KERRY Plans "Major Campaign Shakeup"

[liberalpragmatist]

From the Wall Street Journal, courtesty of Taegan Goddard of PoliticalWire:

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2004/08/31/kerry_weighs_campaign_shake_up.html

Kerry Weighs Campaign Shake Up

"As the Bush campaign commands an exquisitely directed convention, the faltering Kerry campaign might be on the verge of a major shake-up," the Wall Street Journal's Al Hunt reports. Aides says Kerry is "bouncing off the walls" in frustration.

The campaign "command structure" is "often frozen -- or at least tempered -- by too many chefs, a too-heavy reliance on polls or focus groups and an aversion to risks. As a result, the message often is muddled and the reaction to hard-hitting attacks from Republicans often is slow and unconvincing."

"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."

[Frodo]

1. Am I the only one who sees a difference between

"weighs" and "plans"???

[liberalpragmatist]

7. Okay, sorry

Oversight on my part. I guess you're right.

[Tarheelhombre]

14. It's about time. Bob S. has a losing record with campaigns anyway.

[Catfight]

24. they need to go on the offense, it sucks being on the defense all the time

Hell Kerry, is just on the fucking fence. Make Bush come out and fight on his own instead of sending his bullies to do it for him. The little prick hides behind Chaney's evil big white man CEO corrupt ass and Roves overweight disgruntled high school duffus who probably got locked up in his locker everyday and now he is on a crusade to make every American pay. Democrats need to come out with the truth to destroy bush, what they are doing is twisting the truth and democrats haven't challenged it enough. Besides, where the fuck are the Senate and Congress Democrats? Why haven't they started impeachment on Bush and conflict of interest on Chaney yet?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. .

It is spelled Cheney.

Congress includes the Senate and is not separate from it. The other part of Congress is the House of Representatives.

The Democrats in the Congress are in the minority. That means they do not control the committees. Since they do not control the committees, they do not control the agenda. They will never get impeachment on the committee agendas.

[bobbyboucher]

41. Sounds like HORSESHIT to me.

This has been floating around for a couple of days but only from righty sources. It seems obvious to me that they want people to THINK Kerry's campaign is in disarray. It is not.

These are the dog days. We'll be out soon.

[bobbyboucher]

42. Ooops, should have been replied to original post.

Sorry about the wrong placement.

[liberalpragmatist]

2. Sorry, Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x701440

[Doosh]

3. I'm glad Kerry is bouncing off the walls

he should be frustrated, we're lucky this is still neck & neck. I say hire Carville full time, bring back Lehane, and get Clinton more involved. This is no time to be screwing around, the campaign has become to passive.

[autorank]

4. Bring on Sasso!!!! n/t

[LizW]

26. Sasso's a street fighter, is he not?

Here's hoping he's learned how not to get caught. ;)

[autorank]

36. Now, getting caught is ok!

Hope so to but if he's on board and get's caught, people will understand. Few in the larger world are paying much attention. Spent a week in No. GA and nobody except family talked about politics. There were no bumper stickers. They're not thinking about it much. They do know that Bush is getting dirty. If some new guy comes on board and starts punching back real hard (or of Kerry does it), these folks and many others will just say, 'Well, Bush started it...and what was that about no protection at the ports...' Can't wait for the street fight to start!

[kerry-is-my-prez]

5. Why don't they get Carville and Begala?

n/t

[Nickster]

11. Heck Yeah

Bring on Carville! I've been saying that since day one! WOO HOO!!!!

[Clinton Crusader]

16. Ive been saying this for MONTHS!

Is it because they're employed by CNN?
:kick:

[michigandem2]

23. Carville is a must...

he really knows how to respond RAPIDLY this is where our problem is--we won in 1992 and in 1996 because everytime the shit went up about Clinton...they came right back with THEIR charges and kept the opponents ON the defensive..its a good thing to do...nice is not the way to play this game unfortunately...I mean..we were nice at our convention..and they show up on the first ngiht with bandaids??? sick bastards...we have stuff that is not petty or disrespectful we have things to say that are absolutely true...mocking GWB for his failed foreign policy...his failure to create ONE job, his failuue with the economy, his failure to reach out to the middle class...its time to point all this out OVER and OVER and OVer again..one thing I do see time and time again is all these repukes repeating the same jargon all day long on every progrom and it sticks in the brain...we need to play this game..if we want to win...his numbers are suffering because he isn't fighting...FIGHT

[apnu]

28. Carville! Carville! Carville!

He's da man!

[TheDonkey]

6. Interesting. Good to know Kerry is concerned

Even though in reality JK's still in a very good position for a challenger, he could be doing better against shrub.

A campaign shake up might be needed just like his shot in the arm during the primary.

[dolstein]

8. Terrific -- more weeks of "Kerry campaign in disarray" stories

My problem with the Kerry campaign isn't simply its questionable competence, but the fact that campaign staffers leak like a sieve. The Bush campaign leaks always target Kerry. The Kerry campaign targets itself.

[lancdem]

13. I think you're talking days here

BTW, I've hardly ever seen any stories about leaks from the campaign. This is rare, IMO. This is the time to do it, when all the news is about the RNC. If Kerry makes moves, they will be done very soon. He won't diddle.

[LuminousX]

9. As a Dean supporter

the last time Kerry's campaign had a 'shake-up' I rejoiced because I thought it meant he was going down. The resulting shake-up led to a win in Iowa.

I think in Kerry's campaign 'shake-up' isn't the right word. I think it is a reshaping to respond to the needs of the moment and it is this kind of versatility that makes him an amazing campaigner.

[Wickerman]

15. Have to agree

I don't think its a sign the campaign is faltering, I think its all cyclical. To be expected - Kerry is a winner - he'll win this Fall.

[iconoclastic cat]

27. And also a soon-to-be amazing president!

[dennis4868]

10. WHAT ABOUT JAMES CARVILLE?

WE NEED TO KICK SOME SERIOUS ASS!

[gauguin57]

12. We need a freaking TERMINATOR!

Tad Devine is great at yelling in people's faces on the pundit shows ... but we need a genius-terminator in the top spot in that campaign.

I'd get Carville off the pundit shows and put him behind the scenes. He was instrumental in getting Clinton elected. He takes no prisoners! I'd also ask that Clinton give as much time to the campaign as he can. Hillary has been a great voice for Kerry all weekend ... but we NEED her HUSBAND in the trenches, big time.

[DemWitch]

17. Glad Kerry's bouncing off the walls...

we all have been for weeks now... TIme to bring out the heavy hitters. Lockhart is fine, but get Carville and Begala in there. Give Podesta a call. Tell Rangel to let it fly. Get Maxine Waters out there. Get Landrieu and Harkin front and center. Let loose the dogs of war, I say, and don't feed 'em before hand.

This is a war, it's a war for the very soul of our country, and letting lose with the truth is not going negative, it putting Shrubya Inc on the defense, a place where they falter greatly.

[Warpy]

18. Well, THANK GAWD!

It appears any Democrat is going to have to do periodic housecleaning to get rid of the DLC handlers who manage to slither in unnoticed.

"Too many chiefs," "aversion to risk" and "too-heavy reliance on focus groups" are all DLC hallmarks, and they've hamstrung Democratic caididates far too often in the past in too many races around the country.

Kerry's a good guy with good instincts. High time he got rid of the old ladies in pants giving him such incredibly bad advice.

[Awsi Dooger]

19. "An aversion to risks"

That's been the frustrating problem all year. Identifying Kerry as the nominee was always the safe and strategic choice, completely overrating the war vet aspect and ignorantly dismissing his lack of pizazz, especially versus an incumbent who is somehow viewed as personably likable.

Kerry retains an excellent chance and we are admittedly on defense now, a downhill snapshot in time. What concerns me are the lukewarm endorsements of Kerry I keep hearing from friends who either always vote Democratic or are desperate to replace Bush. Almost impossible not to mentally transfer that lack of enthusiasm to swing voters and wonder if Kerry will yank enough our way.

[DeepModem Mom]

20. He's a fighter -- commander of a vessel meant to draw enemy fire --

He was a commander in a national battle, against powerful forces, that ended a horrific war. Let him fight this enemy.

[ulTRAX]

29. what Kerry needs is to stop talking about leadership

What Kerry needs is to stop talking about leadership, and prove that he IS a leader. He's defaulted to Bush's disastrous policies in Iraq and in caving in to the nut-case Right in Israel. So he'll have to find other issues.

I suggest taking on reforming a dysfunctional drug industry. I'd also like to see him reform public land holdings in the US. Why does the government need all these public lands out west? Sell some off with the strict provision that land will be bought in the east. Hell, give the land to states for state parks. It's a win win... co-opting the Sagebrush Rebellion types in the west and protecting land from development in the rest of the nation. Kerry can lead the fight to make the US a democratic nation with the first step abolishing the EC. If Kerry can't fight for morally legitimate government, what use is he? Kerry is soft-balling the deficit issue and failing to educate the nation. This is scandalous.

Shall I go on? Or am I going to be accused of being a Rightist again because I again questioned Kerry's positions?

[Blue_Roses]

21. He needs a damn BULLDOG

out front taking the hits--Tad Devine seems like a really nice man, but nice just doesn't cut it. We need someone who knows what the hell they are talking about (not saying Devine doesn't) that can give an ADHD response like Carville. Too much time "in between" leaves room for what we've seen over the last two weeks--swift boat lies. That shit should have NEVER been allowed to go on as long as it did! BULLDOG ATTACK!

Leave no one standing!
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[JohnOneillsMemory]

22. GO FOR THE SCROTUM, KERRY! Our lives depend on it!

Voters will choose a fighter, not a lover.

Kerry better kick * repeatedly in the scrotum or be Dukakis-ed DESPITE his Vietnam record which has been successfully muddled by the neo-con gonad kickers with bandaids and flip-flops. The Repubs win the Keep-It-Simple-For-The-Simpletons Award in this election hands down and Kerry had better follow suit or plan his retirement and the end our American middle class.

People vote on personality and identity, not issues. A fighting bastard is who TV Nation wants to defend them against the dark hordes of anti-American freedom haters.

My history professor mother teaches her students that in times of crisis people turn to dictators for security. She teaches ancient Roman Empire and keeps reading about it in today's news.

Hitler wrote this in Mein Kampf and his later rise to power confirmed it:

"The masses of the people prefer the ruler to the suppliant and are filled with a stronger sense of mental security by a teaching that brooks no rival than by a teaching which offers them a liberal choice. They have very little idea of how to make such a choice and thus are prone to feel abandoned. Whereas they feel very little shame at being terrorized intellectually and are scarcely conscious of the fact that their freedom as human beings is impudently abused...physical intimidation has its significance for the mass as well as the individual...For the successes which are thus obtained are taken by the adherents as a triumphant symbol of the righteousness of their own cause; while the beaten opponent very often loses faith in the effectiveness of any further resistance."

Read cognitive scientist George Lakoff's research on Moral Politics with family as the model for American's choosing either Strong Father Republicans or Nurturing Mother Democrats.
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml

That's why mere muscles on Ahnuld Schwarzenegger got him the governorship of the world's 5th largest economy. Assaulting many women may have actually strengthened his masculine identity in voter's subconscious instead of tarnishing it. Jesse Ventura was elected for the same gender assets of body meat on his bones and public aggression.

This binary gender definition leads to the division of labor in the human family: men divide and women labor.

Because it's easier to destroy life than create it, the number of 'enemy' killed is still the leading indicator of quality of life in America instead of the number of healthy children. And anyone who wants to be elected must show willingness to fight and kill.

America has been propagandized into a permanent war mentality and economy ever since Pearl Harbor. The testosterone of cut-throat capitalism has been deified over the estrogen of cooperative socialism. The Military Industrial Complex Father is beating up the New Deal Safety Net Mother that created the American middle class.

So go for the scrotum, Kerry. You are still in a free-fire zone fighting for all our lives.

[fob]

25. Al Hunt "reports" Kerry "might be on the verge of"

Al Hunt can go fuck off

[Julien Sorel]

30. Almost a word for word repetition of what

Carville said. Doesn't sound right.

[dignan27]

31. I agree, Kerry has way too many chefs

[Larkspur]

32. But I thought chanting "Kerry is electible" was the only thing we had to

do. You mean it's not working?

[Pastiche423]

33. Psst...

that only worked in the primaries. See my sig line.

[Demobrat]

37. Close your eyes

tap your heels together three times and repeat after me. Kerry's a strong closer. Kerry's a strong closer. Kerry's a strong closer. What the heck, it's as likely to work as anything we've seen from him so far.

[Merlin]

35. Al Hunt mentions that Carville was brought in shakeup in '92

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109396051280705705,00.html?mod=home_whats_news_us
(paid subscription required)
...
This wouldn't be the first time the Massachusetts senator has shuffled his top staff. Late last fall, Mr. Kerry fired campaign manager Jim Jordan and brought in Mary Beth Cahill, chief of staff for ally Sen. Ted Kennedy, to revive his floundering campaign.

The Democrats' picture also is strikingly similar to the situation the party faced the last time it sought to unseat a President Bush. In June 1992, Bill Clinton's campaign was cratering; he was running third in the polls, behind President Bush and Independent candidate Ross Perot, the message was muddled, high-level conference calls involved dozens of campaign chiefs as there were no clear lines of authority. Hillary Clinton stepped in, tapped James Carville to be in charge of everyone, and Mr. Clinton went on to win in November.

Democrats, desperate and furious at the Kerry campaign, hope that is a model. There are, however, several differences. That was June and this is almost September. And Mr. Carville was a highly skilled, experienced political operative.

[AntiCoup2K4]

38. Not Carville this time, please!

Oh yeah, the guy sounds like an attack dog, but let's not forget he's sleeping with the enemy. Literally.

And something about that just never sat right with me.

[depakid]

39. this is long overdue

Kerry has been getting very bad advice- and this election is too important to leave in the hands of people who can't learn from past mistakes.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

40. exquisitely directed convention? LOL!!!

what a difference a day makes.

[bobbyboucher]

43. No shit. This article has no cred whatsoever.

Just from some of the wording, it's obvious prop.