Does the Kerry campaign have a strategy to deal with the smearvets?

[rumguy]

Is he ever going to sink the dagger into their little pack of lies? Or is the strategy to just try and ride it out?

I've been astounded at the amount of attention the smearvets have received. For a painfully long time the campaign just sat there - mute and silent. I thought they were waiting for the right time to strike, but I haven't seen anything impressive in the way of a counter-attack.

So what the fuck are they doing? Have I missed something?

[Nordic]

1. the question should be: do they have a plan to deal with the media?

the smear vets aren't GIVING the smearvets all the media attention.

The media is.

That's where the big WTF? is.

The Kerry campaign had better figure out how to use the media or this country is screwed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. The media will not allow them to respond

That is partly the problem

[Nordic]

4. I think it's 100% of the problem

Whackjobs are always gonna come out of the woodwork to smear whoever.

The media is supposed to sort all this out.

Between the media and BBV, this country could be completely doomed.

The biggest challenge facing us is not this election, but what to do about the media and BBV

Obviously it's a little difficult to fix these problems without first getting more power, but we're in a bit of a catch-22 here.

We HAVE to get out of it.

[EST]

3. Since the middle of last week,

the slobo liars have been doing a pretty good meltdown all on their own. I've noticed a far higher percentage of talking heads today pointing out the obvious discrepancy between the smears and reality. Give it another week and I think you will see the last of that bunch.

[OHswingvoter]

5. I am confused by how they

responded. I thought that you either come out swinging immediately (don't let the lies take hold) which is my favorite way. or you ride it out the whole way and try to stay above the fray.

Kerry ignored it for a couple of weeks (too late to come out swinging he waited until the damage was done). He should have fought it early. But since he didn't, At that point, most of the damage had been done and it was starting to die down. I figured he would just stay above the fray and at least win points with the folks that like that approach. But At that point he came out swinging aggressively keeping the story in the limelight and getting it more attention when it seemed on its way out. What's up with that?

I am baffled. I also am confused by spending lots of money on ads (JK and MoveOn ads) and then pulling them or making ads that were already obsolete. What the hell is going on? We need a big win. I wouldn't be doing it this way, but what the hell do I know.

[EST]

7. Maybe this will help--

People believe the swift liars, not because they have any evidence, but because they want to believe, in other words- emotional commitment. The only way to change their minds is emotionally. Kerry did the underdog routine, stayed honest, looked like he needed someone, anyone, to hit for him. What happened then? The lies were so egregious that the other real witnesses to the fact decided to give up their self imposed, protective silences and spoke up on the record. They came out of the woodwork. Yesterday the pressure was so great that the Douche, himself, came out of hiding and in his own self-congratulating style admitted that Kerry was a real hero and in fact more of a hero than GWB himself. Now if that is not a victory, tell me what is.

[OHswingvoter]

9. the only victory that counts

is at the polls. And it looks like at the very least this has stopped our upward momentum. Look I hope and pray it all works out, but a few fancy words from Bushie don't thrill me as a big win.

[rumguy]

14. The smear has had some impact

The thing I worry about is it just lingering on and on right up to election day. And I expect a lot of activity from the smearvets the two weeks before the election - more ads, etc...they're raising quite a bit of money.

[EST]

15. It will take a couple more days for the polls to

start reflecting the changes, so a little patience is necessary. Get excited, 'cause you should know the next attack is due. It should be just as hard, just as vicious, but won't have the staying power of the last one. The third attack will be almost as bad, but the next two will be fairly mild by comparison, and then we should be facing only powderpuffs 'til election. Piece of cake.

[rumguy]

6. They had the beginnings of a counter-attack

with the McCain ad and Cleland going to *'s ranch.

But then they had to pull the ad, and the Cleland thing was just a start.

They need to point out the lies and contradictions in the smearvets' stories, and then they need to wrap it around the neck of the * campaign.

And yes...they need to figure out how to use the media to do it - the Cleland thing was a good start...but it was just a start.

[2Design]

8. actually them focusing on kerry and what he did about that

unjust war..and his protests....are great reminders to all of us to stand up against a corupt government ......kerry was a great leader then and he is a great leader now....because he thinks....

[EST]

10. The [i]only[/i] way we can win is if those bastards fight hard

and dirty. We have to make sure they throw every thing they have, the meanest, dirtiest, nastiest shit they can hokey up. They are out of ammo. Nobody, outside of the ones who have a whole different set of reasons for putting him in, will believe a frippin' thing they say about JFK/JE or the rest of us, and we'll all be a lot tougher and tuned up going into the last week of the finals. The harder they attack the better we win.

[sandnsea]

11. Bush said Kerry heroic

Which basically means Bush said the Swift Boat vets are liars. How much more of a win do you expect?

[rumguy]

12. We lose if * does our fighting for us

Americans respect strength and they respect someone who fights back when their honor is attacked.

Appealing to the hall monitors is not an effective strategy.

[OHswingvoter]

13. that is just to distance himself from

the attacks. He can whine see I never said anything bad about Kerry's service,I have always said it is heroic. Kerry can't criticize my service cause I have never criticized his. I Don't know why those guys keep attacking him. While of course he is encouraging them behind the scences. Eyewash. No one will fall for this bushshit.