Atrios sums up my frustration with the Kerry campaign

[bushwakker]

http://www.atrios.blogspot.com


Basically the people that the campaign is sending out to do the pundit shows are doing a real bad job. I would say that a good percentage of the folks who post on this site could be thrown into a television studio at the last minute and do a better job than what we're seeing now.

They need a stable of passionate, fighting Dems who do nothing but study RW spin, anticipate the attack and formulate a concise effective counterspin to all the BS. What we're getting is embarrasing. When some RW bozo says "John Kerry is a coward and a traitor yadda yadda yadda" - if you don't immediately interject and passionately refute the statement - then it's as if you accept the premise. I think we've all lameneted the paucity of cogent, sharp and tough Dem talking heads over the years (like Carville for instance - actually that Clinton 92 campaign had a lot of really good guys in it, Stepphy, Grunwald, Ickes, Begala, Paul Tully until he passed away, Ron Brown) but it's really showing right now when we need good people the most. Hell - I'll do it for free.

For instance why doesn't someone say that John Kerry was serving in the US Senate dealing in a very serious way with issues of intelligence, national defense and terrorism and it's funding while George Bush was stumbling around Texas having a mid-life crises and going from one failed sweetheart business deal to the next. John Kerry has forgotten more about national security than Bush will ever know. John Kerry didn't just wake up on September 11, 2001 and discover that terrorism was a threat to the US. John Kerry is a remarkable man who has been in the public eye since he returned from service in Vietnam and been at the forefront of the great debates of his time. John Kerry was speaking in front of the US senate when George W. Bush was being rejected by the U of Texas Law School. There are only a handful of men in US history who would come to the presidency with more foreign policy and national security experience than John Kerry. I could go on and on.

Where is the passion. Spinning John Kerry in a positive way is an easy job - because he truly is a terrific guy and would make a terrific president. We deserve better.

[Democat]

1. They are playing defensive instead of offensive way too much

Bill Clinton said on the daily show that every time they attack it gives you the opportunity to attack them back even harder and make them pay for it.

So far, Kerry hasn't make them pay for some of their most vicious attacks.

[kentuck]

5. Good advice..

To respond and "correct" the record is not going "negative"..

[bushwakker]

6. The GOP attacking JK's Vietnam service is like a big juicy

pitch right down the plate - just wack it out of the park!! How about - "well (inser your favorite talk show host here), the GOP sure is good at finding people to crawl out of the woodwork to attck John Kerry's service to his country in Vietnam - perhaps they could find one person, just one, who can recall seeing George W. Bush while he was supposed to be fulfilling his duty to his country in a National Guard unit in Alabama." Is that so hard?

[bigtree]

2. We could do worse. Why dwell on the negative reporting?

The Kerry campaign has plenty of positive numbers to cite, including:

-- A Quinnipiac University poll showing Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, with a slight lead in Florida over Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

-- An Epic-MRA survey suggesting that Michigan is tilting slightly toward the Democratic ticket.

-- An American Research Group survey showing Kerry-Edwards with small lead in New Hampshire.

Those three states, with a combined 48 electoral votes, were evenly split between Kerry and Bush before last month's Democratic National Convention in Boston.

In addition, Pennsylvania and Oregon -- a combined 28 electoral votes -- were evenly split in July, and now the states appear to tilt toward Kerry, according to private polling and interviews with strategists in both parties.

More: http://www.11alive.com/specials/local/decision2004/decision_article.aspx?storyid=50474

[bushwakker]

4. I expect the negative reporting

I just want effective spokesmen defending Kerry and attacking Bush.

[Nite Owl]

3. You are sooooo right.

I watch little of the tv stuff anymore because it just gets me agrevated. Sure it's the media but it's our guys too. They are not prepared, they don't know their stuff and there is no coordination of what they should be answering. They come off looking like wimps a great deal of the time. Most of us could do better.

[Democat]

7. Our side is bad at using "talking points" the right is great at it

When you watch the talk shows or read the editorials, the right wingers say the same thing over and over again until people start to believe it. Bush says it, then every radio, TV, and print right winger repeats it over and over. The "flip flop" thing is an obvious example, but there are a lot more.

Our side does not seem capable of using coordinated talking points, repeating easy to understand phrases, until people start to believe them.

We need to have a lot more organization and strategy in dealing with the media.

The worst is when you see someone from the left who is totally unprepared for battle. They might even do more harm than good when they go on shows unprepared to fight.

[bushwakker]

9. they can do better

It's hard for mr to belive that someone who knows they are going to be doing Inside Politics in 5 hours can't figure out what Judy and the RW slimeball they're up against is gonna say and figure out a snappy and effective parry. It's their freaking job!!! Do it well or get out!!

[Democat]

13. It's not hard to figure out what the right wing is going to say

Just read their daily fax from the White House.

Why doesn't our side seem to have that coordination that they have?

[bushwakker]

15. These people need to live, eat and breath RW propaganda

I know what the RW a-holes are gonna say before they say it - why don't they?

[xray s]

8. Why I want Kerry's campaign to aggressively take the offensive

I want Kerry to win 60%/40%, not 52%/48%.

I want to take back the Senate.

I want to take back the House.

BTW, I think they will take it to Bush in a big way, when the time is right, and the eyeballs are glued to the screen, in September and October.

remember...you don't roll out a new product in August! :)

[Democat]

10. It is still very early, and people have short attention spans

But it's hard to watch Bush abusing our candidate without our side coming back twice as hard. Especially after the 2002 election where we waited and waited for our side to fight back and they never did.

[bigtree]

12. I think the responses have been just fine. Why should our side

look like raving lunatics just to match the rhetoric of the morons at the White House.

[Nite Owl]

14. We don't have to look

like raving lunatics but we have to be more coordinated. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The exposure is limited and the message has to be simple to get through. It has to be remembered. People often watch news while in the kitchen or doing something else, it has to catch their limited attention. (And I don't mean that in a derogatory way, it's that people aren't always focused and hanging on their every word.)

[chefgirl]

30. Exactly, NiteOwl

Repeat, repeat, repeat!!

It's true, people DO have short attention spans, especially the mouthbreathers who support Bush, but the RW has been able to implant everything they want those people to think very effectively.
They do it by repeating everything a hundred times or more. Jackhammering it into people's heads.

We dont have to look like the lunatics the RWers are, because we have truth on our side.
I don't know how many times I've been watching some Dem surrogate on some show with some talking head, listened to the way they were squirming trying to answer RW attacks, and thought to myself, "Christ, I could do better than that, and I don't even do this stuff for a living"

What Dems need to do is surprise the hell out of some of these talking heads with the plain and simple truth, the REAL truth, and let the talking head squirm trying to spin it the other way.

After hearing responses like that over and over again, people WOULD catch on. They would say the same things to themselves that they say now when they hear some RW ass spewing their shit:
"Wow, so many people are saying it, it must be true"

-chef-

[bigtree]

32. I remember a few campaigns

There is usually a point where the public decides that both the candidates are too negative. At that point the question always is: What does your candidate stand for, what does he intend to do for America besides throw mud. I recall that the Bush team last election was able to cast Gore as more negative by claiming he was practicing the 'politics of personal destruction', a Clinton team line. I would be nice to see our candidate get the credit for a positive campaign that addresses the concerns and needs of Americans, rather than be seen as just another brawler in a overly negative campaign. That seems to be the strategy of John Edwards when he asks the crowd "Aren't you sick of the negative attacks?" I don't believe there is any evidence that the Bush smears are resonating with anyone but those who aren't inclined to like or vote for Kerry. The voters we need in the closely divided electorate have indicated over and over, in this campaign and others, that they want a positive campaign that focuses on their lives, not on tit for tat rhetoric that has nothing to do with their needs or concerns.

I just don't give much weight to the moronic slaphappy nonsense of the Bush camp. I don't see the impact registering in any poll, most of which show Kerry gaining moderately on his lead in key areas. Negative attacks, whether as a response or as an offensive tactic tend to drive up a candidate's negatives more than those actions contribute to any gain in their polls or standing. The articulation of a positive vision for America takes time and effort. Kerry can't just show up at the debates and offer to clean up the system if he is caked with mud that he has been throwing and not much else of substance that the public recognizes he stands for. Remember, most folks don't actually know alot about Kerry. He is correct in presenting himself and his campaign with substance and a determination to stay focused on the real concerns of the voters. Especially the 'swing voters', who may have been turned off by 'politics as usual' and would welcome a debate on the issues.

[chefgirl]

36. I hope you'll notice

I never once advocated Kerry going 'negative', nor did I advocate negativity from Dem surrogates.
I agree with you that voters do get sick of negative attacks at a certain point, but when you use the truth, REAL truth, to counter a negative attack it has the added benefit of resonating with voters in comparison to what they've just heard coming from some talking head with an agenda.

It does have to be done with some style, however, and that is the very thing that I think has been lacking in the Democratic response to the insinuations that get hurled at them from the various talk show hosts.
Its that old argument about asking someone "Do you still beat your wife?" While specious in its intent, the only thing people who aren't forced to pay attention are hearing is... 'beat your wife'.
I happen to be of the opinion that answering a question like that directly is a mistake, but there does have to be a response. So you turn it around on the questioner, and make THEM squirm.

The talking heads are carrying the water for this administration, more often than not, and that makes them fair game, and THAT is what Dem spokespeople need to exploit.

Immediate, on the spot, succinct responses are not negative attacks, and I don't see how Kerry could do anything but benefit from a more focused message from those charged with carrying water for his campaign. Again, I say, if they do it often enough, people will catch on eventually.

-chef-

[bigtree]

38. I didn't think Gore was negative, but he was percieved that way

The general public, a good swath of them usually end up tarring both candidates with the negative term. The back and forth becomes a blur, issues and stands get obscured, and the voters start to wonder who is talking about their issues. That's a common reaction to a long fight. Folks don't care who is correct, they just want the brawling to end and the candidates to get back to business. At worse, our candidate could get the rep of the attacker even if he is rightous and forcefully correct. That won't get more votes than are canceled out by voters who tire of the nonsense and either switch or turn away from the election. Most voters have always indicated that they are turned off by the campaign attacks. Responding is fine, but to believe that by winning a brawl we will secure votes ignores the negative effect of these kinds of actions by campaigns, and the positive effect of a relentless focus on issues and concerns.

Also, we shouldn't allow Bushies to get us off message by throwing around red herrings. Here's an interesting article:


Kerry May Benefit From Voter Concern About Economy Under Bush, Polls Show- http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aN69sAQZRVNY&refer=home

Aug. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Two-thirds of U.S. adults rate the country's economy as ``fair'' or ``poor'' and voters say Democrat John Kerry, a four-term senator from Massachusetts, is more likely to improve it than President George W. Bush, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center.

Fifty-two percent of the registered voters among the adults surveyed by Pew Aug. 5-10 said they think Kerry would do a better job improving economic conditions and 37 percent said Bush would be better. That is an increase of 4 percentage points for Kerry on the issue since Pew last asked the question in May.

The Kerry campaign kicked off a week of focus on the economy, Bush's weakness:

Kerry and Edwards Focus on the Economy as 'Believe in America' Tour Wraps Up Friday- http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=157-08122004

As their post-convention, cross-country "Believe in America" tour wraps up Friday, Democratic nominees John Kerry and John Edwards will continue their two week focus on building a stronger economy with separate "Front Porch" events in Oregon and Michigan.

Completing his two-week journey across the United States, Kerry will meet with a family in Oregon to discuss the Kerry-Edwards plan to help middle-class families squeezed by the Bush economy, particularly by skyrocketing energy prices. Kerry will then wrap up the "Believe in America" tour with a final rally in Portland.

Edwards, campaigning in Michigan, will visit a neighborhood in Flint to talk about the Kerry-Edwards plan to build an economy that works for all Americans.

The cheney jibes and the swiftlies are designed to fill the headlines and obscure the focus of our candidate. Kerry's job is to not allow himself or his campaign message to be co-opted by responses to every swipe, rather, he needs to make certain that he is not obscuring his own agenda by focusing on the noise from the other side. He needs to keep his campaign on message.

[bushwakker]

17. Responding to a lie with the truth

doesn't make one a raving lunatic. It just requires some preparation which seems to be lacking.

[bushwakker]

11. Eventually JK will respond to the Swifties smear

I am hoping that they are planning on making a devastating reply to this smear - perhaps during a debate.

[bigtree]

20. eventually you will have to acknowledge that Kerry has been responding

Kerry Criticizes Bush for Space Vision
http://www.space.com/spacenews/kerry_040616.html

Kerry criticizes Bush on military record
http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/26kerry.html

Kerry criticizes Bush for failed policies
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/8202438.htm...

NPR : Kerry Criticizes Bush on Iraq
http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1842198

USATODAY.com - Kerry criticizes Bush on Iraq, treatment of U.S. veterans
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2003-08-...

Yahoo! News - Kerry Criticizes Bush's Military Policy
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&u=/ap/200...

Kerry Criticizes Bush's Iraq Policy (phillyBurbs.com)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/32-03182004-2664...

Kerry Criticizes Bush Policy On Haiti
http://www.mattapanonline.org/Kerry_on%20Haiti.htm

Report: Kerry Criticizes Bush Foreign Policy
http://www.evote.com/News/EV05202002B.html

washingtonpost.com: Kerry Criticizes President, Then Undergoes Surgery
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A40572-2004Mar...

KSL News: Kerry Criticizes Bush Over Gay Marriage
http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?sid=77296&nid=6

ABC 7 News - Kerry Criticizes Bush on U.S. Security
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0304/132238.html

Democratic Underground Forums - Kerry Criticizes Bush's Definition of Values
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

washingtonpost.com: Kerry Criticizes Bush For Attacks on Clarke
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A29991-2004Mar...

Kerry Criticizes Bush for Red Carpet Expense
http://www.townhall.com/news/politics/200406/POL2004061...

Yahoo! News - Kerry Criticizes Bush on Saudi Meeting
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=7...

RightNation.US -> Kerry Criticizes Bush for Red Carpet Expense
http://www.rightnation.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=42...

Kerry criticizes Bush for siding with drug companies in new ad
http://www.wtvo.com/Global/story.asp?S=1533926

USATODAY.com - Kerry criticizes Bush on meeting with Saudi leader
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/p...

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics -- Kerry criticizes Bush's Daytona 'photo opportunity'
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040216-14...

Kerry criticizes Bush on Iraq, treatment of U.S. veterans
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archi...

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics -- Kerry criticizes Bush over oil report
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040419-15...

FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Kerry Criticizes Bush, Cheney on Military
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C118380%2C00.htm...

ABC 7 News - Kerry Criticizes Bush for Bioethics Panel
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0204/129618.html

Kerry criticizes U.S. oil policies during Seattle campaign swing
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/175067_kerrystate.h...

AP Wire | 07/10/2003 | Kerry Criticizes Bush on Education
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/62...

FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Kerry Criticizes 'Separate and Unequal' Schools
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C120098%2C00.htm...

Kerry criticizes Bush on nuclear threat, outlines plan to slow spread
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/8812087.htm?...

AP Wire | 03/17/2004 | Kerry criticizes Bush for failed policies
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/8202438.htm

AP Wire | 03/14/2003 | Kerry Criticizes Bush on Diplomacy
http://www.dfw.com/mld/state/5388491.htm

KTVU.com - Politics - Kerry Criticizes 'Saudi-George Bush' Gas Tax
http://www.ktvu.com/politics/3346936/detail.html

News-Leader.com | True Ozarks | Kerry criticizes Bush on stem-cell, science policies
http://www.news-leader.com/_tuesday/0622-Kerrycriti-117...

Kerry criticizes Bush over gay marriage, broken promises after winning three more states
http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm18597_20040225.h...

The Seattle Times: Kerry criticizes Bush's record on jobs, health care, terror
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001863810_campai...

The Seattle Times: Kerry criticizes firing of worker over photo
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001912775_iraqdi...

Kerry Campaign Criticizes Those Who Defend 'Outsourcing'
http://www.townhall.com/news/politics/200407/POL2004070...

KRT Wire | 07/15/2004 | Kerry criticizes Bush for rejection of NAACP invite
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/politics/9165213.htm

KR Washington Bureau | 07/16/2004 | Kerry criticizes Bush for intelligence failures in Iraq
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/9174072.htm

KRT Wire | 03/17/2004 | Kerry Criticizes Bush for Failing to Protect Troops in Iraq
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/national/...

KSAT.com - News - Kerry Criticizes Bush During Speech In S.A.
http://www.ksat.com/news/2430649/detail.html

Capitol Hill Watch | Sen. Kerry Criticizes Wait List for Veterans Seeking Health Services
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cf...

The Salt Lake Tribune -- Kerry criticizes Bush for failing to rally more allies
http://www.sltrib2002.com/2004/Jun/06292004/nation_w/17...

t r u t h o u t - Senator Kerry Criticizes U.S. Tactics
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/9174072.htm

Kerry Criticizes Bush on 9/11 Response lans to Reimburse Familes for Body Armor
http://www.blog.johnkerry.com/cgi-bin/mt-comments.cgi?e...

ABC13.com: John Kerry makes stop in Houston; criticizes Pres. Bush
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/042204_local_kerry.htm...

KRT Wire | 12/03/2002 | Kerry proposes tax cuts, criticizes Bush tax policy
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/46579...

MSNBC - Kerry rips ‘character assassination’ of Clarke
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4615144

Democrat Kerry Still Critical of Bush Administration -- 12/14/2003
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page= \Politics\archive\200312\POL20031214a.html

NPR : Kerry Critical of Bush's Iraq Plans
http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1837708

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics -- Bush aides tout job growth, but Kerry critical
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/federal/200...

Kerry Says US Needs Its Own 'Regime Change'
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0403-08.htm

Kerry Responds to Combat Injury Questions (phillyBurbs.com)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/32-04212004-2866...

John Kerry Responds To Draft Dodging GOP
http://www.bushalert.com/news/95

Lean Left: Kerry Responds with Ads
http://www.leanleft.com/archives/002883.html

ContraCostaTimes.com | 03/13/2004 | Kerry responds to Bush attack ad
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/817793...

NBC11.com - Politics - Kerry Responds To Charges He Tossed War Medals
http://www.nbc11.com/politics/3228428/detail.html

U.S. Newswire - Kerry Campaign Responds to Revised Terror Report
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=140-06...

swisspolitics.org | Kerry responds to Bush video
http://www.swisspolitics.org/en/news/index.php?section=...

KTVU.com - Politics - New Kerry Ad Responds To Bush's Claims
http://www.ktvu.com/politics/2919181/detail.html

Kerry Campaign Responds to White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan Attacks ::
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_031...

MSNBC - Kerry blasts Bush over attacks on Senate voting record
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4344203

Kerry Attacks Bush's Military Policies
http://www.mensnewsdaily.com/archive/newswire/news2004/...

Kerry Attacks Bush Foreign Policy
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/text5-28-2004-54778.as...

Kerry attacks Bush on foreign policy
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/8461907.htm...

IHT: Kerry attacks Bush on schools
http://www.iht.com/articles/518430.html

ABCNEWS.com : Kerry Attacks Bush Energy Policy
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/kerry...

CNN.com - Kerry hits Bush reaction to 9/11 attack news - Aug 5, 2004
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/05/kerry.911

Kerry Attacks Bush On Tepid Jobs Growth
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=23...

WYTV - Kerry Attacks Bush in Valley Speech
http://www.wytv.com/news/headlines/698977.html

Kerry again attacks Bush administration
http://www.eagletribune.com/news/stories/20030426/FP_00...

John Kerry Attacks Bush on Stem Cell Research Policy
http://www.catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=31&a...

Herald.com | 04/06/2004 | Kerry attacks Bush's spending
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/8364...

FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Kerry Attacks Bush Compassionate Conservatism
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C122688%2C00.htm...

The Left Coaster: Kerry Attacks Bush on Iraq, Veterans Issues At VFW Convention
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/000507.html

Kerry presses attacks on Bush
http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/160393-5460-093.html

Yahoo! News - Kerry Attacks Bush's Record on Defending Homeland
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&e=2...

Portsmouth Herald Local News: Kerry attacks aimed at Bush
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/02172004/news/351.ht...

KTVU.com - Politics - Kerry Attacks Bush's Conduct Of War
http://www.ktvu.com/politics/3016233/detail.html

Kerry attacks Bush on science - (United Press International)
http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20040621-012423-2...

FOXNews.com - Politics - Kerry Attacks Bush While Defending Iraq Resolution Vote
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C92547%2C00.html

ABCNEWS.com : Kerry Sharpens Attacks Against Iraq War
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040618_118.html

Democratic Underground Forums - Kerry remembers Kennedy, attacks Bush
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

The Seattle Times: National politics: Kerry attacks Bush as divisive president
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationalpolitics/...

Kerry Attacks Bush On Education, Affirmative Action at Brown Anniversary Ceremony -- GOPUSA
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2004/may/0518_brown_annivers...

RobBernard.com: Kerry attacks Bush team as "crooked" and liars
http://www.robbernard.com/archives/000990.html

Yahoo! News - Kerry attacks Bush terror policy after new al-Qaeda warning
http://article.wn.com/link/WNAT8D4D3C000A7949799ABB344C...

USATODAY.com - Kerry blasts Bush over attacks on record
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/p...

Kerry Campaign Attacks Cheney re: Halliburton
http://www.the-hamster.com/mtype/archives/001379.html

Kerry Sprinkles Jobs Message With Attacks on Iraq Policy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A195-2004Apr9?...

AP Wire | 12/02/2002 | Kerry Steps Up Attacks on Bush Policies
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/4644529.htm

Kerry report attacks Bush for the loss of U.S. jobs
http://www.newsisfree.com/click/i%2C41285835%2C3952%2Cr...

At UI, Kerry slams Bushonomics
http://www.dailyiowan.com/main.cfm/include/detail/story...

ScrappleFace: Kerry Slams Bush Failure to Find New Threats
http://www.scrappleface.com/MT/archives/001785.html

Salon.com | John Kerry slams Bush's "raw deal" for America
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2003/12/08/kerry_s...

Worldandnation: Kerry slams Bush on environment record
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/04/21/Worldandnation/Kerry_...

Kerry slams job loss under Bush at Detroit event
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1155575/posts

Scotsman.com News - International - Kerry slams Bush for encouraging terrorism
http://article.wn.com/link/WNAT185BE9B267D1BAA6C007ABC2...

USATODAY.com - Kerry slams response to Iraq prison abuse
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/p...

Kerry Slams 'Saudi-George Bush' Gas Tax (phillyBurbs.com)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/32-05252004-3063...

Multichannel News - Kerry Slams Networks, Notes Cable DNC Coverage
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA442669?display=Br...

CNN.com - Kerry slams Bush on terrorism - Feb. 27, 2004
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/27/elec04.prez.m...

CNN.com - Kerry slams Bush on Iraq, military - Mar 19, 2004
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/17/kerry

FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Kerry Slams Bush in NAACP Speech
http://www.hallindseyoracle.com/url_redirect.asp?Articl...

The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Kerry slams Bush over gas prices
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/20019...

Yahoo! News - Kerry seeks minority support; slams Bush on poverty
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1506&e=...

Kerry Slams Bush Over Iraq WMDs Joke
http://feeds.newzealandnews.net/?rid=c86e3126894b2ce6

Kerry finds gold, slams Bush in Bay Area visit / Exasperated senator calls GOP 'so petty'
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/cgi-bin/news/news.cgi?id...

Scotsman.com News - International - Kerry slams 'crooked' rivals
http://www.news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=28215...

The Australian: Kerry slams Bush foreign policy
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/...

Kerry bashes Bush on health care costs
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/8630863.htm...

Kerry Bashes Bush on Health Care Costs (phillyBurbs.com)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/32-05102004-2973...

Hispanic Business - Massachusetts Sen. Kerry Bashes Bush's Hispanic Agenda
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=76...

United Press International: Analysis: Kerry attack machine bashes Bush
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040217-061854-235...

Kerry bashes Bush tax cut proposal - iBerkshires.com - Business
http://housatonic.iberkshires.com/business/story9307.ht...

Sen. Kerry Chides GOP (Self Proclaimed Patriots) on War Comments, Bashes Bush >> Hypocrites.com
http://www.hypocrites.com/article3738.html

Kerry courts rural voters on 3-day Midwest swing / He bashes president on weak economy, health insurance gap
http://article.wn.com/link/WNATFFEAC14FF83761822378754A...

Star - Kerry steals rival's tune and bashes Bush over job losses
http://www.star.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=132&fArticle...

Boston.com / News / Nation / Kerry questions Bush's wartime leadership
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/08/06/k...

Kerry Questions Bush Iraq Policy
http://www.evote.com/News/EV09062002C.html

Kerry Questions Bush Attendance in Guard in 70's
http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/hea...

USATODAY.com - Kerry questions Bush on Iraq deadline
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/p...

Indepements for Kerry : Questions for Bush on Iraq
http://www.independentsforkerry.com/info/index.php?cate...

USATODAY.com - Sen. John Kerry questions Bush's credibility
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/benedett...

Kerry Questions Bush Handling of Enron Investigation
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C125190%2C00.htm...


You must have paid more attention to Bushit than to our candidate. Your loss.

[bushwakker]

21. I was speaking specifically about the recent Swfties smear

I think my post made that pretty clear.

[Justice]

16. Think About It - Kerry Won Iowa Despite the National Media

Kerry won by focusing on local media, and not focusing on national media. I am not worried, he is laying the groundwork. He is patient in letting people trip on themselves (those swiftboat guys hurt themselves). Kerry also has to see how the economy and Iraq develop - he can't stake out a position too harshly -- people will focus on what he said, and not on what a poor job Bush has done.

[Old and In the Way]

23. Good point.

I recall the Kerry obits last October...."what happened to Kerry's campaign?", "Kerry's campaign is in trouble", "Kerry running a lackluster campaign". He was getting "0" media oxygen. I remember wondering if corporate media was running a blackout on Kerry's campaign.

But a funny thing happened in Iowa....he won decisively and just about ran the table through the rest of the primary season. In spite of corporate media, rank and file Democrats sized up the field and chose Kerry....overwhelmingly. We chose a candidate that contrasts nicely to Bush and one that would have broad appeal with the undecideds and even with moderate Republicans.

Kerry has been in enough campaigns to know what it takes to win....I trust his political instincts implicitly. I also think that he's crafted a campaign that was designed to be lowkey...initially. We will see a gradual ramp-up in the rhetoric and a more impassioned statesman as we enter the final weeks to the GE....and that will pull the remaining undecideds into his column.

[sandnsea]

24. Spokespeople could be better

I don't disagree with the campaign strategy, but I do think we could have stronger spokespeople and that sometimes there are things they could say that would take the heat off the issues better. Why aren't they saying Bush threatened to veto that $87 billion? Why aren't they pointing out we've got more body armor funding in the 2005 defense budget? Haven't we gotten it over there YET?? Why don't they have Bush's words from Oct 2002 that the vote WAS NOT a vote for war? Lots of things they could say when they actually do get on tv that they don't. That's what frustrates me.

[bushwakker]

34. Exactly - wasn't the $87 billion for body armor?

Why are the still aking for bidy armor a year later? Who's the commander in chief? Who's responsibilty is it to make sure that the troops in the field have all the protection they need? Who's responsibility is it? Is it John Kerry's? Is it Hillary Clinton's? Is it Barney Frank's? No - it's George W. Bush's responsibility and he's failed at it.

Would it be so hard for a Dem talking head to say that?

[lojasmo]

31. Kerry won Iowa BECAUSE of the national media

They played the attacks on Dean's statement about the caucus system (2 years old) hundreds of times in the weeks before Iowa

They played the attacks on Dean's statement about the confederate flag (10 months old) hundreds of times in the weeks before Iowa.

Then they cemented Kerry's momentum for NH by playing the "scream" 600 times in the week following iowa.

Don't forget the osama attack ad against dean made by a "shadow" group (made up of former Kerry and Gep staffers.

The mediawhores' pimps wanted dean out.

[Monte Carlo]

41. That's why Dean lost, but not why Kerry won.

Edwards, Gephardt, and even Lieberman were still in the race then. There's no reason to pin attacks on Dean in the national media on Kerry.

[zuzu98]

18. I agree -- Dem_Strategist, are you listening?

Just emailed the Kerry campaign with the link to the Atrios commentary.

[bushwakker]

19. good idea

i'm not really buying the dem strat's "judo" argument to be frank with you.

[sandnsea]

22. I agree with that

Tad Devine, Susan Rice, Jeanne Shaheen, no more. Wes Clark, Max Cleland, Ann Lewis, Al Sharpton, more, more, more. People who know how to stay on message, advocate and interrupt and shoot down the other side; all at the same time. Some days I'm screaming at them. I could just beat someone about the head for not pointing out the 2005 defense budget STILL calls for body armor. Why hasn't Bush gotten that over there yet???

[bushwakker]

29. You need campaign operatives responding to this stuff

the problem with having elected pols spinning for you is that they have their own careers and constituencies to worry about and are usially not that informed abouth the daily thrust and parry of a campaign. Where are the young Carville's and Begala's who go to sleep thinking about the next attack/counterattack and wake up 4 hours later thinking about the next attack/counterattack.

[UTUSN]

25. Well.............the JK Campaign Sums Up My Frustration with ATRIOS n/t

[Norquist Nemesis]

26. Part of the problem with the "passionate" Dems is

they immediately, as if on cue, get labeled as crazy raving extreme left-wing lunatics. Look what they did to Dean. He never was far left extreme, but they got the word out and that's what people still think.

I agree, immediate snappy little comebacks would go a long way. Republicans are good at that. Also, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAY end the statement with a question that turns the tables back on to Bush. Something that has to be answered with a 'yes (or no)...but'. Then hit hard on the 'yes' or 'no' and pick up on it with the next exchange. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[eridani]

27. So we just fawking ACCEPT their labelling?

That's what a big part of the problem is. Repuke crazies think God told Bush to go on a crusade against Islam, and that they will be wafted away to heaven while the world crumbles. Dem crazies just want universal health care, an end to outsourcing, no PATRIOT Act infringements on our liberty, and no elective wars. We're so damned easy!

[Norquist Nemesis]

28. Try reading it again.

snappy little comebacks.

bible thumpers works for me

[union_maid]

33. Kerry's killing their slogans one at a time

"Turned a corner" is just the last slogan to bite the dust. "Results matter" - whoops..Kerry demolished that one, too. That's not a small thing at all. That's the sound of their policy speeches going down the drain while Kerry withstands all the crap that's thrown at him, ALL of which he was expecting.

[LiberalBushFan]

35. Merely correcting the record is never enough.

For instance, say that a certain negative attack by a Bushling (for instance, the "sensitive" thing) influences 100,000 people. Then Kerry makes a very convincing correction (Bush used "sensitive" in the same forum) that nullifies the negative attack, and it's reported in the evening news. But out of the 100,000 people who saw the negative attack, there's no way you'll reach all of them. Say the correction reaches 80 percent of them. That's still 20,000 people influenced by the negative attack. But if you wage a counterattack, not just a correction, that will influence in your favor even those who haven't seen the original attack, then you can make up for the 20% that didn't see your response or counterattack.

[bushwakker]

37. Clinton Gore 1992 - every attack must be answered

you can't just let stuff float out there unanswered.

[bigtree]

39. Clinton-Gore: Stay on Message

Don't let yourself be distracted from your message by the chatter.

[union_maid]

40. Exactly

Kerry hits back on policy. No..not even. He IS doing a judo thing on policy. They say something and he points out the foolishness of it and takes it from there. It's unquestionably effective in that they back right off due to the hilarity that such statement as "results matter" engender. He doesn't get drawn into shouting matches about his medals. There are plenty of people out there to do that, but that has nothing to do with issues. He laid his personal creds out at the convention. Now there are plenty of surrogates to expose those who attack on specious grounds. That's not the battle he's fighting now. That would be defensive and he's on the offensive.