. Instead, the Kerry ship is floundering like a blind, 90 yr old woman who likes to park her huge car by touch, not by the space available. We needed some fire in the belly from teh campaign - the kind of stuff that Dean supporters had plenty of. Instead, we got melted vanilla ice cream that sat in the sun for 8 hours.

Some changes are needed. I plan to vote for him and support him, but jeeez, how about some support from the leaders of this campaign? I think a drastic overhaul is necessary. Bring back some of the geniuses from the first Clinton campaign. Or the second. Either would be a drastic improvement.

If it is not too late.

[henslee]

1. Easy tiger. Have some breakfast. Watch some protests.... Things

are just getting started.

[lil-petunia]

2. (insert weak smile) thanks, Henslee

I'l do just that.
(remove weak smile)
(insert standard frown)

[emulatorloo]

3. Sorry, Bush is losing. . .that's why he is so desparate.

Swift Boat Vets for Bush is backfiring. People know GWB is behind it.

Kerry/Edwards are hitting hard on the issues. Maybe you aren't paying attention? Here's a bunch of links:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x686089

Lastly, the pres campaign really never swings into high gear until around labor day. . .

[DemNoir]

4. Thanks for your help

Why don't you a consider a vacation till Nov 3,think about a residential treatment center.

Sadly, your mind has been programmed by Republican spin and you don't realize it.

[lil-petunia]

10. I think not. The opinion comes from observation, not

spin.

I sincerely believe that Bush has wrought more damage and trouble on this nation than any other individual. We have to get him out of office before he does even more damage.

But, how hard is it to create a decent plan to carry it out? - this ain't it. Bush is detested and mistrusted by many. We have a growingly unpopular war. The economy is in shambles. Bush's Enron etc ties have been ignored. The middle east been turned into a hot-bed of anti-americanism. We had the moral support of the entire world after 9/11 and Bush managed to lose it all. Surely, that counts for something. Even with Joe 6pack.

Every issue on which we hold the moral and ethical high ground has been outspun, ignored or hidden. We can't blame the media for this. Even Faux reports bad news for their side when it exists. the blame can only go to one place - the people heading John Kerry's campaign.

The game plan sucks. If we can pull this out, it will be despite their plan and abilities, not because of it.

[MoonRiver]

22. I experience many moments of despair too, but,

I believe this election has already been rigged and possibly stolen. If vast numbers of Americans see through the evil chimp as clearly as you state, and I also think they do, they're not going to fall for this bogus swifty liar scheme. But our media whores keep spinning about a minority of polls showing AWOL barely ahead of Kerry. Gallup, one of the two, has notoriously bad methodology and was dead wrong on election 2000.

Its the bbvs that scare the %$#@ out of me. With our rightwing propaganda media machine promoting the idea that this is tied to slightly ahead for *, the fix is in imho. As has been said here numerous times, the election can't be stolen as easily if Kerry is perceived to be ahead. It must as least look like there's a tie. So until I see evidence that most of the districts using these machines will be using papertrails I'll continue sweating nails, not due to Kerry's campaign, but because our brand spanking new rightwing banana republic seems solidly in control of the 2004 election.

:scared:

[mandyky]

29. Hopefully the bravado of "GOP spin" makes you feel better

on 11-3 when we wake up in serious trouble.

I have been a proud Dem for over 25 years, but if Kerry and the pink tutu crowd botch this one, this country is screwed. I refuse to whistle past the cemetary with Democratic spin, either.

And if what I am saying in this post is offensive, I have laid off ANY real criticism of Kerry until after Nov. 3rd, and I will vote for him, but telling people they need rehab for noticing Kerry is sinking like a rock is just beyond the pale.

[Armstead]

5. Alas, I agree with most of that.

After a promising start in the primnaries, the Democratic Party and the left have fucked up big time.

People wanted red meat and we got waffles. Bush is the worst President most of us can remember -- possibly the worst president ever. He has said and done an amazing number of stupid and damaging things, including a war that was launched under false pretenses. A majority of the country says Bush is taking us in the wrong direction and are least are ready for a change.

And with all of that, we're still losing it. Bush is going to squeak in because we aren't able to convince those who are on the fence that we offer anything better. Not have we given those who are truly left out and angry with the system any reason to go to the polls.

The media are slime, but we should have learned to work it better by now. So many of those "Democratic strategists" are sending out a message of weakness and indecisivness.

Kerry's got to punch harder, and his campaign has got top stop throwing wiffleballs. AND offer sonmething real and positive as a tangible alternative.

[watercolors]

6. Kerry running a great campaign

Quit watching the media whore news channels. Also get out there and do something to help! volunteer at your local Dem.. headquarters, you'll feel better. Tired of the negativity here of some people. Polls are useless, far too many. I beleive in Kerry's campaign, I have watched him for years. HE IS A FIGHTER!!

[wildeyed]

11. thanks watercolors

I'm with you. I enjoy DU, but I find myself spending less time here because many of the threads increase my anxiety to high high levels.

I am not in charge of what the Kerry campaign does. I am not in charge of what the whore media does. I am not in charge of what BushCo does. I am in charge of what I do. What I do is register new democratic voters. I feel sooooo much better right after I get a big fat stack of new registrations to mail in. Take that GW!

[Birthmark]

7. More doom and gloom?

I'm not buying it. Sorry, Kerry is fine and he will win by a significant margin in November. Don't get caught up in the media game.

[qanda]

8. I think you've been watching...

Way too much FOX.

[slor]

9. I too, am disappointed...

but this is hardly the Kerry Campaign's fault alone. They did believe the Swift Boat Vermin attacks would be seen as they should be, LIES. But the pro * media, which is to say, the media, would not have that little fact get in the way. So we have been inundated with their crap, meanwhile the economy, the war, the environment, are all going down the tubes, and we have CIA agents exposed, and spies in the Pentagon. Major McChimp knows this, as well as the rest of his administration, they just need to keep it covered up for just a few more weeks, a Herculean task that I personally do not think is possible.

[Armstead]

12. It will remain covered up

Kerry is not using the most potent weapon. The abundant evidence of incompetance and corruption and the undermining of the national interest by the administration and the GOP-Corporate machine.

All that's needed is to connect the dots. If Kerry knows things he's not telling, he'd better bring it out of his bag of tricks now. He doesn't even need "secret knowledge." Just the things that are known on the surface should be sufficient to inspire enough general anger and suspicion to ensure that Bush loses by a mile.

[lil-petunia]

13. All the proof and evidence is there, agreed.

so why isn't this campaign using it? Where is the moral outrage? where's the fire in the belly?

[DoYouEverWonder]

28. It will all hit the fan

once the Repug Love Fest is over.

Take deeps breathes, it's okay.

[nolabels]

32. "the economy, the war, the environment, are all going down the tubes"

And many other things they have falsely reported on are the same way. I am coming to the conclusion they, the corporate media are more to fault than the Fraud and it's minions itself. After all, this kind of propaganda could never be accomplished without the tools they are sharing with bushco.

The ones that didn't go along withe the program of their corporate brethren got pushed off or replaced long time ago. Any kind of honest unbiased corporate reporting is very rare these days.

No candidate in history has ever got such kid glove treatment and positive spin. If Democrat had the track record of bushco we would all be running for the hills to hide. Instead they, the bushco's, probably rejoice in it on how it is going, secretly of course. In their amazement they must be asking how they are able to get away with it. I am still optimistic because most grand plans that are meant deprive and deceive the general public fail in the end

[snippy]

14. If Kerry makes major changes to his campaign staff now, the republicans

and the media will begin circling like vultures. There will be no press coverage of anything other than Kerry being forced to make the changes because of the mistakes the campaign is perceived to have made. The changes will be portrayed as a futile effort made by a candidate who knows he already has lost.

Kerry has taken one of the Bush's best shots from the Bush Swift Boat ads and has come out only slightly weakened. The important thing now is to prevent that weakening from developing into a trend.

Pointing out the falsehoods in Bush's Swift Boat ads and Bush's responsibility for the ads needs to continue since Bush is likely to run additional Swift Boat ads. And a heavy emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that Bush wants to discuss a war that ended 30 years ago rather than Bush's current war, or Bush's next war, or the economy.

[democrank]

15. The Kerry team behaves as though

they think all this SBV crap will come out in the wash. It won`t and neither will the flack over Kerry`s protest vote against the $87,000,000,000. Did McCain get defeated? Did Cleland? It appears that Kerry`s handlers are directing him to just play it safe. Appeal to the middle. Don`t make waves. Well, a quick overview of most polling data suggests whether or not that is a good idea.

I`m not saying that Kerry is going to lose. I`m saying that he is playing defense not offense. An AWOL loser is ahead or tied with a decorated Vietnam Veteran at a time when the body count in Iraq is approaching 1,000 and factories are slamming shut.

Did the Kerry handlers think they could simply send a cautious middle-of-the-roader on Inside Politics to answer these smears? We know how that works.... ratings-boosting sensationalism disguised as truth.

By now, given the horrific mess in Iraq, our loss of respect in the world, the rising cost of health care, the outsourcing of jobs, Bush should be on the ground bleeding from a fatal wound. He`s not. Instead he is about tied with Kerry and has the potential good fortune of a convention bounce with only 60-something days to go. Our side needs a new battle plan.

[American liberal]

27. With all due respect...I think you're wrong

The Kerry campaign is doing a GREAT job! The swift boat liars have successfully been refuted. Kerry IS talking about the issues and some of his plans for the future of this country are even making it to the mainstream media (MSM).

Have you been reading the headlines? Poverty rates are increasing! Economic forecast dimmer than hoped. New overtime laws are screwing MILLIONS of people. You can bet your ass that Kerry is capitalizing on the repeated failures of the GOP economic plan. Supply-side didn't work under Reagan, and this hybrid under Bush, geared toward the "haves and the have-mores" is even more dismal.

The word is out, and people are going to be voting their wallets and pocketbooks come November. In the meantime, Kerry is drawing HUGE crowds. He is out there working his ass off talking to regular people in smaller, more personal venues. Are you aware that people were not allowed into a Bush speech in New Mexico recently unless they signed a paper saying that they support the president? Kerry has even been capitalizing on that!

Word of mouth is one of the most effective forms of advertising. And Kerry is out there day after day letting people get to know him. Real people. With real problems: healthcare issues, falling wages, unemployment... And based on what I've been reading here and elsewhere, he is wowing people. And then they tell all their friends and family about what a sincere, compassionate guy they think Kerry is, how they really feel listened to. In contrast, Bush is untouchable. He's hiding behind protective barriers and won't even spend the night in NYC during the convention!

And a lot of this work is falling beneath the radar screen of the MSM. And it's OK, 'cause the word is getting out. Kerry is giving new hope to disenfranchised millions. And organizations like moveon.org are out there registering new voters and airing soft money ads... I'm willing to bet voter turnout will be higher than it's been in recent memory and that Democrats and independents will be turning out in droves to vote Bush out of office.

I believe the real beauty of this election, and I am one who believes it is the most important election in my lifetime, is that people are getting involved again. Voter apathy is giving way to activism. Whether it's coming from the left or right, it's good for our country. Because it is up to us to hold our elected officials accountable. Despite all the Republican shenanigans, I think the Dems are getting more savvy and that we will take back the White House in January and regain the majority in Congress in 2006.

So, please, democrank, and all you folks who are anxious that the Dems aren't fighting hard enough or effectively enough, have some faith and get involved. There are lots of ways you can help. There is a groundswell of opposition to the shrub's policies brewing, and we will prevail come November.

Peace,
AL

[BootinUp]

16. Way too pessimistic...

Vietnam was going to be an issue, it has been an issue in every campaign Kerry was ever involved in. It is unavoidable.

Not sure what temper tantrums you refer to. There has been forceful rebuttals, which is called for considering the fact they attack his honorable service.

Inept speakers...which ones? I can't think of any inept speakers Kerry has sent to the media.

Responding to the media requests on the swift boat smears is necessary. They would fill an hour show with it whether or not Kerry responds. Not responding just isn't an option. The country will not choose a candidate that doesn't stand up for himself. They are looking for strong leadership in these times, hiding from the smears won't work.

Issues with legs...what issues do you want raised that haven't been? Just about every issue that I see raised at DU has been used in this campaign season. None of them are being discarded. It is a fact that Bush has been on the defensive for months, only the disgusting swift boat liars gave him somewhat of a break.

On the Iraq war, Kerry has to have a plan going forward, it is the Bush admin which has moved to our position not the other way. As far as the IWR vote, it is history, its done, and many dems voted for it. We did have to address the Iraq problem, the public wanted tough action. Kerry's position that Bush misused the authority is the correct position. Any other position would alienate too many voters.

The economy issue is in our favor, but its not as horrific as you paint it. We are not in a recession, but there is plenty too attack, and they have been, its been hard to get those attacks out there because of the swift boat/Vietnam story, but that story has pretty much run its course.

The country wants change, all polls indicate that. All that is left is to convince them Kerry is a strong leader with integrity and good instincts. I think his response to the smears will actually help in that regard. He wasn't my first choice, but I am 100% behind him, and he is still in a very good position against an incumbent.

[H2O Man]

17. Interesting post & responses .....

The last election showed how divided the country is, and how that division creates enough of a weakness that the guy who lost the election took office.

Our system is not broken beyond repair, but there is some damage. Obviously, too few people vote. And of those who do, far too many watch Fox News. And like several of the wise voices on this thread have said: do not allow Fox News to define reality for you.

By its nature, this election has to be closer than it should be. Because if the system were healthy, it would reject Bush in every town and city in every state.... because the vast majority of the families in those towns and cities are worse off today than they were -- and it is a direct result of the Bush/Cheney policies.

Please be patient! Or, better yet, if you are impatient, channel that energy in a positive way! We are going to win in November .... and then the real work begins. This country needs people to continue to stay focused, stay involved, and to invest their energies in this great nation.

[dumpster_baby]

18. you lost me on the "90 yo woman parking her car" thing

Other than that, good rant.

I think what it comes down to is that the best political-marketing people are talented and rich, and so they favor the politics of the GOP. So they work for the GOP. That is why the GOP (and the right wing think tanks and foundations) have successfully moved this country to the right--they have the best people.

That is why electoral politics in this country does not work for the people.

[Jon8503]

23. Exactly, On Target: But needs to get changed & only the people can do that

if get organized & someone to get things moving in the right direction.

[Jon8503]

19. Hey, agree with you too, said the same thing the other day &

caught hell for it. I have always supported the liberal end of the democratic party but I too am seeing Al Gore again. I don't understand how the dems run their campaign, that is all I am asking & it is upsetting to watch.

For instance, the election between Gore & Bush should not have even been close enough for a Nader factor or Florida factor. Gore had just come off of the best 8 years of economic livelihood for us all among other things and blew it.

I read yesterday the Democrats are telling the protesters to take it easy, let the republicans just enjoy their convention. The republicans & Rove & Co have told them they are going to blame the demonstrators on them. We jump every time that Rove speaks.

If you want to win, you have to fight for it.

[BeatleBoot]

20. O, Ye of Little Faith!

The sky is not falling.

Take heart, Bush needs a 25 point bounce from his convention to even get back in the ball game.

I smell the goal line. Victory will be sweet!

[OneBlueSky]

21. well, they're certainly allowing BushCo to set the campaign agenda . . .

and as long as that continues, BushCo is in the driver's seat . . . one can only hope that Kerry has some major offense ready to go in September and October . . . lord knows the ammunition is out there . . . Bush is the worst president in our history, and there's tons of evidence to prove it . . . but Kerry has to get out of the reactive mode and get proactive . . . and use provocative language that will give the media the kind of red meat they crave . . . "Bush is an environmental disaster!" . . . "Economic policy that encourages oursourcing American jobs is insane!" . . . "They don't want to privatize Social Security; they want to pillage it!" . . . "Bush is a liar!" . . . "Bush is a coward!" . . . take your pick . . . because if we don't grab the headlines, they surely will . . . as has been proven conclusively in the past three or four weeks . . .

[bowens43]

24. IMO if Kerry loses it will be because

he chose to make his service in Vietnam the center piece of his campaign. In doing so he lent legitimacy to these attacks. If he had instead, chose to keep the Vietnam service in the background the swiftie attacks would not have had anywhere near the impact that they have had (and the impact has been huge). They would have looked like nothing more than a vicious attack by bush dirty tricksters. Although the attacks are lies and would have come anyway, because of Kerry's 'reporting for duty' stuff at the convention , the issue has become legitimate. Now instead of debating the important issues we face in 2004 , the rest of the electoral season will be spent doing damage control.

[Cha]

34. We are occuppying a

Country. It is only right that Kerry showcased his service record and the Generals who are for him.

fuck bush and his slander machine. Kerry is going to be our President and this little fight will seem like Nothing.

[lolly]

52. Those attacks were planned long beforehand

Anyone who thinks Rove would not have pulled this out of his bag of tricks if Kerry had kept quiet about Vietnam hasn't watched much of Rove in action.

This attack was clearly in the planning stages for a while--even before Kerry was nominated. And if Clark or somebody else had won, Rove had a whole bag of tricks to use against whoever was running.

You could even make a guess that one reason Kerry hasn't reached too far into HIS bag of tricks is to avoid tipping off Rove. Vietnam he was ready for, and Kerry would have known that was coming. But if Kerry can time his biggest attacks for later in the election cycle (assuming--hoping he has some!) it will take Rove a while to mount a smear campaign to counter it.

[soothsayer]

25. Bah! For many people, the campaign starts at the debates

We have not yet begun to fight.

The wheels are coming off bushco every day. Their stupid RNC will be the end of this horrid administration as it fizzles to a close.

[AP]

26. Kerry is actually doing really well. I, personally, think Kerry had a lot

of weaknesses, and he has really eliminated almost all of them. I think he's exactly where he needs to be today to win the race.

Talking about Vietnam 60 days out is probably a good thing. I highly doubt the public will want to talk about Vietnam exclusively for the next two months. We're getting it out of our system now, and it's not killing Kerry to do so. He's still basically tied.

[saccheradi]

39. I concur.

We are seeing the shrub take his gloves off way to soon. If you ask me, It's a miscalculation brought on by his campaign wanting desperately to take whatever loose group of wags they can and front a little BS for the media.

The Kerry Campaign knows it's too early, so they make a big deal out of it so that they can get the Shrub to say 90 days out that Kerry is a Hero.

If you ask me, they are handling this campaign in a very subtle, very brilliant way... Kerry is holding back HIS ammo for the REAL fight, in the meantime grabbing the grenades the Shrub's campaign sends our way and tossing them back into his foxhole.

I think we will see Kerry come out with both barrels after labor day. He can say it then:
"all right Monkeyboy, I told you to play nice but you didn't want to, So now you get what's coming to you..."

[Crachet2004]

30. I share your concern, but somehow I have a feeling help is on the way.

I think the whole swift-boat ploy is meant to inoculate Bush against further revelations about his own military record...the GOP knows something pretty big is coming-at least, that is what I hope I am seeing. Otherwise, why would they get into a food-fight over Vietnam with a bona fide war hero?

John Kerry has been able to take the 'high road', to date, while others do the heavy lifting in a negative sense-Moveon.org, etc...and there is no real reason to change strategy. Kerry should attack on the issues, which he is trying to do.

It is early, and a lightening bolt can strike out of the blue any day... For example, the ongoing Israeli espionage/Plame/yellowcake dealio could explode like one of those cans of fake snakes...one minute nothing, the next, all THAT all over the place.

No, I do not think we have gotten all the help we are gonna get, and the GOP knows it. On the other hand, they are just about out of ammo.

They floated a stupid new tax plan (VAT), gonna beat the drum for privatizing social security (no help there), trying to latch onto the legacy of Johnny Cash (anyone who ever listened to him knows he championed everything the GOP does NOT stand for), just got humiliated by a minor ayatollah, oil high, economy low, deficit high, employment gains low...they are in trouble.

[Neshanic]

31. Agree, and if he or his campaign can't make hay out of this.....

..then it's a short ride to defeat.

You have to hand it to Rove. Getting McCain involved was genius. We all saw the blistering internet ad of McCain smacking down a deer in headlights Bush. This ad could be considered in the top ten of the most effective campaign ads in history.

It was pulled. Some issue/crap/excuse about not insulting McCain.McCain was trotted out and made to look like a fuzzy huggy bear for Bush, because he is in fact the deflection device. He knows it, everyone knows it, except for Kerry's camp aparently.

This is what should of occured. The ad gets aired. McCain and Bush complain. Kerry does and says along the lines of the following.

"The ad stays on, and I know it is a very sore point between two Vietnam vets who SERVED. We need to show Americans that this is a pattern of abuse that is ingrained any time a Republican goes head to head with anyone, even of his own party. Americans will see this, and ask the questions of WHO is safe from these attacks? Will my military son or daughter now be held to the scrutiny of what a republican party held hostage by it's far right wing considers homorable. I think not."

Now we have the Tweety good/Tweety bad/Tweety peckish group that seems to be under the false asumption that Tweety is not a media whore. Tweety will not foul his nest, and will throw whatever eggs of reason and honor over the side of his nest. Compile that with the thousand pin pricks of ads, replayed ads on news shows, and we have SBC-TV, all for the want of pulling that ad. That ad would of shut thousands up!

List all the horrific things you know Bush is and Bush does. Now take that list and rip off 99.9%. That is what average Joe knows and he seems to be OK with that, so he's still leaning Bush. and that's not in a Montana, that's everywhere.

The apologists for Kerry and his campaign are legion here. It's the media's fault, it's Tweety's fault, it's the dog. Well if Uncle Karl can get the media's attention, Kerry needs to also, and that does not mean backing down....EVER!

So we were treated to Dole, of all miscreants, a Viagra-popping has been, on the Wolfie show, saying the most heinous things about Kerry? Would he of done it with Kerrys's potent ad on the air? Probably. Would he of done it without? Obviously, since it's gotten more airplay with the back and forths and Kerry's "line one for you Mr. Dole."

But we have Dole mumbling something! He's mumbling the truth on air when no one thought no one was listening!

Yup...lets keep on that track, using 2 second truth moments, taken in the studio of CNN, That's the way to win.

[SammyWinstonJack]

33. Damn!

Where is that rain cloud smilie when ya need it? :eyes:

[Cha]

35. I got this instead!

[Blue_Roses]

36. more gloom and doom posts

:eyes:

[WI_DEM]

37. I agree with 80% of what you say

Kerry did allow the month of August which should have been focused on Bush's record leading up to his convention to be dominated by a bunch of lies about his Vietnam record. The lead he had enjoyed all year against Schrub is disappearing and new polls indicate Bush pulling ahead--all before his convention!!

I also admire your guts for posting it here. I think of it as constructive criticism, which is supposed to be allowed, but many others here will criticize you for dumping on Kerry and tell you to shut up and get behind the nominee and follow him blindly even if his handlers are leading him over the cliff. If Kerry loses I wonder how the DLC will spin it? Let's hope we never find out and Kerry will still win.

[Neshanic]

38. Thanks, I want Kerry to win so bad it hurts. But it hurts seeing ..

Kerry phoning Dole, Kerry asking for apologies.

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Generic Other]

41. Why don't you just concede for Kerry now? Sheesh!

I stood with a crowd of 10-15,000 at a Kerry rally yesterday. I guess we all should have just stayed home and whined about how powerful the great Bush machine is and how weak and ineffectual we are.

Fight fire with fire not timid words.

[kentuck]

42. You gotta be kidding !

Did I wake up and Kerry is down by 20 points? I seem to recall that George Sr was way ahead of Clinton and he lost.

[lil-petunia]

43. perhaps I am a nervous nelly

or perhaps, I was hoping that the wooden stake would already be impaled, on its search for that itty bitty, almost invisible, microscopic thing called Bush's heart. (the race to see which is smaller, his brain or his heart, is too close to call)

But I still see this campaign as being reactive, late, plodding and not at all creative.

I saw a glimmer today of what could happen. I saw Hillary Clinton make the rounds on network and cable TV. If only she would debate the shrub, there would be no chance at all of losing this November. She has the smarts, the experience, the knowledge and that aura of being able to deal with tough, even insulting questions with a laugh, a shrug, and then, actually answer the question.

Night and day, when compared to the cream puffs they are dishing out to Bush. Kerry is not in her league as a spokesman, unfortunately. He is not bad, but not in her class.

If this campaign uses more of Hillary and listens to her ideas, I'd be a lot happier. She shows how tough and smart she is without flaunting it. She shows her knowledge and confidence without appearing smug or aloof. She is able to deal with the spotlight without freezing up. She is everything that shrub is not. As for Mr. Kerry, I keep wanting more. At least I want more than his campaign is offering at the moment.

Hello, Kerry Campaign! Are you listening? ? ? ?

For those saying that posts like this are trouble, I suggest not. If we are heading in the wrong direction, is not a wake-up call necessary? Isn't it our duty as dems and americans to get the proper message out? And to suggest a better course of action, be it in a campaign or the path our nation takes? that is nothing to complain about.

[ronnykmarshall]

44. Don't be nervous there Nelly.

I understand.

I'm gonna have an ulcer by November.

:loveya:

Keep the faith, baby!

[eleny]

45. Please cut it out

I thought maybe this thread was a satire.

I'm sick of nay sayers. This is not the time to spread doom and gloom. Why not just join a nihilist party. and that *is* sarcasm.

I'm going to hide this thread. Nuts to it!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

46. Right. It's all over. We're doomed.

I guess I'll just give up now, peel off my bumper stickers, take down my lawn sign, stop going to Meet-Ups, stop writing letters to the editor, stop doing GOTV stuff, and just go inside and lock my doors for the next four years. And not vote; what's the point, since all that effort is clearly hopeless? </sarcasm>

Of course, that's just what the BFEE wants us all to do -- start thinking the campaign sucks and the election is lost, so we'll get discouraged and give up. Nice that DUers are buying into it. Feh.

[liberal N proud]

47. IMO: The polls are fixed to make everyone think bush is ahead

This is done right before the convention so the rw can assure themselves that all is well, and they can party on next week and Be Happy!
They want the undecided to think that Kerry is washed up and finished and they should vote with dubya.
They want the Kerry supporters to think that what we are doing is not working and will try something different.
I think the polls can't tell the real story, Many of the polls are slanted because they poll in areas they know will vote one way or the other. Even if they get a good cross section of voters, it does not include all the new voters. I have said this several times here, the voter registration this year is taking off like no other. It would be unlikely there are that many new GOP voters.

Never the less; we need to work harder than ever to insure there is no question by Nov 2 who is leading this race "John Kerry"

Don't get discouraged, just get motivated to work harder.

[iwantmycountryback]

48. He's *not* losing it

Considering he's winning in a lot of polls and there's still 2 months left don't you think it's a bit, shall we say, moronic to say he's losing it?

[GingerSnaps]

49. Al Gore DID NOT LOSE!

[Democat]

56. When you aren't in the White House, you lost

Gore got more votes, but he lost.

He has no power. We have no power. He lost. We lost.

[WiseMen]

50. Kerry IS making changes in campaign staff. Campaign team

has always been over-staffed with same Boston folk who ran
the Dukakis campaign. That is a fact. Yet, Kerry has done ok so far, and will turn it around.

[mzmolly]

51. Historically speaking, were doing well. Let's wait till after the debates

before we write anyone off. :hi:

[Bread and Circus]

53. I agree with these two points....

d) they have not raised one issue with legs in this campaign. not one.
e) by caving in on the Iraqi war, and joining the Bush side of this issue, this team of idiots has insulted the intelligence of 50% of the population who know that without WMD, nukes, AQ ties, that this war of Perle's Wolfie's and Cheney's was an complete and utter deadly mistake. No wonder people are luke warm at best about this Krew of Keystone Kops.


---

I hope there is still time to turn this one around.

[American liberal]

54. just in case you missed my post...

here it is again.

The Kerry campaign is doing a GREAT job! The swift boat liars have successfully been refuted. Kerry IS talking about the issues and some of his plans for the future of this country are even making it to the mainstream media (MSM).

Have you been reading the headlines? Poverty rates are increasing! Economic forecast dimmer than hoped. New overtime laws are screwing MILLIONS of people. You can bet your ass that Kerry is capitalizing on the repeated failures of the GOP economic plan. Supply-side didn't work under Reagan, and this hybrid under Bush, geared toward the "haves and the have-mores" is even more dismal.

The word is out, and people are going to be voting their wallets and pocketbooks come November. In the meantime, Kerry is drawing HUGE crowds. He is out there working his ass off talking to regular people in smaller, more personal venues. Are you aware that people were not allowed into a Bush speech in New Mexico recently unless they signed a paper saying that they support the president? Kerry has even been capitalizing on that!

Word of mouth is one of the most effective forms of advertising. And Kerry is out there day after day letting people get to know him. Real people. With real problems: healthcare issues, falling wages, unemployment... And based on what I've been reading here and elsewhere, he is wowing people. And then they tell all their friends and family about what a sincere, compassionate guy they think Kerry is, how they really feel listened to. In contrast, Bush is untouchable. He's hiding behind protective barriers and won't even spend the night in NYC during the convention!

And a lot of this work is falling beneath the radar screen of the MSM. And it's OK, 'cause the word is getting out. Kerry is giving new hope to disenfranchised millions. And organizations like moveon.org are out there registering new voters and airing soft money ads... I'm willing to bet voter turnout will be higher than it's been in recent memory and that Democrats and independents will be turning out in droves to vote Bush out of office.

I believe the real beauty of this election, and I am one who believes it is the most important election in my lifetime, is that people are getting involved again. Voter apathy is giving way to activism. Whether it's coming from the left or right, it's good for our country. Because it is up to us to hold our elected officials accountable. Despite all the Republican shenanigans, I think the Dems are getting more savvy and that we will take back the White House in January and regain the majority in Congress in 2006.

So, please, democrank, lil-petunia, and all you folks who are anxious that the Dems aren't fighting hard enough or effectively enough, have some faith and get involved. There are lots of ways you can help. There is a groundswell of opposition to the shrub's policies brewing, and we will prevail come November.

Peace,
AL

[lil-petunia]

55. good words, AL, very good words

Something I will consider carefully. And act on.

So - what is this about a burning dragon? Can someone fill me in?

Does anyone remember how that is reflected in mythology? Both ancient Chinese, and eastern european? This might be a great omen.