Kerry campaign shake-up coming up

[kstewart33]

A friend passed this on to me via email. I think it's from Al Hunt at the Wall Street Journal. Sorry no link; requires subscription:

Kerry Campaign Weighs Shake-Up As Bush Gains Upper Hand in Race

August 31, 2004 11:36 a.m.

As the Bush campaign commands an exquisitely directed convention, the faltering Kerry campaign might be on the verge of a major shake-up.

Ever since the Boston convention, the Bush campaign has dominated the agenda, putting the Democratic nominee on the defensive. While polls still show a close race, everything is tilting in the GOP direction, a movement that almost surely will be enhanced by a successful New York convention.

Dispirited Democrats -- prominent senators, top fundraisers, even a few Kerry confidants -- have told the candidate, who is in Nantucket, that high-level changes are imperative. A few very well-connected Democrats report something will occur in the next few days. One person who might assume more control is Joe Lockhart, a former press secretary to Bill Clinton and a respected public-relations figure, but one who has almost no experience in the high-stakes world of presidential campaigns. Another possibility: veteran Democratic politico John Sasso, currently at the Democratic National Committee.

If there is a change -- Sen. Kerry privately is said to be "bouncing off the walls" in frustration -- it has to be imminent as the eight-week campaign is in full swing by Labor Day. "We have 48 hours," acknowledges an insider.


My question: this happened last year in Iowa. Is this one coming too late?

[Eurobabe]

1. is this the part where they mortgage the house?

again? sheesh

[indie_voter]

2. Carville and Clinton. Bring them in and take their advice.n/t

[Frodo]

5. Carville is not always right.

He advocated Zell Miller as VP.

[Bread and Circus]

16. Carville is an idiot...

[ladjf]

21. I don't trust him. Look who he's married to.

[incapsulated]

3. More like..

Not a moment too soon, imho. He did it before, he can do it again. :thumbsup:

[kentuck]

4. Will that be interpreted by the media as turmoil in the Kerry campaign?

and on the defensive??

[incapsulated]

6. Sure, they did last time...

Then he won. He who laughs last... ;)

[jackstraw45]

7. Yes...and sadly it's true.

This campaign is OFF balance right now and leaning.

We need to win this fight and August was a complete JOKE for this campaign, IMO.

[bkcc]

8. Good. It's about damn time.

Maureen Dowd was on AAR this morning, talking about how the Kerry campaign is so awful.

I agree. Let's get someone to do this thing right. We're only getting one chance at this.

[Worst Username Ever]

12. I'm with you.

Christ, is seems like everyday on this board people are saying "Just wait... Kerry will take the gloves off... just wait... Kerry is choosing the right time to strike." BS!! They are inept and need to make some changes, and it is clear that they might finally be doing so. GOOD.

[gratuitous]

9. The WSJ wishes!

Naked rumor mongering. Nothing to see here. They're deep in the graveyard, whistling for all they're worth.

[bkcc]

11. I have no idea what that means.

[gratuitous]

22. Translation

The Wall Street Journal fervently wishes that the Kerry campaign would undergo a major shake-up. This would indicate "trouble" in the campaign, which they would gleefully over-report in somber tones of tut-tut.

The phrase "whistling past the graveyard" means someone who is hopefully ignoring bad news or a bad situation, that it will not turn out as bad as it looks. In this case, the Wall Street Journal editors hope that Bush's re-election chances aren't as bad as they look. But in case they are, they are trying to pump life into a scurrilous rumor about the Kerry campaign in hopes of improving Mr. Bush's chances, or the public perception of his chances.

[Flubadubya]

24. Well thanks gratuitous...

You beat me to the button. I must have been typing when you were. Hah!

[sub.theory]

25. I'm inclined to agree, gratuitous

It's awful late in the game to be trying to bring in someone new. I really hope this story isn't true. There is no doubt we will hear endlessly on CNN about how the Kerry campaign is doomed and floundering and on and on and on. Ugh...if they do make any changes they have to keep it quiet.

[Flubadubya]

23. Whistling past the graveyard...

is the original expression. The poster has just taken it a few steps farther (no pun intended, LOL). In case you aren't familiar with the phrase "whistling past the graveyard" it is an expression meant to evoke the image of someone who is in the presence of something fearsome or fearful but tries to pretend to ignore it as though it weren't really there.

If someone else has a better interpretation please chime in. :)

[zaj]

26. I thought that too, but wasn't this written by Al Hunt? Isn't he a lib?

Can someone verify the author please?

[zaj]

10. Anyone have access to WSJ?

Is it Al Hunt? Is he a Bush shill?

It's suspicious for sure... just courious if it's pro-Bush propaganda or not.

[nolabels]

13. What kind of B.S is this?

I think some don't really see or understand, but this story does make good copy. It's one step at a time, even when your running, so let's go get them bush bots

'We Could Control This Country': 33 Extreme Reasons to Give Bush the Boot

by Maureen Farrell

"I am deeply disturbed by the dangerous and growing influence of people like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell on our nation’s political leaders." – Walter Cronkite, January, 2004

Last week, I wrote about how the GOP's secret bride, the Religious Right, will be shuffled into the broom closet during next week’s Republican National Convention. And lest you think this is a case of leftist "religion bashing," consider this: The National Council of Churches, which represents the country's Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians and 32 other denominations, has, against all tradition, been brushed aside by this President, while evangelicals have enjoyed unparalleled access.
(snip)
http://www.buzzflash.com/farrell/04/08/far04029.html

[Doosh]

14. the campaign shakeup has to be a quiet one

and during the GOP convention will be a good time because all the attention is on them. make the changes as quietly as possible.

right now it's not too late, despite a miserable August, Kerry is still neck and neck, waiting until he's 8-10 points down would've been disaster.

enough of this timid crap, muddled messages, and rope a dope, with just over 60 days left, it's time to hit him and hit him hard!

bring back carville and lehane

[Guaranteed]

15. Whoever takes the reins needs to start attacking Bush's

invasion of Iraq and how it destroyed the real war on terror.

[bkcc]

17. Agreed.

But they need to make it personal for people. Give it a human face.

That's what Rove has done with the SVL. An accusation is one thing...having "real" people making the claims makes it sink in for people.

Kerry needs to bring it to middle America--in their language. Show them how their communities are being affected by Bush* and his policies.

"You have cuts in police and fire service? Maybe it's because the money is being spent in Iraq."

Things like that...that people can relate to.

[LuminousX]

18. The last time this happened

Kerry won Iowa.

[barb162]

30. In Iowa Kerry was dealing with honorable opponents

Now he is dealing with lying sociopaths and he has to start attacking them with everything he has. NOW!!!

[stellanoir]

19. ". . .the faltering Kerry campaign. . ."

"Faltering" my butt.

Most of the BS polls are still within the margin of error. Of course things are going to get weird after a whole month of SBV's smears, little media coverage of Kerry, the current RNC hate fest, et al.

The debates, what happens on the ground in Iraq, a (god forbid) terrorist attack, what transpires in the last weeks of October, and BBV's will determine this election.

IMHO Kerry should file a libel suit against the SBV's as John Dean recommended. He should go on Oprah in late September-late October and address the similarities and virtuousity of working with the government and exposing malfeasance when it occurs. That is true of both his '71 testimony and of the 87 billion vote. That is not inconsistent, it's patriotic.

[WI_DEM]

20. Don't you love the media?

The GOP convention is exquisite and Kerry is going to have to shake up his campaign. This will be a few more days of negative publicity.

[LuminousX]

My spin: Kerry refines campaign for final leg of election.

in race terms it is getting ready to pull ahead of the pack.

in crafting terms, it is clearing away the sawdust to begin painting.

in legalese, it is dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

[Democat]

27. Not good

:(

[Protected]

28. Sen. Kerry is "bouncing off the walls"

What type of non-journalism is this? I expect to see garbage like this on Drudge or various blogs, but in the WSJ? Come on.

[barb162]

29. Kerry has the ability to pull this out

but he better do it fast. I have been saying for weeks he has to go on the offensive bigtime and stop letting the gop lying bastards define the Kerry campaign. He better get himself fired up bigtime and fast. I think Carville is great and he speaks out against the crazy GOP despite his wife and he has been doing it for years. Kerry should call in clinton and get the Clinton rapid response and Offense teams back in. But I have bad vibes here, very bad vibes that the way the swifties lies were handled (defensive posture by the Democrats) will continue. There has to be a sea change in the Kerry campaign and its style. Forget begging Bush at his ranch to stop the swifties. Horseshit with that. (God bless Cleland but no pleas, he should have demanded) Start demanding on all issues and pointing out how Bush is destroying everything good about this country. Start getting mad. Kerry cannot campaign like it was 10 or 20 years ago; things have changed too damned much. But he better do it FAST.