LAT: Divide in (Kerry's) Camp ("debate among advisers")

[DeepModem Mom]

THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Divide in Democrat's camp
Party advisors' discussion on how to forge a 'new direction' for the candidate leads to mixed messages and lost momentum.

By Matea Gold and Mark Z. Barabak, Times Staff Writers


NEW YORK — Even as he fights to regain momentum in the presidential race, Sen. John F. Kerry faces a debate among advisors over the tone and content of his message, according to insiders and other Democrats familiar with the campaign's discussions....

***

Democratic insiders say it remains unclear who is ultimately responsible for the campaign's daily message, which is crucial to helping Kerry project a consistent vision.

One camp, dominated by (Tad) Devine and his business partner, Bob Shrum, has argued that Kerry must shy away from hard-edged attacks and an aggressive message of change because that could turn off swing voters, according to people familiar with the internal debate.

On the other side, some of the former Clinton aides, along with Kerry's cadre of longtime Boston-based advisors, are pushing for a more pugnacious approach. In particular, many of the candidate's oldest friends want him to recast references to his service in Vietnam and his antiwar activities as evidence of his character....

***

Behind the scenes, the candidate appears immersed in the effort to regain his footing. During flights on his campaign plane, he can be seen standing in the staff section with his sleeves rolled up, animatedly talking with aides and revising his speeches up to the last minute.

Those close to him say he's in high spirits, frequently joking with top advisors about his reputation for being "a good closer."...


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-kerry12sep12,1,4949985.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[ClintonTyree]

1. Reported in the NYT yesterday...................

as well. I think the "more pugnacious approach" is the best tack, no more mister fucking nice guy. Take the gloves off and give these cheap thugs a good ass whipping.

For the sake of this nation, Kerry had BETTER be a good closer.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Yep -- very similar story -- do you think these advisers...

are purposely duking it out in public, or just real chummy with the press?

[ClintonTyree]

4. The press is obviously.....................

trying to turn this into a major struggle for power within the Kerry camp and painting the campaign as one in disarray. The truth probably is much more mundane, but anything the "liberal press" can do to cast dispersions on Kerry's campaign makes them all gooey.

[leftchick]

11. exactly DumpGump.... the truth is....

I would bet breakfast that the bush* campaign is the one sweating bullets right now. They only have so many fingers to sick in that dike!
His facade is crumbling before our eyes. I only hope it come fast enough.

[diplomats]

19. And it seems obvious to me

the second group is now holding sway, unless it's my imagination. The fact Kerry even brought these other people on board tells me he's moving in their direction.

[Leilani]

3. Gee, how many weeks till election?

Perhaps they should all decide on a strategy & stick to it?

Will a Kerry Administration be this disorganized?

[JoFerret]

12. Not much to recommend an inflexible puppet robot

admin. We have one of those right now.

[Yupster]

18. Agree

One way or the other, it's time to have a plan and execute it.

[IndianaGreen]

5. Did Kerry had to repeat what John Mitchell used to say during Watergate?

Standing in the golden September light, Kerry told the players that sports could teach them a lot about life. "You know the old saying, 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going'? This is when you find yourself. You just go out there tonight and pull that little extra something out of here," he said, clutching his fist to his heart.

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going" was one of John Mitchell's favorite expressions that he used at the height of the Watergate scandal. What's next, "I am not a crook"?

I think we should drop Vietnam from the campaign's lexicon. Those of us that actually lived during that troubled period in our history are sick of hearing anything about Vietnam, the war, the draft, the Guard. The Vietnam War was a criminal war in which America butchered over a million Vietnamese in order to keep afloat an artificial country created to keep Ho Chi Minh from winning an election that would have unified Vietnam. There was nothing noble about that war, anymore than there is about the Iraq war. Stop mentioning Vietnam!

[JI7]

14. that's a common phrase used in cases having nothing to do with Vietnam

[Democat]

6. What a mess Kerry's campaign has been so far!

This campaign has been exactly what we might have feared a Democratic campaign after the 2000 and 2002 campaigns, but weren't we all hoping for more?

When will our party stop being such wimps and get organized and learn to fight?

Kerry needs to win this very badly and I hope they are able to figure out a way to do it. Time to get back to work. :)

[Racenut20]

7. And who has Schrum worked for before ?

Dukakis, Gore, and some more losing campaigns that I can't remember at the moment.

[shawn703]

8. Ooh, tough decision

Which group of advisors has actually helped a Democrat win the presidency? You'd think these people would realize you need a backbone to win nationally.

[stilpist]

9. It's working! The story is working!

Working as well as KKKarl could have hoped in his wildest dreams!
That Kerry guy is so incompetent he can't even control his advisors. Lord Bush* is so wise and powerful that his enemies fall into confusion and despair as they try to conspire against him!

Hey folks, it's tough to run against an incumbent. It's even tougher when the incumbent gets to wrap itself in the flag and play to the Masses' war fever. I also happen to think that the Democrats would do better to be more aggressive. But this shit ain't easy, and we might not be right.

WTF is the LA Slime doing publishing this stupid shit? They could be reporting the most important news story of the day: OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY A BAND OF THUGS AND THEY'RE STEALING THE COUNTRY BLIND!

[jimshoes]

10. I'd like to see Kerry put forward a plan

that includes the immediate scaling back and then withdrawal of our troops in Iraq. I don't know if it's a good or bad strategy, but it's one I'd like to see.

[4dsc]

13. Wait for the debates...

I have afeeling that Kerry is planning something big for the debates that will show the clear differences between a deserter and war hero!!

[liberalitch]

15. Obviously when he is "pugnacious" he surges ahead....

I would immediately want to know why Devine and Shrum don't want that. Who are they REALLY? ...and why don't they want the most obvious approach? What are their REAL goals?
Sounds like the other camp wants to get Kerry elected tot he WH, so I'd go with them.

[Brucey]

17. Need to go on the offensive

The Dems need a phrase, like "flip flop." Something like "deceiver," or "fool us," or "spin city," or "trickster," or "con man." Then use that phrase every single time the repugs say anything. Use it over and over. The public will soon attach the concept to the repugs. The repugs know this. It doesn't matter if it's rational or not. They know this. No one, not even the media, looks up the facts or reports the facts.

[leesa]

16. Ah yes, the GOP LA Times doing their best to make it sound like Kerry has

problems.

[papau]

20. what are the battleground states these days

Are only 10 states still "competitive states" (as suggested by Wash Post)


Does DU agree with Dan Balz of the Washington Post that only 10 states are still "competitive states"

Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, West Virginia and New Hampshire, with West Virginia and Nevada major, major challenges for Kerry - more so than the other 8.

Are the other 11 "battleground states" really leaning too far to be called "competitive, because - per Baltz- we have -7 Leaning toward Bush which are: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia - with 4 leaning toward Kerry which are: Maine, Michigan, Oregon and Washington.

And of the 10 that are still "competitive", the Bush team will be putting major money to win into Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, while they view Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as states they can make Kerry work very hard to defend, and see West Virginia and Nevada as quite likely to go their way.

Is it really down to a huge effort to fight the above battle, while the winner of 2 out 3 of Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio wins the election?

[FlemingsGhost]

21. If there is any truth to this report, this ain't good.

Not good at all.

Six weeks until election day, and they are struggling to formulate a cohesive message. Yikes! If that's indeed the case, I'm concerned the Party is dangerously close to bottoming out.

(on edit: typo)

[Placebo]

22. Here's a tip...DO WHATEVER THE HELL THE CLINTON PEOPLE SAY!

They WERE the last people to put a democrat in the white house (and don't talk to me about 2000)

In a time of nationa crisis like we are in now, there should be NO talk about wanting new faces in the campaign blah blah blah, u don't see the BUSH side doing that do you? NO! they capture everyone they can from every past administration and campaign and get ahead by doing so

so kerry, DO WHATEVER THE HELL THE CLINTON PEOPLE SAY, they know how to win elections