Dems Must Fight Back Now to Balance Convention Positive Emphasis: To Arms!

[WiseMen]

The Post-Convention polls may be affirming the common wisdom of campaign practitioners: only NEGATIVE MESSAGES regarding the George Bush’s incumbency that can change the present 50/50 dynamic of the campaign.

The President’s solid support in his base is invulnerable and his moderate following cannot be moved without contrary negative information being put before them.

Academic research is more nuanced regarding the effects of Negative Political Advertising. I include some citations below:

Gina Garramone et. al. in "Effects of Negative Political Advertising on the Political Process," (Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media,1990 ) asserted that negative ads are very effective when differentiating or discriminating candidates' images, and they pointed out that:

“By providing concrete substantive information, a negative political ad may allow voters to distinguish candidate qualities, positions, and performance more readily than would other types of political information that provide less explicit information. Also, the greater perceived differences between candidates may lead voters to greater attitude polarization regarding the candidates. That is, by discerning clear differences between candidates, voters may be more likely to strongly like one candidate while strongly disliking the other”

Garramone suggests that perceived truthfulness of negative political advertising may determine its impact.

More recently, James King and Jason McConnell in “The Effect of Negative Campaign Advertising on Vote Choice: The Mediating Influence of Gender” (Social Science Quarterly, Volume 84 Issue 4 Page 843 - December 2003) found that women, not men, tended to turn against the sponsor of negative political ads over time.

Right now the Democrats have a strong position with women and can afford to fight back against the flood of negative ads Bush released early in the campaign.

My own analysis is that the DNC and independent pro-Kerry groups must develop a sophisticated and powerful Kerry vs Bush pitch which very strongly attacks Bush’s weaknesses and launch it NOW. This is likely the only way to win Bush voters to Kerry for these folk will stay with Bush as long as they feel that he is viewed as “acceptable” to both sides. Whether with humor or sarcasm, Bush must be critiqued, ridiculed and dismissed! But, the choice of Edwards as V.P. leaves vacant the job of “attack dog.” This vacancy must be filled by other serious leaders.

Kerry cannot “go nuclear” later in the year because then it will appear desperate rather than based on TRUTH. Rather, Dems must act NOW so that Kerry can continue to focus on the positive and treat Bush’s weakness in a matter-of-fact way.

[drmom]

1. I agree...and it would be better not coming directly from the Kerry camp..

how about a "concerned citizen" groups putting out such info (at least at first, until it becomes "mainstreamed". Can Move On still put out commercials, or is there some restriction on that now that Kerry has accepted federal funds?

[Raya]

2. We need more MOORE not less. Anyone read "Bush on the Couch"?

It really shows the danger of Bush in the White House.

[sangh0]

3. Link?

Or do you not want us to know the source of this crap?

[Raya]

4. Here is my link. Wisemen is referencing research journals, not web pages.

His reference are cited in his text.

Find review of "Bush on the Couch" here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060736704/104-8103068-4236720?v=glance#product-details

This author should be sponsored to keep touring with his book. It's
funny yet pointed. I don't realy care if he can "prove" his thesis.

From Publishers Weekly
Bush Administration policies are not only a "great catastrophe" but the products of a disturbed mind, according to this provocative blend of psychological case-study and partisan polemic. Psychoanalyst Frank sifts through family memoirs, the writings of critics like Al Franken and David Corn and the public record of Bush’s personal idiosyncrasies for clues to the President’s character, interpreting the evidence in the rigidly Freudian framework of child psychoanalyst Melanie Klein. He finds that Bush, psychically scarred by an absentee father and a cold, authoritarian mother, has developed a galloping case of megalomania, characterized by a Manichaean worldview, delusions of persecution and omnipotence and an "anal/sadistic" indifference to others’ pain, with removal from office the only "treatment option."

The author’s exegesis of Bush’s personality traits-the drinking problem, the bellicose rhetoric, the verbal flailings and misstatements of fact, the religiosity and exercise routines, the hints of dyslexia and hyperactivity, the youthful cruelty to animals and schoolmates, the smirk-paints an intriguing, if exaggerated and contemptuous, portrait of a possibly troubled public figure. But Frank’s attempts to translate psychoanalysis into political analysis are unconvincing. Indeed, if Bush’s reneging on campaign promises is a form of clinical "sadism," and his budget deficits an "unconscious attack on his own parents," then Karl Rove, the Cabinet, and both houses of Congress belong in group therapy with him.

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[sangh0]

5. I didn't ask for YOUR link to a book review on Amazon

I asked for a link that shows who said "The Post-Convention polls may be affirming the common wisdom of campaign practitioners: only NEGATIVE MESSAGES regarding the George Bush’s incumbency that can change the present 50/50 dynamic of the campaign. "

[WiseMen]

6. Sorry you are not familiar with attitudes among campaign consultants.

Friend, I am refering to a well established, though disputed, dictum
among political campaign consultants.

Below is Bill SCHNEIDER subtle reference to this view.

Cheers.


_____________


http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0408/02/ip.01.html
............
Favorable opinions of Kerry went up slightly, but so did favorable opinions of Bush. That could be the price Democrats paid for their decision to tone down the personal attacks on Bush at the convention. The president suffered no political damage.

[Sensitivity]

7. I must agree that Positive Uplifting stuff does not get through to many

middle-of-the-road folk who are somewhat indifferent to politics.

Probably need more tough MoveOn type ADs to buttress Kerry's
campaigning.

[Cocoa]

8. the DNC is planning a big ad push

and it's likely to be more negative than the Kerry ads have been.

[WiseMen]

15. They have to go hard after Bush's incompetence and deceptions.

Let Kerry hold his fire for special occasions.

[Sugarbleus]

20. Good point.

Let Kerry use whatever umph he's got when he's out there stumping and the rest of us have to keep the message going as his backup. We don't have to be quite as "soft".........though I'm not advocating violent rants etc.. Just firm, hard hitting, facts with a shove it attitude, if need be.

Back atcha Georgie porgie!!

[formernaderite]

16. Oh, you mean the DNC headed by that genius Terry Mcauliffe?

....Yeah, his ideas have really worked so far. Maybe we can get him to funnel all of the DNC dollars into defeating a Governor in Florida with the same name as * again.
Yup, we've got the money raiser in charge of politics, that'll work.

[WiseMen]

23. Maybe Kerry should put Dean in charge of the DNC. He understands political

campaigning.

[Sugarbleus]

9. To Arms..............I TOTALLY AGREE!!

In my area, on my local radio, in LIBERAL area mind you, you cannot believe the uncouth, frothing, nasty, snarling, sniping attacks I'm hearing by callers in of the conservative persuasion.

It is the most unbelievable thing I've ever witnessed in my life.

55 years old here. Then I watched C-span this morning and nearly had a heart attack by their guest speaker. But, not to fear, loyal Dems came on later and blasted the host (whoever she was) telling her she just let that nutcase rant on and cut off other's who were upset with is inflammatory rhetoric! I didn't get much sleep in the last 24 hours. :hangover:

It's time to take the gloves off. I did with my liberal radio show. I sent in my two cents to help the guy out with his nasty callers..It was sooooooooo refreshing and he let me do it.!

[Sensitivity]

11. Great post. Reminds me to call in to one of these radio talk shows

Just too much mamby-pamby crap on left while Rush blasts Kerry from
the right.

[Sugarbleus]

19. Thanks =o) I think it helps to call radio programs and let the

audience hear what the story on Kerry versus Bush really is. There are any number of things one can do. That is just one. Good luck.

[modernliberial]

10. What can I do to help?

So I have never been too political but this year that seems to be 'not enough'. I live in a solid Kerry area(San Francisco area) and I want to support the Democratic party. I have already sent all I can afford to spend.
Where can I get involved where it will make a differance? What can I do to help?
This is an important election.

[modernliberial]

12. first post.....

Oh, I forgot to say I am not really new to this site as I have been reading here for a while. The rotten spin comming from the corporate media have forced me to register.

I can always find some good news here!

[Auntie Bush]

13. Welcome!

:hi: even if you've been around for awhile. Keep posting! :bounce:

[Sugarbleus]

17. Huge WELCOME!! Great to have you....

:hi: :hi: :hi:

[WiseMen]

14. May have to caravan to be a Kerry FreedomFighter in Nevada -- a swing

state.

Call up right-wing radio that has national syndication.

And Bash Bush and Trumpet Kerry.

[Sugarbleus]

18. Where's Kerry's stop in Neveda? Calif. here... eom

[Sugarbleus]

21. I was told I could try calling my local Dem Party offices to see

what they might have for me to do. You can go to Moveon.org to enter some of their campaign slogan thingys...they've always got something cooking where they want participation from us.

You can write to your newspaper. Call radio shows...KGO

Kerry/Edwards website has volunteer info you can check out.

Good luck. :D

[WiseMen]

22. Getting the Peace activist to come out strong for Kerry would be great

His "moderate" position is annoying, but he has live a life that
shows he would be no warmonger like Bush.

[newyawker99]

26. Hi modernliberial!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Tarheelhombre]

24. Anyone seen the new DNC ads?

I heard they were gonna be hard-hitting.

[WiseMen]

25. Certainly hope so. Need to get guys like Al Franken involved for

vicious but funny effect.

[NoBorders]

27. agreed - negative ads appear more effective

and we need to counter the unbridled terra fear-mongering unleashed by the GOP. This is * best strategy, and an effective one. We need to remind people of the countless reasons * actually sucks, lest they forget amongst all the terror alers.