Mark Steyn is a smug jerk, but is he right today?

[jerryster]

In the creep's article today, which I read in the Chicago Sun-Times, he is of course full of shit about liberal media bias. But that is not the issue I'm concerned with on the matter of is he right. I am concerned with his point that the repugnicant wins in Kentucky and Mississippi demonstrate that the strategy the Dems are using re: Bush isn't working. His article states that rather than polarization what we are seeing is a solid shift to the repugnicants. His numbers: Florida: repugs up 6 points;Minnesota, repugs up 8 points;Michigan, rpugs up 9 points; Iowa, up 12; Arkansas,up 15. (And the jerk took particular delight in that one. Guess why). Before we just dismiss his numbers I would like to point out that there was a post on DU before the Kentucky gubernatorial election that called it a toss-up. We got our ass kicked.

Steyn writes derisively (how else does he write?) "Despite losing three governorships in the last month Democrats continue to insist that their strategy of running every election as a referendum on Bush is working." Now if that is the case, and we keep losing, and Steyn's right(my stomach is churning) we are in SERIOUS trouble in 2004.

[wryter2000]

1. LA

Didn't we just win a governorship yesterday? In the South, yet. I'm not willing to take suggestions on how to beat Bush from the opposition. This is more of the samo-samo "Democrats are losers" crap, imho.

[asjr]

2. LA

I agree with you. The mantra from the Repubs is that we are losers. We know that is not true. The right wing pundits and the right wing media are doing all they can to make us feel like losers.The media today shows nothing about our values. When they have any Dem on they bait them. They show how Dems are bashing each other in the debates. There are some exceptions out there but they are few and far between. We have to realize (and we do) that the media are in cahoots with the right wing. And frankly, why, I do not know. Dems will win by going to the people.

[jerryster]

8. Response

The fact is we have been losing more than winning. That doesn't make us "losers" but we can't pretend that it's not happening. Instead, the powers that be have to ask why and reassess their strategies honestly. I'm no fan of the media and share the DU concensus that they have been despicably gutless when it comes to the current administration. As far as Dems bashing each other it is sadly true. They should be trying to win over voters by being the best Bush basher. Perhaps that's why Dean is ahead. He seems to focus on Bush while the rest of the pack focuses on Dean.

[lefty_mcduff]

5. I agree whole-heartedly.

When the Repukes are handing out advice on how to best beat the GOP, I tend to tune out.

If Hilter had have given out 'advice' on how to best beat the Nazis, would Churchill have listened?

[jerryster]

7. Response

I was also very happy to see the results of the election in LA. I also admit that I wrote my post immediately after reading Steyn's column and was unaware of that win. But it doesn't change everything for me. Certainly raises my spirits, though.

As far as not taking suggestions from the opposition, I agree with you. Still, one of the opposition may unwittingly give us something that is actually useful. I only hope that if it happens we recognize it.

[jfxgillis]

3. The alternatives are not mutually exclusive

I agree with Steyn that MacAulliffe's strategy has been a horrific failure so far. I called for MacAuliffe's dismissal at DNC after the Jeb Bush fiasco last year, let alone this year's governor's races. If he hadn't wasted national resources on a two-bit governor's race in FL, we might've saved a Senate seat and/or a couple or three House seats. It's not the National party's business who wins a governor's race. It's NATIONAL politics and FEDERAL offices that he should be pointing at.

HOWEVER

That does not mean that the "referendum on Bush" strategy won't work when the election REALLY IS a referendum on Bush next November. And it will be.

If Steyn thinks some trivial election in MS that was fought in part on the issue of the Confederate flag has anything to do with whether Bush can hold Ohio next time, he's an idiot.

[jerryster]

6. Response

I agree with a lot of what you said. I watched in disgust as MacAullife guaranteed Jeb's defeat the day before. Please. Did he really not know the thing was over before it got started? He lives in a fantasyland all his own. I also agree that the election next year will be a referendum on Bush. When anyone runs for re-election in any office the election is always a referendum on that person. My concern is that while you call the election in MS "trivial" it may not be. Same with KY. I was very pleased to see the victory in LA. It gives us all hope.

[LoneStarLiberal]

4. His Message Is Right; His Foundation is Wrong

Democrats need to wake up and smell the coffee if they want to stick with this "referendum on Bush" model. Moderate voters, those whom this strategy is aimed to attract, aren't buying it lock, stock, and barrel because it's not being effectively communicated. It's not enough to say "BUSH BAD, ME GOOD" or somesuch simplification on a local and state level or a national level.

Why?

You have to offer up some concrete policies and plans and contrast your alternatives to the failures in the same areas under Bush. Simply saying "Bush sucks" will resound with more liberally minded voters but not with moderates.

Truth of the matter is that both of those Gubernatorial elections would only have been shockers if the Democratic candidates won them. Kentucky has been voting steadily more Republican over the last twenty years; Mississippi is one of the stalwart Republican states in the South. I hardly think that Democratic defeats in these two situations are earthshaking harbingers of disaster.

[jerryster]

9. Response

Well said, LSL. Good to know there are Ls in the Lone Star State. I also tire of the Bush bad, us good mantra. To the candidates I say, quit bashing each other, highlight your differences with Bush and as you said, offer concrete policies and plans. There may, believe it or not, be things that the Dem candidates agree on with Bush. I say don't be afraid to admit it. That, I think, would go a long way toward someone not appearing to simply be saying, "Bush bad, me good".