How will Bush campaign for "re-election?"

[Brian Sweat]

Seriously, it is obvious that, in some way, Bush has deteriorated since he ran for President in 2000. In 2000 he was able to make live appearances and seem somewhat in control of his mental faculties. From the last few appearances that he has made, I do not see how he will be able to make multiple appearances per days for weeks on end in the shape he is in now. Do you think they will be able to clean him up for next year?

[ewagner]

1. Don't even think that

Don't make the mistake of underestimating this guy again. he seems to rise to the occasion.

[Brian Sweat]

He will have to rise to the occasion

The man I saw on television last Monday was not capable of leading a presidential ticket.

[gratuitous]

2. Fear, fear, your money and fear (and a little tough talk)

A scared electorate is an electorate that may fear to take chances. Fear got Chimpy stratospheric poll numbers for a while, and tough guy rhetoric firmed up his reputation as the fear wore off.

There will also be some highly amusing palaver about fiscal responsibility that the media will fail to find humorous, instead pretending that Republicans really do (despite all appearances to the contrary) know how to balance the federal budget.

[Brian Sweat]

4. Fear doesn't work in campaigns.

People want to vote for a bright future.

[Monte Carlo]

7. I disagree; fear works to his advantage

He is an incumbent, and I think a campaign of fear, fear, and more fear will push a few swing voters towards someone they... ahem, have known and trusted for 4 years as opposed to someone they know little to nothing about.

[radfringe]

3. the terrorists are coming the terrorists are coming

he'll campaign on fear, fear and more fear

for yucks and giggles he'll tell ya how yet another taxcut will fix the economy, blather about not leaving children behind, prescription drug bill (and omit the fact the bill was written by the drug/insurance comapnies), yammer about energy and more drilling and then conclude with the terrorists are coming the terrorists are coming the terrorists are coming the terrorists are coming the terrorists are coming the terrorists are coming

BTW-remember his claim that his last taxcut would create 1.5 million jobs??? Well, with approx 425 days before the Nov '04 election, he'll have to create about 3500 jobs per day (including weekends and holidays)

[LondonReign2]

5. He'll revert to his rhetorical "cowboy" style

The thing about campaigning is that all he has to do is memorize two or three soundbites and repeat them endlessly. "Bring 'em on." No one gets to question him, which is where he inevitably falls apart.

Now, to the extent that protesters can infiltrate his campaign appearances and annoy him...:)

[midnight armadillo]

9. Canned audiences

Well, you've hit on the major method of his campaign: as much as is humanly possible, it will not involve any sort of open-ended questioning by an audience. All audiences for speeches will either be hand-selected in advance, held in corporate places like auto plants where the audience will have to have their bosses if they misbehave (you know, ask questions or fail to cheer loud enough), or be so short and under such tight security that voters won't be able to be close. Protestors will be arrested or harassed out of sight.

[grytpype]

6. Karl "von" Rove is going to call in a "special pharmaceutical consultant"

"I can get your man in shape for the campaign. I have to make a stop in Mexico first, and I'll need cash."

[QC]

8. He certainly can't run on his record,

just as his dady couldn't so I suspect he will take a page from daddy's playbook and run a nasty campaign of smear, innuendo, lies, and fearmongering.

The goopers are already gearing up to make same-sex marriage a big issue, so I'm thinking that we will be this campaign's Willie Horton. Also, he can throw in the usual business about how his opponent has low character, hates Murkin values, and will allow the A-rabs to march right in and take over.

In other words, it will be a standard GOP campaign.

[TNOE]

10. Just received in today's mail

(for a deceased client) - a membership acceptance form with a credit card looking thing with Bush/Cheney 04 and www.georgewbush.com - asking this person to become a proud charter member for the campaign (with a suggested contibution of $225). The letter starts: (get your puke bag...)

If you support President Bush's strong leadership... if you're grateful he and Laura have restored honor and dignity to the White House... and goes on to cite how the mean old democrats are talking impeachmentand "attacked" him as th village idiot from Texas".

Believe me - make the Democrats the terrorists and the enemy is the plan.