Kerry's most powerful issue: Bush's record as president

[Skinner]

It can be pretty frustrating to watch how the media doesn't really seem to have any interest in covering stories that cast Bush in a bad light. We can't seem to get a break. Like many of you, my own emotional state can get caught up in the bipolar roller coaster of DU group think: irrational exuberance one day, deep depression the next. But I have always remained confident that Kerry would win this election.

In this election, as in almost all elections between an incumbent and a challenger, the single most important issue is the incumbent's record. We all remember the Clinton campaign in 1992: It's the economy, stupid.

While interesting, talk of Bush's past is not going to tip this election in our favor. It is a mistake to assume that Bush's actions as a young man are just as important as Kerry's actions as a young man. They are not equal at all. In fact, discussion of Bush's past is a distraction that takes attention away from the most important and powerful issue of the campaign: Bush's record as president. Here's why.

The choice facing each voter in this election boils down to this: Do you select the guy you know, or the guy you don't know?

The guy you know is Bush. Most voters are well aware that Bush was young and irresponsible when he was young and irresponsible. They know there have been allegations of drinking and maybe drugs. They even know that there are some questions about his service in the National Guard. But they also know something much more important which trumps all of those things: they know how Bush will perform as president because he's been president for four years.

No matter how many stories come to light about Bush's behavior before he was president, it matters very little. He skipped out on the National Guard? Ok, but he's done a pretty good job as president. He was a pampered frat boy who may have done drugs? Ok, but he's done a pretty good job as president.

The guy you don't know is Kerry. Because you don't know anything about him, his entire record is relevant. He's a flip-flopper? Yikes, Sounds like he might not do such a good job as president. He shot a kid in the back and faked injury to get three purple hearts? Yikes, sounds like he might not do such a good job as president. Of course, Kerry can also benefit because all the good stuff in his record can be used to illustrate his fitness to be president. He's a war hero? Wow, sounds like he'd make a good president. He's got a distinguished record in the Senate? Wow, sounds like he'd make a good president.

So the basic dynamic at play here is: Bush gets judged on his performance as president. Kerry gets judged on everything, ever. Which means focusing on Bush's AWOL is interesting, but it's not going to win the election for us.

But here's the good news (if you can call it good news): Bush's record as president sucks. And that is why we're going to win.

By any objective accounting, Bush's presidency has been a failure. Iraq was a huge blunder, and it's getting worse every day. His "anti-terror" policies have made this country more hated than it's ever been, and have made us less safe. The economy is worse than it was four years ago. His policies help the people who don't need it, and hurt the people who do. Other than foreign policy and tax cuts, he has ignored virtually every other issue facing this nation.

Except for hard-core Republican partisans, everybody who pays attention knows that this is all true. Now, we just need to get the message to the people who don't pay attention. Not a simple task, but we can do it.

Which brings me to more good news (if you can call it good news): our side has already tried all of the unimportant issues, so now we're finally starting to run this campaign on the things that actually matter. Kerry's campaign is focused on Bush's foreign policy and economic failures. The rest of us need to start doing the same.

And here's more good news (if you can call it good news): The media (despite their obvious pro-Bush bias) knows that Bush's presidency is a failure, and it's getting much harder for them to ignore it. They will grab at any distraction, so we need to stop giving them distractions. All this talk about "forged" memos distracted from the AWOL story, but it also distracted from a much bigger, and more devastating story that came out this week: Iraq is a failure and everyone knows it -- including high-ranking military brass and Republicans in congress.

Arguing that Bush's policies have failed is more complicated than simply calling him AWOL, but I don't actually think it's that complicated. After all, he's given us a lot of material to work with. But the two big ones -- foreign policy and the economy -- should be more than enough to do the job.

We're going to win, but we need to keep our eyes on the ball for these last six weeks. It's Bush's failure, stupid.

[Connie_Corleone]

1. Great post!

I completely agree.

[Jack from Charlotte]

29. Three issues need to be selected..... These 3....

1. What's the Bush plan for leaving Iraq? This war is failing badly.

2. Jobs loss. Bush is the 1st president to preside over net jobs loses since Hoover.

3. Deficits. Since Bush took over the US has turned the largest surplus in history to the largest deficits in history.

Repeat.
Repeat.

[sangh0]

31. Bush* is losing the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and lost 1 million jobs

That's why Bush* is a loser

[underpants]

2. What's odd is how the press is questioning Kerry on W's mistakes

that just hit me. They are questioning Kerry about what is going on now and what he is going to do and NO mention is made that W IS PRESIDENT and the guy running to unseat him ISN'T RESPONSIBLE for the situation we find ourselves in.

[dogtag]

6. The awful truth is that I would be slitting my wrists

every other day, IF I hadn't found DU. You folks keep me on an even keel. Pat yourselves on the back now and then for the humanitarian service you do that keeps us would be suiciders from leaping off tall buildings, bridges, national monuments, etc.

As usual, Skinner makes common sense seem uncommon because we see so little of it these days.

Kerry is now on CSPAN 2 speaking in Detroit yesterday. Gov. Granholm introduced him by going into a "hiring" riff on Shrub as CEO of Amuurika. (That's one good reason for not voting for him - Amuurika)

I'd like to see Kerry adopt the "would anyone rehire this CEO" as his main talking point. It is so easy to understand by even the lamest undecided. No corporation would keep this fool on the payroll. The stockholders would not stand for it.

[Skinner]

7. Yes, it is odd.

I wish the press could see the irony. Maybe it's low expectations again. Which would be kinda scary.

I wonder if perhaps the reason is that they think Bush is just going to continue doing more of the same. :shrug:

[democratreformed]

21. Likely, they KNOW he is going to continue more of the same.

I love the points you made. They are wonderful. But, there are some goofy people who just don't see it that way. How? I don't know. They insist on continuing the lines "He's doing a good job." "He's made us safer." "The economy is getting better." Blah blah blah.

Anyway, that's the sense that I get from people who really DO support that idiot. That's one reason that I love the new line "excuse presidency". I am so hoping we can make that stick. I am sick to death of hearing that he "inherited" all these problems. It's pure crap, yet, some people believe it.

The point is - "Okay, so he inherited these problems - what has he done to deal with them effectively?" NOTHING. That's what. Damn it, quit making EXCUSES and DO SOMETHING! Ha. And we all know that's NOT gonna happen. He's had almost four years to do something and what he has done has only exacerbated every situation he "inherited".

Yet, the media is indeed asking Kerry what he would do different. They think that will go against him b/c people actually LIKE what *Bush is doing. They think people don't want anything different.

What a crazy screwed-up mess. And every day, I get the feeling more and more of "twilight zone" or something.

[geek tragedy]

3. A-freaking-men!

Kerry should do nothing but talk about Bush's record and what he would do differently.



Well, there is one other thing--give the public some red-meat rhetoric about terrorism and national security, ala "I believe in killing terrorists before they can kill Americans." Not pretty or necessary in a rational world, but wise here.

[Avalux]

4. Shrub doesn't answer questions

never has and never will. Don't you know he's never made a mistake and because he's guided by God, doesn't ever have to second guess his own decisions?
:puke:

The debates will be very interesting - Kerry is gonna tear him a new one.

[Skinner]

10. I wish I were as optimistic as you are about the debates.

My prediction is that Kerry will actually lose the debates. To be clear, Kerry will undoubtedly rip Bush a new one. But the press will come up with some excuse to declare Bush the winner anyway (he succeeded in stringing two words together or he "exceeded expectations," or Kerry was too well informed, or some crap like that).

[WilliamPitt]

5. Thank you, Skinner.

[milkyway]

8. 3 major issues of last 4 years: 9/11, Iraq, and the economy.

On all three bush has been a miserable failure. He failed to prevent 9/11 (at best), he made a catastrophic decision to go into Iraq and fucked it up when he got there, and the economy has sucked his entire term and he's either unwilling or unable to fix it.

bush's campaign slogan: Don't Blame Me.

[ismnotwasm]

9. So true

I point that out to people, as far as I'm concerned, the mishandling of the 9/11 terror attacks and subsequent actions of this so-called president are only PART of what he has mishandled. There is no issue, when examined closely that he hasn't bungled or dropped the ball on. Mostly he is like some sort of malignant child-like "Chuckie" charecter. He has the distrinction of being the most destructive human being on the planet right now.

[Poiuyt]

11. Great post, Skinner, but

I believe that Kerry still has to make inroads to the undecided as to his competence and likability. Bush's disapproval ratings are over 50%, but the people have to believe in Kerry. I think there is still a bit of the "choose the devil we know rather than the devil we don't know." I have seen Kerry speak in person and he comes across a lot better than he does with the sound bites on TV. He seems very warm and compassionate in person. If more people could see that side of Kerry instead of the senatorial orator, he would be a shoe-in. Being a nice guy shouldn't be a factor in choosing our nations leader, but it is.

OK, so people don't like Bush and don't believe he deserves to be reelected. How do we get people to see that Kerry is not only a nice guy, but would be a competent president also?

[Skinner]

17. I agree.

It is very important that Kerry convince the undecideds of his competence and likability. And I believe that to anyone who pays attention, both are quite apparent. The problem, of course, are the people who won't be bothered to pay attention. I think he's just got to keep putting himself out there in front of the voters, in campaign stops and TV ads. Unfortunately, we made a huge blunder in letting the swiftliars get away with introducing him to the voters. It's going to be much harder to change voters perceptions. But I do have faith that people will start to pay attention during the last few weeks, and if we show people the real John Kerry the undecideds will break our way.

[Catfight]

12. You're right, we're going to win and Bush will lose by a mud-slide...

slanderous slinging mud-slide! I'm looking forward to the trials.

[welshTerrier2]

13. It's Bush's failure, stupid.

we keep hearing the media repeat the republican mantra over and over and over: "Swing voters have some issues with bush (Iraq, economy and jobs, healthcare) but all indications seem to be that Kerry hasn't provided a clear reason to vote FOR him."

I strongly agree with almost all of what you wrote ... Democrats have wasted far too much time on ineffective nonsense ... yes, I really do care that bush gets away with his AWOL lies ... but Vietnam, flip-flopping, cocaine, purple hearts, football stadium names and all the other inanities have been a colossal cover-up of bush's failures ...

Still, one part of your post, or more importantly its omission, continues to nag at me ... clearly, you are correct to say that "it's bush's failure, stupid." ... that's right on the money ...

But Kerry must bring bush's failure to light in an effective way ... endless details and policy droning will not tip the scales in Kerry's favor ... bush wins when his "aura" is: Bush is strong ... he attacks ... he might have "miscalculated" but he's tough and he keeps going ... Kerry loses when his "aura" is: he's a Northeast intellectual who equivocates about everything ... his positions are not sharp and clear ... he seems tentative and uses words to take both sides of an issue ... his positions seem vague ..."

My point isn't that I believe these characterizations are justified ... my point is that they exist and they are hurting Kerry ...

So, focussing on bush's failures is a must ... but finding the right way to do that while encapsulating Kerry's message into sharp, clear, consistent themes is equally as important ...

[Skinner]

18. You are correct.

I think the Kerry campaign is starting to get it. The sound bite about Bush being the excuses president is a step in the right direction. But we'll need to sharpen the message much more, and keep pounding away at it.

[hippiegranny]

14. in other words

Kerry's campaign is doing a good job in that they are staying on message about what is wrong with Bush and right with Kerry. Your post illustrates in a common sense way why it is and always has been the best strategy to stay above the fray and not address all the little distractions that drive the punditry.

[Norquist Nemesis]

15. Excellent post, Skinner! The failure is right on target.

What I see is the media being fully complicit to the Bush administration flim flam. Maybe they're all thrilled to see him (suddenly) since he so rarely made an effort while he was *cough* running the country. /sarcasm

The sad part is, for those who have been moaning and groaning the last 3 1/2 years but are only now starting to pay attention are accepting the masquerade! The attention span is so short and Bush's highly professional and capable stage crew is managing to direct a fantasy worthy of the Oscar.

Somehow, we have to keep reminding them.

I have faith, but with the media's complicity (and I DO mean it in the very real sense of the term), it's seems a never-ending struggle.

[jarab]

16. An excellent analysis of the big picture. eom

...O...

[Joe Turner]

19. You are Right on the Money

It's been frustrating to watch the Kerry Campaign get sidetracked by one media sideshow after another. Make no mistake about it, the Karl Rove strategy is to drown out Kerry with irrelevant B/S and front run the media in their election coverage.

This is precisely why I believe the BEST way for Kerry to get his message out is to go Straight to the People in half-hour prime time Infomercials like Ross Perot did (to great effect I might add) in 1992.

By doing this, Kerry has an uninterrupted, unedited forum to tee off relentlessly on Smirk's monumental Failures as president, talk passionately about the MANY issues that concern people in these trying times and discuss what he would do to get America back on track.

It worked for Perot, it worked for Jesse Ventura I know it will work for John Kerry. In fact infomercials are tailor made for challengers because it allows them to get their message out without it getting chopped to pieces by the media and opposition. It also helps voters become more comfortable with a candidate.

Skinner, if you think this is a sound strategy can you pass this idea on to any contacts you may have in the Kerry campaign? Most Americans are unhappy with Smirk and are looking for reasons to vote for Kerry.

A powerful, riveting address to the nation by Kerry will go a LONG WAY in that regard.

Thanks.

[Sick_of_Rethuggery]

20. Excellent post! However...

:-) I am not so sure that "the media knows that Bush's presidency is a failure" -- the reasons I think that are (a) they *say* the exact opposite on TV and (b) they lead lives that do not have anything whatever to do with the pain of the proverbial man on the street to even realize what has happened in the last 4 years.

(a) needs no explanation.

(b) is easy to see as well. They (the media personalities) hobnob with the rich and the richer, their employers pay them obscene salaries which reflect neither their competence nor their innate skills, they stoke each others' egos and they all think they make or break a political cycle (which is ephemerally true for the most part) and... one could go on in this vein, but I have a more important take on this:

It may be that the garbage on TV and radio is not as all-powerful as we junkies think it could be and fret. I offer as witnesses Gore's popular vote win (despite the savagery of the media-types in "reporting" on him) and Kerry's staying afloat and resurgent through the brutal, cash-strapped August and the Rethug convention.

I would add to your injunction ("we're going to win, but we need to keep our eyes on the ball for these last six weeks. It's Bush's failure, stupid.") this: we have nominated a terrific candidate, stay with him through the media and rethug stupidity; do not let their distractions get you to start doubting our own judgement in having nominated him -- we went through a clean, even honorable nomination process and he won it going away. Now we need to support him.

I only wish I could knock a little more spunk and honor into the so-called "Kerry-supporters" who keep showing up on TV and damn him with faint praise and lack-luster support...

[hippiegranny]

22. yours too is quite the excellent post,

sick of rethuggery! I especially liked this part:

we have nominated a terrific candidate, stay with him through the media and rethug stupidity; do not let their distractions get you to start doubting our own judgement in having nominated him -- we went through a clean, even honorable nomination process and he won it going away. Now we need to support him.


Because no matter how many of us initially may have been supporting someone else in the primary, Kerry won this nomination by a landslide. And he will do the same in the general, as long as we all resist the urge to tear our hair out every time some media whore insinuates that he is falling behind. I do not believe that. People are FED UP with this lying piece of trash administration. That the celebrity news spokesmodels don't want to acknowledge it or report it doesn't make it not so.

[cthrumatrix]

23. this is exactly what they want to "avoid".....Issues

[Droopy]

24. I was thinking about posting something saying

we should forget about Bush's non-service in the Guard and focus more on current events, but I was afraid that I would get flamed.

I was over at the DNC site today and they've put together a video outlining Bush's questionable service in the military. I was thinking that that was a waste of time and resources because I don't think the average voter really gives a shit. As you have said so eloquently, Skinner, they care more about jobs and Iraq.

Nice post and you said it better than I could have. I think what you said needed to be said.

[no name no slogan]

25. WTG Skinner!!!!

I think you've summed up what many of us have been thinking/feeling for the last month. Who really gives a damn about what happenned 35 years ago, when what's happenning now is so completely screwed up?

Great Post!

[Christof]

26. I hope Kerry's campaign advisors read this.

They haven't been doing a good job of allowing Kerry to attack Bush's record--at least I have't seen any of that yet in the media (maybe intentional on the media's part, who knows :shrug:). I hate that Bush didn't show up for Guard duty and thinks he can attack Kerry on his military record. But, what really matters now is how Bush has screwed this country up these last four years. That's something that should be focused on, not what happened 35 years ago.

This is great. I agree with you 100%. I just hope soneone who's running Kerry's campaign reads this. If he/she does, and follows your advice, then we will definitely win this November!

[G_j]

27. top of my list would be Iraq, Afghanistan and the deficit

good post Skinner!

[cheshire]

28. I say we are doing well when Tucker Carlson says "Yeah Bush is Evil"

Said in on Crossfire today. I'm taking it out of context but he said it twice as he tried to make his point. Point was lost of course.

[bigtree]

30. I believe, as Anne Lewis said the other day,

we can do more than one thing at a time.

I totally agree that our candidates should not go anywhere near the Guard issue, and should stay focused on the issues and concerns that most Americans are struggling with. That does not preclude the need for the rest of us to continue to counter the steady campaign of lies and distortions from the opposition with contrasting truths.

One of those truths is the fact that Bush disrespected the military as a young man and has even more disregard for the lives of those in harm's way than he did when he joined the Guard to avoid serving in Vietnam. I believe this relates directly to his attitude now that has our soldiers trapped in a quagmire in Iraq.

Bush has led us into a manufactured war in Iraq much like Nixon's plan to 'win' the Vietnam war, and it appears that he would keep our nation and our military bogged down in a perpetual 'war on terror'. He was indifferent of the consequences of Nixon's expansionism then (he did protect his own hide, so he knew of the danger), and he is either ignorant of the consequences of his imperialistic expansionism as he bends to appease the neocon's in his administration, or he has disregarded the cost of lives and world prestige in a craven lust for power as he positions himself as the 'war president' in this election.

Vietnam is the metaphor that we use to gauge the limits of U.S. military power and expansionism. We can't judge Iraq by comparing it to WWI or WWII, Bush as Churchill. Bush is Nixon in his manipulative perpetuation of his manufactured war in Iraq and his rhetorical 'war on terror'.

"Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it." - George. Santayana