A handy MEME: Bush is Strong, but Bush is Wrong

[Tom Rinaldo]

The public believes that George W. Bush is resolute and strong. We get it. Why waste energy refuting a widespread perception that by now is deeply rooted? The issue now is judgment. I love each and every W went AWOL story that comes out, because it places Kerry's and Bush's Viet Nam War service in the proper perspective. The past should NOT be Bush's friend, and those stories might force the Bush campaign and his hired hit men to shift focus more to the present and future away from the 60's and 70's.

Kerry wasn't in the oval office after 9/11 so Kerry didn't get to do photo ops with firemen at ground zero and sound angry on behalf of all Americans. George Bush did, and now the public thinks he's "strong". Kerry had to play up his Viet Nam war record to level that playing field somewhat, fine, but most of the the public will never believe that George Bush is a coward no matter what comes out about his National Guard duty. He was young then, he's matured, that's the fall back for those who choose to believe in Bush, and unfortunately many would like to. America came under attack and George Bush has been tested. Now the near consensus is that Bush is "Resolute" in the face of danger. That perception will not be overturned by Election Day, but Bush's judgment is still wide open to debate.

Concede that George Bush is unwavering, unwavering but wrong. Concede that he's determined to protect our nation, determined but misguided. Agree Bush has the courage to stay the course, but he's headed the wrong way. Strength is squandered when strategy is suspect. Bush has the will needed to win a struggle, but lacks the wisdom to analyze, prioritize, and realize a strategy that could win this struggle against the terrorists. There is plenty of evidence to back up our position. Bush is Strong AND Wrong.

[Jack_Dawson]

1. Except he's not strong either

He's a flip-flopping dolt.

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. Of course he is

And I think we can even get the public to recognize that on Domestic issues, but Bush has his jaw clenched firm against terror, and truth be known he always had a one track mind against Iraq for example. Resolute and wrong. Of course the real flip flops on issues like the Department of Homeland Security should be played up, but I am trying to face the facts. Since the public sees a steely determination in Bush, whether or not it is really there becomes moot. That perception will be harder to shake than it is to establish real doubts about his judgment.

[troublemaker]

People prefer "strong" idiots. History will back me up on this...

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Stubborn bonehead

make his "srength" his weakness. Great idea!

[wtmusic]

3. strong?

Sheesh. Agree Bush has courage? WADR Tom that's a bit much to swallow.

[Tom Rinaldo]

12. Sugar coat the poison

Bush isn't up for reelection as a Secret Serviceman assigned to protect the President with his life, he's the guy now who GETS protected. No one expects Bush to step in front of any bullets or run into flaming buildings to save little old ladies. He doesn't have to show courage in those ways and the public senses that.

As much as I hate to link any concept with positive associations to George Bush:

1) I'm not the one doing it, it's large parts of the public. Like it or not that's where it stands with most Americans who have not already decided Bush is a fraud and threat to our country. I'm not discussing an approach to energizes the base here, there are ways to do that, this is for a different audience.

2) Bush does have a sort of political courage. He does make sweeping bold policies with a "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" attitude. People see that, trying to pretend otherwise doesn't accomplish anything. The problem is it is suicidal to proceed full speed ahead into torpedoes when there are many wiser and more effective ways to confront a problem.

[fujiyama]

4. He's not strong

He's definetely not strong on fighting terrorism. If he was he wouldn't have diverted resources from Afghanistan and went into Iraq.

If he was strong of fighting terrorism he wouldn't have coddled the biggest sponsors of terrorism - Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Incidentally the former is responsible for much of the WMD that has been proliferated to "axis of evil" nations like NK and Iran.

He's a coward with no understanding or comprehension of the world before 9/11 or after. He failed on that day and he failed afterward. He acts strong though. Talks tough and macho.

[stray cat]

5. Other respected "strong and wrong" leaders. Lets see...Saddam!

nt

[jimshoes]

7. Stwrong?

Well he is wrong anyway.

[stray cat]

8. Perfect

nt

[Crunchy Frog]

9. Resolutely and steadfastly leading our nation...

over the edge of a cliff.

[Cronus Protagonist]

10. NO NO NO NO Never. I recommend NEVER concede that.

You could just as easily say something like, he's WRONG! Why concede strong? What benefit is that? He's WRONG. That's all.


Lick Laura's Bush - Drop Bush Not Bombs! - FUCK BUSH
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[troublemaker]

33. Thank you

[lagniappe]

11. I'll never concede that Bush is strong. He is a coward.

People can be convinced of anything if you repeat a simple, consistent message often enough. The GOP has managed to tag Kerry as a flip flopper, and we are now in a position where we must waste time defending against this baseless charge.

No. I would constantly highlight that Bush avoided Vietnam, has a suspect service record, and hesitated on 9/11. I also like the 'mislead' theme that Kerry has been pushing.

There are so many issues that we can attack Bush on. We just need to have very simple messages and keep repeating them.

[oscar111]

13. Petgoat is Weak, Petgoat is Wrong!

How do you like my variation?

[lagniappe]

15. Hah. Sounds like a nice beginning to a Dr. Seuss book about Bush.

[Tom Rinaldo]

16. He is thought to have the strength of his convictions

I will go on record now stating that even if Kerry wins in a landslide, Bush will still be thought of by most Americans as having the strength of his convictions. His convictions are dead wrong, that is the issue still in play. I also think we should highlight that Bush avoided Viet Nam, it contrasts perfectly against the smear attempts against Kerry. The hesitation about 9/11 will play best as "wrong", not weak. I know all about My Pet Goat and Moore's' film is out there doing and it's work, but most people think that Bush got his act together, even many who think he should have been more focused before 9/11. I am not saying that we should PRAISE Bush for being Strong, I am just saying that strategically we should exploit his perceived "weakness" in the Publics eye, not his perceived "strength". Hammer him for NOT protecting America regardless of his intentions or resolve. Hammer him for being so single and simple minded that he believed all the crap that double agents like Chalabi fed him. Hammer him for not getting the job done in Afghanistan with Bin Ladin because he was holding back troops to go after Hussein etc. etc.

[lagniappe]

28. I agree with your statements. But, Democrats and liberals tend to

argue using facts and figures while conservatives like to argue with emotion, fear, and outright lies. I have come to conclude that emotion and fear work very well.

I also agree that we should be using a little more political Judo. We should be controlling the message rather than responding to it. That is my biggest criticism of the Kerry campaign so far - though I am confident he will correct the situation soon (granted we have a horrible media).

Even so, the number one issue in this election will be national security. Kerry wins on everything else: the economy, environment, health care, fiscal policy, etc. If we can convince the swing voters that Bush has weakened America and Kerry will strengthen America, we will win in a walk. If we allow their nonsensical GOP propaganda to go unchecked, it might be a long election night come November 2nd.

[Stephanie]

14. Bush is a Fraud. The Coward from Crawford.

Strong my ass.

[hippiegranny]

17. if you consider pig-headedness strong...

... but definitely he is wrong. About pretty much everything.

[Tom Rinaldo]

19. Yes. America has a leader confidently leading us over a cliff...

...as pointed out above. That is the message.

[Touchdown]

21. Exactly! "Resolute" means pig headedness

It means stubborn, inflexible, crotchety. It's not a virtue by any means.

[Qutzupalotl]

18. "Strong and wrong beats weak and right."

So says Bill Clinton. So I don't think we should go there.

Stubborn, yes. Strong? Maybe. Ill-advised, reckless, and foolish, absolutely.

[Tom Rinaldo]

22. Strong and right trumps all else

If Kerry does not establish strength this year, we are in trouble. I don't mean endless repeats of war stories. I mean a strong clear message, a fighting resolve, a willingness to directly confront lies, and a real sense of where he stands on matters important to Americans.

[incapsulated]

26. But Kerry can't do this effectively

He is competing with the meme that Bush led the country with "strength" after 9/11. Nothing he can say or do will compete with that.

You are right that we don't have much time to change this perception. Which is why, I believe, our only option is attack. Weaken that perception as much as you possibly can, get dirty if you must. Question his judgement, yes, but people also confuse making a decision with being "resolute". Really, we have to go on the offense here, and I mean in a nasty, street fighting way.

[drumwolf]

20. no, don't say he's "strong" even if he's also "wrong"!!!

It's a common political cliche that people WANT a "strong if wrong" leader rather than a leader who's right but weak.

Conceding he's strong in any way is NOT going to cut it.

And he's NOT strong. He's been a bumbling, incompetent leader from day one. Being heavy-handed and reckless is NOT the same as being genuinely strong.

[Tom Rinaldo]

24. This is the discussion I wanted

I do see your point. Again, I think what I was trying to touch is the public perception of Bush. It can't be safely ignored for exactly the reason you state. Bush is playing himself up as a Strong leader with some success. I do not literally suggest, despite the subject line for this thread, that Democrats should call Bush a strong leader, or a brave one. I am saying we have to work with that public perception and morph it into something else. Stubborn, obsessed, closed minded, zealous, and above all else WRONG. I just don't think we have the time or means at this point to bring the public around to thinking that George Bush is a coward.

[incapsulated]

23. Well, the problem is...

The moment you concede to the "strong" argument, you lose the upper hand. Once you "concede" on anything, it becomes "open to debate" rather than yes or no. Then we get into the dreaded "nuance" which is death in american politics. Just look at how Rove plays the most childish games, such as taking words out of context, to attack Kerry. It's stupid but it works. I'm afriad once you say you agree with anything that works for Bush, they will just use it against you: "Hey, you concede he is a strong leader!" By the time you get to the "but..." they will have taken over the argument with nothing but repetition and volume.

[Tom Rinaldo]

27. True enough.

Gotta admit this thread has been part of my grappling with how to realistically respond to deeply ingrained public perceptions of Bush, and I was not adequately differentiating between inward oriented strategic calculations, and outward oriented strategic statements. That distinction has become clearer, to me at least, through this discussion. I am not advocating a public concession that Bush is a strong leader. I am more thinking that we must concede the fact that many see him that way, and rather than dismiss that as stupid and uninformed, concentrate on how his perceived positives can be turned into negatives. After all that is what the Republicans have attempted regarding Kerry's Viet Nam odyssey.

[incapsulated]

29. I know...

I know you're not talking about a literal "concession". My opinion is that we must go for the all-out attack, as I said upthread.

[Tom Rinaldo]

30. Yes it keeps coming back to that, doesn't it?

And every time I come to that, I end up back at; we need to hear a lot more from Wesley Clark, lol. But we need to hear a lot more from John Kerry and John Edwards also. People know that Democrats stand for hope, what they wonder is whether Democrats can win a fight.

[incapsulated]

31. Yup

Did you read the thread "now I understand.. why people vote for Bush"? It's an insightful brain picking of a Bush voter (who isn't a fanatic). It all stems from fear that changing course will spell danger, that Bush is strong and trustworthy and will protect the country. The only way we can change this is to make him look weak, and with the limited time we have, the only way I know how to do this is by taking out the long knives. The question is: will they? Let's hope so...

:hi:

[regnaD kciN]

25. No, we have to meet his "strong" image head-on...

Someone put it in perspective last month: give Americans a choice between "strong" and "smart," and they'll pick "strong" every time.

If we are to have any hope of winning, we not only have to prevent Kerry being branded as "weak," but we have to destroy Bush's image of strength.

Fortunately, we have a key piece of evidence already at hand, courtesy of Michael Moore: the seven minutes of Bush reading about the goat. Do an ad showing sections of that video, and superimpose audio from the 9/11 attacks (crowd noise, news broadcasts, etc.) taking place at that same time. Hear the carnage from NYC as you see Du(m)bya squirming uncomfortably with his deer-in-the-headlights expression and "My Pet Goat" in his lap. You almost won't need a tagline.

[oscar111]

32. Pet Goat tv ad ! we need that, and that will win it all!

right you are!

the election has been handed to us on a silver platter.

we actually have FILM of bush during the attacks! And he is an idiot !

Imagine how we would long for such a film if he had been deep in the white house all during 9/11.

But we actually HAVE a film of his incompetence during a real attack!

What more could we want?

Show Pet Goat on tv 3 million times. We have been given a GREAT GIFT by the deity.

Oscar111