Democratic Party strategy per NY Times today

[steve2470]

<snip>

The silence of many prominent Democrats reflects their conclusion that the president is on treacherous political ground and that attacking him would permit the White House to dismiss the criticism as partisan politics-as-usual, a senior Democratic aide said.

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04bush.html?ei=5090&en=92e1db22850b28f9&ex=1283486400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

[Cocoa]

1. who was the "senior democratic aide?"

when are they going to cut out this anonymous source bullshit?

[Booster]

2. And act like they even give a shit.

[lancdem]

3. I agree with the strategy

for the time being at least.

[Quixote1818]

8. Me too. Let the dust settle then attack with hard core facts!

It looks political to attack during a Crisis but once the dust has settled then take the gloves off.

[RagAss]

4. Great strategy....just like the convention.....

Let's sit back and wait for him to blame all the Dems for the lack of response....why don't we have someone with guts in our party?...I'm tired of being in the "scared shitless" party !!!!!!!!


They always tear our face off...and all we do is sit and scream like the victims we are....I'm so fucking sick of this....

[Radio_Lady]

6. All week, I've been saying WHERE'S DEAN, WHERE'S KUCINICH,

WHERE'S KERRY, WHERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS?

Who's in charge here????

[Quixote1818]

9. It looks bad to attack during a crisis. Let the dust settle and when

the time is right and they have gathered all their facts and the line of attack is intact then let them take the gloves off. It will come, just have patience.

[Qibing Zero]

17. Kucinich was on the attack days ago:

http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=33675

[CountAllVotes]

29. I caught that!

and that DK ... he gives me hope! He has THE VISION!

FEAR END HOPE BEGINS!

KUCINICH 2008!!!!!!!!!! :party: :toast: :party:

:kick:

[ispeculate]

16. In Dean I Trust

[tlsmith1963]

5. It Could Backfire on Them...

...because I am thinking that the Dem leadership cares as little as Bush about the people of NO. Time for them to stop worrying about what Repubs think. I am sick of it.

Tammy

[phiddle]

7. Oh, fer cryin' out loud!!!

If he's on the edge of the cliff, give him a push, dammit.

[charlie]

10. Good thinking

Acting like part of the furniture has returned spectacular results these past 5 years. A few more years of this and the electorate will be convinced the Democratic Party is just a rumor, uncorking the inevitable Republican implosion. Brilliant.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

11. Uh, OK, putting on my flame retardant suit...I actually agree with that

sentiment.

The MSM is currently asking the tough questions(there's a surprise).

Congressional inquiries/investigations should start immediately upon the reconvening of the Legislature, next week.

However, if a prominent Dem ripped gwb right now, it would not play well.

It would give the freeps a chance to cry partisanship and accuse the Dems of politicizing the tragedy. (the usual "we accuse the Dems of the very thing we do" strategy).

I am a proponent of giving the offender the rope they need to hang themselves.

OK, flame away. MKJ

Edited to add:I do expect to get those investigations started on day one of this upcoming session.
And, there should be questions raised, not in the press, but on the House and Senate floors, regarding the abysmal performance of the WH.

[Quixote1818]

20. As much as many here on DU think they have more political expertise

than professional politicians who live and breath politics, they don't! Your post is exactly right. When you have Newt Gingritch attacking Bush on this why cut the rope Bush is hanging himself with? Gather as many facts as possible then attack full force after the crisis is over and then drag out the attack into the midterms.

[scarletwoman]

34. "Gather as many facts as possible then attack full force after the crisis

is over..."

Like how hard they've come down on the mismanaged Iraq invasion? Or maybe their "full force" attack on the pre-war lies about WMD?

Yeah, these "prominent Dems" really stand up for us, don't they?

Feh.

[Malikshah]

40. DittoFeh! Yup-- the facts are there. They are the ones dead in the street

they are the reports (linked to hundreds of times on these boards)--

Dust settle? Bullshit. This has been done in the past and we're under a merciless regime.

More of the Same conventional wisdome by politicians who have lost constantly over the last decade...hmmm-- it's time for a change.

[Connie_Corleone]

12. Don't these people understand??

The American people WANT an OPPOSITION PARTY!! How can you be the opposition party if you don't say shit?! The republican NEVER sit back and wait for democrats to hang themselves. They attack, attack and attack.

[CountAllVotes]

13. like sitting around watching Rome burn

I really am quickly losing all respect for the Democratic Party leaders. Our citizens are dying! Oh no, better to play politics right now I guess huh?

:argh:

[longship]

14. I agree with the aide.

The people caught up in the debacle are speaking plenty. The press is doing their job. Pundits are portraying it as a serious fuck-up. Why should the Dems jump on and give the Repugs a chance to say that it is political? They are absolutely correct to keep their mouths shut.

The time will come for Congressional Dems to speak loudly, when Congress reconvenes in earnest. Then, they will be able to call for hearings without fear of it being portrayed as political because it clearly is *not* political.

[phiddle]

15. It doesn't even have to be specific.

If the word "incompetent" were to come out of Democratic officials' in every discussion of this disaster, we would make the point. I mean, Newt Gingrich, Joe Scarborough, et al can criticize, while the Dems can't?

[Karmadillo]

18. Look at all the Democrats have gotten with the Silence Strategy. We

control the White House, the Congress, and we're about to appoint two Justices to the Supreme Court. Not to mention a great upswing in our favor at the state level.

[The Magistrate]

19. Indeed, My Friend

It is time to attack, to attack and attack again and again....

"The art of war consists in a well-reasoned and circumspect defensive, followed by audacious attack."

[Karmadillo]

32. As you have been known to say, my friend,

"Let's go get those Bush bastards!"

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

21. They haven't gotten anything with the attack strategy ,either.

That's exactly what it's about...strategy.

Piling on the CIC in a time of crisis would not play well. Especially because we have a press corps that seems willing to do it, for once.

Since the Congress and Senate aren't in session, it would look very much like a PR stunt, rather than a "for the record" statement.

That said, I would except the BCC, because of the appearance of racism in the poor federal govt. response.

Otherwise, let's launch those investigations immediately upon on reconvening. MKJ

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

36. Doesn't seem like they've TRIED the 'attack' strategy so much.

[phiddle]

22. If the officials in their "wisdumb" won't do it,

then we'll have go via the "grass routes".

[applegrove]

23. Bush deserves the vacuum he gets from them. Dems should

keep it up and let Rove go after Celine Dion, and the people with stories from the Astrodome.

I think the strategy is the exact right one. Otherwise they would be accused of inciting violence. Keeping it from being political keeps it focused on the issues and reasons why this happened.

[scarletwoman]

24. The silence of many prominent Democrats reflects their utter sucktitude,

and their total abdication of any principle of being the "Party of the People".

They are USELESS! They are WORSE than useless! They have passively stood by while our country has been taken over by criminal kleptocrats, when they haven't actually aided and abetted the theft.

If they will not speak up for the common woman/man, if they will not tell the American citizens how "we the People" have been sold into corporate serfdom, if they will not defend our "Enlightenment" heritage against the anti-science, anti-humanist fundie troglodytes -- THEN WHAT THE FUCK GOOD ARE THEY?

sw

[Q]

25. This is why the Democratic party lost the house and senate...

...and why more and more people are beginning to think they're working with Bush so they can take a share of the plunder.

The person or persons giving this type of advice to the party should resign or be fired. The people want leadership and they want it now.

If the Democratic party leadership doesn't speak up now...the Bushies will once again frame the debate AND get away with crimes against the state and humanity.

We saw this same 'strategy' after the 2000 stolen election/coup and after 9-11...when Bush did nothing as America was attacked.

This MIGHT be a good strategy if the Democratic leadership actually DID speak up after the fact...but they don't even do that. They encourage everyone to move on and get over it.

The Democratic rank and file MUST realize that their party has been taken over by those in bed with the Bush enemy. They're silent...not because it's a good strategy. They're silent because they're protecting Bush and his corporate state.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

33. So, we can't attack Bush when he screws up, because that would be

"political," and we can't attack him when his ratings are high, because that would be "out of step with the American people."

So when do we get to criticize Bush?

Don't our Dems even get to mention that Bush cut funding for shoring up the levees? Don't our Dems get to mention that Bush appointed a totally unqualified country club playboy to head FEMA? Don't we get to mention that putting FEMA under the Heimatssicherheitsabteilung has weakened it?

Are these not legitimate criticisms?

Damn it all anyway, the Republicans NEVER worry that it's "the wrong time" to criticize Dems.

[KoKo]

46. Leadership....once you lose it ...you don't get it back.

We've come off track long ago. And, Clinton's appearance with Poppy sort of sealed the deal.

The saddest part of all of this is that as Bush's leadership weakens he is still thought to be able to regain some momentum (HA!) But, a party that didn't fight back when Bush was installed and re-installed doesn't have anything to fight with.

I don't expect we will see much except from our brave and courageous Black Caucus who are maybe the beginnings of our new Democratic Party.

There are a few others but they are silenced whenever their heads pop up and go back to the crowd at the first jab from a Repug.

It's very depressing, but just as the Repugs are in for a house cleaning at some point...we are long overdue and might get their first. :-(

[CountAllVotes]

35. and you are right Q

there are but a few that are willing to speak the truth. Namely Kucinich, Jackson (Jesse) and I'll even throw Sharpton in there just because I happen to like the man. There are few others.

However, you are so right. Where are the great Senators Clinton, Boxer, Feinstein, Kennedy, Byrd, you know of the lot whom I speak? We are saying on this thread that they lie in wait? :wtf: I ask!

Yes while Rome burns and I will say it again. Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it!

Such an extreme, dangerous and very arrogant game to be playing as disease is being spread all over the lands of America and its peoples die.

All for corporate greed, their priority! We are their slaves and nothing more and few are exempt from this status. FEW.

God help us for it is not us ... it is them.

[phiddle]

26. If the officials in their "wisdumb" won't do it,

then we'll have to go by the "grass routes".

[AnnieBW]

27. Actions, not words

Right now, people need actions, not words. Al Gore going down and busing out sick people is going to do much more for the Dems in the long run than anything that can be said by the party.

That being said, I hope someone was smart and saved a copy of that Bush speech about rebuilding Trent Lott's house. The next time that a**hole comes up for re-election, the Mississippi Dems should run it over and over and over and over...

[SoCalDem]

28. to quote Falafel-boy..

SHUT UP ..SHUT UP...SHUT UP..

Quit telling the press what you're "gonna do".. Have PRIVATE meetings and decide amongst yourselves and then just DO it.. wuit blabbing to the press.

[DemocracyInaction]

30. Mad at Bush Doesn't Automatically Mean "Love Them Dems"

and that's what our leaders fail to get through their goddamn stupid heads time and time again. Yep, the people might get plum fed up to hell with Bush BUT do you think they will run out and hug and Dems and say "I love ya' man for being silent, having no ideas, and not standing up for us and fucking opening your mouths"!!?? Notice polls where Bush is plummeting; but they ask about the Dems and they have even lower poll numbers than Bush. These useless goddamn fools are so dumb and so lazy and so scared that AGAIN they think they can hide and the people will find them in their holes and raise them on their shoulders and glorify them. Their silence means that in a few months the people will forget NO, forget about asshole Bush's incompetence, and go right back to voting more repukes into office. Unfortunately, that aide just confirmed that they still are too fucking ignorant to figure things out.

[scarletwoman]

38. They're not "ignorant", they are collaborators in the corporate rape

of our country. They are protecting THEIR positions at the feeding trough.

sw

[Strawman]

31. Stand up for what is right

Speak up for the powerless. Do what is right. How's that for a fucking "strategy?"

[high density]

37. Yes, the "don't attack" strategy worked great for Kerry/Edwards '04

So let's keep doing that!

These idiotic Bob Shrum-style "senior Democratic aides" need to take a class from Wes Clark or Howard Dean it seems.

[Malikshah]

39. Then we're in for more regime rule for the coming generation

Until the democratic party stops dancing to the political tune, we're lost as a country.

This is so far beyond politics. It is about incompetence, criminal negligence, stupidity, racism, classism, and simple dismissal of some in our society as not worthy of compassion or care.

Until the democratic leadership sees this and acts AND speaks up on a regular basis--then we are lost.

The good deeds will go unnoticed by the press (Gore's aid, others' aid) He and others need to raise the biggest stink to all who are responsible for the thousands of deaths and hold them accountable.

Until then-- it's the same old bullshit and we're lost.

[newswolf56]

41. John Edwards issued a very compelling and thoughtful statement...

about the New Orleans debacle two days ago, and there were at least two threads about Edwards' statement here on DU -- at least one yesterday and I believe the first late Friday. But today I am unable to find either one -- I posted on both -- and I have searched clear back to "archives" in three categories. (Can't determine the fate of these threads because "My Posts" is turned off due to traffic. If anyone else can find these Edwards threads, please link to one of them for the text of his statement.) Essentially what Edwards said was that what is happening in New Orleans and with the displaced persons illustrates the truth of his 2004 assertions about the ongoing division of America into two nations, one rich, the other desperately poor.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

42. Yes but is he getting himself on TV with this? Jim and Susie Repub voter

aren't on his email list, eh?

[kansasblue]

43. I'm deep in a red state. This is the right way to go. Anger.....

anger is what I see from the reds. Anger at something... it's not going right. The libs must be to blame, for the war thing and the hurricane.... but they (libs) are saying anything. And so what is it? Is it a Bush screw up?

Seriously, too nasty of Dem response will just push them away. It's been partisan for so long that the reds would just assume the bad news is being generated by the Dems.

Just let them see. Let the locals point out the short comings of the relief.

it deadly..... all they have left is misdirected anger. Don't give them a target. Shhhhhhhhhhhhh

be verwe verwe quiet

[dragonlady]

44. Schumer's statement on Senate floor

During the evening session a few days ago, when the Senate passed the appropriation bill (only about four senators present, it seemed), Chuck Schumer made some remarks. Paraphrasing now, he talked about the terrible devastation, the empathy he felt as a New Yorker who went through 9/11, and the importance of putting all energy into helping those currently in need. He also said that the phones were "ringing off the hook" asking why the response was so poor and so late, and that at the appropriate time that would be dealt with.

[newswolf56]

45. Here's a link to a thread that contains Edwards' statement:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2055804

(Thanks to Administrator Earl. Not one of the threads I posted on -- those truly seem to have vanished -- but a vital link to Edwards' message.)