How to defend Kerry's war vote and Patriot Act vote.

[coloradodem2005]

For the Patriot Act, #1 there was a lot of anxiety in the wake of 9/11. #2, the Democrats were the ones to call for sunset clauses on the contriversial measures of the Patriot Act. Help me beef up this argument.

For the War: The Democrats were in a politically weak position. THe intelligence that Kerry got was faulty because the Bush administration made it faulty. Once again, beef-up.

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Number two will never fly in my opinion.

There are going to be some that the IWR vote will never be explained away. Myself included. I knew what Bush was going to do...my neighbors new what Bush was going to do with that vote, and yet we're to believe that Congress was blind? I am 100% behind Kerry because I think that he will do great things for this country, but I'm still pissed at him for that vote which amounts to basic insider politics. That is basically indefensible. We need to address other issues now. Like cleaning up the mess in Iraq. :hi:

[calimary]

2. A couple of ideas: USE GOOD, SHORT, POWERFUL BUZZPHRASES:

They're discussing it here: Check the MEME MEMO thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2122581

There's another one here, too:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2122991

Short, quick jabs - like in sparring class. You keep throwing the jab. When all else fails, keep throwing the jab. When you run out of ideas, keep throwing the jab. My karate teacher likes to say - "keep 'em busy." KEEP throwing that jab. My karate teacher likes to tell of the experience he had at a sparring tournament, watching one competitor fight with an injured arm. He had only one good arm to use. All he could basically do was jab. And he kept his opponent busy with it throughout the match. And he won. These are good quick jabs.

[ClassWarrior]

7. Agreed - most middle-of-the-roaders have short attention spans.

That's why they're in the middle of the road. They don't want a long, footnoted, well-reasoned arguement. They hear buzzwords and respond to those: flip-flopper, serial liar, etc.

We really need to get good at the catch-phrase. Every Saturday Night Live fan knows the drill. A new catch phrase pops up on a skit - "Yoooo loook mahhhvelous!" - and by Monday morning, it's on everyone's lips.

We need to start doing this and doing it well. These buzzwords... catch phrases... memes... are what define the playing field in modern television-era American politics. We need to define the field on OUR terms, not theirs. See my tagline from Bill Moyers below.

[FloridaPat]

3. One overlooked minor detail - we went to war in Iraq based on the

bill that allows our idiot president to wage war against anyone who support or harbors al Quada. That was the letter he sent to congress hours before the invasion. That's why they need the Sadam-al qada link kept - because without it he invaded a foreign country without congressional approval.

The fact that congress authorized the invasion of Iraq if it was a threat really doesn't matter.

[coloradodem2005]

5. Can you verify this?

n/t

[Skittles]

4. they cannot be defended

those votes were both a DISGRACE.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Simple: "I was wrong"

It's called taking responsibility.

[jpgray]

8. To me, they are indefensible. And I support Kerry

[ClassWarrior]

9. kicking for talking points

:kick: