I think that the increase in doom and negativity here

[NRaleighLiberal]

is simply a sign of the desperation to get this whacko out of office - as well as our collective disgust at the last 4 years.....and the nausea induced by the slime fest just held in NYC. I am sure that those on DU who are feeling low in confidence will come around as Kerry fights the good fight, shows how good a closer he is, and we win this thing (WHICH WE WILL).

Wait for the debates - prepare to be amazed and relieved!

[physioex]

1. I never worry....

Kerry is best when he is backed into a corner like President Clinton...

[jonnyblitz]

2. and a slimefest in NYC it was...

I am still creeped out by it all.

[mbali]

42. The slimefest was creepy enough, but the media's presentation of it

is extremely frustrating to anyone who watched the convention and saw it for what it was.

[mourningdove92]

3. the doom and negativity is troll terra tactics.

nothing more.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

4. We have a big emotional investment

Fortunatelly, I am very optimistic.
I can't wait until the debates.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Put all that nervous energy to work.

The stuff you write here -- turn it into LTTEs, send them to your newspapers instead of preaching to the choir. Do GOTV stuff. Send money. Let the fear and worry be motivating instead of discouraging!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. I've noticed the number of negative threads started is highest

during the day. I guess that's when the paid staff is at work.

[havocmom]

12. Bingo! You nailed it

and I am sooooo glad I had already finished my tea ;)

[wurzel]

17. It may be that many of them are retired. And have seen a few elections.

They have seen a lot of elections lost. The elections start well and then seem to slip away. They have seen the power of our media to distort, twist and trivialize everything. The last thirty years have not been kind to Democrats.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

23. That's OK as long as they aren't repeating what they know to be lies.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

26. Any lies, doesn't matter to me which ones.

I am against dishonesty and deception in all it's forms.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

29. OK

bye :hi:

[wurzel]

30. Bye

[jus_the_facts]

7. you're more likely to be amazed and disgusted how the media will spin...

....the ignorance and retardation of *ush into a masterful and brilliant performance....and how Kerry was just HORRIBLE...exactly as they did Al Gore in 2000. :eyes:

[Cobalt Violet]

8. 4 more years of Bush is a huge threat to a lot of people.

Just the thought of what will happen to our Supreme Court is much worse than the thought of a terrorist attack. The terror of the advancement of the Neo Conservative agenda is quite scary as well. As it is,the last four years will be very difficult for our country to overcome if we ever can. We have lost so much standing in the world.

[wurzel]

9. Apparently if you don't "Gush" you are negative! We are not the Repukes!.

Sometimes we have to get serious about an issue. There seem some who immediately impugn the motives of a poster they disagree with. That is truly discouraging. In the end serious people will leave us and we will become a "joke" board. I have myself been accused of being a "Freeper"! something that would make anyone who knows me go into hysterics. I will continue to look in now and again. But I certainly won't spend any real time here.

[Prodemsouth]

10. His performance against Gov. William Weld in 96- does not give me

hope. Yeah, Weld lost. But Clinton, who was running for his second term, had to go to Mass., (a state he was in no danger of losing on his own) to campaign for Kerry. I hope Kerry can pull this off, believe me no one wants Bush gone more than I do. But I have not been impressed by what I have seen. I hope those that talk about Kerry being a "great closer" are not thinking about this 96 race. Weld help Kerry win also, he was falling all over himself as the race was closing ( he actually fell off a stage much like Bob Dole did in 96.) and just looked bad as it was coming to an end, it was Kerry's to lose by then.

[Nicholas_J]

18. Observe Kerry as a closer

In Mid December of 2003, he was polling at 9 percent, to Howard Deans 49 percent. Within 6 weeks Kerry was at the top of the pack.

He didnt have Clinton to back him up, and in fact Dean had significant number of of Party luminaries like Tom Harkin endorsing him. Dean also got the endorsement of some of those droppiong out of the running before him, like Moseley-Braun.

So I would say there is a bit more to Kerry's abilities as a closer to consider when one thinks about this.

And the race against Weld was not the only race in which Kerry came up form behind. He was fairly much behind during most of his Senate races, and did not pull up front until the last weeks.

There is something in Kerry's personality that tends towards risk taking. In a number of events that occured in Vietnam, Kerry's commanders did not approve of several of his plans, as they weer deemed far too risky, in fact to personally risky for Kerry himself as the officer who would lead his men in. In fact, there was almost as much a likelihood of Kerry being court-martialed for one of the events in which he won one of his medals, and it took the intervention of Admiral Zumwalt to stop the court martial and award the medals.

This trait of risk taking has been attributed to Bush, but is far more applicable to Kerry. Sometime I think he enjoys taking a campaign to the edge, and then bringing it back.

That was obvious when he was running against Dean, Stated he didnt care what the polls stated.

Kerry has pretty much got a large percentage of the democratic base behind him regardless of what the polls indicate. There just are not a lot of registered democrats who will vote for Bush. Likely voters well, wht does that mean, either they will vote, or they wont. Fifty fifty odds there. Looking at the polls of registered voters is far more satisfying. In these polls Kerry is a point or two over Bush.
Same thing in polls of all adults, not questioning them about whether they will vote or not.

[Prodemsouth]

22. Tell me more about races outside the Primary, what do you know of his

other Senate Races, besides Weld in 96- the only race I am fimilar with and that was in Mass. Kerry does not seem to have exprience against cut throats. The Kerry - Weld race was a gentleman's race as are most of the races in Mass- it is different from other states from what I understand- unlike New York or the races we see in the south.

[Nicholas_J]

25. In Kerry's first run

He barely won, and the same happened for his second. Of course we know about him losing his first run for the House of Representatives.
Kerry has run four sucessful senate races, but for the most part, these races were all very close, accoring to all of the articlesdiscussing them this year, resulting in the appelation of being a good closer. These articles do not base this on the 96 race alone.

[bklyncowgirl]

43. I hope you're right.

The Iowa Caucuses were good example. Kerry came on like gangbusters in the last few days. I hope he can do the same against Bush. Still I'm worried.

Dean was overconfident, inexperienced, had been softened up by 527 attack ads from both Democrats and Republicans and quite frankly the media had put him under the microscope in a way that Kerry had not been subjected to.

Bush has the best handlers in the business and they are ruthless. Anyone who thinks he's going to fold in the debates is smoking somethng. Bush is not an idiot--he only plays one on TV.

I've been away from the political thing for the past two weeks while out camping and I don't like what I'm seeing.

[Nicholas_J]

19. Observe Kerry as a closer

In Mid December of 2003, he was polling at 9 percent, to Howard Deans 49 percent. Within 6 weeks Kerry was at the top of the pack.

He didnt have Clinton to back him up, and in fact Dean had significant number of of Party luminaries like Tom Harkin endorsing him. Dean also got the endorsement of some of those droppiong out of the running before him, like Moseley-Braun.

So I would say there is a bit more to Kerry's abilities as a closer to consider when one thinks about this.

And the race against Weld was not the only race in which Kerry came up form behind. He was fairly much behind during most of his Senate races, and did not pull up front until the last weeks.

There is something in Kerry's personality that tends towards risk taking. In a number of events that occured in Vietnam, Kerry's commanders did not approve of several of his plans, as they weer deemed far too risky, in fact to personally risky for Kerry himself as the officer who would lead his men in. In fact, there was almost as much a likelihood of Kerry being court-martialed for one of the events in which he won one of his medals, and it took the intervention of Admiral Zumwalt to stop the court martial and award the medals.

This trait of risk taking has been attributed to Bush, but is far more applicable to Kerry. Sometime I think he enjoys taking a campaign to the edge, and then bringing it back.

That was obvious when he was running against Dean, Stated he didnt care what the polls stated.

Kerry has pretty much got a large percentage of the democratic base behind him regardless of what the polls indicate. There just are not a lot of registered democrats who will vote for Bush. Likely voters well, wht does that mean, either they will vote, or they wont. Fifty fifty odds there. Looking at the polls of registered voters is far more satisfying. In these polls Kerry is a point or two over Bush.
Same thing in polls of all adults, not questioning them about whether they will vote or not.

[Nicholas_J]

20. Observe Kerry as a closer

In Mid December of 2003, he was polling at 9 percent, to Howard Deans 49 percent. Within 6 weeks Kerry was at the top of the pack.

He didnt have Clinton to back him up, and in fact Dean had significant number of of Party luminaries like Tom Harkin endorsing him. Dean also got the endorsement of some of those droppiong out of the running before him, like Moseley-Braun.

So I would say there is a bit more to Kerry's abilities as a closer to consider when one thinks about this.

And the race against Weld was not the only race in which Kerry came up form behind. He was fairly much behind during most of his Senate races, and did not pull up front until the last weeks.

There is something in Kerry's personality that tends towards risk taking. In a number of events that occured in Vietnam, Kerry's commanders did not approve of several of his plans, as they weer deemed far too risky, in fact to personally risky for Kerry himself as the officer who would lead his men in. In fact, there was almost as much a likelihood of Kerry being court-martialed for one of the events in which he won one of his medals, and it took the intervention of Admiral Zumwalt to stop the court martial and award the medals.

This trait of risk taking has been attributed to Bush, but is far more applicable to Kerry. Sometime I think he enjoys taking a campaign to the edge, and then bringing it back.

That was obvious when he was running against Dean, Stated he didnt care what the polls stated.

Kerry has pretty much got a large percentage of the democratic base behind him regardless of what the polls indicate. There just are not a lot of registered democrats who will vote for Bush. Likely voters well, wht does that mean, either they will vote, or they wont. Fifty fifty odds there. Looking at the polls of registered voters is far more satisfying. In these polls Kerry is a point or two over Bush.
Same thing in polls of all adults, not questioning them about whether they will vote or not.

[chieftain]

11. Well Said

[ItsMyParty]

13. I think we should re-read what this guy just posted

Obviously missed by some. People get frustrated. Some may come here punch drunk and scream that Kerry is just postively going to crush Bush. Others get concerned and scream for Kerry to get going on this or that issue. That doesn't make people Freepers or some Polyanna Wacko Wake Up to Reality jobs. It's just concern. I doubt if those in the party who have expressed concern directly to Kerry are Freepers---if so, then people like Ted Kennedy are Freepers!! How rediculous. This campaign won't be won either on negativity nor burying the head in the sand. Just be glad that people are caring enough to keep talking about the campaign and just don't wander away and be like the rest of the brain dead public.

[Guaranteed]

14. I think it's because we're getting slammed in the media,

and we need to do something about it.

[wurzel]

28. I agree. But what?

[Guaranteed]

31. I've made my suggestion,

but I'm not sure that Kerry can feasibly do it without contradicting himself.

[wurzel]

32. Or at least being made to look like he is contradicting himself.

It is the old "Gore is a liar" routine. He couldn't fight it. And I don't know if Kerry can either.

[sangh0]

34. I'm loving the "constructive"

defeatism

"Gee, things are really looking bad"

"Yeah, too bad I can't think of anything to do about it. What do you think we should do?"

"Let's go to another thread and say the same exact thing"

[Guaranteed]

35. Well, at least we know what he needs to do, now.

As opposed to just playing along and acting like everything's fine.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Guaranteed]

37. Shhh...

you're killing his high!

[wurzel]

40. You may be right. But these guys are becoming very disruptive.

[depakid]

15. It's also a sense of deja vu

coupled with the fact that some posters are probably too young to remember how many times this exact same thing has happened to us before.

I'm not relying on the debates- unless kerry changes his style between now and then, I don't expect to see the kind of zingers out of him that will lead the punditocracy to conclude anything other than the debates were at best a draw.

[AuntPatsy]

16. Chins up everyone, if Texas is not spouting Bush and

tooting his blow horns or wearing his colors, then that should tell everyone that it is not as gloomy as the media keeps trying to paint it...again, all over town this eve and NOT ONE Bush sticker, not one I swear..flags yes, and others but no Bush, I didn't see Kerry either but remember, this town usualy is very vocal about who they are voting for...

I see it as a very very good sign..

[Meshuga]

21. Only girlie men are negative

Disclamer: I'm using "girlie men" only to mock the sexual harasser governator of California.

[sangh0]

33. I think most of it is imported

and I've noticed they all want Kerry to become a bulldog

That would really give Bush* a license to slander

[DeepModem Mom]

38. kick

[Borgnine]

39. Exactly.

I'm a bit tired of seeing so many nice people expressing honest concernings getting belittled with "THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING!"

Truthfully, we have a right to be worried. We're fighting against a wretched media working against us at every turn, and today's polls prove that.

It's only understandable that our hatred of * would lead to these emotions. Instead of trying to surpress them, it's best we get them out right now, then by Monday we'll have hardened our shells and can focus once again on getting Kerry and Edwards into the White House.

[deutsey]

41. I think you're right, in addition

to the very hard and unpleasant fact that the Democrats haven't exactly been effective in countering the Right's tightening stranglehold on this country during the past four years in particular. Thankfully they've prevented the Right from completely reversing a century of progress, but the gains the Right has made since the '80s have been significant and I have trouble seeing where the Democrats or those of us on the Left have a clear, cohesive vision for America and a strategy for making it a reality.

That's not to say that Kerry isn't putting forward a viable alternative to Bush, but I think a lot of the "gloom and doom" feelings expressed here are coming out of a lack of confidence in the Democrats (and the Left...two increasingly separate groups these days) to effectively combat the Right and advance our causes...based on what we've seen since the 2000 election, anyway.

[WI_DEM]

44. I think honest opinion is fine

on a discussion board. Some people overreact over the mildest criticism of the campaign. Of course there are those who get off knocking Kerry on a daily basis, but I've seen threads which are on the whole supportive of Kerry but also express some frustration and the on-line police hit it off right away ignoring what is positive and hilighting any frustration the poster has or mild criticism. They think they are doing a great service but I think they are also causing small divisions on this board to grow. I think 98% of the folks on DU want Bush out and will vote Kerry and many are working for that.