THERE IS A BETTER WAY

[berni_mccoy]

Wow, just wow. Tim Kaine gave an EXCELLENT response. After a depressing failure to block Alito, this is a welcome reprise.

I had to stop watching * giving the SOTU... it was unbearable after he repeated terror, enemies, freedom, retreat and offensive each over 8 times each and after invoking 9/11 in the first 2 minutes... now that's OFFENSIVE.

But I watched the ENTIRE Democratic Response. I am DEEPLY IMPRESSED with Governor Kaine. He nailed EVERY IMPORTANT POINT, vividly and in a way that sounded like he was talking to Americans, speaking as an American about the problems Americans need to address (and clearly demonstrating how * is failing at that).

The message laid out in the Democratic Response is the message that needs to be carried through the 2006 Elections. America CAN do better, Americans Deserve Better and Democrats are ready to work with Republicans, as Americans to DO Better.

THERE IS A BETTER WAY.

[oasis]

1. CNN commentator,David Gergen thought it was an effective response.

And he usually doesn't take sides.

[ourbluenation]

3. many postive comments on some middle america boards I visit...

things like "the righties are probably not happy about Kaine, he was great". These people are not activists, just regualr joes. I was very happy with their responses to tonights events.

[leftstreet]

2. ...to sell the war on terror

Sorry, but Kaine dropped the ball by not going for Bush's throat.

Why can't Dem strategists just get an AOL account and check out the polls already?

[berni_mccoy]

4. Yeah, that's worked so well in the past...

What are you looking for specifically? He said Bush lied to take us to war. He said the soldiers are paying the price for lack of planning. Those are pretty powerful statements in a response to the SOTU.

[leftstreet]

5. I was specifically looking for a Jack Murtha response.

Redeploy.
If you care about the troops.

Americans don't care about US Imperialism.

They want healthcare and good jobs. And possibly a cleaner environment to pass on to their grandchildren. How hard would that be to discuss in a SOTU rebuttal when Bush's poll numbers are so low?

[bry2k]

6. "The Candidate"

Does anyone recall that the "better way" slogan is from the movie "The Candidate" starring Robert Redford? The punch line of that film was a politician being elevated to the ranks of elected office by a fierce campaign machine, but having no serious ideas of his own. In the last line of the movie, where Redford has won the election, people are cheering all around him, and he looks over at his campaign manager and says "Now what?". I think the Dems should have picked a different slogan for the response speech.

[berni_mccoy]

7. Never heard of it.

It doesn't matter that it was used in a movie... what matters is that it is appropriate.

[bry2k]

8. History provides perspective.

If you've never heard of the movie I referred to, then that explains why you think the message was appropriate. The whole point of the slogan in the movie was that the message is meaningless - a way to make people feel warm and fuzzy without actually conveying a policy position. There's a "better way". So...what way is it exactly? How is it better? What's the message? As usual, spineless Democratic leadership drop the ball once again, this time by emulating the goofy feel-good message from a 20 year old movie about a politician with no substance, rather than defining a policy and message that will captivate the electorate. FWIW, the movie is quite good. Check it out.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. The other poster made a point that the movie is no longer well known.

Hence, your point that this "reference" was a disaster is moot, even if that was what they were TRYING to do (and they were not, IMO), the reference would simply be lost on people.

If you are making the point that it's an empty slogan, ALL slogans are empty without substance behind them. Kaine gave a response with points.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. That movie is old enough that your point has no relevance. Hell, people

don't REALLY remember Watergate or Vietnam even, or we wouldn't be in this mess with shrubco. So I'm not buying.

[PBass]

11. Now that you mention it, Newt Gingrich said it was good, too. (Fox)

Not FOX News but regular Fox. Newtie said Kaine gave about a good as speech as possible. Errr, since I trust Newt about as far as I can throw him, maybe that;s not such a good endorsement.

On the other hand I think ot's okay to have a RANGE of voices on the Democratic side. I think about this a little bit when I listen to Air America. During the daytime they have Jerry Springer on, and he's not very radical to say the least (although he is certainly a liberal from what I can tell). Jerry is someone who won't scare your Grandma, he's someone who can talk about progressive issues to your Uncles and Aunts. I also like Mike Malloy but if everyone did MIke Malloy's show the station wouldn't have the same range of listeners, and would probably have less total listeners.

I could be wrong about the rebuttal but that's my impression anyway.

[stray cat]

12. VA is prove that it can be done better and is being done better

I think it was done very well - proof that democrats along with republicans are finding a better way that this administration has been incompetent too pull off. There is a better way and he had the track record in VA to back it up. He also didn't sound like a partisan hack so people were more likely not to immediately tune him out.