Hypothesis: Kerry is using Ali's strategy

[shockingelk]

He's letting his opponent wear themselves out, but keeping himself in the fight, just as Mohammad Ali did.

The first and third debates are of a format where the candidates can speak directly to one another.

How awesome would it be to confront Jr on the $87 billion nonsense on live national television? Very awesome! How would Jr defend the fact that he was against it before he was for it?

And how about following that blow up with the knock-out punch: "And I'm to understand your campaign doesn't much like my entire legislative record either. Can you tell me where I was at fault for co-authoring the Aviation Security Act, Aids Assistance legislation, or Children's Health Bill? Or for that matter what was wrong with supporting the military spending reductions your father's administration was proud of?"

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. Ahhh yes, the Rope-A-Dope

the strategy of the intelligent, "big picture" thinkers. Let the other side use up all their ammo, while you patiently(and often painfully) wait. A beautiful thing...I hope it truly reflects JFK's approach. MKJ

[sandersadu]

2. Except . . .

. . . Kerry's been labeled as a flip-flopper and liberal elitist. Ali was never tagged as a punk. Therein my friends lies the difference.

[shockingelk]

3. Yeah, but ...

Ali is a MUSLIM!

I'm sure they'd say Kerry was engaging in "intellectual terrorism" ... :lol:

[gdgibson]

6. Yeah, but . . .

Anyone with a John Edwards logo should remember the '98 NC senate race. John Edwards used the "rope-a-dope" strategy then, and it worked. Actually, his strategy -- let them call you every name in the book and then in the final weeks call them out for being manipulative lying bastards who don't give a damn about the concerns of ordinary people -- could be the knock-out punch in this race. Bush is a better politician than Lauch Faircloth, but John Kerry is arguably a better politician than John Edwards.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi gdgibson!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[yowzayowzayowza]

7. Non sequitur.

The press did not have a chance to 'punk' Ali for his strategy until after his sting.

[shockingelk]

11. the analogy is ...

Kerry = Ali
Bush campaign = opponent

The real fight is Kerry v Bush, not Kerry v the press - although it does seem that way sometimes.

[psychopomp]

12. Actually, at the time of the fight in Zaire

Ali was heavily the underdog:

"...Foreman...had taken the crown with a frightening two-round demolition of Frazier.

Foreman then destroyed Norton in two rounds to make people wonder whether he was ushering in a new era.

Ali had been unable to drop either Frazier or Norton in over 50 rounds of boxing and at the age of 32, his speed of foot and hand was not what it once was. Foreman was 26 and very much in his prime, unbeaten in 40 fights, with only three of those having gone the distance.

The fight was actually delayed by six weeks when Foreman sustained a cut in sparring. Few believed that the postponement would help Ali - in fact, many of his biggest fans feared for his health and safety."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/specials/ali_at_60/1729812.stm

Waiting for the day when Kerry beats the crap out of Junior!

[bobbyboucher]

23. Another waterboy,

AAAAAAA! They're everywhere. Watch out under your chair, there's a waterboy under there.

[henslee]

4. What? Take fifty thousand blows to the head and get Parkinsons disease?

[psychopomp]

13. Body blows

Foreman was raining body blows. See the fight ("When We Were Kings" is a great documentary of that epic fight)...

[henslee]

17. Yeah but I thought it was the head blows that caused his Parkinsons.

[against all enemies]

5. What's Kerry's knock out punch? He's behind on points,

and there aren't that many rounds left.

[yowzayowzayowza]

8. Mano y Mano.

The debates.

[against all enemies]

15. Jim Baker will only agree to scripted debates.

How can Kerry win, Bush will know all the questions and have the answers memorized. I hope you are right, but the Pukes will never let Bush get involved in a real debate. you know the story, know the questions before hand, no follow ups. This country sucks, the candidates should be able to ask each other questions.

[BillZBubb]

9. "Rope-a-Dope" only works if you successfully deflect the punches.

If too many land, your late round counterattack will be problematic.
Plus, if you wait too long, you can only win by a knockout, there aren't enough rounds left to win on points.

It's already in the late rounds and Kerry has been hit hard and staggered several times. He's not going to have much left for his comeback. He's losing on points. He'll need a knockout.

Your "knock-out" punch, while interesting isn't going to do it. He'll have to get Bush* to totally flub several questions and meltdown. Even an idiot like Bush* doesn't do that too often. Plus, Rove will make certain that the candidates can't ask each other questions in any debate for this very reason.

[shockingelk]

10. Kerry is well within striking distance in enough states

There is really no telling who is ahead when you look at state-level races - it changes daily.

But here are considerations:

If Kerry disarmed the smears as they came out, they'd just come out with new ones quicker.

If he waits until close to the finish, he can just conclusively disarm one or two, and enough people will go "Hmm ..." so as to question them all.

From that point on, he can just say "There they go again!" and continue to promote his positive vision with Jr's failures.

And think more about disarming a smear while speaking directly to Bush: if he did it while speaking to Wolf Blitzer, it would just make him appear better than before. If he does it while speaking to Bush, it makes him look noble and Bush look cheap.

[psychopomp]

14. Sorry to bring it back to Ali again

but if you have seen the fight then you know that Muhammed Ali took Foreman's blows right to the gut. He absorbed a phenomenal amount of punishment--took Foreman's best blows and then came out swinging when Foreman realized he had put everything into his opponent and the other man was still standing.

[MallRat]

18. Candidates will speak directly to each other??? Is this CONFIRMED?

I haven't heard about this... please tell me it's true!

-MR

[shockingelk]

19. That's what the website says

http://www.debates.org/pages/news_040617.html

The moderators job in the first and third presidential debates and the vice presidential debate will be to introduce and change topics, to ensure that the participants have equal time, and to encourage some direct exchange among the candidates. The moderators will select all topics and questions.

... The moderators will have discretion to ask follow-up questions in all debates.

[MallRat]

20. "The moderators will select all topics and questions."

Oh, that's not quite what I had in mind.

I had hoped that the candidates could question each other directly. Silly me.

-MR

[shockingelk]

21. They can

Don' be stubborn or make me post dictionary definitions of "topic" and "exchange".

[rinsd]

22. Of course Ali was never the same after that....

I'm all for being positive as I also think the debates will have the biggest impact but I think the analogy is a bit misplaced.