OK, all you armchair strategists, what's your advice to Kerry now?

[kentuck]

:)-~~~
The Swiftboat ads are still simmering and they are ready to go on the offensive about Kerry's activities after the war. They think they have rocked him back on his heels. They smell blood and are going to stay on the offensive. While the media is focused on the SwiftBoat ads, the Bush campaign is ready to attack from another angle. What's your advice to the Kerry campaign?

[A_Possum]

1. I dunno about the Kerry campaign

But since I see every thread except the swiftsmear related ones dropping like a rock, it's clear that "issues" aren't even taking here at DU.

It looks like Kerry is trying to go hard after the overtime pay thing which went into effect today, with the "High Noon" challenge from Kerry/Edwards, but even DU'ers aren't buying into it. So why should we expect the general public/media to?

[sampsonblk]

37. Keep punching

No more disavowing favorable points, and no more whining that Bush won't come clean about the Swift boat ads.

Bush did the same in 2000 when asked about the Confed flag. He never did answer the question. He wont answer it now. When that point gets old, then give up on that and keep punching.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Kerry needs to release a commercial painting Bush as crazy

and inept. He needs to use footage such as "Little did I know I would hit the trifecta." "YOu can fool some of the people some of the time...that's who we're after." The "I don't think we met" Kenneth Lay comments (paraphrasing) Use other admin...Iraq HAS weapons...Iraq has a weapons program...Wolfie's comments that that was the reason they could all agree on..

He needs to paint Bush as sick and crazy....not try to respond to the WH portraying HIM as such.

He needs to use the "flight suit"...mission accomplished...
"please don't kill me" then Jesus is my favorite philosopher....make him out to be the hypocrite he is.

[Julien Sorel]

13. It takes too much time to do something like that, plus it's usually

the act of a desperate campaign. My guess is it would alientate more people than it frightened. Kerry has a game plan that has given him success, why should he drop the whole thing now? He simply needs to continue what he's doing, plus become more assertive pounding the issues, which I suspect was in the game plan all along.

[David Zephyr]

40. Yeah! I Like This.

C-r-a-z-y.

[geek tragedy]

3. Kerry and Edwards should hammmer Bush on the issues, while surrogates

should pound the shit out of the Swifties.

The media is our potential friend here. The mantra should be that Kerry and Edwards want to talk about issues, while nancy boy Georgie runs away from his record and hides behind the Smearvets.

[Doctor_J]

4. the media is our potential friends?

hehe. haha. *snark*.

the swift liars have been on 24/7 for a week, uncontested. there are no potential friends inthe media.

[geek tragedy]

5. The media is pissed at Bush.

He bullies them and insults them frequently. We have but to convince them that the only way to stop it is to take the little bastard on.

Remember, the enemy of our enemy is our friend, this election.

[Sivart]

6. Dona't attack the man......

attack what he has done....

Some one needs to get over there to Iraq and show America what it looks like when W liberates a country.

Some one needs to point out the obvious problem W is having with Al Sadr.....we're fighting.....no, we're negociating.....no, we're fighting....

And mostly.....when will a major media outlet present the total number of lives lost so far in Iraq and Afganistan....not just American lives, but total lives. This would likely seal the deal for Kerry...

[faithnotgreed]

16. hi sivart - weclome to du. yes we need to hit on the issues

there is not one thing that bush has done right

[maine_raptor]

8. I agree,but

Now that Kerry Edwards have made their challenge for * to denounce the ads, all they should do is start off each speech with something like "Day X since we asked the President to denounce these smear tactics and he has not, in the meanwhile America is still suffering from....(whatever issue is the talking point of the day)"

In other words stick to the issues but continue to remind voters that * is still smearing at the same time.

[geek tragedy]

12. I think they should stop asking Bush to denounce the ads.

That can sound, as Josh Marshall noted, like "whining."

They should just point out that they want to talk about the issues, while Bush wants to lie and smear.

[maine_raptor]

15. Saying "Day X" is not the same as denouncing the ads

it is simply a reminder of how long * has let this go on.

[geek tragedy]

17. I still think that sounds like complaining instead of criticizing. n/t

[maine_raptor]

20. Not at all

Remember how "Nightline" got it's start?

Or how about Rush Oxy limpburger...."Day xxx of America Held Hostage"

Those are examples of how a clicking clock can be credible without be complaining.

[cheezus]

27. They should start stating as FACT that Bush supports the ads

(after all, he had PLENTY of time to denounce them)

[michigandem2]

7. start asking the Prez some questions...

about the economy, jobs, the overtime pay thing, middle class America...get on the offensive on these issues..BUSH continues to attack his opponent while saying NOTHING about himself and its happening here..we need to lob a few bombs HIS way

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Plan humint inside the Bush cabal

:evilgrin:

Bush will be changing the subject momentarily. Keep Edwards out there...he's getting some media on the sound byte "the clock is ticking". Keep pressing the idea of:

- well-practiced gutter politics from the Bushies
- callout the Bush supporters tactics as "the campaign's loosely networked cells"
- remind the public of "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" and that fear is the only thing the Bush brings up
- Hit back that Bush says we're safer while setting up the next press conference for heightened alert based on dated information
- Point out that Bush and administration NEVER EVER take responsibility for anything. It's always someone else's fault. (WMD/CIA mistakes, Plame/unknowingly leaked, Swiftvets/uhhh...not us!, Iraq abuses/rogue solders, Economy/Clinton recession, Jobs lost/Clinton recession, 9/11, 9-11/everyone else but the WH)

Flood the underground with these messages and keep them coming. Throw as much shit out there as Bush does and run with what sticks while throwing more shit out there and run with the next thing that sticks.

[cspiguy]

10. he's doing fine. Said "they're all liars, backed by *" - burden of proof

is on the accusers. Move on.

[Old and In the Way]

11. Go on the offensive!

Posted by blm last week:

Submitted by A Possum:

"Bush did business with Bin Laden's bankers while Kerry...
was fighting to shut it down to terrorist and drug connections."

"Long before September 11, 2001, Bush got a 25 million dollar loan from the same bankers that dealt with bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, while John Kerry fought to stop this bank's global laundering of money for drug lords and terrorists. John Kerry shut it down. He's been fighting terrorism at its roots since before George Bush ran for office."


I likes it. It's based on the Washington Monthly article on Kerry and how he worked to stop the funding of terrorism and drug money laundering at BCCI.

This is an important area to pursue in this election. It also acts as a good rebuttal to those who enjoy SMEARING Kerry by accusing him of being a poll-driven political coward. They couldn't be MORE wrong.

excerpt:
>>>>>>
Bin Laden's bankers
Kerry's record in the BCCI affair, of course, contrasts sharply with Bush's. The current president's career as an oilman was always marked by the kind of insider cronyism that Kerry resisted. Even more startling, as a director of Texas-based Harken Energy, Bush himself did business with BCCI-connected institutions almost at the same time Kerry was fighting the bank. As The Wall Street Journal reported in 1991, there was a "mosaic of BCCI connections surrounding since George W. Bush came on board." In 1987, Bush secured a critical $25 million-loan from a bank the Kerry Commission would later reveal to be a BCCI joint venture. Certainly, Bush did not suspect BCCI had such questionable connections at the time. But still, the president's history suggests his attacks on Kerry's national-security credentials come from a position of little authority.

As the presidential campaign enters its final stretch, Kerry's BCCI experience is important for two reasons. First, it reveals Kerry's foresight in fighting terrorism that is critical for any president in this age of asymmetrical threats. As The Washington Post noted, "years before money laundering became a centerpiece of antiterrorist efforts...Kerry crusaded for controls on global money laundering in the name of national security."

Make no mistake about it, BCCI would have been a player. A decade after Kerry helped shut the bank down, the CIA discovered Osama bin Laden was among those with accounts at the bank. A French intelligence report obtained by The Washington Post in 2002 identified dozens of companies and individuals who were involved with BCCI and were found to be dealing with bin Laden after the bank collapsed, and that the financial network operated by bin Laden today "is similar to the network put in place in the 1980s by BCCI." As one senior U.S. investigator said in 2002, "BCCI was the mother and father of terrorist financing operations."

Second, the BCCI affair showed Kerry to be a politician driven by a sense of mission, rather than expediency--even when it meant ruffling feathers. Perhaps Sen. Hank Brown, the ranking Republican on Kerry's subcommittee, put it best. "John Kerry was willing to spearhead this difficult investigation," Brown said. "Because many important members of his own party were involved in this scandal, it was a distasteful subject for other committee and subcommittee chairmen to investigate. They did not. John Kerry did."

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0409.sir...

[MoonRiver]

14. Keep attacking and counter attacking until November 2nd.

Take off the gloves and pound away till they squeal "uncle". Show no mercy. This is the only way to beat a junkyard bully, and let's face it, that's what we're dealing with.

[Stephanie]

18. ATTACK RIGHT BACK - While Kerry was in Vietnam, Bush was....

Cheerleading
Getting DUI's and Cocaine convictions
Using Daddy's connections to jump the waiting list for TANG to escape Vietnam
Going AWOL


Cheney was:

Flunking out of Yale, twice
Getting DUI's
Marrying the delightful Lynne to avoid the draft
Knocking Lynne up to avoid the draft
He had "other priorities"

[kentuck]

19. Give 'em enough rope and they will hang themselves....

Senator Kerry should continue to talk about the "issues". But, at the same time, he has to remind people that the Bush campaign does not want to talk about the issues. They and their surrogates wish to tear down the veterans of this country who have put their lives on the line. We are now closing in almost 1000 deaths in Iraq and they want to re-fight the Viet Nam War which they refused to fight in the first time.

And Mr Bush plans on going to NYC and giving us his plan to "reform" the Social Security System. God help us all! Please keep him away from our Social Security because if he messes it up as bad as he has everything else he has touched, we won't have a Social Security System. Come to your senses America! Tell him to keep his fingers off Social Security and pay back what he has stolen in the last three years.

The Bush campaign will continue to go "negative" because they have nothing positive to offer America. He doesn't want to talk about the loss of the most jobs since the Great Depression. He doesn't want to talk about 4 million more people without healthcare since he has been in office. He is still dragging his feet on reforming our intelligence agencies and he still hasn't caught Osama bin Laden.
We are hemorrhaging jobs out of this country and he has no plan. He is too busy huddling with Karl Rove to try and figure out the next negative ad they can run. America is aware of their game. And they are looking at them very closely.

[Joanne98]

21. Call Bush a COWARD

All he has to say is, "If Bush doesn't think i deserved my medals, say so himself, don't hide behind swifties." THAT'S COWARDLY." Then have the campaign throw out all the stuff DU got off their websites this weekend. if that doesn't work, let moveon OFF THE LEASE and they can run COWARD COMMERIALS.

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

22. Well,

I think he needs to be proactive, rather than reactive. The SBVFT are aiming to paint Kerry as an anti-war, gutless opportunist who disgraced the military and committed acts of treason. The Kerry camp needs to attack this head on. Remember, the SBVFT are not going to play fair.

[Sivart]

23. To me....

To me, it is not about "beating bush"......it is about bringing the Bush supporters to their senses. I am so frustrated because it seems like the Kerry campaign is in a mode where all they do is react to the right. Screw the right.....all Kerry needs to do is win the election....then none of this will matter.

I see more and more conservatives siding AGAINST bush.....but kerry needs to complete the deal by swinging them the rest of the way to his side.

I think to my self....how could it still be so close (the election).....then i realize it is because right now it is man versus man....who has lied more.....who has exagerated more......when is Kerry going to rise above that and appeal to the masses???

While I do agree that you should fight fire with fire....W is a freakin idiot, and to play his game is to play an idiot's game....

[demwing]

24. Challenge Bush To A Debate On Military Issues

Kerry's experience against Bush's experience, Kerry's fight for veterans rights against Bush's, Kerry's plan for Iraq against Bush's, Kerry's ideas on national security against Bush's, Kerry's vision for homeland security against Bush's.

Moderated by a bipartisan panel of military and national security experts, live, open door.

Bush will never agree, and thats fine. Kerry can show up and debate a cardboard cutout of Bush. No one will know the difference.

But if Bush does show, Kerry will forever set the record straight on who has the street creds to run the country.

[BillZBubb]

28. Kerry can show up and debate a cardboard cutout of Bush

And the media would declare that Bush* won by a knockout! "The president has never been so relaxed!". "The president withstood Kerry's attacks without rancor!". "The president never lost his cool, like Kerry did!". You get the idea.

[cheezus]

30. I don't see how this could be a loser

they debate, Kerry wins hands down

Bush refuses, Kerry says in every stump speech:

"You deserve a commander in chieff who knows how to protect our nation. George Bush claims he's strong, yet he's too cowardly to participate in a debate aimed at making our nation safer."

[wiggs]

25. "Most crooked bunch of liars I've ever seen"

Stop playing defense, because after the Swiftvets stuff there will be something else, guaranteed. Go on offense, and reinforce this notion that lying and smearing is the only way BA gets things done. Get a list together of all the smear statements...go back to:

McCain
Cleland
Gore
Paul O'Neill
Richard Clarke
Dean
Kerry
Wilson

Show that lying is SOP for the most "crooked bunch of liars we've ever seen" (let's hear that statement again in this context!) Then when the next smear comes, the public is already primed to expect more lies. The shear number of BA negative statements about those who challenge the BA will reinforce our perception that the WH deceives, denigrates,and smears on a regular basis pertaining to nearly any topic in order to influence public opinion.

We can't trust this administration...period.

I want Bush*s true words, deeds, scandals, and policies out there for everyone to see. This is being responsible, not negative. Someone has to do it and it has to be seen, replayed and discussed as much as these Swiftvets fabrications are.

[cheezus]

26. Start working on the debates NOW. They're designed againts you

If they were real debates, yes, Kerry would humiliate Bush. But they aren't. They're crafted to involve no real discourse but rather generate sound bites to show later. Your team needs to be able to make the case in one sentance. You need to be able to anticipate the dumb narrow one-sentances bush throws out and counter with your own soundbite that makes him sound stupid.

Your team also needs to be working the media now to set expectations high for Bush (4 hard years of terror and war leadership) and low for you (too-smart, longwinded senator).

The rules are set to favor your opponent; you have to beat him at his own game.

[BillZBubb]

29. I would have a weekly theme tied to a hard hitting ad.

Everyone associated with the campaign would be required to stick to the theme all week. No free-lancing. No ad libs. No equivocating.

Everyone associated with the campaign would be required to STUDY the background material supporting the theme. No more going to the media without a clue.

I'd start right after the RNC with a commercial comparing Bush*s "leadership" to Kerry's. Then move on to approaches on job creation, taxes, Social Security, health care, etc. Make the media discuss OUR issues.

[mumon]

31. Attack on taxes. Attack on terror.

Attack on Abu Ghraib.

And, Kerry should do a "Vietnam" speech, which explains why he protested the war.

As was his goddam right.

[blalock]

32. nobody in the real world gives a crap about Vietnam

they all need to shut up about it and focus on DETAILS of the John Kerry plan for the future, not the past.

[Guaranteed]

33. Keep doin' what he's doin'. It's going great.

Now that we've got the ball with this SBV thing, though, we need to ram it home. Just keep going.

[underpants]

38. I agree on that-stay closer to positive than W

They can spin all they want to it is still a referendum on W.

I would add "What is HE going to do?" line/ad about W saying nothing about HIS plans for the next 4 years.

[spanone]

34. Wel've just seen the tip of the iceberg, keep looking over your shoulder.

They will be attacking from ALL ANGLES.

[elehhhhna]

35. I'd circulate these memes, for starters:

Welfare Queen of the New Millenium: HALLIBURTON!

Bush Spits on Vietnam Vet ("Send ME! versus WHERE WAS GEORGE?)

"We will welcome the troops home with flowers and dancing." (truefact!)

Keep repeating "America can do better!"

& get off the Swiftboat. 19 dead soldiers last week and all we hear is a paid p!ssing contest? BACK HIM TO THE WALL ON ISSUES.

Do not sacrifice Moveon for SBVT, either.

Campaign: Get some concise soundbites and repeat! Every response is not a graded term-paper. The reeps know that most (?) voters hear bits & pieces and they stay concise--that's how even a big fat lie can get play. If that's all they say,l that's all to report. The media is LAZY and generally just prints press releases these days.

edit-add meme

[elehhhhna]

36. p.s. Flog the new Overtime Ruling ! Secure Joe Sixpacks vote!

[David Zephyr]

39. Keep Running Your Ads With McCain Shaming Bush.

And keep running the Kerry Ad pointing out that Bush's supporters paid for the swiftboat lies.

It's important to keep pounding for a few days and not let Bush now arbitrarily set the agenda.

This has begun to backfire and sour on Rove.

I say keep it up for a few more days...it leads into their shitty convention.

[ApolloCreedLives]

41. Condemn all ads...

...that deliberately mislead the American people. Bush is trying to bait Kerry into condemning all 527s, instead Kerry should return fire and say that he condemns misleading ads that don't discuss the issues important to the American people.