Should Kerry Delay Acceptance of Democratic nomination?

[WI_DEM]

Poll question: Should Kerry Delay Acceptance of Democratic nomination?

When this was first suggested I did a poll asking this same question and by better than 70% people on DU said YES. Now that it has been out there for a while and debated I thought I would ask again. Should Kerry delay accepting the democratic nomination so that he can spend an extra five weeks raising money so he is on a more equal footing with Bush? or will it backfire since the networks will not cover the convention and the momentum a candidate usually gets coming out of the convention will be wasted?

[Supormom]

1. Have the networks stated that they will not cover the convention?

[WI_DEM]

2. Brokaw said

last night on Larry King that if Kerry doesn't accept nomination that they probably wouldn't cover the convention. I think most of the networks will feel that way. Cable News will carry some of it, obviously, but probably not the way it should be.

[rex 555]

12. How cares!

Larry King gets Mormon BJ's now. He has nothing to offer. He is a LIAR! Find better use for your time.

[WI_DEM]

15. do you care

if the networks carry the convention or if Kerry gets any momentum or not? As for better use for my time, since you don't know me please don't try and lecture me about what I do or don't do--I didn't watch Larry King, btw, I just heard about it. Please think before you write.

[soleft]

3. I think he should accept the nomination at the convention

The anti climatic thud of accepting after the convention will be a disaster.

Any money gained from the delay will be spent making up for that deficit.

[Frodo]

4. Definitely do it the "traditional" way.

Changing the rules to avoid a five week financial gap that they caused themselves would be a mistake.

It's also a mistake because it would likely ruin the actual convention, take away almost as much public financing for that as we gain in the five weeks, and really pi55 off the folks in Boston who are going to be upset enough about traffic/security/etc as it is. Now if it isn't "really" the convention?

I'm sure it was just a trial balloon to attract attention to shrubs financial advantage.

[rex 555]

20. Kerry is doing it..

The Traditional way. In 1940 Wilkie did it .In 1928 Al Smith did it. And before that most president's never attended the convention. So what is the BIG DEAL?

What is pi55? Networks and the viewers don't care anyway. Conventions are just like marches in dc or anyplace else.who cares?

Politics have changed. Bush can only appear in staged settings for votes that he already has.

Kerry can move about. He can smoze people because he is real. That's what he is doing now. It is retail politics.
It does seem that his 30 million ad buy was effective.

The idea is still there. Nothing has been decided. Chill.

[MaineDem]

5. I'm still undecided

I'm leaning toward acceptance at the convention but I can see the other side as well. I just haven't been able to justify it all in my mind yet.

[zydeco]

6. I vote yes,

and Kerry's speech should point out that this country has been subjected to 42 months of bait and switch by this group of thugs and he will accept when he knows who he will be running against. IMHO it probably won't be *.

[Monte Carlo]

7. Bush is going to have a 5-week HEAD START!!!

If Kerry accepts the nomination at the convention, Bush will effectively have a 5-week head start on Kerry. He will have 5 weeks with which to use his huge personal campaign fortune to slime Kerry mercilessly before Bush formally accepts his nomination.

Kerry needs all the time and resources against Bush that he can muster. Formalities can wait!!

[trogdor]

8. Hell no!

Speaking as one of the 30% who think this is about the dumbest idea of the year, I have to ask why hold the convention at all if that's what JK plans to do? Isn't crowning the nominee and pumping him up what it's all about? This has got to be about the stupidest idea I've heard in a LONG time.

I would look into (1) low-cost campaign events that don't involve paying to get my face on TV, and (2) making a large donation to MoveOn with my remaining primary stash (probably illegal, but I'd consult a few attorneys) so they can beat Bush bloody for those five weeks.

(1) shouldn't be all THAT hard. Surely we can get John Cougar Mellencamp or somebody to set up some major publicity events (on a strictly volunteer basis) that the media couldn't resist jumping on. I wonder how Phish would feel about doing just one more show to get Bush's ass out of the WH.

He could park the plane for awhile and do the bus tour thing. Make sure to have somebody take some nice pics of the bus rolling down a midwestern highway with amber waves of grain, cow pasture, or Old Main Street in the background. Yeah, it's sappy, but the Good Morning America audience would lap it up like a cat with a big saucer of cream.

Having the primary money to spend for five more weeks just isn't worth giving up the bounce the convention provides.

[Justice]

9. Delay - So Long As Legal

People, you are making way too much out of this. It is the difference between "I do" and "I will"

As one representative said today, if the media hadn't blown the story out of proportion, we would have never even realized what Kerry said in his speech.

This representative said (and I agree) this is about winning, and Kerry has to do everything (that is legal) to win.

I bet the networks would carry it because it would become more controversial and exciting - finally people will tune in to hear what he says.

[iconoclastic cat]

10. I think this is a publicity stunt!

Like a lottery drawing or something.

If my idea is correct, it's a great tactic. Imagine: Kerry keeps the world guessing and worrying, "Will he accept?" right up to the very last second. Record numbers of people actually watch the convention coverage, which will culminate in rapt attention to Kerry as he takes the podium. He could be the most boring idiot in the world, and people will still be breathlessly following his every word. When he finally says, "And I accept your nomination..." the whole place will go up as if it's the first three notes of "Start Me Up."

Ten bucks--who's with me?

[Padraig18]

11. BAD idea.

I see NO 'upside' to this, because Democrats have NEVER had as much money as the Republicans, yet we still manage to get them elected.

ACCEPT AT THE CONVENTION, SEN. KERRY!

[mzmolly]

13. Were playing to win. They're purging voters in Florida

again and were worried about "doing the right thing." Bull I say!

John Kerry should fight this battle as if his life depends on it, because many lives do.

[mzmolly]

14. Wait, I was confused. I voted NO, and meant YES.

HE SHOULD DELAY HIS ACCEPTANCE OF THE NOMINATION TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.

[WilliamPitt]

16. Today is my dumb day

I haven't focused on this issue at all.

Can someone take a second and explain the upside-downside to this possible move? I am inclined against it but don't know why.

Thanks for the help.

[JI7]

17. negatives and positives

because the republicans held their convention MUCH later than usual to be around 9/11 anniversaries, bush will have about 5 weeks where he can spend and raise as much money as he wants to attack kerry. because kerry would have accepted the nomination he would be limited in how much he can spend. by delaying the ACCEPTANCE ONLY of the nomination he can continue to be free to raise and spend also.

but negative is the bad press he might get for not accepting and some are worried the convention would not be covered. i think in a way it might be covered even more because people will be interested in how he does things.

but my opinion is the people around kerry andhimself are smart enough to consider anything that can happen and what the best decision will be based on that. the good thing is he is getting out possible delay now rather thanlater so they have time to deal with it and by then it will be old news.

[cosmokramer]

18. I did not vote.

Kerry shouldn't have to delay, and Bush should not be given a one month advantage of money.

The government needs to give them their money at the same time, regardless of when the conventions are held.

[kcordell]

21. Your Idea Makes Sense

Set a date for both parties.

On a side note: if Kerry is nominated by the delegates and does not accept it, are the delegates free to nominate someone else?

[JI7]

19. i lean towards NOT a good idea, but vote not sure

because i do want them to consider everything. and i don't want to be at that point after the convention where they are attacking him and he isn't able to respond effectively with the limits put on him and us thinking "he should have delayed acceptance".

they should try to come up with a good plan where they can deal with these things without delaying the nomination. he will have a vp then to help also. but if they really feelthey wont be able to deal with it without being free to raise and spend money as bush is doing that may be the right thing to do.