Nothing prevented Republicans from setting up their own 527 organizations. Why cede the field of independent campaign groups to the other side? I agree, the President mishandled this one and its turned a cakewalk into a nail-biter. With all his demonstrated weaknesses, Kerry shouldn't even be in contention but he is. And that has nothing to do with his strengths as a candidate as in how rabid the Democrats hate Bush enough to drive him out of office.
When I hear Florida is a toss-up that scares me. I know that there are lots of elderly who the Dims call and use scare tactics every day. I just ask God to Put His hand on this Election...... we need W to stay in office.
Agree with you 100% here - But Rove blew it - he had no ground game up and running on 527's - The GOP will be outspent by over $150 + million by Nov -(mainly in 11 battleground States - this is killing GWB) -
Here in MI - Kerry ads or anti-GWB ads outrun GWB supporting ads 4 to 1 - (and the GWB ads are awful half the time - never focusing on the SUCCESS of the economy...always talking about how it has been tough...but we are making it through ....terrible ad) -
Kerry himself is somewhat irrelevant in the minds of the sheeple. They don't really like him all that much, but it doesn't matter. This election will be a referendum on George Bush, and whether or not people want him to remain in office. Kerry just happens to be the Rat placeholder, and will inherit the Presidency should voters decide that they don't want Bush in there any longer.
The memory of 9/11 is long gone from most voters' minds, and it's too late for the economy to recover to the point of it being better than it was when Bush came into office, at least on the employment front. The Rats are still going to be able to beat up Bush and the Republicans with the "net loss of jobs" hammer right up to election day. So that leaves Iraq and the WOT. Iraq is probably going to be the salient issue in the minds of voters, and how they feel about it come Election Day. Since the majority of voters still get their news from TV and/or the papers, I have a feeling that even if a stable democracy is established in Iraq tomorrow and we withdraw our forces, the media will find a way to blame Bush and spin it negatively.
Just being a worry wort doom-and-gloomer, I'm sure many will say. I'd love to have events prove me wrong, but after the way things went in '92, '96, and '00, I have my doubts.