WP: GOP Gears To Spread Message on Airwaves

[kskiska]

Bush Campaign Wants To Offset Bump in Polls

CRAWFORD, Tex., July 24 -- President Bush's strategists have spent months acquiring and cataloging snippets of videotape of past interviews and speeches by Sen. John F. Kerry and will dispense them during the Democratic National Convention to try to counterprogram the message from inside FleetCenter.

The president is sticking to tradition and remaining out of sight during his opponent's convention. Bush, instead, will make his Secret Service agents chase his mountain bike through the hills of his 1,600-acre ranch in 98-degree heat.

(snip)

Bush's campaign has said that polls from past elections indicate that the Democratic convention should give Kerry a 15-point bounce. But given Bush's low approval ratings, that would mean possible disaster for his campaign. So the Republicans' Boston spin machine is aimed at ensuring the prediction does not come true.

(snip)

Vice President Cheney is giving up fly-fishing at his Wyoming ranch to carry the message throughout the West with several appearances during the week.

The Bush-Cheney campaign has also announced Truth Squads in such battleground states as Missouri and Florida, and they will hold daily events aimed at local news outlets.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12140-2004Jul24.html

[Rose Siding]

1. They are determined to set that bar at a 15 point bump

The politics of high expectations? Anything less, the headline is "Bump Lower Than Expected"

[unblock]

2. a safe bet. 15 points is VERY unlikely this time

so polarized, so many madeup minds already.

[Fed Up]

3. Who will the commercials win over?

This is just campaign money looking for a place to be spent. They already spent $80 million trying to trash Kerry, and it didn't work.

Nobody is fooled anymore by this bunch. Just like WABC 77-AM in New York where they have a nonstop right wing lineup, and New York couldn't be more Democratic. People hear it, but don't buy it.

If Bush even gets 1% higher numbers from this GOP lie machine blitz, I'll be surprised.

[delhurgo]

5. Don't be so sure.

We haven't seen anything yet. These ads you've seen up until now are just filler. The real campaign hasn't even begun yet. When it does though, which I expect will be early September, you're gonna see one of the most negative campaigns in history. Especially now with Kerry ahead in the polls, the Bush Campaign will have to smear him and tear him down. They've got alot of ammo too; decades of 'liberal' votes and clips from Kerry's career.

I know alot of people are really confident right now thinking Bush is almost history. They couldn't be more wrong. This is the calm before the storm. Why would anyone think they'd go out this quietly? They won't. I just hope the Kerry campaign is ready to return fire.

[BattyDem]

7. You're probably right, but ...

the "liberal" thing is getting real old. :eyes:

Kerry needs to take it off the table and point out the fact that if you believe in civil rights and equal opportunity for all, environmental protections to keep the air and water clean, public education to ensure that every child has the foundation necessary to build their "American Dream" and Social Security to prevent people from living in poverty in their later years ... then you believe in the exact same things that "liberals" do. People need to get that through their heads. That's the only way to remove the stigma from the word once and for all.

[delhurgo]

8. No disrespect intended, but thats exactly the wrong way to go about it,

imo. People already know that about 'liberals', they appreciate that but also know that its gonna mean higher taxes and more government spending. It also adds to image of the bleeding heart, do-gooder democrat.

The way to counter the 'liberal' label is to emphasize strong on defense, tough on crime, being for middle class tax cuts, etc... to run as a centrist/new democrat. And I think, in fact I know, Kerry knows this. I understand your convictions about civil rights, helping the poor, etc... but that won't win a national election for President - especially during this period in the country's history. People want a 'commander-in-chief' that makes them feel safe. They'll depend on congress for the rest.

[BattyDem]

10. I agree with you ...

about the image that needs to be projected (strong on defense, tough on crime, being for middle class tax cuts, etc.). I didn't mean that Kerry should drop all those things in favor of a "bleeding heart liberal" policy. (After reading my post again, I realize it may have sounded like that's what I was saying.) All I meant was he should point out that the "liberal" agenda is not at all what they think it is. It's not some radical vision for the country, it's about working for the things that are important to average people.

I know a lot of Conservatives - not neo-cons - just "regular" Conservatives. They have been so brainwashed by the right-wing media that they don't even understand what the word "liberal" means. All they "know" is that it's something horrible and it's wrong for America.


Sometimes, I'll start conversations like this one:

"Do you think your children are entitled to a full education?

"Yes, of course."

"Do you think they should get that education only if you can afford to pay for it?"

"What? That's ridiculous! We have public education. They are entitled to that."

"Yes, but the Conservatives think education should be privatized."

"I'm not paying to send them to school - that's why I pay taxes!"




Do you understand what I'm saying? There are many "simple" issues that are very important to people - things they take for granted, yet they never considered them to be "liberal" issues.

I know a guy who has a bumper sticker that says "Visualize No Liberals". He's Hispanic; he learned English - free of charge - while in the public education system; his two kids went to public school and got financial aid for college; and both his parents receive Social Security and Medicare. The other day, he was complaining about how bad the water tasted in his town ...

and this guy thinks Liberals are destroying the country!

Until people understand that the "liberal agenda" is all about fighting for the things they take for granted, we'll always be defending ourselves against that label. The Dems screwed up - they should have nipped this in the bud when the Repugs first started using the word as a perjorative. Instead, they let the GOP define the argument ... as usual. I'm not saying they should make it a huge part of their message, but when the subject comes up in an interview - and it always does - the Dems should point out that their "radical agenda" is simply about preserving the things Americans take for granted.

JMHO :-)

[delhurgo]

12. I can go along with that.

With the issues I mentioned you use the hard sell, with those you mentioned you use a more soft appraoch. That makes sense. I guess we agree then.

[Fed Up]

15. Why are commercial watchers so stupid?

They really can't be too bright if they are swayed by a political commercial. How can somebody watch Kerry at the convention, decide to vote for him, but later see a negative ad from Bush and all of a sudden go "Oh my, I better not vote for Kerry now, because of what I just saw in that commercial."

I could never figure out how dumb people can be.

[CO Liberal]

4. GOP "Truth Squads" Are Designed to KILL The Truth

Just like firing squads.

[Khephra]

6. Why isn't the DLC/DNC/Kerry campaign....

Showing Cheney's Enron ads?

[thebigidea]

because "acting Presidential" only applies to Kerry

for some reason, all of this "articulating a real vision for America instead of negative attack ads" commentary only ever seems to apply to Kerry.

Wouldn't it be great if the Bush camp got 1/10th the warnings and pundit chidings about "going negative" the Kerry camp got?

[thebigidea]

11. edit - dupe

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. Just remember one thing:

Radio waves are everywhere, permeating everything. They pass through walls. They pass through YOU, whether you can see/hear them or not. Even when the radio's off, Rush is passing through your body. I think I need a shower now.

[cliss]

13. Our biggest weapon against this devious campaign

which is headed our way: Just turn off the TV. I read recently that the GOP spent $50 million trying to tear down Kerry. It apparently didn't have the effect BeetleBrain wanted, because he's still up in the polls. I don't care what anyone says. Kerry is leading.

And that's why my TV is gone (because of BeelzeBush). Let 'em throw away their money.

[Dover]

14. They can spread it like manure......it still won't work

Because the message is a load of crap...and the veil has been lifted.

[BlueCollar]

16. Dallas Talk Radio Station KLIF570

is setting up camp and will spin right-wing crap over the air for a full week. Actually paying all expenses to set them up and the fucking democratic party actually gave them credentials...

Did nobody screen the applicants...or were they too busy designing free-speech zones?