Kerry must go on the offensive immediately after last debate.....

[kentuck]

There will be almost 3 weeks left when the debate is over Wednesday night. The Bush campaign plans to use that time to attack John Kerry. Any ground they lose in the debates, they think they will be able to make up between then and election day. Kerry needs a strategy.

Because we know he is going to be attacked. How should he handle it? Could he co-opt it by attempting to get Mr Bush to talk about the "issues" in the last couple of weeks and not resort to character assassination? If Bush refused, could Kerry somehow shame him into straightening up? Or does Kerry have to get into a pissing contest with these criminals ?

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. The answer is....

"pissing contest". The Democrats are always reluctant to yield the ethical high ground; but they almost always lose because of it.

And, no, of course Bush et al. can't be "shamed".

I'd say K's best bet from here on is to draw attention to Bush's multiple personal inadequacies. Especially if, as you predict, the other side engages in character assassination.( Very likely, BTW)

I'd allude , or have surrogates allude, to B's draft dodging, laziness, limited grasp of complex issues ( i.e. limited mental ability), etc.

A few things I wouldn't touch. Alcoholism, for example.

I'd find a way to talk about how "hard" it seems to be for B to be president.

Novelty is also important. I think K runs a risk if he keeps hammering the same old themes right down to the wire. Dem candidates tend to do this.... to their detriment.

Public can only hear the same message so many times; even if it resonated at first. Ya gotta get and keep their attention.

Keep yer fingers crossed.

Paul

[neomonkey]

2. And the Republicans are not guilty of this?

You wrote: Novelty is also important. I think K runs a risk if he keeps hammering the same old themes right down to the wire. Dem candidates tend to do this.... to their detriment.

Seriously, have you watched the first 2 debates? Shrub's performances have been nothing but scripted phrases repeated ad nauseum. In fact, that is all he has done for 4 years now.

And you say Dem candidates tend to do this.... to their detriment.

Not to come down to heavy on you Paul, but your POV here is a little too 3rd person for my taste. I guess you did bring up some good points.

[tedoll78]

5. I like the idea of varying the attacks.

How about three themes a week?

- Bush's vacation time taken before 9/11, work ethic, early bedtime, etc.
- Stem cell research
- Bush's flip-flopping from Campaign 2000
- How average Americans are coping with Bush economic pain
- Bush being out-of-touch with the average American family
- Bush's Pet Goat, plus the ensuing photo op
- Bush not being intellectually curious, being isolated from the news, only hearing what he wants to hear, etc.
- Cheney's controversial votes while in the House
- More details on Kerry's plan for a Worldwide Iraq Summit
- More details on Kerry's plan to stop the bleeding of jobs
- A "Follow the Money" week, where Kerry cites examples of HUGE campaign donations followed by policy changes

That right there is more than enough to last three weeks. I'd also HEAVILY recommend that Kerry do a photo op trip with a bus of seniors going across the border to Canado to buy their prescriptions. THAT'd get a day's worth of great publicity.

[Erika]

3. Kerry Knows What He's Doing!

He'll hit Bush hard and fast.

[ogradda]

4. i wonder if kerry will have an october surprise for us

early christmas present maybe?:bounce:

[kodi]

6. strategy? kerry should continue to beat on bush's ass like he stole money

every day, every night until nov 2.

bush, like the Borg understand but one rule, win.

any attempt by kerry to play nicey nice will be seen by the busheviks as weakness to be exploited.

"and we shall wash our weapons in the sea come november 3" should be our refrain until then.

personally, i believe george walker bush is a both a traitor to the united states of america and an international war criminal who should be tried, convicted and placed in an 8' by 8' jail cell for the rest of his natural life.

no foreign or domestic enemy of the USA in all its history has caused this country more damage that that man.

[grasswire]

7. I believe....

...that Kerry could seize headlines AND raise the hopes of both the base and new voters if he would just name some of the members of his cabinet in the next week. George would sizzle with a slow burn. The press would love it. I don't see any down side.