Needless to say, my strategy would run more toward the scorched earth variety. I don't believe there are many undecideds these days. We're so saturated by opinions, by stories, by tugs at our ideological feelers, that to have our minds unmade on most of the important issues is like driving through a hard rain without getting wet. This is especially true when there's an incumbent running. The electorate has had years to decide his merits. If they've not come along to a final opinion yet, they're not going to. And they won't vote.
So with all that as preamble here come my instructions to Kerry:
1) Make "trust" the focus of your campaign. You can trust John Kerry. From his service in Vietnam to his
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0409.sirota.html taking down of the crooked bank BCCI during his senate career, he's made sound judgements and he's followed through on them. You can't trust George W. Bush. It's not that he's evil. He just doesn't know what he's doing.
2) NEVER cede national security to the Republicans. They've made more than enough big mistakes. And those mistakes have been of historic proportions. I'd mention at every opportunity Bush's
http://www.iraqwatch.org/un/IAEA/iaea-tuwaithasafety-041103.htm>failure to safeguard the nuclear material at Iraqi facilities. I'd mention many times
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004_03/NunnLugarFunding.asp his failure to fund the program to safeguard the nuclear material in the ex-Soviet Union. Kerry has mentioned these, but only in the far interior of his foreign policy speeches. I'd make commercials out of them.
For inclusions in future speeches. "He told us the war in Iraq was to save us from weapons of mass destruction. But all he really did was make it easier for terrorists to get hold of them."
3) Harp repeatedly on the number of former administration figures (Paul O'Neil, Richard Clarke, Anthony Zinni and today's latest,
http://www.tipponline.com/articles/00/final.htm a marine general in Iraq who is criticizing Bush's conduct of the Fallujah attack and retreat). Ask when any other administration has hemorrhaged so many illustrious figures. Ask what chance there could be that they're all wrong.
Say that unlike your opponent you will solicit views from the entire political spectrum and you won't ruin those who disagree with you. You'll listen to them.
4) Put your health care plan very simply. "We're going to share the burden of costs so that burden will be lighter."
5) List all the ways Bush has tried to divide us. From red v. blue to the blacklisting of the Dixie Chicks. Point out that he's failed and that your election will prove it.