Democrats 2004 success CANNOT be built upon Bush/GOP failure. . .

[wndycty]

Bush had a good week last week (good economic news, Medicare bill and the Baghdad photo op, which even exploited my nephew) and he will probably have many more before Novemember 2004. That being said it is important that we and the candidates we are supporting (all of the Democrats running for president, Senate and the House) focus on why the Democrats are better.

We should not let Bush and the GOP B.S. get by with their simple manipulative BS, but we have to put more emphasis on a POSITIVE MESSAGE FROM the Democrats. As much as Bill Clinton talked about it being the economy stupid, he was also the man from HOPE who did not stop thinking about tomorrow (campaign song "Don't Stop"). If you think back to 1992 what gives you chills when you think about it? It was the optimism!


Remember that the voters we are trying to reach in November 2004 are not partisan Democrats or Republicans they are independents or moderate Democrats and Republicans who don't vote a straight party ticket. If our campaigns are built on Bush's failure then these voters will be turned off because it appears we are pulling for him to fail which they would interpret as us pulling for America to fail.


In the Superbowl one great team beats another great team. Isn't that how the election should be. Bush scored a touchdown this week (by picking up 10 yards with the economy, another 15 with medicare and he went deep with the Baghdad trip). Lets line up to return the kick-off, play some great offense (positive message) and awesome defense (calling out Bush and the GOP and not let them get away anything). Ask for the instant replay officials to take a closer look at some plays: the Palm affair, Iraq, a jobless recovery, etc. But understand that every know and then he will go deep and beat us a few times. The key is to play better and have a better game plan!

[democratreformed]

1. This brings to mind

my first meet-up. Congressman Vic Snyder (Arkansas) was the speaker. One of his comments was that he was hoping that the President's approval ratings go through the ceiling in the coming year. Then he went on to explain that our country could not take any more of what has been happening. He explained that we sure don't want the bottom to fall out of Bush's approval ratings b/c our whole country would surley be in a bad place then. I thought that was a very good message. I appreciated that he did not hope for complete and utter failure by this administration b/c of the effect it would have on Americans.

I agree with all that you have said and I think it is a very important message. We absolutely must figure out how to beat them at their own game. My candidate, I believe, is hoping to do that with "truth". The biggest problem is having an outlet to adequately present that truth to the public.

[wndycty]

5. Good strategy. . .

. . .I am not saying that we should not call attention to Bush/GOP failings and manipulation of the American people. I think you agree with me when I say that we just need to put more emphasis and why our candidates are better.

[realFedUp]

2. If the quarterback really isn't good

you go after him. I don't care if Bush is surrounded
by the best defense in the business...you point out the
failings and concentrate on taking him down.

[wndycty]

3. True. . .

. . .but how many times have you seen a team lose because they sack the quarterback and fail to do anything on offense.

[realFedUp]

4. I didn't say your team didn't have to be good offensively

but sacking a weak quarterback is a given.

[wndycty]

6. However

Even if you are taking on a weak quarterback you prepare as if he was an All-Pro. How many times have you seen the unranked team beat a ranked team? You don't take anyone lightly. And while you should seek to exploit your opponents weaknesses a successful game is always built on your strengths. You have to assume that your opponent will play their best game and will be tough.

[TruthIsAll]

7. Some caveats.

In the Superbowl one great team beats another great team. Isn't that how the election should be. Bush scored a touchdown this week (by picking up 10 yards with the economy, another 15 with medicare and he went deep with the Baghdad trip). Lets line up to return the kick-off, play some great offense (positive message) and awesome defense (calling out Bush and the GOP and not let them get away anything). Ask for the instant replay officials to take a closer look at some plays: the Palm affair, Iraq, a jobless recovery, etc. But understand that every know and then he will go deep and beat us a few times. The key is to play better and have a better game plan.

1) The economy picked up? Consider: the unemployed, the record number who filed for bankruptcy, the dollar falling to record lows versus the Euro, reported plans of Soros and Buffet to sell sort..

2) medicare? Tell that to the 30 million seniors thinking about pulling out of AARP.

3) Baghdad trip? Another failed photo-op fiasco. It will bite Bush in the ass.

I agree that we need to emphasize the positive. But being positive is relative to the Bush negatives.

[wndycty]

11. I agree with you but. . .

. . .the press (referees) are telling the people the economy picked up, they are giving Congressional Repukes kudos for the medicare bill and the photo-op met its objectives. So we have to go back to the drawing board and come back with a good offense. . .if we do we can expose the faults in those three issues. Right now it was touchdown. Unlike a football game in politics you can lose points. But right now those are points.

[Yupster]

8. Contract With America

I believe Democrats all across the nation need to have a message in the next election that says...

Elect us and we will try our best to accomplish the following five things.

The strategy cannot be elect us because Bush sucks.

In the last election, people voting for Bush knew what they were voting for. Bush was for cutting taxes.

In the next election, people will know Bush is for cutting taxes and being "tough on terrorists."

When people go to vote for the Democratic candidate, what are they going to know they are voting for, other than "Bush sucks."

[Poiuyt]

9. Reagan, too

I think everyone here disagreed with his politics, but you can't deny his ability to communicate. The reason that Ronald Reagan was first elected was because he told people not what bad shape our country was in, but how great America was. He was able to make the public feel good about America with old fashioned optimism.

I think the candidate who is able to start talking about how great America is will be the next president.

[Eric J in MN]

10. how about a balanced budget, privacy, and creating jobs (nt)

nt

[Silverhair]

12. Total Agreement. n/t

[camero]

13. It requires a two-pronged approach

Tell people how thier lives will get better(Don't Stop Thinkin) and when they hit us to hit them back. Hard, and I mean HARD.

[wndycty]

14. Exactly offense and defense. . .

. . .I think we are focusing so much on defense we need some offense.