Democrats grapple with the fear factor: Wonder how we’ll screw it up this time?

[DeepModem Mom]

The Politico: Democrats grapple with the fear factor
By: David Paul Kuhn
Oct 3, 2007



For Democrats, things rarely get much better than this. In 2008, they’ll be running to succeed an unpopular incumbent, against an opposition that has rarely been more disorganized or dispirited. Polls show a Democratic advantage on major issues nearly across the board. Amid all these favorable signs, it’s only natural that some of the party’s top strategists would be pondering the same question: Wonder how we’ll screw it up this time?

“We are a little bit of a shellshocked political party. We somehow or another always figure out a way to blow it,” Democratic strategist James Carville said. “Democrats have to talk their way out of winning.” Carville was not exactly serious but not exactly kidding. Even as all the trends seem to be breaking their way, Democrats still sound a bit like a boy who has been beaten up too many times on the playground: certain another punch is coming.

It’s more than paranoia. After all, many of the formulas political scientists use to predict elections suggested Democrats would take the White House in 2000 and 2004.

And it remains a fact that the party — even during two terms of Bill Clinton — has not broken 50 percent of the vote in a presidential election in more than 30 years, and it has done it only twice in the past 60 years. Plus, there’s plenty of precedent for a seemingly insurmountable lead (remember President Michael Dukakis from the summer of 1988?) to evaporate in the blink of an eye.

“No matter how the stars are aligned now, the stars keep moving,” said Mario Cuomo, the former New York governor and almost presidential candidate....

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1007/6134.html

[Lucinda]

1. I think one of the fews was to botch it will be to ignore the smears

If they can stay on top of that, it will be a lot easier.

And I'm probably going to get flamed like crazy but I thought the war tax was a shot in the foot. I understand the point of it, but I think that sort of thing is way too easily turned against us. For some reason, these kinds of things just don't seem to get explained or covered properly, and they end up being perceived as a "bad thing."

On my way to read the rest of the article now.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Play rough. Dukakis, Gore and Kerry over-estimate the US pop's ability to detect smears. nt

[Donkeykick]

3. It all depends on how much...

they fight or lay down, while the GOP throws the crap that will be thrown at them.

[liberal N proud]

4. All it takes is one line from long ago:

“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”: FDR

[Clark2008]

5. We blow it because of Democratic strategists like James Carville

Duh...

[Carrieyazel]

6. This is a terrible article. How can you talk about Dems "screwing it up again"

and the "fear factor" without even mentioning the person who will make this nightmare a reality again for 2008: Hillary Clinton? Because if we're stuck with her as the nominee, we give up the White House to the Repukes yet again.