Is it possible that Kerry has not given many details on things because

[Quixote1818]

he wants to surprise Bush in the debates? If he talks too much about things then Bush will have his talking points ready but if Kerry is vague then lays out all kinds of details and throws them at Bush in the debates then Shrub will look LOST! It could be a good strategy. Bush absolutely SUCKS when he does not have his talking points memorized. Kerry just needs to stay withing striking distance in the polls then demoralize Bush in the debates and it's all over for Bush.

[cheshire]

1. Sounds like a lawyer to me. Never let the other guy see you sweat.

[carpetbagger]

2. It's because nobody cares.

Details will only lead to distortions. This is a stupid election that will not be won by intelligent discourse. He's given plenty of details over the past several months on what he'd do. Nobody cares.

[Droopy]

8. I think a lot of people care

It's just that they can't see through the shit storm of lies being generated by BushCo. But I think with the economy in the crapper and the war in Iraq that there will be a very good turn out this election, which favors us.

[question everything]

31. I am not sure

For the core Bush supporters - in the deep south and in the mountain states - the most important issues are the social ones: abortion, gay, teaching of evolution, accepting Jesus as one savior...

They could not care less about other issues; at least Karl Rove aided by Delay, Frist, Gingrich and other southerns convince them that these are the most important issues.

They know, like us, that these elections are about the next Supreme Court and this is why they will vote for Bush no matter what.

And since they believe that their god chose them to carry his world, there is no room for debate, for convincing even for a compromise. How does one debate someone who speaks with god and walks on water - at least while being high?

[unslinkychild1]

38. No way

Gawd help us--there can't be THAT many of them, can there? SHIVER.

[ezee]

3. I totally agree with you!

I've been tossing that around in my mind for a couple of weeks.
thinking Kerry doesn't want to reveal his total thoughts so shrub and co.couldn't have time to beat him with them.

[TGC]

14. Are you saying that Kerry's ideas would get him beat?

[Morning Dew]

27. Every time Kerry has an Idea, Shrub miraculously has that idea as well.

eom

[Sugarbleus]

30. BINGO!

I didn't even get to read all the posts when I came upon your assessment.

This is what I was going to add as well.

You've noticed it; I've noticed it. Has anyone else noticed it? Kerry sets an idea/policy, then a few days later BUSH steals it.

The major difference is, Kerry MEANS what he proposes while Bush is just plagerizing for votes. Bush never follows through with his "promises", at the very least, nor do his policies make one damn bit of sense.

BUSH=WRONG FOR AMERICA

GO JOHN KERRY, HOPE IS ON THE WAY!

[LittleClarkie]

40. I'm slow, I just noticed today

It was the grant for port security, I believe that finally pushed me over.

And the show of upping benefits for veterans when you know that future budgets are just going to cut them again.

Gee, all these good ideas so close to the election.

I also think in the case of Iraq, that it's not a good idea to reveal all you would do diplomatically in the situation. First, until you're in there and recieving all information, you really can't formulate a full policy. Second, you don't want to blow your wad diplomatically either, if you know what I mean.

We're better off just knowing he has diplomatic credencials, than expecting to cough up a fully formed policy until he's in there.

Does that make sense at all?

[Sugarbleus]

41. Does that make sense at all?..........Yes.

Beautiful graphic by the way.

[Droopy]

4. Sounds like a good plan

I think a lot of people will be watching those debates and that they will decide who they are going to vote for based on them. A lot of independents. If Kerry can supply a serious ass whuppin' then I think it vastly improves his chances of winning the presidency.

[Demi_Babe]

5. sounds very plausible

[redstateblues]

6. I do think there is a strategic reason kerry is not laying his whole

case against Bush out there now. I know everybody wants red meat NOW,
but I think Kerry has a plan, and i'm hanging with him.

[Chili]

10. yep, agree

Look what happenend when he said, months and months ago: "My plan for winning the peace in Iraq includes getting the UN involved and soliciting the help of our allies." (that's a paraphrase, not a direct quote)

And so what did Bush do? He said: "My opponent has no plan for getting out of Iraq. MY plan for winning the peace in Iraq includes getting the UN involved and soliciting the help of our allies."

The result? The pundits: "if there's no difference between these two candidates on withdrawing from Iraq, how are voters supposed to choose? Kerry must highlight the differences between himself and Bush or he's in trouble."

They stole his words and used them against him.

[redstateblues]

12. Good Point- Bush Has Done everything Kerry Has Said

He would do- Or at least said he would- You know Bush he'll say anything but never backs it up with action.

[incapsulated]

23. lol

It's sad but your post made me laugh. Too true.

[dennis4868]

7. Bush will probably have that same look....

he had the morning of 9/11 in the classroom...like a deer caught in the headlights if Kerry puls that on Bush...THAT WOULD BEEEE AWEEESOME!

[shraby]

9. That's a good theory. Here's an

additional one. If Kerry says what he'd do, Bush will do it and claim it as his idea and the media will go along.

[Chili]

13. I just posted that above...

...while you were typing it.

Yes - just like they did on his comments about withdrawing from Iraq. Bush stole his words and used them himself.

[dennis4868]

18. and the media will go along......

no shocker there....

[salib]

11. Bullshit!!!!!!

He is an open book! Kerry is honest, forthright, straightforward. Christ people, he actually testified before Congress, long before he had any "future", probably making that much more difficult, and now has to "pay" for it. He is a man of INTEGRITY. I know that is hard to understand for some. TOO BAD!

He is in many ways the best candidate that we have had a chance to vote for in a VERY LONG TIME. Treat him as such.

[Quixote1818]

17. I just get the feeling Kerry is holding back. He is not the same guy we

saw during the Democratic debates. Kerry is smart and he knows his opponents weakness and he will take advantage of the weakness.

[salib]

19. Bullshit.

He is smart. He knows his opponents' weaknesses. Great! Now, lets get down to his "opponents' weakenesses. It is called LYING. LYING. LYING. What better to deal with a liar, than to be HONEST. He IS. HE IS. HE IS.

OK?

[Quixote1818]

22. It's NOT dishonest to hold back your knowledge for the most opportune time

it's called being SMART! Benjamin Franklin was a master of this kind of thing. Franklin studied people and was always thinking several moves ahead like in a game of chess. Thats how Franklin got France to help us in the Revolutionary War. The problem is that the public does not think Bush Lied. The media is simply not on our side on that one so no matter how much Kerry says it it will not resonate enough to impact the race enough. However the public WILL respond to a good thrashing in the debates and the best way to do that is to keep Bush in the dark as long as possible about how Kerry will attack. Why? Because Bush absolutely cant think on his feet.

I could be wrong but it's nice to imagine what the thrashing will be like! Please don't refer to my posts as Bullshit. I am just throwing out some ideas to think about. Thats what we do here on DU. One person's bullshit is another persons brilliant idea and no ideas should be left out of discourse.

[salib]

24. OK, then BS.

Look, honesty is always the best policy. Do unto others as they would do unto you. The "clever" idea of "hold back your knowledge for the most opportune time" is BS. OK? Kerry is an honest man. A clever man. A GOOD man. Deal with him that way.

BTW, getting upset about the word "bullshit" is also silly, to me anyway. "Throwing out some ideas" invites such a response. Defending them is what becomes important then. So, defend them!

[Quixote1818]

25. It's not dishonest to expose a person's weakness. To expose the REAL Bush.

Sometimes you simply need to be smarter than your opponent and figure out the best way to EXPOSE them for who they really are and not the IMAGE that Rove wants you to believe is Bush. If you think thats dishonest you are in a very small minority. Thats the way the game is played. This is the REAL world friend, not an imaginary Polly Anna world.

[salib]

29. Polly Anna, huh?

Foolishly optimistic, am I? "EXPOSING them" does not happen by waiting to say "ah ha!" That is silly debating technique. It is more important to be true to one's values, actions, beliefs, and yes to one's faith. Kerry is that. He is not "holding back" cleverly. He is what he is. And we shoudl be proud of that.

[Quixote1818]

33. Not a silly debating technique for someone who cant think on their feet.

For someone who needs the answers to any question spoon feed to him to be fully prepared. You are forgetting who we are dealing with here. Didn't you see Bush on Meet the Press? Tim Russert surprised Bush with questions he was not prepared for and Bush looked bad! Real bad! The only problem is that only a few million people were tuned in. We need 40 Million people seeing that Bush. How about the press conference on Iraq in which the press asked all kinds of questions and Bush locked up? Bush laterally stood their for like a minute not knowing what to say. It was absolutely painful. The less Bush's crew knows about which direction Kerry will come at Bush the better chance Bush will simply not know how to answer UNLESS he has an ear piece with someone reading the answerers to him. Why give someone the answers to the test if you don't have to? Lets make Bush have to study the whole book not just the answers to the test. Got my drift?

[Droopy]

37. I'm with you, Quixote1818

I don't think Kerry is holding a lot back, but I think he may have a trick or two up his sleeve for the debates for exactly the reason you have described. It probably won't be anything new to us here, but it will be to most of the people watching the debates and it will be something that Bush was not expecting. That's what my crystal ball says anyway.

[unslinkychild1]

34. ?

What, you mean shrub has some STRENGTHS? OMFG, can you Puhleeeeeeeze point them out to me? LOL. Shrub's only strong point is that his bitch of a mother didn't get an abortion.... Then again, maybe that's NOT such a strong point. You don't need to find his weakest point because he has NO strong points.

Everything JK chooses to attack him on is a weak point.

BTW, I'm not attacking you, it's just too funny. Every time a person tries to post a "reasonable" debate/talking point/argument, it just doesn't follow--we're not living in "REASONABLE" times.

[Quixote1818]

15. You look for your opponents weaknesses then you surprise them when they

are not prepared. Their is no doubt that Bush's weakness is his inability to think on his feet. The key is to get 50 Million People to see the Bush we have all seen on Tim Russert and C-Span when he looks like a complete bafoon.

[salib]

20. NO!

*'s weakness is himself. He is a lying, greedy, psychopathic SOB. The real problem is that Kerry may have to not treat him that way.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

16. I think it is for the same reason EVERY challenger

doesn't get too horribly detailed about their plans.

Once they get into office, they may find some situations have changed, things are different, then they cannot enact the plans exactly as given out and are nailed for it.

(This only applies to Dem presidents, as bush failed to enact just about every single thing he promised and no one in the mainstream media has said a word about it...)

[salib]

21. AND?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

26. And what?

Did you not understand something?

[cidliz2004]

28. I believe that is precisely the reason why Kerry isn't

talking about his "plans" in more detail.

Rove and friends are going to try to blur the lines of differentiation between Kerry and 43 so that 43 would be the most likely one to get the vote.

If an incumbent appears to be no different than the challenger, then the incumbent will get the vote since the election is a mandate on the incumbents performance.

If Kerry shows his hand too quickly, the Bush team will be able to fuzzy up the lines of difference between the two candidate ... yet again.

It is hard holding back, but an out and out attack could backfire. So hold your cards close to the vest for as long as possible is probably the only way that Kerry can truly succeed.

[Quixote1818]

39. Good description! Rove is a master at spinning things around so the fewer

cards Rove has seen means he wont know what hand to play until it's too late. If Bush is caught off guard it wont matter how much Rove spins things because the image of an "Idiot" Bush will be ingrained into voters heads.

[unslinkychild1]

32. Switcheroo is what I think

"How can you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

1971 testimony says it all for me. I so hope I'm right and he hasn't changed so much regarding fraudulent wars. He dare not say it, or be dubbed a "coward" and "weak on terrorism" if he does. That would sink him. Also, the nuance thing plays into it, because, depending on the makeup of Congress, he may be pretty powerless to change anything. So, I HOPE he's just being wishy-washy, no details on purpose--so he doesn't compromise his integrity and doesn't sink his chances by appearing "weak".

When he becomes president (which is where the switcheroo would beome evident), all will become clear, depending on Congress, of course.

I qualify this with a question. Can a president END a war on his own without Congress?

The testimony put me FIRMLY in his camp (former and current Deaniac), and I don't know if he can be re-elected if he does this. But the testimony tells me that I don't think he cares about being RE-elected so early in the game or even if that matters to him at ALL.

From my lips to Gawd's ears.

[Quixote1818]

36. Lets hope that Kerry shows up. That would be awesome!

[oasis]

35. Kerry is best at playing it close to the vest. (eom)