Once more to the middle.

[Julien Sorel]

Those of you who remember the 2000 election, know that Bush basically tried to paint himself as being as close to Al Gore as possible -- that's what the whole "compassionate conservative" bullshit was about. Now he's trying it again, but this time Kerry becomes the target of Bush's apeish behavior:

From the Boston Globe:

Bush ran as a "compassionate conservative" in 2000, but has alienated many political moderates with his hard-line approach to social issues, Whelan said. By talking about prescription drug benefits and extending the principles of the No Child Left Behind Act to high schools, for example, Bush is emphasizing domestic policy issues, where Kerry is more trusted by voters, he said.

"It's a function of the polls," Whelan said. "These are issues where he does have a gap with John Kerry. It ties into reaching to the middle-of-the-road voters."

Yesterday, the president donned plastic safety glasses and a white hard hat to test machine parts in a cavernous training center for carpenters. Bush sounded almost Democratic in talking about energy policy and health care, though he flushed out his views with few specifics.

"We need an energy policy in America that is less dependent on foreign sources of oil," Bush told members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. "We've got to have health-care policies that make it more affordable for people to have health insurance."

Story

He's following Kerry around, stealing Kerry's message (although he has no specifics to back it up, and obviously isn't going to do a damn thing about America's reliance on oil except try to increase it). Kerry himself did this during the primary to a certain extent. This is the battleground of the election, I believe. If the public can be fooled again into believing Bush is a moderate, they have no reason to vote for a change. The Kerry campaign has absolutely got to make certain that the reality of Bush's radicalism isn't painted over with empty rhetoric. You people want the Kerry campaign to go on the attack? This is where they have to do it.

[ibegurpard]

1. You are absolutely right.

Uninformed people who are only now starting to pay attention and make up their minds based upon news soundbites and pundit shows will be particularly vulnerable to this. It is vital that Bush not be allowed to cast himself as a centrist when he is no such thing. The things he is emphasizing...namely "no child left behind" and the medicare overhaul... were poison pills. Running a positive campaign is a good thing but Bush cannot be allowed to lie about his governing record.

[sandnsea]

2. I noticed that in Portland

I watched that today and he is a master manipulator. How he turns failed policies into things that people applaud is astouding. We just got our school report that 200 schools failed to meet NCLB standards and he's got people applauding that we're closing the education gap. He's got people applauding homeownership when the truth is the homeownership rates are because of baby boomers who bought homes 20 years ago. He has people applauding spreading freedom when I know those people would never say spreading freedom at gun point works. He brought up his compassionate garbage again and how local volunteers are the heart and soul of America, never mind the guy has slashed every program that might help anybody. Had the gaul to talk about Head Start even. He stole Kerry's words about international cooperation on terrorism and says he's got a great relationship with Tony Blair and Japan and we ought to be thanking the moms and dads of those countries whose kids are in harms way. HUGE applause on that one. I thought one guy was going to get up and kiss him, he looked so enamored. I can see why he has supporters after watching this display. This was no bumbling idiot like he was at the Port.

[ibegurpard]

3. He MUST NOT be underestimated

He must NOT be allowed to paint himself as a moderate again. At some point, the Kerry campaign WILL need to disect his misrepresentation of his record.

[The Magistrate]

4. It Will Not Work This Time, Mr. Bunter

The wretch has a record now, my friend, that the people are wearily familiar with from the days of their lives these last several years. No amount of publicity fluffing and advertising clap-trap can quite make up for that. Worse, there is neither peace nor prosperity in the land: these are the most ancient signs of a good and legitimate ruler, and their absence is clear evidence a ruler is neither legitimately on his throne or good at the work of being there....

"An old man walking through the market was heard to cry: 'Calls himself the Son of Heaven? He can't even make it cold in winter! How will he ever make it rain come Spring?"

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[Julien Sorel]

5. I agree 100% about the lack

of peace and prosperity, and those are the issues that decide elections. But when it comes to the public, I have long been tainted by cynicism. A long time ago, a wise man I knew said something that sticks with me to this day: "The public has a short memory. Ask any politician."

Kerry can't do much about the war or the economy, but he can try to do something about the public's short memory span, and not let this cretin get away with re-inventing himself. The Republicans were calling the Democratic convention "The re-invention of John Kerry." That's a shoe that fits much better on Bush's foot, and it should be tied on there real tight.

[The Magistrate]

6. Hear Hear, Sir!

The "re-invention" charge should be fastened on these reptiles like a string of cans to a yellow dog's tail....

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[sandnsea]

7. Masquerade Ball

Ask and you shall receive. Now let's get out there and guffaw about this Masquerade Ball everywhere we go!!!

[David Dunham]

8. The weakening economy will cause Bush to lose.