Kerry's Vision Not Clear, Analysts Say(defined by Bush early on!)

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-kerrylose4nov04.story
ELECTION 2004 / THE WHITE HOUSE
Kerry's Vision Not Clear, Analysts Say
The Democrat let his opponents define him to voters long before he sharpened his critique of Bush, experts think.
By Matea Gold
Times Staff Writer

November 4, 2004

BOSTON — Sen. John F. Kerry had nearly all the ingredients to mount a successful challenge to President Bush: a tepid economy, an unpopular war plagued by setbacks, and a fiercely motivated Democratic base.

But, in the end, political analysts and party strategists agree that the Massachusetts senator was missing one key element: a boldly rendered portrayal of himself and his vision for the country.

Counseled by aides who believed that Bush would be done in by his unpopularity and who advised the Democrat to run an upbeat campaign of reassurance, Kerry failed to fend off the Republicans' relentless assault on his character. Nor was he able to overcome the Bush campaign juggernaut.

"Their great failure early on — from the day the primaries ended through the summer — is that they allowed Bush to define them," said Democratic communications consultant Jon Haber.

By the time Kerry developed a unifying frame for his critique of the president — that all of Bush's choices were marked by bad judgment — it was already mid-September. <snip>

[bushisanidiot]

1. He should learn to speak in 3 word sentences like AWoL, then maybe

the press can understand him.

what idiots!!

[qanda]

2. Once again DUers were right

We said all this taking the high road crap was gonna do Kerry in and indeed it did. The Covention was one giant missed opportunity to take the covers off the Bush administration. I hate losing and until the Democrats get their act together, I guess I should get used to it.

[Champion Jack]

3. Kerry should have done an infomercial

like Perot, with charts and pie graphs and detailed what he wanted to do

[WindRavenX]

4. this election proves one thing:

In order to win, you must appeal to the lowest common denominator- in other words, the uneducated.
Kerry was too smart for these people...