Posted on 10/12/2004 7:20:19 AM PDT by jmstein7
Free Advice for Karl Rove: Kerry's Inherent Debating Limitation
By Jonathan Stein
As I understand it, Karl Rove and other GOP operatives scour the conservative websites for useful information -- information they can employ in the campaign. So, I'm writing this with the hope that Mr. Rove, or one of his ilk, will read it and take it to heart. As an advance warning to editors who read this, I plan to submit this "editorial" to multiple sources, but I believe, in this case, it is worth suspending the usual "exclusive material" rule. If this gets into the right hands, it could make all the difference in the world. And, it doesn't matter if Democrat operatives see it because, like the "Crane Kick" in the Karate Kid, there is no defense against what I am suggesting.
Why should you take my advice, you might ask? Who the heck am I? I am an Ivy League grad with an expertise in debate, at least as good as any advisors on your payroll. I am a top ranked law student who plans to go into litigation, and my school's top student in Appellate Advocacy -- an advanced, lawyerly sort of debate. I am also a top student in Trial Advocacy, another form of debate. So, you have nothing to lose by listening to what I have to say. I am also a columnist who knows how to use words effectively. And, to boot, my SAT scores and IQ are higher than both candidates currently running for president (for what that's worth). Not to toot my own horn, but the point is that I'm someone worth listening to, by the rather snobby and condescending credentials recognized by the so-called professionals. Of course, I believe that everyone is worth listening to -- but I know that that platitude doesn't cut muster with the pros and their rather sneering view of the wisdom of ordinary Americans in general, who are far more intelligent than people give them credit for. Now, to the substance of what I have to say. . .
The surest way to defeat an opponent, either verbally or in combat, is not to go point-for-point or blow-for-blow -- that merely prolongs the battle. The surest way to win is to disable your opponent early on. If you take away his weapons, if you make his words meaningless, he cannot fight back. After watching and analyzing Senator Kerry's debate performances -- both on the Presidential and Senatorial levels -- I believe that Senator Kerry can be effectively disabled early on in the upcoming debate.
The simple fact is that despite his prowess with words, his facility with facts, and his studied (though wholly artificial) style, Kerry faces a severe and fatal limitation: criticism. Senator Kerry is wholly limited, in his debate performance, to criticizing the President -- there is nothing more he can do; he has no other weapons in his arsenal. This simple fact, if explicitly and effectively pointed out early and often, can disable Kerry.
Ronald Reagan, in his debates with Walter Mondale, understood this. President Reagan boiled this concept down into a simple message: "there you go again." It didn't matter how Mondale responded, as his points were lost on an audience that had been consciously reminded that anything Mondale was saying was merely recycled criticism. President Bush needs to find a way to do the same exact thing -- and he has to do it first.
If this tactic is used by Kerry against the President, the President can parry because he has a record of leadership and a concrete plan in place to face the challenges of the future. Kerry cannot. He cannot because Kerry is in the uncomfortable position of having a 20 year record of indecisive liberalism. There is nothing he can point to to overcome his limitation of criticism. The words "I have a plan" won't cut it, and they have become such a joke that they can't save him.
As the subject of Debate Number Three will be domestic issues, Homeland Security (a domestic issue) is on the table. The fact that Kerry considers terrorism (a homeland security issue) a mere "nuisance" will hurt Kerry and can be used against him. In fact, polls (for what they're worth) show that safety and security (e.g. security moms) are top issues that resonate with the public. Helen Thomas was quite right in her assertion that the President can scare Americans with the "T-word" (e.g. terrorism). And, they should be scared. The difference between this scare tactic and the scare tactics used by the Democrats (Mediscare, social security, Jim Crow, etc.) is that there is a firm, discrete, factual basis for this fear -- a legitimate basis. Americans fear terrorism because terrorism is a real, legitimate threat. It should not be avoided; it should be hammered home. It is legitimate. In fact, downplaying the threat, which Kerry has done, is in fact dishonest and dangerous.
Combating the threat of terror and violence requires leadership -- a quality that President Bush has and John Kerry does not. The polls bear this out as well. President Bush must drive home the point that, at this point in time, we need a Commander-in-Chief, and not a Critic-in-Chief. Anything less will put lives in danger. Anything less will threaten economic growth. Anything less with threaten the very foundation of our country. Hiring a critic to lead the free world would be a critical mistake. If Kerry wants to be a critic, he can join the editorial board of the New York Times. If he wants to become President, he must demonstrate that he can lead. He can't.
Also, if the subject of the military ever comes up, President Bush would be well-advised to point out that over 75% of the armed forces support his re-election. This is a significant point, and a point that Kerry cannot counter. Shouldn't we give our troops in the field the leader whom they overwhelmingly feel should lead them? Kerry cannot counter that point, and the President should drive it home early and often.
Another interesting observation about Senator Kerry's debate style is that once he is put on the defensive, he becomes, well, defensive, petulant, and more unlikable. When the President responds with a defensive answer, Kerry's rebuttal is an attack, and he scores points. When the President responds to a question with an affirmative attack on Kerry's record (which he did often in the second debate), Kerry did not attack, but rebutted with ineffective, petulant defenses. This is another key to victory -- keep Kerry on the defensive for as long as possible. When Kerry plays defensive, he is ineffective and unlikable. I cannot underscore this point enough.
So, in sum, the President can score an easy victory in the next debate by doing the following:
1) Attack and effectively point out Kerry's limitation -- criticism -- early and often. This will disable and defang him, rendering his future critical attacks moot. Seriously... Kerry cannot go a single question without Bush-bashing and saying "this President" or "George W. Bush", etc. What will you do Senator, and don't insult us by saying "I have a plan"? Come up with a good one- or two-liner to drive this point home early and effectively and the debate will be over.
2) Answer and end every single question with an attack on Senator Kerry's record. When Kerry is put on defense, he is ineffective, petulant, and unlikable. And, when defending himself, he gets bogged down and mired in minutiae that is lost on the audience, mooting his points.
It is really just that simple.
The President should take away Kerry's ability to use both sides of the issue. In every debate issue, Kerry will make a strong statement like: I will never cede control of our military...BUT...(and then goes on to the opposite side of the issue.)
If the President points out Kerry's continued use of "BUT" early on, he'll either make Kerry take a one-dimensional stand or he'll be identified as the guy who always qualifies his answer.
Another benefit: Kerry is so used to using this type of argument that he'll be thrown off-stride, always thinking about how he can't use "BUT" and it will destroy his composure.
You are right about that. As a matter of fact I have heard him on more than a few occasions proposing questions that he already had the answer for and his answers were, almost word for word, right off of that morning's FR discussion.
Yup... NEVER repeat an opponent's charge.
I still like..."Is that your final answer?"
"Senator Kerry is wholly limited, in his debate performance, to criticizing the President -- there is nothing more he can do; he has no other weapons in his arsenal."
I figured this out around May. It's so bad that every time he comes on TV everyone at work cringes, and I start yelling 'Somebody give that man a giant cup of STFU,' and everyone laughs in agreement.
I didn't read all the posts before I put my two cents in--BUT you and I have the same idea. We almost wrote the same words about how it would affect Kerry's response.
This would be so simple for Bush to use as an attack mode. The publich would start listening for Kerry's BUTS and it would help beat his butt.
I don't want to sound egotistical but somehow we need to get this brought to the attention of Rove, etc.
LOL! Good advice... but I'm not really an HTML person. I have no idea how to start a 'blog or website. I would need some serious help to do that.
When Bush wins reelection he will owe a debt of gratitude to all the talk show hosts, cable TV, and the conservatives on the Internet who have kept the debates honest. (Well, as honest as possible.)
Every time some knucklehead tells me about a Kerry plan, I just ask them to enumerate the key points.
(((( crickets chirping ))))
Third party observers usually break into hysterical laughter.
"Actually, the phrase "cut the mustard" is a corruption of the old military phrase "cut the muster." It is an attack on leaders who are two incompetent to select able subordinates before going into battle."
Thats pretty funny. Did you get that from a bathroom reader? LOL I have one that has nothing in it but old Texas sayings. The prez ought to use, "Jest becuz you put yer boots in the oven don't make it bread"
Ping.
I don't know if any Bush people will read this. Hope so, but nobody knows for sure. I do know Carl Rove has done well so far and it appears he is taking most ideas seriously, and not blowing them off the way Kerry would do.
wildbill said: I don't want to sound egotistical but somehow we need to get this brought to the attention of Rove, etc.
Yeah, I agree wildbill! I have been trying to find an email for Karl for a long time and have not been able to do so. Best thing we can do for now is send stuff to Peggy Noonan who does have contacts with the Bush folks and hope she will pass some of the good stuff on to the right people.
The "there he goes again" line was from the 1980 Carter/Reagan debate, not the Mondale debate.
That's a good one! Never heard that one before. :-]
Don't forget Bill Bennett. Bill said, on air, that he had contacts with the Bush White House.
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