"2000 Cometh Again: Will Kerry Gore Himself?"

[DemBones DemBones]

This article at Common Dreams by Andrew Christie sums up much of what I'm thinking these days. Basically, I think the Kerry campaign is headed for a train wreck and I'm powerless to stop it. It's deja vu all over again.

Here's Christie (emphasis added by DemBones):

"Democrats: Gotta love 'em. Cinematic antecedents swim to mind: Peter Sellers as Vice President Mirkin Muffley in "Dr. Strangelove" ("Dmitri, please don't shout at me...") and the vague, bow-tie wearing senator portrayed by Gore Vidal, doomed to defeat at the hands of a boyish, folksy fascist in Tim Robbins' "Bob Roberts."

"And, of course, Al Gore in Election 2000. The campaign of maximum caution, vetted by the controlling legal authority. Too late, Gore ditched the focus groups and fuzzy sweaters and decided to speak from the heart. Too late, Hubert Humphrey finally broke with his old boss and denounced the Vietnam War. Too predictably, the writers of official history blamed Eugene McCarthy and Ralph Nader for Nixon and Bush II, not the fatal blunders of Democratic candidates who brought chess boards onto the field of scrimmage."

"The original JFK once observed that it was a shame that the only people who run for president are the people who are way too intent on getting the job, and those people are invariably politicians. The current JFK's only hope -- and ours -- as he trudges down the rut worn by Gore four years ago, is to start running for president as though he doesn't especially want the job. As though he were 27 years old and testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; not seeking to deflect and dance away, but drilling straight through, as though he were finally willing to say -- again -- yes, America, Vietnam was horrible. Do you want to know how horrible? I will remind you. Whose fault was it? The people who put us there. Who put us there? People just like the people who put us in Iraq."

'His only hope is to run as though he is simply interested in looking people in the eye and telling the truth as he sees it. He will not be allowed to do so, because, as a species, political advisors are incapable of believing that the American people place ultimate value on someone who seems to stand for something and expresses genuine belief, and they will vote for that person even if they don't necessarily agree with much of the expressed belief in question. If we sense the presence of a moral core, whether it is carefully faked (Bill Clinton, George W. Bush), wholly genuine (Robert Kennedy, Paul Wellstone), or completely divorced from reality (Ronald Reagan), many of us will often as not subordinate our own opinions on the issues of the day and vote for that person, just because. "

more. . .

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0823-09.htm

Convince me that he's wrong. Please.

[Birthmark]

1. Congratulations

Your post has finally convinced me that Kerry doesn't stand a chance. He should just give up now and save money and time. We might as well just vote for Bush. It's over.

</sarcasm>

[DemBones DemBones]

5. No, we should not vote for Bush* but we should hold our party's

feet to the fire. The Kerry team is throwing this away.

[freetobegay]

11. Just a quick question

How did you support in the Primaries?

[freetobegay]

21. I guess I'm not going to get my question answered

even though I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to the question I asked.

[DemBones DemBones]

26. Sorry, had to feed the dog and load the dishwasher.

I supported Dennis Kucinich in the primaries.

I quit using my Kucinich avatar and began supporting Kerry once it was obvious Kerry would win the nomination.

I have given far more money to Kerry than to Kucinich.

Want me to sign a loyalty oath? ;-)

This is about Kerry's campaign mistaking mistakes and my disgust at watching Dems far too often.

[Gyre]

2. This might be the year

that the DLC is deemed "dead". Trying to out-conservative the repubes by the party ostensibly representing "the people" is a mistake well supported by recent political history.

Gyre

[DemBones DemBones]

9. Maybe so. Clinton was DLC, but Clinton has

a real gift for politics. He didn't win in a landslide, either.

[Zhade]

39. Clinton "made" the DLC, not the other way around.

I agree with the post upthread, I hope the DLC dies a painful death and gets its claws out of the Dems.

[onebigbadwulf]

3. False

"American people place ultimate value on someone who seems to stand for something and expresses genuine belief, and they will vote for that person even if they don't necessarily agree with much of the expressed belief in question"

I would say Dean, Kucinich, Braun, Edwards, and even Sharpton had much MUCH more expression of genuine belief than Kerry ever did - and what happened? Kerry SWEPT the primaries. Sadly it is the media, character stereotypes, and physical looks which are probably the biggest factors for voters today.

[DemBones DemBones]

10. I think he won the primaries because people figured he'd

be the best one to go against Bush*. Now he really needs to do just that -- go against Bush*.

[the Kelly Gang]

4. Ok this should convince you : Gore won in 2000

[DemBones DemBones]

7. True enough, but by such a small margin that Bush*

was able to steal it. Kerry needs to win by a bigger margin and right now it's looking bad. Taking the high road isn't working too well.

[The Hair in my Nose]

6. Don't dismiss this quickly...

This comment...

"As though he were 27 years old and testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; not seeking to deflect and dance away, but drilling straight through, as though he were finally willing to say -- again -- yes, America, Vietnam was horrible. Do you want to know how horrible? I will remind you. Whose fault was it? The people who put us there. Who put us there? People just like the people who put us in Iraq."

...is right on!

[DemBones DemBones]

8. Yes, he NEEDS to say that. He can't escape that past -- Dubya can

escape his past until after he "found the Lord" and quit drinking -- but Kerry's not going to be allowed to escape his past.

[The Hair in my Nose]

14. Kerry's past...

... inspires me! His courage before the committee to call war the hell that it is.

It is the current kinder gentler general ready to fight a sensitive war that is uninspiring. In fact it is fearful.

And I am not soothed by those here who encouage the pro-peace democrats to just be quiet, when he is elected we can chart a course unlike the tenor of this pragmatism.

I am holding my nose now, because the repuke stench is worse than the sensitive war platform we are hearing. I can dream of 2008 when courage and conviction returns, where we proudly affirm we are (dare I say it) "liberals" and we have a new vision of progress and peace.

A renunciation of the oil-based global crusades and an affirmation of peace and world citizenship.

{/rant off}

[DemBones DemBones]

29. Yes, it inspires me, too. He actually went to Viet Nam and

saw what was happening there, and then he helped bring the war to an end. He should be proud of it and not try to distance himself from his VVAW days.

I fear what shape the country will be in by 2008 if Bush* gets a second term. That's why I want Kerry to start controlling the debate. I know the media make it difficult but that's a handicap he has to deal with as best he can. Once we get some power again, we need to examine media monopolies and a reinstitution of the Fairness Doctrine.

[ItsMyParty]

12. There's a quote in there that sounds so very familiar:

"start running for president as though he doesn't especially want the job." ...that is exactly how Bush played it in 2000. Remember?? He had the "I don't care and if not elected I'll just go home to the ranch". It was sort of a "with me or against me and I don't give a shit" already way back then. Perhaps the author is correct about the demeanor to be exhibited; but I also fear that if all of a suddent Kerry came across that way, they would KILL him with "there he goes just like Gore--reinventing himself". So unfortunately, it's too late for Kerry to change the approach.

[DemBones DemBones]

36. You may be right that

it's too late for Kerry to change his approach.

We have been bombarded with propaganda about Bush* being "strong" and "resolute" when he's really just a stubborn man who doesn't learn from his mistakes.

[Julien Sorel]

13. While polls show the Democrats have lost ground in the center,

the far leftists keep crying out, "Move to the left, John, move to the left! The moderates will disagree with your policy positions, but they'll vote for you anyway because they'll admire your guts!"


I guess I'm just not smart enough to understand the logic.

[Terry_M]

17. Personally, I don't believe the country is really all on

one dimension politically.
But I suppose pretending that it is helps the parties maintain control. Easier to divide the people.

[Julien Sorel]

18. Then perhaps you can explain why

moderate Democrats vote Republican more than moderate Republicans vote Democratic? Are moderate voters more attracted to "guts" than polarized voters?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. All The Polling Suggests That There Are Twice As Many

conservatives as liberals in this country.....


And before someone tells me folks are too stupid to realize they are liberal you are spending too much time at this board...

[depakid]

22. The polls that discuss that

talk about how people label themselves. Issue polls show precisely the opposite- they typically run 60%+ in favor of progressive positions.

But hey- that's just what the polls say- don't shoot the messenger! ;-)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. So The Freepers Are Too Stupid To Know They Are Liberal....

nt

[depakid]

27. Not freepers. reasonable people

who sometimes do call themselves conservative or moderate, but who still suport environmental regulation, expanded healthcare, women's rights, consumer protection, rational economic policy, etc, etc.

If you go down the list, you'll consistently find 60%+ numbers much more often than not with respect to progressive positions.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

31. How About The Fact That The Majority Of Americans Are

against gay marriage and even civil unions but in favor of the death penalty...


Even though most Americans can only dream about being affected by the estate tax they oppose it on the grounds it's confiscatory...


America is the most religious of the industrialized nations....


It has the smallest welfare state and devotes the smallest percentage of it's GDP to social welfare programs...


We can keep pretending to believe that the majority of people are too "stoopid" to realize they are liberal and we can keep wandering in the political wildnernes...

[DemBones DemBones]

35. I think a lot of people probably feel that

calling themselves "conservative" makes them sound like old fuddy-duddies, while "liberal" has been tarred with the "whacko" brush, so naturally they call themselves "moderates."

But as you point out, those "moderates" really want a rather "liberal" government; they just don't realize it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

28. It's How People Label Themselves...

Gay people know they are gay....


Strg8 people know they are strg8....


Bisexual people know they are bisexual...


Liberal people know they are liberal....


Moderate people know they are moderate....


but only

Conservative people don't know what they are...


America is the most conservative of the industrialized of the democracies....

[Joylaughter]

15. Landslide

John Kerry wins. L A N D S L I D E.

[VOX]

16. Gore was hindered by a media that fawned over *, yet he still won.

Christie makes no mention of a media that had a ripping good time with Gore (read any of Bob Sommerby's Daily Howler on this subject). They bought off on GOP talking-point after GOP talking point: Gore waffles too much. Gore is a policy wonk. Gore is wooden. Gore tries to do too much himself, without delegating. Gore has trouble with the truth. Gore is trying to remake himself. Gore "lost" the debates. Gore shouldn't have said that he "invented" the Internet (he never said any such thing). Gore shouldn't have distanced himself from Bill Clinton, etc., etc.

We've still got a media that's basically in love with the pResident. The Swift-Boat smear campaign would have sunk like an anvil, but the media gave it life. The more apropos question is: Will the media "Gore" Kerry?"

None of this is particularly encouraging, except that people are starting to wake up to this act. My recommendation: find an interactive electoral vote map online (there are tons of them), fiddle around with it, and see how close this election really is.

[DemBones DemBones]

32. The media were and are terrible. I think I've read everything

Bob Sommerby ever wrote on how the media Gored Gore, plus I saw it happening with my own eyes. And of course they're Gore-ing Kerry. I'm concerned that Kerry needs to keep all the support he has, not allow the media to help Rove scare them away, and I believe he could be more proactive.

[Julien Sorel]

19. And while I'm at it, didn't Clinton,

whom this guy credits with having a "moral core," (read political stubbornness) invent, or at least perfect, the concept of triangulation? I read this article and see someone who is forcing facts into the shape of his argument (move left!), rather than allowing his opinions to be formed by facts.

And of course, the more I see the far left take right wing talking points (Kerry is wishy washy), the more gutless and bankrupt they become in my eyes.

[DemBones DemBones]

23. He said Clinton faked a moral core. . . I don't think he is

saying that Kerry is wishy washy and I know that's not what I'm saying. He and I are both saying Kerry should show his toughness and respond faster -- and not try to pretend he never was VVAW.

[Julien Sorel]

30. That's not how I read it.

'His only hope is to run as though he is simply interested in looking people in the eye and telling the truth as he sees it. He will not be allowed to do so, because, as a species, political advisors are incapable of believing that the American people place ultimate value on someone who seems to stand for something and expresses genuine belief...

Sounds to me like an accusation of being wishy washy -- someone who doesn't stand for anything. And Clinton has been rather upfront about triangulation; he also backed down on a whole lot of issues that were important to him, in the face of political reality. Again, hardly in line with this guy's depiction of Clinton.

This stuff is a mirror image of the Bush campaign: "George is dumb, and he's fucked up the country, but hey, he hasn't learned shit in four years in office -- he's the same idiot he always was, unlike Kerry."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. That Article Is Plain Silly....

I idolize the Kennedys.... The Kennedys are my heroes but to imply as the author of the editorial does that John Kennedy wasn't consumed by his desire to be president betrays such a profound lack of knowledge that renders anything he says useless...


After Joseph Kennedy Junior died in World War 2 it was up to John Kennedy to fulfill his father's desire to have one of his sons become president....

[DemBones DemBones]

33. Go back and look again. The author wrote

"The original JFK once observed that it was a shame that the only people who run for president are the people who are way too intent on getting the job, and those people are invariably politicians."

Nothing in there about Kennedy claiming he himself wasn't too intent on getting the job.

Everyone knows Jack had to take on Joe, Jr.'s mantle after the latter's death.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. Anybody Who Wants To Be Pres Has An Ego The Size Of A House....

The two exceptions are Gerry Ford and Harry Truman who fell into the job...

[DemBones DemBones]

37. That's true and likely always will be.

Kerry needs to rely on his ego and say outright "I'm BETTER than Bush* and here's why. . . (inset long list of reasons )"

I am trying to keep my hopes up, knowing that Kerry is saying the right things while campaigning. The television news focus on what Bush* says and on the SmearVets ads worries me because I don't think it's been effectively challenged and we know many people get their news from tv only.

If Kerry doesn't win, he can go back to the Senate or take Teresa and move abroad if he wants to. We'll be stuck with Bush* for four more years and that is something I do not want at all.

[Zhade]

38. Some good thoughts in that piece.

Kerry's not doing bad, but it never hurts to stand up and denounce something as horribly wrong as the Iraq war, even if he did vote for it.

Would impress the hell out of THIS voter, let me tell ya!

[OHswingvoter]

40. This article makes some

pretty good points. I am feeling nervous today, because it seems like there may be the beginning of a trend away from us.

What can we do to reverse this? I think the protests at the RNC will help us some? What else can we do to make people realize that they need to get the Bushies Out of the white House?

Any good ideas out there? Should we be hammering the media more? I am telling you that I for sure want Bushie OUT so please please help! This is a desperate situation we are in. Bushies destroy everything. we have to win there is no other way.