Is Kerry saying "George W Bush" too much in his speeches?

[hexola]

I notice Bush usually says - "my opponent" - and only occasionally "Senator Kerry"

Kerry says George Bush more than he says John Kerry...

Isn't this a flaw in his salesmanship?

[gonefishing]

1. Hertz never mentions Avis

When your on top you never mention the guys below you. When you are trying to get to the top you do anything you can to pull the guy on top down.

IMHO, it makes sense -:)

[Spinzonner]

2. I think it's a way to avoid referring to him as President

which he only got by SCOTUS selection, of course.

[prodigal_green]

3. Also, he keeps using W=wrong

so he's got to work the "w" in there.

Also, I think you're right. Calling him the president sort of hands over that authority to him.

[Sugarbleus]

4. yeah, I think that sounds right too... however

I'd LOVE it if he'd call him "That asshole".... whatever :mad:

[vptpt]

7. HA HA!

Wouldn't that be great? I'd love to hear Kerry say something about "that goddamn prick in the White House".

[Bhaisahab]

5. I think he should just call him Chimp

as in- "America is on track to lose more jobs than it’s gained under the CHIMP and he supports a tax code that rewards companies for shipping jobs overseas. The CHIMPANZEE owes the American people an answer."

[mahenphx]

6. Anyone else old enough...

to remember candidates calling each other "my worthy opponent"? That's from the good ol' days when what mattered was views of the issues and solutions, not today's slash and burn tactics. I'm inclined to think Kerry is working very hard to keep his kool and not stoop to their level despite constant provocation. I've no doubt Kerry has any number of colorful names for Bush and his buddies when he can be positive there isn't any possibility of it being in tomorrow's headlines. Many I'm sure couldn't be repeated here.LOL
As to why he seems to be constantly referring to Bush by name, could he be deliberately inciting the gut wrenching anger so many of us feel at the very mention of that @#*#!'s name?

[skygazer]

17. I have to chuckle

"good ol' days when what mattered was views of the issues and solutions, not today's slash and burn tactics."

Those days never existed, my friend. I hate to burst your bubble but even if the opponent was called "my worthy opponent" you can bet your behind there was some major mud slinging going on. It's happened in politics since the dawn of time and it will continue to happpen.

Andrew Jackson was infuriated because the opposition made attacks on his wife, accusing her of bigamy. One President, can't remember who, had fathered an illegitimate child which came out during the campaign with his opponents backers singing
"Ma, ma, where's my pa?
Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha"


Politics has always been dirty. Now we just have instant media replay.

[Arkana]

19. That President was Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland

Running for the WH in 1884.

Just an FYI...and the Republican backers were behind Maine Sen. James G. Blaine.

[skygazer]

20. Thanks

The first thing to go is the memory. What were we talking about?

[karlrschneider]

22. I'm not sure how old is old "enough" but "worthy opponent" always seemed

to me to be something between a backhanded compliment and a veiled insult. There was always the subtle implied "yeah, right" in there...but I might be senile. :D

[Gore1FL]

8. I doubt it will help Bush

Name recognition isn't all that big of an issue with the resident.

[JI7]

9. no, because he mentions it while talking about Bush's failures

the failures should be associated with his name.

[JerseygirlCT]

12. Exactly. To keep associating all the failures with

Bush -- not just someone in the administration, not just some "opponent", but the guy who has to take responsiblity for the mess.

[Meshuga]

10. He has to mention Bush to define Bush

Bush is this and Bush is that... Bush does this and Bush does that...

That's the way to do it.

[Eurotrash]

11. What Kerry really needs...

is to find a nickname or catch phrase for * that will stick in the public consciousness, just like "flip-flop" has stuck on Kerry.

Asshole, chimp, liar, moron, etc. are all fitting, of course, but what is required is something simple yet clever which subtly awakens prejudices and doubts which already exist in people's minds.

Perhaps the next time Kerry refers to * he should begin with something like, "Our 'Pet Goat' in the White House wants us to believe that America is safer, but..."

Whatever Kerry finds, it has to be mocking, mean-spirited, primitive and easy to visualize, on the same level as the flip-flops or the disgraceful band-aids at the repug convention.

[newyawker99]

14. Hi Eurotrash!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Cartooner]

18. DUBIOUS (THE NAKED TRUTH) a satirical serial allegory

I've been writing a serial allegory which appends Bush as Emperor George Dubious Botch. It's based on Hans Christian Andersen's fable about THE EMPEROR'S NEW SUIT. It's now running in DEMOCRATS.COM under GET OPINIONATED. If you'd like it to run here, I can arrange that. It's quite satirical... and KERRY COULD CERTAINLY CALL HIM "George Dubious Botch"... lol

[Eurotrash]

21. "Dubious" and "botch" are such SAT words, though.

Keep in mind that most people who have ever taken the SAT, much less scored higher than 480 on the verbal part, are already going to vote for Kerry. We know what dubious and botch mean. It's the rest of the population, like that cow wearing the band-aid on her chin in the now-famous picture, who need something more primitive and VISUAL to sink their teeth into: Dukakis in his tank, evil negro Willie Horton coming to rape and kill your daughter, Gore made of wood.

I'm afraid that New Yorker style wittiness would only cement Kerry's reputation as a snooty intellectual. New Yorkers and the witty are already on our side.

I was thinking more along the lines of Kerry's "W is for Wrong" salvo but with a visual element. I still like my "Pet Goat" idea--because it is hard hitting, it conjures up a picture of of his paralysis on 9/11 :dunce: , and I think even most repugs secretly admit that * is Cheney's and Rumsfeld's pet.

[karlrschneider]

23. It's fascinating that you are better informed than so very many Americans.

Willkommen! (I'm of German descent but don't really speak Deutch.)
:D

[Eurotrash]

27. Ja danke, but...

I didn't choose the Colorado flag as my icon because I like the pretty colors. Believe it or not, some Americans live in Europe because they want to and some of us are, well, Eurotrashy...

Still, my being from Colorado doesn't prevent the substance of your remark from being true: I am better informed than so very many Americans. And that is why I am casting my absentee ballot AGAINST Smirky and FOR John Kerry. (And I'm glad Colorado is a swing state this year, it will make voting feel even better.)

[Cartooner]

31. SAT PEOPLE LIKE TO LAUGH TOO

This is a serial satire appearing in episodes. It might be true that it doesn't do much for the redneck or those who either are humorless or English language challenged, but I do think (like the Doonesbury cartoons), it is funny to some of us. AND, if it offers humor to NO ONE BUT ME, I'm enjoying venting this way.

I was a writer/actor/director for the Minneapolis Brave New Workshop ... topical and political satire troupe. It's in my system.

[Lefty Pragmatist]

13. Something like half

of people voting for Kerry are voting more *against* Bush than for JK. That means he should mention him all day, every day. In fact the most convincing Kerry speech I can think of would be simply repeating the words "President Bush" over and over again. It captures the horror of the situation.

[Generator]

28. Yes it does capture the horror

My first thought to the thread was hell no!

[Cartooner]

15. ADVICE FROM AN OLD DEBATE COACH

Yes... He needs to call him "my opponent"...MORE THAN THAT, though, he desperately needs to begin a MANTRA in reference to BUSH'S seeming strength (which is his judgement) and here's how:

Kerry needs to begin calling IRAQ, "My opponen'ts VIET NAM" ... AND SAY IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER. This won't work if it's stated only ONCE.

This does three things (maybe more)
1. It casts Bush in the role of doing something stupid (JUDGEMENT)
2. It puts Kerry in the position of being able to say, "My opponent got us into this wrong war, and CANNOT GET US OUT.... I CAN.
3. It puts Bush on the defensive, requiring Bush's cabal to spend money, go on the defensive and try to show how IRAQ and VIET NAM aren't alike.
(a GREAT OPENING FOR KERRY'S REBUTTAL: i.e. burgeoning and endless war dead; failed policy; opponent whose judgement is suspect at best and dangerous at worst... on and on)

THEN, that also opens it up for him to call Bush's health plan..."MY OPPONENT'S HEALTH PITTANCE...

Bush's jobs program, "MY OPPONENT'S 'FRIES WITH THAT' JOBS PROGRAM",

etc.

[hexola]

16. Thanks Cartooner and Welcome to DU!

[karlrschneider]

24. I think those are excellent suggestions, Cartooner! And Welcome to DU

(I think I can issue a welcome, I've actually been here over 3 years but changed -slightly- my username a short while ago.) :D
:toast:

[Heath.Hunnicutt]

29. Bring it ON, Debate Coach!

And welcome to DU!

[klingel]

30. I think that Vietnam and Iraq are to different to equate them.

[aslan77]

25. I agree with the "old debate coach"

You can call George W Bush a lot of things, but an articulate speaker? No.. However, He's done a great job bringing up JF Kerry without actually using his name. He pulls John Kerry into context, many times by the nape of his neck.

Along those lines, Kerry needs to stop bringing in the letter W. He needs to stop offending those people who identify their middle names as W. I know that W stands for a bunch of things, but stop bringing in your opponents name onto the stage.

My wife says it's like using the name of her ex boyfriend at the dinner table. IT doesn't belong, it's out of place and there are too many complex emotions felt at the same time.

George W Bush's name is too frequently used by Kerry.

[AntiCoup2K4]

26. Personally I'd prefer if he called him "that unelected piece of shit"....

....but it probably wouldn't get too many prime time soundbites.