HOW KERRY LOST HIS BOUNCE

New York Post ^ | August 3, 2004 | Dick Morris

[OESY]

As usual, the polls don't all agree, but the consensus seems to be shaping up that John Kerry either had no bounce at all from his convention or a very slight upward tick of only one to four points. It was one of the least successful conventions in recent history.

What happened?

Going in to the convention, Kerry had a critical policy choice to make: Use the four nights of his conclave to stress the domestic issues on which he has significant leads in the polls (health care, drug prices, wages, Social Security, Medicare, environment, the deficit and education), or try to strengthen his posture on the war-related issues on which Bush has an edge — terror, defense, homeland security and Iraq.

...

Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards made ....

...

In that one night, Kerry gave all of the gains of the previous three days back to the Republicans. (Rasmussen's daily tracking poll actually has Kerry dropping two points in the aftermath of his Thursday speech).

Kerry compounded the problem by venturing no information about his public career in the Senate for the past two decades. He did nothing to refute three months of negative ads labeling him as an ultra-liberal, big spender. He did not tell us what the Kerry Bill was or the Kerry Amendment or the Kerry hearings. As far as we know, there wasn't any.

Voters don't want a lieutenant for president. They want a commander-in-chief. After all, why did Cleland lose despite his heroism? Why did draft dodger Clinton beat war hero Bob Kerrey in 1992 primaries? Why didn't Bob Dole win in 1996?

Voters want a president with brains, not just guts, and all they saw was a warrior telling his old tales on Thursday night. And it wasn't enough.

[chilepepper]

what is deadly for kerry is that the "anybody-but-bush" crowd will have mellowed out considerably by november. every day that goes by in iraq since the handover heals the pain people may have felt over abu ghraib, etc...

i predict/hope that a substantial number of bush "haters" are going to have an attack of conscience (an epiphony of clarity) while walking up to the voting booth...

[chilepepper]

same story here. my dad won the bronze star & purple heart and carried shrapnel around in his back for the rest of his life.

he was astonishingly tight lipped about the war and very modest about his medal, saying he knew of many acts of bravery by his mates that were never rewarded...

[TXBSAFH]

Ninety percent of the people I have talked to (over 12), so this is not a scientific survey. Have issues with Bush and most would like some one else, all but two (My parents :( )however will not vote for KetchupBoy.

[chiller]

Kerry's just an empty suit.

And he represents everything I despise. He's arrogant, holier than thou, expects people to jump because HE'S JOHN KERRY. He feels he's deigned to be President. We have no right to question him because HE'S JOHN KERRY. He won't offer his plans because HE'S JOHN KERRY.

I hope he and his liberal ilk are buried in November,because HE'S JOHN KERRY.

[Quilla]

Shortly after my father's death, I built my mother an apartment at our home and with her came years of mementos. I found an old billfold of my father's containing his Army Air Corps ID (2nd Lieut., pilot, issued April 25, 1941.) There is a small yellowed clipping inside that reports my uncle missing in action after a B-29 raid over Singapore. His status was eventually updated to KIA and I have the Chaplain's letter informing my dad of his death. When I think of my father reading that clipping, I can hardly fathom the pain he must have felt. He lost a second brother defending Normandy. That probably explains why my disdain for today's France knows no bounds.

[fishtank]

How Tigger lost his bounce.

[mattdono]

I have a long and detailed analysis on how and why this has happened, but all I really can come up with this is....

BBBAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWAAAAAHHHHAAAAA

[mattdono]

I have a long and detailed analysis on how and why this has happened, but all I really can come up with is...

BBBAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWAAAAAHHHHAAAAA

[Paulus Invictus]

That's a RAT info source you are quoting there! It refers to Coulter's article and other Republican articles and people as Cleland and Kerry-bashers. They cite Republicans and President Bush as the bashers.

[television is just wrong]

Bounce?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14310&item=5511332680&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

[television is just wrong]

and bump...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14310&item=5511332680&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

[Red Badger]

Kerry's speech was the real problem. There was absolutely no substance to it at all, in any area. People heard nothing but platitude and attitude. The specifics were not only lacking but non-existant. Kerry's whole career in politics has been spent running for office in Kennedy Land of Mass-of-dufus. The press gave him a pass for two decades because of (D) behind his name and now he EXPECTS the same from an open electorate. The people saw an empty suit and an empty head......

[Red Badger]

I have an uncle who served two tours in Vietnam and I can't get him to even discuss the subject. Kerry won't shut up about it. Silence is golden.....

[tobyhill]

The Democrats are arguing that there was no bounce because America is so equally divided but that arguement holds no water. The undecided is still pretty equal 9% 2000, 8% 2004 at the same dates. While we all know that the 2000 election was the closest in US history, Al Gore actually received an 8 point bounce (CNN, USA Today Gallup) after their convention. If President Bush receives even the smallest bounce, it appears he should get 4 more years.

[Lancey Howard]

LOL, while "Disinfopedia" warmly glows about Cleland and how the mean Republicans smeared him, here is what "Disinfopedia says about Ann Coulter:

"Ann Coulter is one of the most vitriolic right-wing ideologues currently appearing on national television...."

And that's just the beginning.
Don't trust "Disinfopedia" as far as you can throw it - - it's fully in the liberal tank. Check it out.

[Sam the Sham]

In November 1992 Pat Robertson on 700 Club fasted, begged, pleaded with his viewers to vote for Bush.

In November 1996 barely a word.

With the House and the Senate maybe the GOP just plain didn't want the White House bad enough.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Nope, her story is bluntly put, crudely put, perhaps, but accurate.

Cleland shouldn't have been there, had no business being near that helicopter landing spot, and ENDANGERED HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS DROPPING THELIVE, ARMED, DEADLY HAND GRENADE.

He was there glory-hounding, not fighting.

His "bravery" never came up down here when he lost the Senate seat.

Anybody who claims ANY Republican in GA criticized Cleland's combat record is flat-out lying.

[Badeye]

"Voters don't want a lieutenant for president. They want a commander-in-chief. "

Best line in the entire article, dead on accurate.

I like Morris, the only time I disregard what he has to say is when the topic is the Clintons. When it comes to them, Morris is always shown to be wrong.

Excluding that, he does a pretty good job summing up current trends.

[OESY]

(Left to Right): Hope, Help, Hope, Help, Hope
Score: 2 chose "Less Filling", 3 chose "Tastes Better"

Question: Why is there no bounce?
Answer: It's a still photograph.

[Banjoguy]

Thanks, Bob.