Why so much pessimism? We still have 60 days until the election!

[Meshuga]

This is a post convention poll that shows Bush with an 11 point lead. So what? Should we not have the election anymore?

Bush had a 13 point lead over Gore in October of 2000 and Gore managed to win the election (technically).

The ABB group is pretty big and they are not going to disapoint us. Cheer up!!! :-)

I'm only going to start shitting my pants if Kerry doesn't do a good job in the debates. That's when the election is going to be decided pretty much. Kerry has material to destroy Bush and if he doesn't destroy Bush (and play the nice guy) I will join the pessimist gang but for now I think you guys are getting too desperate too soon. :-)

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Because we are up to our asses...

In trolls, and people ain't dealing well with it.

And then, there are some of us who think will think that Kerry is not doing enough until he whips out a K-Bar knife, during the debates, and field-dresses Chimpy on national TV.

[sampsonblk]

2. Pessimism is due to lack of realism

I am satisfied that Kerry is finally ready to do what it takes to win. But a lot of people here seem stuck in an alternate reality where everything is great, and everything the Kerry campaign does is brilliant.

This thing ain't over. And Kerry can still win.

[wurzel]

3. What "pessimism"?

The only real concern is Kerry's Iraq tangle. But he has enough knowhow to deal with that. That RNC convention will do more for Kerry than for Bush. When it wasn't vulgar, it was downright nasty. We owe Zell Miller big time.

[bigwillq]

4. The only polls that matter are on NOV. 2

Pass it on.

If we all continue to work hard and get out our personal message to friends and neighbors on Kerry's behalf,

we will have a great shot at winning.

Keep your heads up folks.

This thing is far from over. Actually the fight is really just beginning.

[AmerDem]

5. I can understand why some are becoming pessimistic

But like you said, there are 60 days left. All that is needed is 5 minutes of one of those days to put shrub in his place, scandal etc.

[BillZBubb]

6. Pessimism isn't the right word. You are spinning it.

The right word is concern. Many of us have been down this road a few times before and we are seeing all the same warning signs.

Gore should have won the 2000 election in a walk. The best economy in a lifetime, peace, prosperity, progress. And what happened? He got beat by an ex-drunk, incompetent, inarticulate slacker with a famous name. That should never have happened.

Or how about 1988? Dukakis was subjected to the same bullshit attacks as Kerry on his manhood, courage, and patriotism. Like Kerry, he let them pass without hitting back hard. You know the rest.

Now we've got the worst pResident in at least 75 years ahead in the polls. You know why this is true, so I won't belabor the point. I'm sorry, but this race shouldn't even be close. That's why I and many others are concerned--Deja Vu.

Relying on the debates is a mistake. If a clear debate kill is needed to win this thing, we might as well get used to four more years of the Chimperor.

Kerry must get Bush* on the ropes before the debates, then let him twist in the wind.

[Meshuga]

8. I do agree with you...

You may not be pessimistic you are concerned like myself. Even if the polls showed Kerry ahead by 30 points I'd be concern until I see the results on 11/02/04.

Kerry needs to be on attack mode until election and not turn back. I hope he focus on attacking more of Bush's record rather than saying he is a victim of smear tactics. He should spend some time on the defensive but only a small percentage of the time. The Ohio speech was good template for what he should be saying until November.

Kerry should run on his own message and on Bush's record. Kerry is a great finisher and he wins because his message has substance.

[NeoConsSuck]

7. Yes, anything can happen in 60 days..

there's also a saying, "If nothing changes, nothing changes".

While the repukes smeared Kerry during the RNC, some (including myself) were screaming for the Kerry campaign to rebut with a sledge hammer, not a tack hammer. Kerry did slam back in Ohio, but days of smearing had already occurred, and all the while, I'm sure Mr. Average Joe Voter was thinking, "Well, if they don't dispute this, maybe it's true".

But the bottom line is, when they attack, Kerry, Edwards or Mary Beth should not be the only figures fighting back. There are how many influential Democratic senators? How many influential Democratic congressmen? WTF are they doing to help Kerry? Where has Daschle been? Still in hiding from the antrax letters?

And then there's corporate media. I believe that even if the Dem's Rapid Response team performed anything like their name implies, for the most part their responses would have been buried anyway. Corporate media wants Bush to win. All the letter writing to CNN, FOX or MSNBC complaining about their slanted coverage is not going to get you anywhere.

So to sum up, Kerry cannot be blamed 100%.

[Elidor]

9. I, too, am optimistic

There's nothing to gloom and doom about if you don't watch that awful shit that passes for news and reporting on TV. Too many people forget the truth they know for the one they perceive on the tube. Never trust the coporate media.

Bush is the doggiest dog of a candidate that ever ran. He's toast. No amount of shit-flinging can obscure the fact that he's a disaster. Kerry will win it, almost regardless of what his campaign does.

Yes, cheer up. We're going to beat these pigfuckers.