Victor Davis Hanson: Kerry’s Dilemma, Or, how to lose an election

NRO ^ | October 22, 2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[eddiespaghetti]

VDH: a Cicero for our time?

[Fatalis]

A Gephardt/Lieberman combination, or something reflecting such middle-of-the-road practicality and seriousness — scolding the president from the responsible right on tactical lapses in postwar Iraq — would never have gotten though the extremist primary and embarrassing Deanomania, but it might well have won the general election.

Especially Gephardt. LOL He was the Dems' best national candidate and got nowhere in the primaries.

[CaptRon]

Thanks for the update. I hate it when I miss one of her dimwitted comments.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

At least Halliburton, unlike Soros and his gang of speculators, creates something real, and its employees risk their lives to build infrastructure for those desperately in need of it.

Good one.

[Christian4Bush]

bttt

[King Prout]

interesting.
bears on our on-again/off-again discussion.
besides: Hansen is always worth reading.
enjoy!

[P H Lewis]

After reading this article, I feel like like my brain has just had its "defrag" program run. All those bits and pieces of information and impressions floating around loose in there - and some I didn't even know about - have all been neatly assembled, organized, and clarified. This article is a keeper, I think. Thanks for the ping!

[RKBA Democrat]

Thanks for the ping.

A good read, but I disagree with him on his ultimate conclusion. While I think that Sen. Kerry will probably lose the election, I don't see that this will result in the Democratic party collapsing with an audible ka-WHUMP!

Frankly, I think that's wishful thinking. I beleive a power struggle is a much more likely result. Pepsi doesn't pull up stakes and go out of business because Coke gets a larger market share. None of the third parties are in any position to become a replacement second party.

The problem for conservatives is that what comes out of that power struggle within the Democratic party could be even worse than the status quo.

I know conservatives and Republicans hate to hear this, but you're pretty much stuck with the Democratic party. That doesn't mean you have to live with the excesses. Actually, I think there is a golden opportunity for positive change.

But the conservative (and in my view, wistful) thinking remains the same....if only we win *this* election, the radical left will go away. Well, it's been 24 years since Ronald Reagan won the first big election for conservatives. And the radical left is still entrenched.

[King Prout]

Perhaps I am indulging in wistful fantasy, but I would like to believe that there are yet a fair number of intelligent and mentally sound democrats who shall use the failure of the extremists as a prybar, to wrest contol of the democrat party away from the leftist loons currently in charge.

I am allowed to hope.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

If somehow we could harness the brain power of Victor Davis Hanson, Charles Krauthammer, and Peggy Noonan, and convert it to electricity, we could run the world for generations.

[RKBA Democrat]

I share that hope. More than words are capable of conveying.

The problem is, that change of control isn't going to happen on it's own. There are intelligent and mentally sound Democrats out there. There aren't enough.

So while conservatives continue to congratulate themselves on their wisdom and strength and beauty, and celebrate their latest victories, they ignore what is happening on the other side of the fence. Worse, they do absolutely nothing to try to change it.

And that is pure folly.

[bert]

You need to get out more. We have TV and hi speed internet and all our yankee migrants are enjoying the sun.

[SoothingDave]

As a VDH neophyte fan, please pingify me.

Check out the History Channel, Friday nights at 9 Eastern and later at 1AM. VDH is nearly always on their "Decisive Battles" show which reenacts famous ancient history battle scenes with "video game technology" warriors.

SD

[NutCrackerBoy]

A Gephardt/Lieberman combination, or something reflecting such middle-of-the-road practicality and seriousness — scolding the president from the responsible right on tactical lapses in postwar Iraq — would never have gotten though the extremist primary and embarrassing Deanomania, but it might well have won the general election. -Victor Davis Hanson

I can't envision that ticket doing well enough to win.

[RottiBiz]

Brilliant!

Still praying, though -- just in case.

[lainde]

bttt

[roaddog727]

Bumperoo

[dancusa]

Theresa Heinz Kerry is the Billy Carter of the 21st century.

[Anticommie]

So despite her elegance, intelligence, wealth, and verve, Teresa Heinz Kerry throughout the campaign has proven to be a walking time bomb.

Elegance, intelligence???

Teresa married into wealth, beside this fact she is just an international piece of common trash, there is millions like her in the Universe, but a few lucky to marry a rich man.

[Cuttnhorse]

Hi Tolik,

Didn't know there was a VDH ping list...please add my humble unworthy name.

VDH is great...I sent him a note once and he actually took the time to respond. If anyone really wants to know more about Hanson, his book, "Fields Without Dreams" is a must read. It is about his family raisin farming background in the central valley of California. You may learn more about raisin farming than you want to know, but in the process you will learn a lot about Hanson. We are truly fortunate to have him on the right side.