Bold strategy sparked campaign's turnaround [Kerry]

The Boston Globe ^ | 2/8/04 | Patrick Healy and Michael Kranish

[Gothmog]

It was Dec. 10, the day before John F. Kerry's 60th birthday, and one of the darkest of his presidential campaign.

The polls indicated the onetime front-runner trailed by 25 percentage points in New Hampshire. There was disagreement among Kerry campaign staffers on strategy: Should they tacitly play down his presidential dream and try to salvage Kerry's home-state reputation by campaigning more heavily in neighboring New Hampshire, or bet big and devote more resources to Iowa?

[Gothmog]

Kerry served in Vietnam. I wonder why he never mentioned it before. Seems like Kerry has a serious problem staying focused and making decisions.

[jwalsh07]

The only strategy I can think of was Howard Dean doing his imitation of Elmer Gantry on methamphetamine and the party regulars and their media friends giving it wide dissemination.

I wonder how Kerry got Dean to do that?

[Ingtar]

... or should they use push polls to show that he is ahead in order to get the easily manipulated Democrat primary voters to switch to him. They always like to vote for a winner.

[Azzurri]

The only strategy I can think of was Howard Dean doing his imitation of Elmer Gantry on methamphetamine and the party regulars and their media friends giving it wide dissemination.

Bingo. These campaign consultants are going to spend the next 10 years patting each other on the back for their brilliant strategy. There was no strategy. Kerry is a floundering fool who caught a lucky break after Dean self-destructed in the national spotlight. These people are not as smart as they think. The best thing is that they'll have an arrogance going into the fall campaign, thinking they can walk on water, before the Bush team chops them down at the knees.

[McGavin999]

"I know something about aircraft carriers for real. And if George Bush wants to make this election about national security, I have three words for him he'll understand: Bring. It. On."

I have to laugh every time I hear the dems chanting "Bring it on". I wonder if they have any idea just how lame they sound. I hope they don't figure it out because everyone I know is laughing at them.

[PROUDAMREP]

Audie Murphy and Sergeant York were also war heroes. That didn't qualify them to be president. Kerry has done everything to weaken this country since he came back from Vietnam. Kerry didn't talk about the war because he was ashamed that he fought!

[Always Right]

Bold strategy sparked campaign's turnaround [Kerry]

Botox injections.....

[kennedy]

Kerry won because Dean opened his mouth too many times and crashed and burned. It is nothing more complicated than that.

[EggsAckley]

There was no strategy.

Eggsackley!! Kerry didn't stand a chance until Dean's head exploded. Kerry has the personality of a banana slug. He's weaker than joltin'Joe Lieberman. They are all delusional. Doing that old Marxist practice of telling a lie loud enough and long enough, hoping that more and more people believe it.

Blechhh!!

[ReleaseTheHounds]

I'm sorry... I couldn't bear reading all the cr*p in this article but the title was intriguing...

What strategy may I ask? Wait for Howard Dean to implode? Wait for Al Gore's endorsement to signal the doom of the Dean juggernaut?

What principles has John Kerry laid out for this campaign? What does he stand for other than "we're coming, you're going, don't let the door hit you on the way out!"

What legislation has John Kerry ever pushed? What governing philosophy has driven this man? Why should Americans dump GWB in favor of John F'ing Kerry? Oh, yeah: let's repeal the tax cuts on the richest Americans and turn that goldmine into healthcare for all! #1 it won't work; #2 this is just a ploy to repeal the entire taxcut -- or all those aspects of it that contribute to economic growth.

Maybe this Boston Globe article lays out a compelling case for this preppy, Brahmin, Hanoi-Jane sympathizing, fake-Irish, annul the first marriage after 2 children have been born so that I can marry an even richer dame who grabbed her fortune from a Republican, toss the fake medals but glory in the real medals, trying to have both sides of every issue politician... I'm sorry -- I don't think that's going to make it when people get serious about this election in the fall.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Kerry's reluctance to talk about his two tours in Vietnam "

Some of the Hollywood babes that Kerry dated, ridiculed Kerry afterwards,because he thought showing his home movies of Vietnam, was foreplay.

[Madame Dufarge]

I have to laugh every time I hear the dems chanting "Bring it on".

So do I.

And, being impervious to irony, they'll probably never notice that, trying to project a manly image, they had to quote George W. Bush.

[Cicero]

Kerry's strategy had absolutely nothing to do with it. Hillary turned up the heat too hard on Dean, and he suddenly melted.

[kennedy]

Kerry served in Vietnam? Are you sure? I wonder why he never mentions that in his campaign.

Actually, I have never heard anyone in the press calling on Kerry to produce documents proving that he was in Vietnam the whole time. Maybe he took off for a few weeks while he was supposed to be in Vietnam. Can he prove he didn't? Isn't that the standard that they are applying to Bush?

[WILLIALAL]

I feel Republicans had a big hand in reviving Kerry's campaign, by highlighting every weakness they could find concerning Howard Dean. There was such delight in pointing out all his short-comings and personality faults.
The continual pounding drumbeat of enthusiastic criticism from the conservative side, provided ample ammunition, not only for the news media to sink their teeth into, but also it planted the seed of doubt in Democratic voters about the electability of Dean.
This wasn't the rising of a Phoenix in the form of Kerry, as it was the bursting of Dean's bubble.
Conservatives should have kept a much lower profile in terms of their criticisms of Dean, through the early stages of the Democratic primaries, at least until Dean had captured Iowa and Hew Hampshire. Kerry's rise in the Democratic party is based upon a substitute. Substituting the support for the anger inspiring Dean, who they realized wasn't electable, to the support for the next best package available.

[McGavin999]

trying to project a manly image, they had to quote George W. Bush.

Well, face it, the dems have never had an original thought in their lives. If they didn't steal ideas and other people's words, they would have nothing at all.

They just don't have what it takes to carry those words off, and the people are noticing it.

[Dusty Rose]

Kerry is sooo b-o-r-i-n-g. He drones on and on... I would have a hard time seeing him on my T-V night after night. When the Dems pick someone to go up against Bush, I do wish they'd pick someone a little easier on the eyes, like Edwards.

[CyberAnt]

Bold stragegy = Clinton machine

[Madame Dufarge]

Conservatives were right to attack Dean, and Kerry is a very poor substitute (by default).

Howie Carr alone could bury him.

Live Shot Kerry

[lainde]

Bold strategy..horsefeathers! Dean screamed and Clark let loose with his conspiracy theories. And there's that weird "thing" on Breck girl's lip. Kerry just got lucky cause the Rats are in a panicked "Anybody But Bush" mode!