All naysayers: PLEASE consider this.

[Pabst Blue Democrat]

Not too long ago Bush's approval ratings were in the 80s. THE 80s!!!! There were widespread jokes regarding our potential Democratic candidates. The was absolutely NO WAY that somebody was going to challenge Bush for the presidency. In essence Bush was beating an unnamed Democratic challenger by a score of 80 - 20.

Well, a year and a half down the line we're running neck and neck with the Chimpy One himself. This is nothing short of amazing. Everybody is talking about the "paltry" 5% bounce Kerry has gotten since naming Edwards. Why is nobody talking about the 40 point bounce that we have gained on Bush over the past 2 years??!!!

Bush lost a 60 point advantage on his own.....now our Kerry/Edwards campaign is in full swing, so not only is Bush digging his own hole, but we've grabbed a few shovels and started to help him. This can happen.

There's no guarantee that we will win. But we very well COULD win....and given where we were a few years ago, that in itself is close to a political miracle.

[calico1]

1. Thanks for pointing that out

It should also be noted that Bush has had Cheney all along. Kerry didn't have anyone to help counter the attacks against him until last week. And also, Bush is an incumbent. He SHOULD have a bigger advantage on just that basis and he doesn't.

[indigobusiness]

2. His polls mirror his fathers.

He is about to get poled.

[charlyvi]

3. I thought the same thing last night.

Also, I think BC04 has burnt themselves out on the negative campaigning--another fact that will help us. They have aired an endless barrage of negative ads in swing states, to the point that I think thoughtful folks are no longer taking them seriously. After all, you can only trash someone for so long until it begins to look desperate and very no-class. And very suspicious.

[wish_I_could_vote]

4. I agree the negative ads are hurting them

You see the attacks on Kerry with somber music and dire predictions, and then you see the Kerry ads that are so upbeat and full of promise for a better future. The time when negative ads had punch is over. People are sick of them.

[charlyvi]

5. Righto...This Dog Won't Bark Anymore

they have been so negative for so long that they are becoming a joke--add to that the fact they're trying to paint Kerry-Edwards as pessimists. HUH? The terror alerts are back-firing on them too; even the media whores are putting two and two together.

[Pabst Blue Democrat]

6. For Kerry to survive the barrage

of negative adds on his own, without a running mate, is also phenomenal. In reality, with all the crap they've been slinging at him, he should losing by 15 or 20 points. We've made it to the home-stretch relative unscathed.

I'm of the belief that there will be no huge 10 or 15 point bounces, because the country is polarized beyond the capacity of a bounce like that. Lets say that there are about 10% of voters undecided. In that context, a 5% bounce IS a huge bounce.

The people who are going to decide the election are the undecideds, we all know that. Put out your bumper stickers, wear your Kerry t-shirts and hats proudly. Let those considering lending their support to Kerry/Edwards know that they are not alone! Treat people to a matinee showing of F 9/11 if they haven't seen it. Direct soft-Bush supporters to a candidate match-up site and see if in all actuality their beliefs are more in line with Kerry/Edwards.

It's the little things that could make a difference.

[charlyvi]

7. Righto again

Also, has anyone noticed that the Senate Intelligence report seems to have made a difference? In a very subtle way, I think some folks may be thinking twice about the so called honesty and integrity of the Bush*Bunch. Even though the report was dumped on Friday; even though it avoids the question of how Bush*Bunch was responsible for cherry picking intelligence, I seem to get the sense that this will have legs. I think people finally realize that even if he believed th WMD and Al Queda connection, it was false and the buck stops with him. He is beginning to look immature by blaming everyone else.
"It's the CIA's fault!" Well, no baby, you are the PRESIDENT--GROW UP!