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Nah, the Republicans might be able to try that tactic, but the Democrats are cash hungry. Wasting money in a feint would be suicidal.

The fact that California has a Republican Governor is giving them heartburn thinking of the LA and San Diego media markets they will have to cover.

The fact that New York has a Republican Governor, NYC has a fondness for the cowboy from Texas after 9/11, and the Republicans are pitching their tent for the convention there is summer has the Democrats looking for acid reflux relief. New York will cost them plenty to keep in the solid Dem column.

Then count in the close Rust Belt states from last time, and they have to be very frugal just to keep National ads on through the first week of November.

No, they don't have the resources to try a rope-a-dope, not this year.

The media and the Democrats can have the biggest collective orgasm in the history of humanity, it still doesn't change the fact that when all is said and done, Bush is in a better position than when he won 4 years ago.

Why?

* He's the incumbent president
* There is more Republican control in this country than 4 years ago.
* The Democrats' last election cycle, 2002, was a disaster for them. They had pathetic nights in Minnesota (Key state), Florida (Key state), New Hampshire (Key state), and Georgia, to name a few. They lost the Senate and fell basically out of range to take back the House for at least another cycle or two. In addition, Arnold terminated Grayout decisively in the most populous state in the union, and will no doubt be a help to Bush.
* Bush seems to be enveloped in some kind of Teflon. Why, with all the whining about AWOL and WMD and other items, John Kerry should have a pretty big advantage right now. He peaked, for about a week, then fell behind Bush again. Bush has not even campaigned yet and John Kerry has more dirt to be found than a topsoil warehouse.

Bush has to do some things for his base though, and come out swinging hard, and he should be fine.