Tad Devine needs to send a clear message when debating republicans

[Blue_Roses]

he missed a few good ones on MTP. For one, when he was being challenged about Kerry voting for the war and not to fund the troops with the armor they need, then he should have asked, "then why are so many families having to take up a fund to provide the troops with the things they need? Cause George Bush hasn't." Another one was on the authorization vote for war. This one needs to hammered and hammered, "John Kerry voted for authorization to use force as necessary, not as the ONLY means available. Bush abused this vote to use for his own means." Of course this is just paraphrasing, but damn, this has got to be an "in your face," campaign, especially now. No more Mr. Nice Guy.

Timmy was hammering as usual and the republican guy got his distorted lies in there without much debate. :argh:

[imax2268]

1. I believe he did address the fact

that BushCo sent them off to war in a hurry and un-prepared...

[Blue_Roses]

2. but specifics

we need specifics. I know for a fact that there were families in my state of Arkansas taking donations for the guys to get the body armor they needed.

[nomatrix]

3. Kerry sponsored in 2003

S.1991 -A bill to require the reimbursement of members of the Armed Forces or their family members for the costs of protective body armor purchased by or on behalf of members of the Armed Forces.

Look it up.

Thomas.loc.gov

[Blue_Roses]

8. your point?

n/t

[sandnsea]

4. Tad is weak

I don't usually like him. I still don't know why nobody is pushing Bush's quote that the IWR vote did not mean war was imminent or unavoidable, that it was America speaking with one voice. Was Bush lying about his war intentions in October 2002?

[Claire Beth]

10. He was weak during the Q & A....

session on Paula Zahn NOW the other night. He more or less let Tucker Eskew off the hook on some things. We thought Devine was a weak person for the campaign to have there. He should have confronted Eskew about the surplus Dumbya had when he went in office and ask about it NOW!


:kick:

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Tad Devine was very effective, impressive on high pressure real-time MTP

Tad Devine was very effective and impressive on the high pressure real-time Meet the Press program. It is very difficult to call to mind all of the talking points, speak quickly and clearly, and deal with the questions.

His opponent did not answer questions, especially when he twice ducked the issue of the number of debates.

Bush is weak on the issue of debates and is trying to get out of one or more or make the format useless. Kerry's campaign needs to push back and push back hard.

Bush won't have Cheney holding his hand like he did during the 9/11 commission testimony.

[NightOwwl]

6. I'm must disagree...

I think at this point in time the Kerry reps need step up to the plate and fight fire with fire.

Forget about defending Kerry's words or actions, no one is paying attention. People are out for blood, and I'd prefer it not to be Kerry's. It's time to go on offense. Time to attack Bush where it hurts. He's a coward. Call him on it. He froze, in the defining moment of his presidency, he froze. Froze like a deer in the headlights. He choked big-time.

Call them on their bluff..they want to smear Kerry, fine, but Bush is fair game. But they whine, "Kerry made his service a central part of his campaign, we have a right to question him." Well, guess what? The "war president" made his campaign all about strong leadership. His cowardice and inaction is also fair game.

Screw the long, drawn out explanations of Kerry's actions. It is time for an all-out, bloody attack on Bush. Don't let one attack on Kerry go without reciprocating. And stay on point for god's sake. Bush, our "war president", our "strong leader", was a coward who sat frozen in his chair while America was under attack. In the defining moment of his presidency he choked under the pressure, big-time. He didn't lead, he showed cowardice, not leadership. Is this the man you want in the White House for 4 more years?

Turn it around back on them. Swift Boat Vets = Bush Froze on 9/11. Kerry's senate record = Bush vacation's while Al Qaeda plans attacks. See what I'm getting at? Hoist them on their own petard. It's that simple.

[Blue_Roses]

9. did you read my post?

that's what I'm saying. It's time for a "get-in-your-face" strategy. um... someone like Carville comes to mind...

[NightOwwl]

15. I read your post and stand by my response.

We are in the middle of an all out character assassination on Kerry. This is not the time for Kerry representatives to try and reason with the Bush talking heads about policy. They aren't interested in reasonable dialog, they are out to destroy Kerry.

Now is not the time for "then why are so many families having to take up a fund to provide the troops with the things they need? Cause George Bush hasn't" or "John Kerry voted for authorization to use force as necessary, not as the ONLY means available. Bush abused this vote to use for his own means." This won't help Kerry right now.
We need to take off the gloves and fight down and dirty.

So, when a Bush talking head mentions the $87 billion, or flip-flopping, or any other criticism of Kerry for that matter, don't try to reason with them. Do as they do. Attack Bush's character. For example:

Comment: Kerry flip-flopped on the $87 billion.
Response: Bush is running on "strong leadership." Do you think he showed strong leadership on 9/11 when he stayed frozen in his chair for 7 minutes after being told America was under attack?

Comment: Kerry's war record has come under severe criticism.
Response: Do you think it was cowardly of George Bush to hide in the classroom for 7 minutes after being told America was under attack?

Comment: Kerry missed ## days in the senate and only cast ## votes.
Response: Do you think Bush should have cut his vacation short to study the PDB. Is that why he froze in the classroom, because he was oblivious to this threat?

That's what I mean by in your face.

[sondee]

13. I agree also...

There are so many ways that Bush can be and should be attacked. His appearance on the ship saying that the war was over--his continuing to read to the kids on the morning of 9/11. His denying that he knew Ken Lay, and on and on. We need to keep them so busy defending their actions that they don't have time to think about putting Kerry's campaign on the defense. Guess we can say that it's time for Kerry to turn the boat head on into this mess.

[gulliver]

7. Also missed tax cut issue.

Devine did OK on the Swift liars, but he missed two attacks on Kerry as a past and future tax raiser. Kerry is actually planning on a middle class tax cut, but Devine let both attacks by the GOP campaign manager go by without a word.

Republicans say Kerry is going to raise taxes. We need to make it clear to folks that Kerry is going to cut the taxes for all but the top 2% -- and make sure they know they are not in the top 2%.

[spanone]

11. The authorization for war was based on FAULTY INTELLIGENCE

[Blue_Roses]

14. hahahahahaha...yeah, well,

WHO'S faulty intelligence...Cheney's ? Tenant? Rumsfield? there's more to this story...

[sondee]

12. The vote for war..

I agree, we need to keep hammering the fact that Kerry voted to give Bush the right to use the power to go to war if need be, IF America was in danger, and there were no other alternatives. As usual, Bush smirked and used the power the way he pleased instead of how it was intended.

Do I remember correctly that there was a great deal of money voted for and intended for weapons--body armor and etc., and the money was spent for other things. I can't remember exactly what it was all about, but I do remember such an incident. As for Kerry's vote, he said that the program wasn't working--why throw good money into something that wasn't working? He said that it needed to be made into a workable plan before he voted for it. Am I wrong about this?