I don't like the vote your hopes theme. Here's why:

[Tom Rinaldo]

George Bush has run such a negative campaign that Kerry's campaign could say nothing and be positive by default. We shouldn't, and don't need to, abandon the higher ground. But at the risk of being contrarian, boiling this race down to Hope vs. Fear doesn't work for me, and lately that's where campaign rhetoric seems to be trending. Of course I'm exaggerating for effect with the following, but here is my case for the best tone to take over the next week:

People are not feeling hopeful. As a theme vote for hope makes Kerry seem out of touch, not Bush. If Kerry wins it will be because people are afraid of another 4 years of Bush's Presidency. Anxiety is predominant now, even without all the extra help from Bush's campaign. Of course "hope" is in the alternative Democratic mix, but it needs to be evoked, not hammered. What do people hope for? They hope they don't lose their job, they hope there won't be another terrorist attack, they hope their son or daughter won't get sent to Iraq. They hope they won't lose their health insurance. They hope they can scrape together enough money to retire on. That's what passes for hope right now. Any Kerry cheer leading for Hope risks sounding like Bush's cheerleading for the Iraq occupation; out of touch.

At least it does with the people he is still trying to reach. Partisan Democrats are angry with Bush for playing the fear card, so we naturally rally to the alternative; hope not fear, but Kerry has us already. Saying something like "America can do better, America MUST do better" evokes hope without sounding out of touch. There is nothing wrong with asking Americans to reject a politics of Fear, and replacing it with a Politics of Strength, the strength of the American people. Rather than frightening America we need a President who will rally America. Bush divided us as a nation after we rallied to him following 9/11. That weakens America.

Rather than emphasizing our Hopes, Kerry should emphasize our Ability as a people to overcome adversity, given proper leadership. FDR did not appeal to a troubled nation with an overt message of hope. He appealed to America's resolve and our capacity to prevail. People just don't believe they can get what they hope for right now. They need a reason to believe before they will respond to an appeal based on Voting for their Hopes.

America's strength, resourcefulness and ability should be stressed, not merely our hopes and wishes. Bush is playing on people's fears of a Kerry Administration and Kerry needs to play on people's fears of another Bush Administration. The hope we offer is a better President, John Kerry. One who can actually do the job and lead, not frighten, America.

Kerry should be saying Vote for Competence. Vote for someone who will solve problems, not just campaign on them. Vote for someone who sees what is going on and won't deceive you about it (an effective current theme). Vote for someone who will bring us together as a people, not divide us. Vote for someone who thinks your interests are the special ones. Vote for someone who isn't blinded by radical ideology. Vote for a leader the world will respect.

The theme should be George Bush is an incumbent President, he doesn't get to run as the challenger again. What has Bush done for America, with Republican majorities in both houses? Has he made health insurance affordable for more Americans? No. Has he created more jobs than he lost as President? No. Has he balanced a budget, or used the surplus he inherited to shore up Social Security? No. Did he focus on Osama Bin Ladin before 9/11? No. Did he capture Osama Bin Ladin after 9'11? No. Did he level with the American people about the reasons for war in Iraq? No. Did he plan adaquately for the consequences of an invasion of Iraq? No. Three years after 9/11, are our ports safe enough? No. Are our pllanes safe enough? No. Has he fulfilled the mandates of No Child Left Alone? No. Has he tackled Global Warming? NO. Has he cut America's dependency on Oil? No. Hss he lifted children out of poverty? No.

What has George Bush done besides deplete our treasury and bog us down in Iraq? He gives one mean speech. That's it. That's not enough. America needs results, not insults, from our President.

[Tom Rinaldo]

1. No arguments?

I expected at least one or two Democrats stand for Hope posts.