Does Kerry fight political battles on opponent's turf?

[WillyBrandt]

poskonig, in a different thread about the candidates' strengths and weaknesses wrote:

"Kerry -- oratory is very polished, good bio/doesn't take political
initiative, fights battles on opponents' turf"

This last part sounds exactly right. Kerry was the first candidate I liked, and he's excellent in very many ways. But does he fight his opponent's battles, where the game is rigged, or does he start his own?

Clark cracks jokes about Bush prancing around in a flight suit, and chides him for not preventing (9/11) (this cannot be said enough). Dean attacks the "Bush tax" (extremely clever). It turns the tables on the Republicans, and requires them to play defense.

Take "tax relief" (as the GOP calls it). The question is not whether the Bush cuts should go in or not. The question is, as Clark put it, should we raise taxes on millionaires to help working families? Again, it turns the tables.

Where are examples of Kerry doing this?

(Don't get me wrong: Clark has his problems, and I think Kerry is great. If he gets the nod, I want him to win!)

[democratreformed]

1. Wes is Best

That can't be said enough either.

[WillyBrandt]

3. And Wes is more

I might be in NH tomorrow campaigning for Clark.

[democratreformed]

12. Wish I could be

I'm beginning to think it was a mistake to go in December. I probably should have waited... out of money now!!!!

[JI7]

2. jobs/environment/national security

they are all connected in a way. when i saw your post i thought it was going to be about how kerry would do in the south which is clark and edwards turf. hehe

[WillyBrandt]

5. I mean versus the GOP, not versus Dem opponents

Kerry is a skilled politician, and has a very good chance of winning the nomination. I'm worried that he is not good at framing issues in ways that give him the prima facie advantage.

[JI7]

9. yeah

the right wing says it's either jobs or environment, kerry says being pro environment IS bringing jobs. and this in turn helps with national security when it comes to energy independence from foreign sources of oil. and kerry has been going after bush in the flight suit thing for a long time. talks about how he plays dress up with a borrowed suit and then challenges bush to "bring it on".

[blm]

4. Watch him on Cspan and make your own conclusion.

Kerry has battled Bush throughout, but the media wouldn't let him be heard.

The people of Iowa heard him.

[WillyBrandt]

7. Honest question: did he win by battling Bush or Dean?

I honestly don't know. I didn't follow Iowa. If it was the former, then, well, that's very good...

[sandnsea]

8. He battled everybody

He presented a vision that blows people away. He connects genuinely with people. They come to him with their most personal problems. I saw him yesterday promise an elderly man with prostate cancer an invitation to the inaugural ball. He's the real deal and that's not just a campaign slogan.

[JI7]

11. remember the agricultural department remark ?

the controversy over kerry's words on cutting the agricultural department. while some used it to try to attack kerry the people of iowa totally got it and saw that kerry understands. kerry was talking about big business and waste and they know how all that money goes towards that and not family farms. it's things like that. his wife has the same ability.

[sandnsea]

14. He flipped that FAST

That's what I was worried about, whether he could get his message out quick enough. But he added it right into the campaign speech immediately. $250 billion in farm subsidies, 250,000 family farms lost. That's easy to understand.

[emulatorloo]

13. Bush and Ashcroft

I was there. . .

on edit: added personal info

[sandnsea]

6. Mission Accomplished, Bring It On

I know something about aircraft carriers for real. Leave no special interest behind. You mean like that?

[emulatorloo]

10. "The most inept, reckless. arrogant. ideological foreign policy in modern

history."

or

“Halliburton is guilty of shameful war-profiteering, and they need to be held accountable. It’s dead wrong that Halliburton is bilking American taxpayers by overcharging the government $61 million for fuel while our troops on the frontlines are underfunded, overextended, and some have literally been left to buy their own body armor.  Think about what $61 million could buy for our troops in need rather than lining the pockets of Halliburton executives.  The Bush Administration should be ashamed that they bent over backwards for their biggest contributors while leaving American troops in danger. We need to get our priorities back in order.  As president, I will fight the special interests, not coddle them, and I will make sure that no American soldier ever goes without the equipment they need to do their job.” – John Kerry

[Ivote]

17. We need change

and it has to start at the top. And then we can start changing the house and the Senate that was complicit in helping bush get his resolutions enacted.
Just like in another thread that is calling Jennings to task for not researching his question to Clark I am also calling all Senators and Representatives to task.
They are supposed to be voting to represent what we want, not what they want and untill they vote for what I want I wont vote for them
So I repeat, we need a change at the top and I will vote for Clark, I feel he has the best credentials to be able to help around the world.

[emulatorloo]

19. I respect what you are saying but look at the rest of his record

I know that many cannot get past IWR (a complicated issue made simple by some), but Kerry has been fighting and succeeding for a long time on women's rights, the environment, gay rights, small businesses, veterans issues, etc etc etc. He was tireless in exposing Iran-Contra. To dismiss Kerry as complicit w Bush just doesn't hold water. I am inviting you to visit JohnKerry.com and dig a little deeper.

a good place to start is the speech I linked below, Giving America Back Its Future.

http://johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0114.html

[emulatorloo]

15. "Bush-league Recovery"

"Last weekend, the President of the United States gave a speech suggesting that his tax cuts have created an enormous economic recovery in America.  Yes, it’s a recovery if you’re a Republican with a rich stock portfolio; it’s a recovery for Wall Street and a 40% increase in the profit of corporations.

But for the unemployed, the Bush Administration said they would create 250,000 jobs last month.  And how many did they create?  A grand total of 1000 jobs.  That leaves them 249,000 jobs short.  And while corporate profits soar and layoffs continue, the income of working people has dropped.  This truly is a Bush-league recovery."

This whole speech is excellent
http://johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0114.html
"Giving America Back Its Future"

ON edit add link

[WillyBrandt]

16. OK, I'm convinced.

Feeling better about Kerry's chances. Quicker soundbytes would help, but he can be very good rhetorically too

[Ivote]

18. I dont think

that he is going to carry it down here in the south. People down here do think differently.
I know, I come from the north and have been down here for 5 years.
He would have to carry just about every state and then some.

[sandnsea]

20. Learn the soundbytes

The media prefers "rambling, nuanced and aloof". Even now. His Iowa speech.... "We're coming, you're going and don't let the door hit you on the way out!" How much play did that get and how powerful would it have been if it had?

If he wins, we'll have to spread the soundbytes ourselves. We'll have to learn every candidates' soundbytes and be ready to go.