Hey, Dems: Run against Bush -- and toughen up -- or lose in '08 (Salon)

[kpete]

Hey, Dems: Run against Bush -- and toughen up -- or lose in '08
Drew Westen, author of "The Political Brain," evaluates the Democratic presidential candidates' ads and the party's messaging in general. Short version: More Jim Webb, less John Kerry.

...............

Is there one thing Democrats need to be doing, or one message they need to be putting out about themselves, to win this time around?

Yes. I think the most important thing they could do is to make sure that they tie every Republican incumbent and whoever becomes the Republican nominee for president in with George Bush, because the reality is the Republicans are all going to run from George Bush as best they can in this next election. Elections are won and lost on associations, and right now, unless there's another terrorist attack on our soil in the next 18 months, the connection to George Bush is going to be a tremendous liability for any candidate ...

If the Democrats run against anyone other than Bush and the Republican Party, Bush and the Republican Congress, Bush and the Republican presidential nominee, I think they'll probably lose, because I think the Republicans are adept enough at getting out of those associations unless the Democrats start making them now.

more at:
http://salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/27/westen/index.html

[politicasista]

1. So dump on Kerry to promote Webb?

Dump on the few that works to hold this criminal administration accountable just to prop up another Democrat. Unbelieveable. :crazy:

on edit: not you kpete. :hi:

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[KharmaTrain]

3. Wrong...Let The Repugnicans Run Against Boooosh

People want someone to vote FOR, not against. Democrats who want to run against boooosh are boxing with a ghost...he's not on the ballot and the less his name is metioned, the better. While his name should be taboo for Democrats, his actions shouldn't. No need to tell people who started the Iraq mess...they know. No need to point at who screwed up the economy or is responsible for the tripling of oil prices since 2000. Ya see, I put the issues there and didn't have to say who caused it...you know...and so do most voters.

It's more important to show this is not boooosh's policies, but that of Repugnicans. It's debunking the lie of Repugnicans being the party for more efficient or "honest" government. It's showing what a bunch of scared chickenshits they are when it comes to truly defending our country and supporting our troops. It's spotlighting how those tax cuts for the rich all but destroyed our country's infrastructure. Booooosh's name won't appear on the '08 ballot but Repugnican names will.

If anything...just wait for a Rudy or whomever to try to paint black as white...and nail them on their hypocrisy. There's plenty of it out there.

Democrats need to win from strength...on knowing we're on the right side of the issues, the people, the truth and history.

[pinto]

4. From a brief read, I agree. The agenda is to counter the whole (R) framework.

Clearly, consistently and, yes, on message. *Our* message. Republicans have failed us. You and me and yours. Accountability is a key to electoral politics.

(on edit) And concurrently, present some clear Democratic alternatives, which I think is happening. Our buzz is good, our presence - in the states and the electorate - greater than anytime since the Gingrich revolution usurped the Federal bureaucracy and handed it to the neo-con-artists.

[RBInMaine]

5. Attack Bush/R's bigtime, BUT also have a good positive message.

To win we Dems MUST do several CRITICAL things: 1) This time we must fight in ALL 50 states and thanks to Dean we are doing that. This shit about fighting in just 20 states CAN NOT work for what is supposed to be a national party. 2) Our nominee MUST be someone who can appeal to I's and even some moderate R's. Like it or not, this is ABSOLUTE reality in the general electorate, no ifs, ands, or buts, PERIOD!! We need to keep all of the '04 blue territory plus flip some red/purple states, so we better damn well nominate someone with the best chance of doing this. (I think Hillary or Obama are capable, but RISKY on this point. Edwards, I think, is the best choice in the field to be able to to do this. I like the others and would support either, but they are also quite polarizing. Can't take that chance.) 3) This time we need to go on OFFENSE and central to that is attacking Bush and the failed R policies in general, AND sticking Bush like glue to the R nominee. The R nominee will be Bush lite at best and a fraternal twin at worst. TONS of fodder here that we MUST use. Again, this time we can't just "fight back" against the onslaught of Republican attacks that are sure to come, we must FIGHT FORWARD and put the shit TO THEM bigtime! 4) This time we MUST also have a powerful and CLEAR affirmative message. Last time it was unclear. This time it needs to be clear and powerful. 5) And critically, WE MUST unite as a party like never before. That means that DLC Dems better suck it up, and much more progressive Dems better suck it up, compromise, and work together for the greater good. Put down the infighting guns and realize that compromise MUST happen in life unless you want to your ass kicked AGAIN!
We NEED moderates to vote with us, and we need futher-left progressives, so I say to anyone who is saying that he/she won't support this eventual nominee or that eventual nominee, you better goddamn well support the hell out of WHOMEVER is the eventual nominee and join the team OR WE LOSE, and we can't stand another four years of an R in the White House. Think about that! And yes, there are VAST differences between ANY of our candidates and the R's.
From someone who worked the ground hard in '04 my heart was broken on election night because we SHOULD have won and COULD have if we had done the above. Instead, the DNC was wimpy at their convention and listened to stupid focus groups who whined about "negativity" instead of attacking Bush and the R's; Kerry stood there and ALLOWED himself to get swift boated when he knew damn well what was coming because he still bought into this idiotic "take the high road" shit (you can't take the high road with R's - you MUST grow some balls and ATTACK them!!!). Finally, his affirmative message was wishy washy as hell. Face it, Mary Beth Cahill and Bob Shrum got beaten by Karl Rove because they ran a shitty campaign and Rove didn't. Dems better damn well learn from it this time around. ( **Edwards said in a wonderful recent rally that he would hang George Bush around the head of his Republican opponent every day of the general campaign if he is nominated! THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR!!)

[snot]

6. This is helpful. K&R'd. nt

[The Vinyl Ripper]

7. Run against bush?

When you are helping him get his agenda passed?

Pelosi could have canned FISA with almost no effort.

The public is stupid but not *that* stupid.