Posted on 10/07/2004 5:19:50 AM PDT by Timeout
I believe I've figured out Kerry's strategy, especially in the debates. Actually, it's Schrum's stategy...he tried it with Al Gore, but Gore couldn't carry it off. With Kerry, I think it's working. Kerry is a better actor.
THEIR STRATEGY: Take the "likeability" card out of contention. Create an atmosphere where Bush has to choose between hitting back hard or appearing weak if he doesn't respond to harsh lies about him and Cheney.
Kerry trails in the "likeability" category, so take away the president's trump card: his connection with ordinary Americans.
THEIR TACTICS: Show disdain and disrespect. Take away any atmosphere which would play to GWB's class, his folksiness, his ability to connect with ordinary people. Force him into the gutter with Kerry. (Think: punk rock culture where "dissing" garners respect).
In the very first answer, call Bush a liar (misleader). Lie about his record, misquote him. This happened in both debates so far. Call him a stubborn warmonger, "out of touch with reality". After totally insulting Bush/Cheney, Kerry AND Edwards then went on to answer the question in a way that demanded a response. This took viewers' attention off the insults at the beginning. And it forces Bush or Cheney to choose between dealing with the insults or answering the policy challenge.
This can be a win/win for Kerry:
1. If Bush & Cheney get angry but don't rise to the bait, their anger shows and it takes away the likeability factor.
2. If they do rise to the bait, they look angry, weak, and defensive. (Also accomplishes #1). __________________________________
I think this is a very real danger for Bush.
I'm no debate coach, so I don't know the best way to counter them. I'll put my suggestion in my first post. But surely out in the blogosphere there must be lots of debate coaches and strategists who can tell us how Bush and Cheney can escape this trap.
All they do is criticize, condemn, and complain, the 3Cs.
In your life around the office and social events, take note that those who bring nothing to the group but the 3Cs are listened to for only a short time. Then notice that others begin to avoid them. The only people who want to be with them for more than a moment or two are other 3C people. They feed off on another.
But regular people stay away from them. This is why I believe Kerry will lose this election. He offers nothing but the 3Cs, and regular folks shun people like that. Really.
I know my "Bush" reply isn't right. But the more I think about it, it would be good if he can address Kerry's tactic in the context of "lack of bipartisanship". Many Undecideds are those Rodney King types who say "Can't we just all get along?". Bush could be very effective if he dumped the entire poisonous political atmosphere in the laps of Kerry, McAuliff and Dems in general.
Most people don't remember the substance of what is said in the debates, but a good one-liner or two will stick in many people's minds. For instance, much of the talk about Tuesday night's debate centers on Cheney's "If you can't stand up to Howard Dean" and "This is the first time I've met you" quips. I don't think that Kerry can pull off a one-liner that is hard hitting but funny at the same time. There is just not enough substance in him to make one stick. On the other hand, there is plenty of ammunition available to Bush. If he can make his point and throw in a zinger in the process, it will stick with a lot more voters. It is sad, but people do make up their minds based on things like this.
I hope Bush Team reads this..
Look at the damage done by the swiftees...they kept kerry on the defensive... that is what Bush needs to do... attack attack attack.
If I were Bush...I would name the names of the al qaeda terrorists that have been captured and I would remind everyone of nothing but the positive changes in afghanistan..amazing feat for the short time Bush has been in office
IF the intelligence in this country failed... Kerry is a big part of that failure as he WAS on it when all this trouble in Iraq, north korea, afghanistan was boiling over...PUT HIM ON THE DEFENSE
Did you ask the Taliban?
Nobody's whining here - the point of this thread is to discuss ways to ensure that Bush will overcome Kerry's negative tactics. In case you haven't noticed, there is massive Democrat voter fraud going on, much worse than in 2000. Felons are being registered to vote, some people are being registered over and over again (so they can vote over and over again), Republican voters are having their registrations "lost." So the president has to overcome this obstacle in addition to Kerry's lies and attacks.
In addition to the many good points raised, Mr. Bush should point out that John Kerry obviously hates George Bush and members of his administration more than he hates terrorists. John Kerry has continously lashed out at the Bush administration with an anger he has not shown for America's enemies. President Bush, on the other hand, just can't bring himself to hate his critics as much as he does those who would bring harm to Americans.
Is Bush perfect? No. But he has stood up to the "international community." And he is more likely to act in America's interest than Kerry. And he will take the fight to the terrorists.
Agreed...the ONLY viable candidate that represents ANY conservatism is Pres Bush....and he is amenable to conservative voices...
Kerry will destroy America.....he will be our worst nightmare.....imagine all the power of the POTUS in the hands of a narcissistic sociopath who is also a congenital liar dedicated since his youth to the destruction of America from within.....then you will see just exactly what is at stake in this election
Insight into the foundation of John Forbes Kerry's mindset Kerry's World...Father Knows Best
imo
And what about the workers for Toyota or BMW
Don't forget Mercedes Benz
BIG DIFFERENCE. Foreign automakers send jobs here to meet certain quotas that allow them to sell their cars here. Those quotas were put in place by Reagan.
Multinational companies that ship jobs overseas do so STRICTLY for the cheap labor. They then sell the products HERE, at American prices.
You "kneel before the altar of the free market" people need to wake up. If this trend isn't reversed, America's middle class is going to disappear over time. I'm with Bush on 90% of his policies, but on this one, he's dead wrong.
And any of you who call me names or say I'm not "qualified" to vote because of this are no better than the Kerry/Edwards supporters who call Dubya "dumb" in every other sentence.
By the way, seen the TRADE DEFICIT lately?
Problem where I work is that raises have been less than inflation and healthcare premium increases are greater than the raises our hourly people did get. Net result is that take home pay for a lot of people has gone down where I work for two years in a row. THat's for our hourly people. The salaried people are keeping up with inflation and healthcare costs, but haven't made any net gains. That's because we get paid more so the same percentage raise is greater for us than the hourly people. The salaried people, like me, are solidly behind Bush, but the hourly people feel the economy is worse and they are in a worse position today than a few years ago. They are planning on taking it out on Bush because the number on their paychecks (i.e. net pay) is smaller and will continue to shrink. This is on top of 7 to 10% growth of the company over the past 4 years. To add insult to injury, over 3000 people in the U.S. were laid off over the last 4 years so production could be shipped to Mexico and Asia, where our competitors are killing us in production costs.
5.4% unemployment is a great thing, but does anyone know the distribution of the employed? How many are underemployed or who are in a similar situation to our hourly workers?
In case I haven't noticed????? Who do you think is e-mailing all those bloggers keeping them up to dat on voter fraud?
Yes, Bush has to overcome this obstacle, but not this way. What the author suggests is for Bush to whine. No way.
Bush has to master sounding ebullient while knocking the other guy down: it is the only way and I am convinced that he can do it.
This makes sense when we think about how wonderful President Bush is before a crowd, or during a press conference, or even before Congress during State of the Union speeches. Yet when he gives Oval Office addresses, just him and the camera, he stinks. He feeds off the audiences reactions, be they good (rallies) or bad (press conferences).
This theory leads me to believe that he will hit it out of the park tomorrow night. John Kerry will appear elite, and stiff. Yet President Bush will appear that down to earth guy we all love.
The trade deficit is a meaningless number. As for your being unqualified to vote, I stand by that statement, until you change your handle.
You must have me mixed up with someone else. I thought that your Bush answer was great. Just get to the people that count.
Many here have said I shouldn't have titled this thread "Bush is Losing.".
First, I wanted to get your attention.
Second, I believe it's true. It's not a matter of people believing what Kerry is saying. It's that he's throwing Bush off his game, taking out of contention one component of Bush's strongest weapon: his likeability COMBINED WITH strong leadership.
Third, this next debate is town-hall style. There will be plants in the audience to do to Bush exactly what I've described Kerry doing. This ain't beanbag. It's the nastiest campaign we've ever seen. Bush must figure out a way to overcome the lies and negativity while maintaining his easygoing "likeability" traits. Not an easy assignment.
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