Rove is NOT afraid of {candidate name here}

[DrBB]

Have you noticed it yet? Because it is painfully obvious. As we approach the start of the Dem primaries, we see whichever candidate is surging suddenly being hit with a reichwing smear. Clark "supported the war" (Drudge). Dean's "State Trooper Stunner" (actual headline, can you believe it?). And today, on the heals of news of a Kerry surge, like clockwork: "Kerry proposed ending dept of Agriculture" (Dredge again).

And also like clockwork, here on DU, various posts saying "See? this shows Rove is afraid of {Candidate X, Y, Z}."

Of course it's at once simpler than that, and more devious. They're simply feeding us ammunition because the more savage the internecine warfare among the Dems during the primary, the weaker the candidate is in the election.

We can even refine it a little more than that in fact. They go after the "surge" guy, because they don't want a clear winner to emerge. They want the fight to stay as even as possible as long as possible, because that way the chaos continues and none of gets a chance to pull away, start building the momentum that carries on into November. Keep 'em all equal as long as possible.

So every time somebody looks like they're making progress, the RNC takes aim.

Do we have interlopers here, trying to rev up the heat? Sure. Even worse, though, do we got plenty of Dems, true DUers just all wound up and eager to play along, attack the other guy's candidate using the latest smear unexamined, not listening to rational debunkings, just happy to have the weapon and not knowing how hopelessly stupid they are?

Yup. Plenty of em.

How does it feel to be played like Rove's very own violin, fellow DUers? You enjoying it?

[Silverhair]

1. When Rove retires he should write a book - "The Prince - Updated" n/t

[Cat Atomic]

2. I know I'm off topic, but I think Rove's "genius" is highly overrated.

In 2000, Bush had a national media that coddled him while grilling his opponent, he had a vast right wing sub media that focussed on doing the same but without even a pretense of fairness, and he had an enormous campaign warcest.

HE STILL LOST.

Hell, just the last few weeks have shown the incredible stupidity fueling the Bush phenomenon. The amnesty idea, the billion-dollar marriage promotion, and the Mars mission are all enormous blunders.

I think Rove's rep is undeserved. Bush has skated by because of 9-11, and that is IT.

[DemBones DemBones]

5. Good point: Despite Rove's "dark powers" Bush still LOST in 2000!!!

Rove seems so evil, so soulless, that we overestimate him.

[djensen]

7. he tied with the VP of a popular two term president, the natural successor

Bush did about as good as he could have under those circumstances. As I see it, there were two possible outcomes based on past history. Take the two most recent situations that apply.
Eisenhower's VP, Nixon, vs. Kennedy. Result: extremely close hair-thin race, accusations of a "stolen election".
Reagan's VP, George H.W. Bush vs. Dukakis. Result: VP wins handily.

Clearly, Bush got the Kennedy outcome, not the Dukakis.
Coming into this election, Bush will have the upperhand, and with someone like Rove who did manage to pull off the unlikely upset, this will be very difficult to beat.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

9. "Bush has skated by because of 9-11"

Exactly. He's shamelessly used people's death for his political gain, and most Americans are too good-natured to believe it.

[11 Bravo]

11. He literally stood atop the bodies of 3,000 Americans

and launched his re-selection campaign. Words continue to fail me whenever I attempt to give voice to the contempt and abhorence which I hold toward this individual.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Don't be played

Stay silent if a post here about your candidate irritates you. Instead, look for postive posts, or even a postive thread in a post and comment on that. Focus on the strengths of all the candidates, and know the positions of all of them-your favorite might not be the ultimate winner, and you'll be ahead of the game if you know about who is. Finally, remember that the point is to get rid of Bush. Keep attacking him, and keep cheering those who attack him by telling the truth about his administration. Truth tellers are really the ones that Rove is afraid of.

[Eloriel]

4. DrBB

Don't imagine that all this stuff is coming from Rove. It's not. The Kerry and Gephardt campaigns have already been identified as promoting some of these -- NOT the RNC.

Is the RNC happy? Are they pushing it here? You bet. We're just doing their work FOR them, that's all.

[DrBB]

6. Point taken. But when I see it on Drudge

...the WSJ, picked up instantly by ReichRadio, well, I think I'm justified in supposing it has a certain provenance.

Not true of all this stuff of course.

I suspect that there are maybe more than a couple of staffers on OUR candidates' staffs who think they are the Dem answer to Karl Rove and eager to prove it.

on edit: and don't forget Dean--some push-poll nastiness was "identified" as coming from his campaign too. Whether it was or not--I withold judgment. This too--the act and its attribution--could be dirty tricks.

[djensen]

10. Drudge has sources, people talk to him when they want to drop dirt

He isn't going out doing opposition research himself. Anyone in Washington who wants a story out fast with very little fact checking talks to him. He's the best way to get info out fast.

Don't believe that only Republicans have his number on speed-dial.
As for others picking up the story right away, well, like I said, that's why Drudge exists. They all read him.

[Fovea]

8. But you know regardless of the source

If we took the positive course and contest fairly, with regard for our common aspirations over our differences, we will prevail in 2004.

[TheDalaiMama]

12. Rove is not afraid of "the Dalai Mama" but he should be.

:)

[BeFree]

13. Rove is afraid of one candidate

His name is George. Rove is afraid of George going off script. He's afraid that George will blow the whole show in a debate with someone who is a heavy hitter like some of the Dem candidates are. He's afraid that the truth about George is gonna begin flooding his preciously laid plans of deceptive lies and threats. Rove is afraid, and he damn sure should be.

[DrBB]

14. Now that's a damn good point

Unfortunately, the one thing the Flying Chimp has proved himself good at is sticking to the script no matter what. But yeah, there isn't a single one of the candidates who wouldn't turn the Chimp into cole slaw in a debate. I'm rather sure there won't be one, for just that reason.

[11 Bravo]

15. And if I hadn't seen Al Gore pulverize the chimp

in the 2000 debates, only to see that reported as a * win in both the print and broadcast media; I might agree with you. But since that was not the case, we have to hold the media's feet to the fire this time around.

[Moderator]

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