Kerry Should Go Negative NOW

[sampsonblk]

Why play these games? Over half the public thiks Bush doesn't deserve to be pResident again. There's a whole lot of negative sentiment out there about Bush. If Kerry waits till October to go negative, the media will claim he is desperate.

He should do it now. All the negative stuff that we all know is true - it should all be on the airwaves. Don't we want the public to know about these things?????

- Surplus to deficit
- Ridiculous stupid things Bush has said
- Bush quotes from the 2000 debates
- Halliburton in Iraq
- backdoor draft
- VA benefits
- Bush's and Cheney's DUIs
EVERYTHING

That's what the Repubs do. Do the swing voters turn against them? Hell no! They eat it up. BRING IT ON before its too late.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Repubs do it because LOW VOTER TURNOUT favors them

and negative campaigning produces LOW VOTER TURNOUT. Dems on the other hand do better when there is GOOD VOTER TURNOUT. Therefore, going negative will only produce LOW VOTER TURNOUT which favors REPUBS. IS that what you want?

[Julien Sorel]

3. You are trying to reason with people who

have the mentality of adolescents. While I envy your courage, I am intimidated by the patience it takes to follow through.

[LisaL]

4. How can it be?

A lot of people won't really vote for Kerry, they will vote against Bush. If you remind them how awful Bush had been,why in the world won't they go to the polls?

[sampsonblk]

19. I get where you're coming from, but it never made sense to me

If Bush goes negative and causes both himself and Kerry to lose potential voters, what does Bush gain?

IMHO, it does more damage to the other guy's voter turnout than to the one who went negative. Otherwise, no one would ever benefit from going negative.

Its late, so I could be thinking all wrong or even missing your point. But that's how it looks at 2am in Bellefonte.

[LisaL]

2. Agree.

There is plenty of negative on Bush.
Bush had flipped-flopped-great!
Billions of dollars spend on war-well, where did the money go?

[sampsonblk]

21. "George...Where's our money???"

An ad like that would be devastating. And its not a smear at all. Its just reality. Kerry would be wise to pound him on that one. In the 200 debates, Al Gore told Bush that the tax cut was a huge risk. What if something goes wrong? And Bush said "He's just trying to scare you." That should be on every TV station from Connecticut to California. "Where's our Money, George?"

[Morning Dew]

30. Holy Cow - That's fantastic !!

They should absolutely use that.

GREAAAAATTTTT IDEA

[sub.theory]

5. Absolutely

This is the time to pour it on. I really hope that the Kerry team has been biding their time and waiting for the moment to make their attack count. I think now is the time to pounce, with Bush still struggling to cut himself loose from the SBVets, the spy scandal hitting, and the new economic reports once again showing Bush has destroyed the economy.

Come on Kerry, let's go get those bastards!

[sampsonblk]

23. The Bush people are still claiming the best econ in 20 years!

We can't let that go unanswered. That's an outrage. Best in 20 years???

I say pound pound pound - not only on their economic stewardship but also their credibility. The recent MoveOn ad hit on it. I say keep it up. Whenever Bush is clearly wrong, pound pound pound.

[NightOwwl]

6. Kerry has talked about

Worst deficit in history
Haliburton no-bid contracts
VA losing benefits under Bush
Job loss and lousy economy
Abu Ghraib torture
Rumsfeld and why he needs to resign
Bush's Iraq screw-ups

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few. Problem is, the media won't give him any air-time.

[LisaL]

9. I guess they want something juicy

about Bush 35 years ago.
Well, I am sure there is plenty.

[sub.theory]

11. I think that's sampsonblk's point

By going negative, all these boring facts and figures become personal attacks, which is juicy and exciting. Americans love a good political brawl (see SBVfT). This the way to get on TV and get the message out. Besides, after the whole SBVet smear, Bush has it coming to him. No mercy.

Edit: I don't mean we should lie, just that we shouldn't hold back from tying EVERYTHING to Bush's miserable character. Make it personal.

[kentuck]

13. You can't beat the Repubs at "negative"...

They have a lot of experience. They also have control of the media at this time....

[LisaL]

14. Yep, but they have to lie

And we don't.

[sub.theory]

16. I see your point

I admit, it's a risk going negative, and I think the Kerry campaign is smart. They are smarter than me. I do think that going negative will raise Kerry's TV exposure, however, and I think that could help. The worst problem we have is that the bushies are the only ones on TV...

[creeksneakers2]

29. Republicans are lousy at defense

That's why they have to attack all the time.

[sampsonblk]

25. Heck yeah! My point - only you said it better

"I don't mean we should lie, just that we shouldn't hold back from tying EVERYTHING to Bush's miserable character. Make it personal."

[swag]

7. Negative, substantive, substantial, now

This should not be underappreciated:

The ad campaigns referred to below are quite devastating. Not nasty, mind you, just devastating, fact based, and well-executed:

. . .

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040828_1208.html

In New York City, the DNC is spending a small amount, about $25,000, to run four 15-second spots needling Bush's May 2003 claim of "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq. Arguing that "Mission Is Not Accomplished," one ad intones, "They say America has turned the corner, but middle-class families are feeling squeezed" on taxes and health care.

The DNC's independent expenditure office also has committed about $8 million to flood TV and radio airwaves in 21 battleground states and nationally on cable networks with an ad arguing that Bush's viewpoints on the economy conflict with reality.

Although it can't legally coordinate with John Kerry's campaign, the party is filling in for the Democratic candidate. He is running only a paltry level of ads in three states and is off the air everywhere else to save money for the fall election homestretch.

At the same time, MoveOn.org's political action committee will broadcast commercials by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris, creator of "The Fog of War." The ads feature testimonials from people who voted for Bush in 2000 but who plan to vote for Kerry this year. They will run in nine competitive states and nationally on Fox News Channel, costing about $1 million over the week, part of what the group says will be a $3 million effort.

. . .
The moveonpac ads with the massive RNC buy:

https://www.moveonpac.org/donate/switchad_winners.html

The DNC ads with the massive RNC buy:

http://www.democrats.org/brokenrecord/index.html

We are picking up the pace a bit and positioning ourselves for the final sprint to Nov. 2.

[Leilani]

20. Why, in God s name, are they spending

money on NY media?

It reaches NY, NJ, & Ct. where Kerry will trounce Bush.

[swag]

24. Psy Ops on the Republican conventioneers

for a very modest sum.

Lots of those conventioneers will go right back to the hotel and switch on the TV. Tokyo Rose type of deal. The ads will taunt the conventioneers that while they are in new york, their SO is back home in Springfield getting joyously rodgered at the parsonage.

Plus it's a good morale booster for citizens of New York to see that while their city is under siege.

[sampsonblk]

26. I am all for that

That's good news.

[OHswingvoter]

8. we must be tough we must be strong

we must fight. But we cannot seem to be overly negative. It really does work against us. Strong and aggressive is good though. We can still attack.

[LisaL]

10. Voters only say they don't like negative

But they eat it up with a spoon.

[kentuck]

12. As soon as he goes negative, Bush pretends to go positive....

And will gain from such a position... Kerry should think twice before he makes such a move this far from the election, in my opinion. He should welcome civility at this time. It is in such short supply. I understand your reasons - I just think it is not a good idea at this time.

[John Q. Citizen]

15. Bush, himself,

hasn't gone negative. He let's surrogates, sympathetic media, and all the asshole on discussion boards go negative for him.

I wonder why that is?

[LisaL]

17. Because he got other people

to do his dirty work for him. And our local paper can write that Bush is taking the high road.

[sampsonblk]

27. Kerry can go negative without seeming to

Surely he has surrogates who can bring some noise. Wes Clark is excellent. And there are plenty of others. And there are plenty of negative points about Bush that are begging to be aired.

[Aunt Anti-bush]

18. I would love him to.

But I think seriously, he is doing the right thing. It's almost as if he's sending a message to all Americans that he knows we're intelligent enough to know what's really been going on for the last 4 years. Unfortunately, not all of us are so I do wish he'd open up a can of whoop-*ss.

[Leilani]

22. Exactly right!

And if Kerry wants to stay positive, he better get someone out there SOON, like yesterday, to do it.

[JCMach1]

28. It would drive down turnout...

:(

[bigtree]

31. Kerry has gone negative. Never enough for some.

But you can't have a positive discussion about the issues you raised in that atmosphere. You have to decide if you want your attacks to headline or your issue responses and positions.

Here's some of the recent offensive by the Kerry camp:


Edwards Statement on Rumsfeld Prisoner Abuse Comments

8/28/2004 3:50:00 PM
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35355

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards today released the following statement about Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's repeated statement that he has not "seen anything thus far that says that the people abused were abused in the process of interrogating them or for interrogation purposes:"

"It is shocking that Donald Rumsfeld is still unaware of what happened in the prison abuse scandal and that he is still refusing to take responsibility for his role in the scandal and the President's miscalculation on the war in Iraq.

"His comments are contradicted on the very first page of the Schlesinger report which says that some of the Abu Ghraib abuses did in fact occur during interrogation sessions.

"The report also makes clear that the responsibility lies at the highest levels, but time and time again, the Administration has continued to dodge accountability on issue after issue. Instead of blaming enlisted privates, George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld need to show some real leadership and stand up and take responsibility for these terrible abuses."
_______________________

Kerry-Edwards 2004: Why Should We Believe His Attacks? Bush Increases Taxes on Middle-Class Families

8/28/2004 1:15:00 PM

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Kerry-Edwards 2004 released the following fact sheet on taxes today:

Today, George W. Bush continues to do what he does best: Launch misleading, false attacks and distortions. This time, George Bush is putting out another misleading attack, aimed at covering up his record of hurting working families.

"George W. Bush is falsely attacking John Kerry to cover up the fact that the Bush tax policies have hurt working families, placing an even greater tax burden on them. The bottom line is that George Bush is out of credibility, and the American people just won't believe his attacks. John Kerry wants to reduce taxes on 98 percent of all Americans and 99 percent of all businesses. He's fought for middle class tax cuts his entire career. Bush and Cheney, however, can't come close to making the same claim," Kerry spokesman Phil Singer.

more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35353
______________________________

Kerry Tells Tacoma Families There Is A Fundamental Choice on the Economy in This Election

8/28/2004 12:53:00 PM

TACOMA, Wash., Aug. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry Saturday attended a rally in Tacoma, WA, where he continued to outline the fundamental choice facing voters in 2004: four more years of an administration that stands for the special interests and the few or the Kerry-Edwards plan to build an economy that strengthens and expands the middle class.

While President Bush has spent his term shifting the tax burden onto the middle class and his campaign floating failed ideas that would squeeze families even more, Kerry today pledged to stand up for middle-class families as president with a plan to create good- paying jobs and help families save and get ahead.

"Forty-one years ago, Martin Luther King gave his 'I Have a Dream' speech in Washington, D.C," Kerry said. "He told us his dream that one day, all Americans would have the chance to share in the promise of our great country. John Edwards and I have the same dream -- and together, we can make it a reality. Together, we can build an America that's stronger at home and respected in the world."

From supporting outsourcing of American jobs to turning surpluses into record deficits to putting the interests of drug companies over the interests of patients and families, President Bush has chosen to turn away from middle-class families.

No where is this more true than the economy. Thanks to a deliberate set of choices by this president, 1.8 million jobs have been lost, middle-class families are paying a higher share of taxes, skyrocketing costs for health care, education and energy are squeezing family budgets and 6 million workers now face life without overtime pay.

more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35352
_______________________________

Kerry-Edwards 2004: Why Is Bush Launching More False Attacks?

8/28/2004 12:13:00 PM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Chad Clanton or Phil Singer, 202-464-2800, both of Kerry-Edwards 2004, Web: http://www.johnkerry.com

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a fact sheet from Kerry-Edwards 2004:

WHY IS BUSH LAUNCHING MORE FALSE ATTACKS?

POLLS SHOW BUSH LOSING GROUND WITH CUBAN AMERICANS

Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said: "George Bush has watched his standing in Florida plummet which is why he is launching these negative attacks. For three and a half years, he did nothing on Cuba, waiting until an election year to enact a policy that will do nothing to bring down the Castro regime but will hurt the Cuban people. His policy has back-fired, his support among Cuban Americans has dropped, so now he's launching negative attacks."

BUSH LOSING GROUND AMONG CUBAN AMERICANS

BUSH DOWN AMONG CUBAN AMERICANS FROM 2000: "In the 2000 election, Mr. Bush captured 85 percent of the Cuban-American vote in Florida - and won the state by only 537 votes. This year, polls suggest his support among Cuban-Americans could be 15 points lower. 'The new Bush policy has given the Democrats a big opening here, something no one imagined just a year ago,' said Sergio Bendixen, a pollster with Bendixen & Associates." (Dallas Morning News, 8/27/04)

more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35349
___________________________

Statement from Kerry Advisor on President's Admission that He Miscalculated Post-War Iraq

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35337

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Kerry-Edwards campaign National Security Advisor Rand Beers released the following statement today:

"The president's admission that he miscalculated 'what the conditions would be' in post-war Iraq is welcome, but hardly enough. For well over a year, our troops have been paying the price of President Bush's failure to plan to win the peace. The president has taken a step in the direction of leveling with the American people, but he has still not offered a workable plan.

"We urgently need security preparations so the elections in January can move forward, and there must be a massive expansion of training for Iraqi security forces. Establishing security in Iraq is vital to that nation's future and it is the most urgent step to allow our troops to come home. We still need a concerted effort to bring other nations to our side.

"The president has finally abandoned his stubborn refusal to admit his failure to plan. Now he must both plan and act. Our troops and our nation are still waiting."
_____________________________

Statement from V.P. Candidate John Edwards on President Bush's Executive Orders on Intelligence Reform

8/27/2004 3:02:00 PM
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35332

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Sen. John Edwards released the following statement today on President Bush's Executive Orders in intelligence reform:

"Nearly three years after 9/11, the president is finally acknowledging that we have failed to enact the intelligence reform needed to keep our country safe. The proposal announced today does not get the job done. Expanding the powers of the existing director of central intelligence is a far cry from creating a true national intelligence director with real control over personnel and budgets.

"As the 9/11 Commission reported, one of the lessons of 9/11 is that our intelligence agencies must work together. Today's actions
_____________________________________

Kerry-Edwards 2004: George W. Bush Uses Federal College Aid to Pad Corporate Profits & Block Access to College

8/27/2004 1:14:00 PM

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by Kerry-Edwards 2004:

Today, we learned more about a special interest favor George W. Bush is doing for banks administering student loans. Currently, the federal government pays banks to provide loans to students with a government-guaranteed rate of return. But instead of providing a reasonable rate of return, a loophole in the law gives many banks a guaranteed return of 9.5 percent. With no risk whatsoever, these banks receive a massive subsidy of nearly $1 billion annually straight from taxpayers -- money that could be used to expand college access.

Vice-Presidential nominee John Edwards said: "If we had real leadership in the White House, we could close this loophole tomorrow. And we could take that money and give it to students who desperately need help. That is what John Kerry will do as President."

Keeping The Loophole Open Will Cost $2.8 Billion Next Year. If the loophole isn't closed until next year, the Institute for College Access and Success estimates that the government will spend $2.8 billion in subsidies to pad corporate profits instead of expanding college access. (New York Times, 8/27/04)

Bush And The Education Department Could End Guaranteed Profits Today. The president or officials at the Education Department could end the program and close the loophole at any time. "It is the agency's rules that created the loopholes," said Robert Shireman, director of the Institute for College Access and Success, which published a report today with findings similar to the G.A.O.'s. "It is the agency's responsibility to fix them. It is irresponsible not to act." (New York Times, 8/27/04)

more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35326
____________________________

Kerry Campaign Statement on New GDP Numbers

8/27/2004 11:30:00 AM

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35318

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today, the Commerce Department reported that GDP grew at 2.8 percent in the second quarter of this year. The following is a statement of the Kerry campaign:

Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said: "The ink on George Bush's economic record is starting to dry: These GDP numbers are the latest piece of evidence that George Bush is misleading Americans when he says that the economy has turned the corner. No matter what happens in the next two months, nothing will change the basic fact that George W. Bush is going to the be first President facing re-election with a net job loss record."

GDP growth revised down to 2.8 percent in the second quarter. Second quarter GDP grew at a 2.8 percent annual rate, revised down from the previous estimate of 3.0 percent growth. This is a slowdown from the 4.5 percent rate in the first quarter.

The Bush campaign likes to say growth is the strongest in 20 years, but it's not true. GDP growth was stronger in 1999-2000, in the ninth year of an expansion. In other words, GDP was growing at a faster rate four years ago than it is today, with the growth rate from 1999-Q2 to 2000-Q2 exceeding the growth rate from 2003-Q2 to 2004-Q2. And that was in the ninth year of an expansion when growth typically slows.
___________________________

Edwards Highlights the Kerry-Edwards Commitment to Put the Middle Class First

8/27/2004 10:39:00 AM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Kim Rubey of Kerry-Edwards 2004, 202-464-2800, Web: http://www.johnkerry.com

ST. CHARLES, Mo., Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Continuing a two- week focus on building a stronger economy that works for all Americans, Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards traveled to St. Charles, Missouri Friday to talk to families about the Kerry-Edwards plan to end the middle class squeeze, including helping young people pay for college and a new plan to help families save money on their mortgages.

Voters this fall face a fundamental choice, particularly on the economy. While the Bush Administration has made it nearly impossible for middle class families to get ahead, John Kerry and John Edwards have a real plan to put the middle class first -- on every issue from creating jobs, to lowering costs, to ending abusive financial deals.

"Hardworking Americans are tired of hoping that this week's paychecks will cover last month's bills. They are tired of working full-time and still struggling to make ends meet," said Edwards. "And they are exhausted of a President who has turned his back on them for nearly four years."

George Bush's economic policies have undercut the middle class for the past three and a half years, failing to create a single new job and forcing more and more of the tax burden onto the middle class. In the month of July alone, Missouri lost 51,800 jobs. And the Census numbers released yesterday revealed what most Americans already knew to be true -- American families are struggling more than ever. Under George Bush, the typical family has seen its income decline significantly, 5.2 million Americans have lost health insurance, and 4.3 million more people have fallen into poverty. Kerry and Edwards know that America can do better.

more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35312
__________________________

Thursday, August 26, 2004
9:51 PM Conference Call at 11 AM ET Friday; Leading Experts on Middle-Class Debt and Finances Discuss Kerry-Edwards Plan to Help Families Save and Get Ahead
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35300

5:31 PM Kerry: Why Won't Bush Just Denounce the Swift Boat Ads?
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35293

5:13 PM George W. Bush: Misleading on Health Care Rhetoric/Reality, Says Kerry-Edwards 2004
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35292

4:10 PM Kerry-Edwards 2004 Fact Sheet on Women for Kerry-Edwards and Polling Memo
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35283

3:58 PM Kerry Campaign Says 'Just Ask A Woman'; Launches Women for Kerry-Edwards and New Report
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35278

3:54 PM Edwards to Give National Security Address Monday in North Carolina
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35279

3:51 PM FRIDAY: Edwards in Missouri; Part of Two-Week Focus on the Kerry- Edwards Plan for a Stronger Economy
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35275

3:07 PM Kerry-Edwards Plan: A Stronger America Through More Affordable Health Care
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35269

2:59 PM Kerry Campaign Asks Bush-Cheney to Explain 'Web of Connections'
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35268

1:50 PM Kerry Campaign: After A Week Off, Bush Previews Convention; Ignores His Record of Undermining the Middle Class, Goes on Attack
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35255

12:34 PM Kerry-Edwards Fact Sheet on Census Numbers
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35242

12:25 PM Statement from Senator John Kerry on New Census Numbers
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35241

11:43 AM Kerry Campaign to Challenge Bush to Weekly Debates; Census Numbers Highlight Fundamental Choices in Election; Conf. Call at 12:30 pm ET
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35230

9:09 AM Kerry Focuses on the Fundamental Choice on Health Care in Town Hall with Undecided Voters
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35208



Hope you take the time to read through these releases and do your best to get the message out.

[NicRic]

32. I agree ,everything truthful, on the table,

you have heard it B/4 ,fight with fire with fire! The only thing the repugs know how to do is go negative ,they certainly cant run on bushes record ! We have tried taking the high road and it would probably be appreciated if we had news agencies that refelected this .However even with the swift boat liers, the major news outlets bend and twist the truth on who was going negative frist. I blame alot of things on why bush has gotten away with so many lies, however #1 to blame is the major news outlets in this country ,who tolerate being called liberial rags ,even while spewing right wing talkin points .I have never been more disgusted with the shape of things and I dread what is coming should this gang remain in office !