We need a THEME - "Responsibility"

[liberalpragmatist]

Ultimately, I believe that what hurt Kerry most was the fact that his campaign lacked a unifying theme and message. Kerry had plenty of ideas. His domestic policy proposals were realistic, practical, and progressive. On foreign policy, he made a very strong case against Bush - unfortunately, he came to it a little too late. His criticism of the Bush campaign should have begun in the spring - relentless pounding. Shrum's influence was felt here - Shrum apparently told Kerry not to come out strongly antiwar but to "play it safe" and stick to a tired-and-true "fighting for us" message.

Kerry should have ignored Shrum's advice. He should have come out clearly against Bush's foreign policy in the spring, and he could have wrapped his entire critique of the Bush administration on both foreign and domestic policy in a theme of responsibility. Such a strategy would have played well to conservatives, independents, and people who want a "tough guy" - it would have successfully painted Bush and co., as dangerous, irresponsible utopians, while hammering to home the Democrats as the responsible, realistic party. The bases for this kind of critique were there throughout the campaign, and especially in the final few weeks, Kerry really hammered Bush on living in "fantasyland" - something I wish he'd said during the debates.

Now, we need to keep this responsibility theme alive. We're probably stuck with Bush for another 4 years, and we need to start unifying the Democratic Party through a common message and theme that clearly separates us from the opposition. A responsibility theme, if carried to its logical conclusion, could form a clear basis for a united Democratic campaign in 2006 and provide the seeds of victory for 2008.

[aquart]

1. Nothing hurt Kerry but FRAUD.

MUST you buy everything CNN tells you?

[Maat]

2. I like the 'responsibility' theme.

It ties in well with the 'pro-reproductive rights,' the 'pro-civil liberties,' and the 'take back our spirituality' themes.

As a social worker, the critical aspect of discussing potential choices regarding an unplanned pregnancy, for example, involved 'responsibility.' Sometimes that means terminating a pregnancy early on; sometimes it means adoption. But the choices need to be available, as well as safe, legal, and affordable health care.

[Carla in Ca]

3. Perhaps all we can do right now

is discuss the IRRESPONSIBILITY of the repugs.
Read this thread I started and see what you think.

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1340769&mesg_id=1340769>

[cassiepriam]

4. Yes. Perfect.

Sums it all up.
Americans need to operate like adults,
not children.

[sandnsea]

5. That's THEIR theme

In case you missed it, personal responsibility. Yeah, it's a joke but still.

The theme in this campaign should have been community, everything's connected. When you leave people dying of AIDS in Africa because our medication costs too much because of corporate patents, people get angry. When you dump our used computers in their countries and pollute their lands, people get angry. When people are cut off from their families or families are working too long and children are abandoned, they get angry. When people get angry, violence results. Plenty of examples. We're all connected in this life and building community is necessary if we're going to move forward in peace. He tried, but America still believes it's invincible, we're in the teen-aged years of our democracy and that's a pretty dangerous place to be.