GOP tries a rehash of MA liberal label

[DJcairo]

G.O.P. Revives Line of Attack Against Kerry
By ROBIN TONER

Published: February 5, 2004


WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 — Republicans and their allies have begun laying the groundwork for a familiar line of attack against Senator John Kerry:

That he is "out of sync" with most voters, "culturally out of step with the rest of America," a man who votes with "the extreme elements of his party," as Ed Gillespie, the Republican chairman, has put it in recent days.

In short, that he is a Massachusetts liberal. It is a charge that ultimately proved devastating to Michael S. Dukakis, the Democrats' presidential nominee in 1988, who ended the campaign battered by the Republicans as "a card-carrying member of the A.C.L.U.," a product of the "Harvard boutique" who coddled criminals and was too much of a legalistic liberal to require school children to say the pledge of allegiance.

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Some of the so-called wedge issues that polarized voters and resonated back then, when President Bush's father was waging the attack, may not have the same power today, but others have risen in their place. This year, the state's liberal image is being highlighted anew by its role in the growing debate over gay marriage.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

http://nytimes.com/2004/02/05/politics/campaign/05MASS.html?hp

[David Dunham]

1. that marriage decision is not a plus for any Dem candidate, i'm afraid

[Birthmark]

11. I think it *can* work to our advantage.

If the biggest problem that * and the Repubs see in America is same-sex marriage, then this may be used to highlight precisely how egregiously these clowns are out of touch. Such an obsession on their part shows the misplaced priorities of this Adminstration.

[jmaier]

2. This will only have effect

in the hardcore Red states that aren't vulnerable anyway. I suspect in the midwest and southwest battleground states, the Kerry campaign will deflect this line of attack rather easily.

[arewethereyet]

6. its worked pretty effectively all over every other time

I have yet to hear any plan for how to counteract it.

[ShadowCabinet]

3. You knew this was coming........

I'm just waiting for the Republicans to start hammering on the "Kerry is a Ted Kennedy liberal" meme. Given the antipathy Teddy engenders in parts of the country, you knew this had to be coming.

[David Dunham]

4. edwards, clark, or dean would have the same problem

all dems will be criticized as too pro-gay; it shouldn't matter, but bush will stress it and have an impact.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. But two of those guys won't run from it.

[David Dunham]

14. The only politically sustainable answer is to say it's for the states

No Democrat could win election sadly supporting gay marriage. It may be possible to win saying the issue is one for the states and not the federal government to decide.

[Seldona]

5. Yea, the gay marriage thing is going to cost him.

No flames please, I support gay marriage unequivocally even if it does cost us.

I am just saying that I think this is going to cost Kerry in the South, which is where he is weakest already.

Just my take on it. I could be, and hope like hell, I am wrong.

[mikehiggins]

15. More than the South

This gay marriage thing will cause trouble all across the board. Just look at how something as rediculous as Janet Jackson's tit has been blown out of proportion (that didn't come out quite the way I wanted it to)(and neither did that).

So now we have the elitist liberal Yankee from the gay marriage loving state of Taxachusetts?

How could things possibly get any better?

[Skwmom]

7. Conservatives are mad at Bush's spending

Will they vote for a Democratic candidate they view as an even bigger spender (a tax and spend liberal)? No.

[lastknowngood]

8. It will work in the south and west

The gay marriage thing will kill him in the fall. No matter what he says pro con the repugs will use the pro to secure the anti gay vote and believe me it's a large contingent if he says no then they will provide money via back doors to GLAB groups to press him on the issue and lower the turn out of GLAB voters in the fall. He's in a box and their is no way out.

[arewethereyet]

12. and the heartland and Rockies

but its not like people didn't realize all this.

Or perhaps starlight glazed over thier brains.

Mass Liberal-lose
Southern Dem-win

And before you roll out Kennedy, remember thats why the right created the Mass Liberal strategy in the first place.

[DrFunkenstein]

9. How About Cocaine Charges? Culturally Out Of Step?

If they want to sling the feces, they better be ready to get sh*t in their eye.

A wise man (I believe it was Cypress Hill) once said, "I ain't going out like that." If they want a nasty fight, I for one am ready to take it to them.

Meanwhile, Kerry can just stay on the high road and ask why the GOP wants to discuss gay marriage instead of health care, education, job creation, deficit reduction, etc.

[ShadowCabinet]

13. On an intellectual level, you're 100% correct.

My fear is that once the GE rolls around, the spin is going to move from electibility and who's policies make the most sense into the "like-ability" phase.

"Like-ability" is not an intellectual argument you can make with someone. That voter will vote based on a gut instinct of who they prefer based on some intangible.

Gore was absolutely correct in his assertions of Bush during the 2000 campaign. But the message all got lost in the haze of like-ability and genuineness.

Whoever the nominee is, they are going to have to understand that this election is going to get nasty. And they better be prepared to counter-attack any smear with really stinging points on GWB and his record. Any candidate who is going to just respond to the GOP talking points is going to lose.

[JVS]

16. What makes you think that this story has grown legs since 2000?

Because it sure didn't have them then.

[mikehiggins]

17. Treebeard can stay on the high road

but the questions are going to be asked of the voters.

What do YOU think of a man who supports gay marriages?

What do YOU think of a tax-and-spend liberal insider from Taxachustts?

What do YOU think of a career politician more liberal than Teddy?

The answers are going to determine the winner in November.

[Moderator]

18. DJcairo

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
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Thank you


DU Moderator