WHY W. MUST BASH KERRY NOW

New York Post ^ | 2/18/04 | DICK MORRIS

[kattracks]

February 18, 2004 -- THE 2004 presidential election may be decided in the next two months. For three years, George W. Bush has sought to define himself by his accomplishments as president. Legion though they are, he has only achieved a stalemate: His job approval is only a break-even 48 positive and 48 negative in the most recent Fox News poll.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Certainly it's true that Dole was defeated before ever he was nominated . . .

[samtheman]

The writer is correct and certainly the whitehouse has done a fairly poor job at starting the Bush campaign so far. But this article ignores the most important element: the economy.

Barring a major terrorist/war incident, Bush lives or dies on the economy.

[Always Right]

Barring a major terrorist/war incident, Bush lives or dies on the economy.<> No, you have to run an effective campaign. In 1992 the economy was well on its way to a recovery and the economy was going well prior to the election. Clinton was just too effective at making people believe it wasn't. Kerry is doing the same thing this election. Our economy is going strong, but Kerry is looking at just one aspect, job growth, and making everyone believe the economy is in the tank.

[Carry_Okie]

Bash Kerry TOO effectively now and you get Hillary.

[Elkiejg]

While I might agree with Morris, I certainly don't trust him. That being said, I will never understand the concept of the Bush/Rove team's approach to the dirty politics of the RATS. They just don't seem to understand this is not Texas and the plan they used successfully down there of "compassionate conservatism - reaching across the aisle" hasn't and won't work. We out in the country are fighting the battles for him - but if the President doesn't stand up for himself, where does that leave us?

[AmericaUnited]

I long for the Lee Atwater days....

[binger]

[longtermmemmory]

We come not to beat the Democrat candidate, we come to write the epitaph of the democrat party we kill off.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Bush will strike when the time is right. As soon as Kerry wraps up this nomination, he faces five months between his "big win" and the convention's coronation.

That's a long time for Kerry to play defense.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Bash Kerry TOO effectively now and you get Hillary."

This is what Rove fears the most. Right now Bush is doing the right thing. Go to bases across the country, tell the troops they are doing a great job and get press from it.

The economy is taking care of itself. EVERYONE knows that with RATS in office, interest rates will go up, taxes will go up, inflation will go up as will unemployment and welfare roles.

The Bush team will present a positive image and will not be sucked in by the RATS. Once Kerry is annointed at the convention(I still believe that Kerry will jump the shark after Super Tuesday) then watch the fur fly.

[Brilliant]

Not W. Cheney needs to do it. Where is he? Some undisclosed location? Get off your butt!

[Russ]

We tend to become impatient along about this time in an election cycle. The Democrats have had the airways all to themselves for months while the press has had a feeding frenzy over WMDs, National Guard service and anything else they can think up to bash Bush over the head with.

The Bush reelection team are not a bunch of amateurs. They know that right now it's too early to be wasting money and time on going after the other side. With all that's been piled on Bush and to have his approval rating at around 50% is remarkable. I'd say the Democrats are the ones who should be worried.

[trebb]

I can't see the wisdom of starting too hard or fast - it will be a whole lot more effective to really blitz him later on and pile it on so thick that there is no way for the public to get the nasty taste of Kerry out of their minds before the election. Too much, too soon, and it will be forgotten merely because the media will continue to do its best to bury the truth with false accusations against Bush.

[dawn53]

Whatever Dick Morris' recommendation is, the President should do just the opposite!

I think Kerry's record will be brought to light, but if Bush starts personally attacking Kerry like Kerry has been personally attacking Bush, it won't work, IMHO.

People turn off to heated political rhetoric, a calm, reasoned message is much better accepted and will contrast the two men. Heated political rhetoric energizes the base but does nothing to attract swing voters.

They are swing voters because their minds are not made up (as weird as that seems to me), they want to hear the facts and then decide. I don't think yelling and bashing is what gets their votes.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Yep...Rove and co. know that Americans have short attention spans.

[OpusatFR]

Nope. All the GOP has to do is turn it around and begin the "no solutions, no ideas, all they have to run on is dirty tricks and the politics of negativity and hate."

All the stuff about Kerry isn't out there yet.

[mabelkitty]

No clear nominee yet.
Why start bashing everyone without focus, when we have all the money just sitting there gathering interest. 24/7 media coverage of the Democrats, and they still are only able to bring W. down to break-even.
This is stupid on Morris's part.

If Edwards becomes the nominee, those Judicial Memos will be freed toot-sweet - he has one manipulating the appointment of a judge to satisfy his trial lawyer constituency.

[tkathy]

Bush and Co. have to get going. Unfortunately, I think they may be distracted by the war on maniacs.

[Notasoccermom]

"Bash Kerry TOO effectively now and you get Hillary."

OR John Edwards. Quit bashing now and just quietly take notes. WE need Kerry to be the candidate.