Kerry needs to respond to Bush's "flip/flop" attack... TODAY

[Jack from Charlotte]

It got a lot of run last night and this morning.... "Bush, tired of being a punching bag for Democrats. He fights back." The media bozos are starting to use and repeat the right-wing charge that "Kerry flip/flops" without even sighting examples. Kerry needs to reply today to get a similar press/media run.

I'd list several Bush flip/flop quotes like.......

"Bush was originally against a Dept. of Homeland Security, then he flipped to being for it." (List quotes and dates)

"Bush was originally against the 9/11 Investigation Commission, then he flipped and was for it."

"Bush said his tax cut would produce xx million new jobs, now he says 5.6 % unemployment is a "good number."

"In Bush's book he said he loved to fly planes for the military, yet he failed to show up for his flight physical and was suspended from flight privileges for the remainder of his time in TANG." (I'd make sure an AWOL reference was included)

"Bush said this....... about being sure there were WMS in
Iraq and now he's saying ....this."

Get my drift? Nail his arse TODAY on the same charge........

[ewagner]

1. Agreed!

Respond immediately!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. You forgot the big one

why did we attack Iraq?

[underpants]

3. WMD/Terrorist link/Threat....uh no Liberating Iraq spreading Democracy

Not that that is a very big flop or anything.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. it's why he is losing now

but I am afraid they will come up with something (anything?) that may turn opinion around on this.
But it is definitely the "BIG ONE".

[papau]

25. Liberating Iraq spreading Democracy - flip/flop to Haiti where we let drug

lord gangs hired by the 11 rich families restore those families to power -

and the media says nothing.

[bluedog]

4. more from

http://www.thousandreasons.org/index.html


great site....all kinds of info...quotes..statements...lies....

[Cooley Hurd]

5. I hope Kerry has a Clinton-style war room...

Back in 1992, the repugs would issue a false statement about Clinton or his policies and Carville & Begala, in the Clinton war room, would immediately issue a rebuttal to the media.

Very effective...

[Az]

6. Black and White vs Reason

This seems to be the indicitive of the admins coming attractions. It appears they are going to hinge their camaign on the split between those seeking absolute black and white answers and those who realise the world is a little more complex.

They are hoping for votes from those that want heroes that are never wrong and never back down. They want a mythological figure and Rove is willing to dress Bush up in that roll.

[orwell]

11. Wise Men

Black and white is consistent with the Con worldview. In the strong father model. It is critical for the father's authoritarian rule to be unequivocal. That is why Bush is planting this meme. It not only speaks directly to his supporters, but it defines clearly who he wants us to think he is.

Kerry, on the other hand, needs to counter with his own memes. While it is certainly fair play to show that the Bush charge is duplicitous at best by showing Bushies own laundry list of inconsistencies, Kerry must also delineate the strength of adaptability within the frame of the Progressive worldview.

In other words, it is not good enough to negate the Con meme. By acknowledging it, you only spread it. He must break up the Con framing as well as begin to plant his own meme/frames. The frame is "rigidity equals strength." He must promote "wisdom as strength." Wisdom comes from experience, not rigidity. This plants a positive alternative to Bush's negativity and subliminally promotes the Pros agenda and defines their core values.

To put it simply, use the words "dangerously rigid", "authoritarian", "isolationist", "out of touch", "brutal", "blind", and other such terms to reframe what Bushie presents as a strength more properly as weakness.

O

[Jackpine Radical]

13. H.L. Mencken:

For every complex question, there is a simple answer.

And it is wrong.

[orwell]

18. Run With It

So Kerry says:

They had a simple answer for the deficit...and it was wrong.
They had a simple answer for job losses...and it was wrong.
They had a simple answer for Iraq...and it was wrong.

It is a time for wisdom. It is a time for truth. It is a time for justice.

It is our time.

And it is time for them to go...

O

[Jackpine Radical]

21. That's beautiful.

I hope you'll email it to the Kerry people or otherwise get it out into Memespace.

[ewagner]

22. Excellent

Definitely hope you e-mailed it to Kerry's campaign.

:toast:

[Jack from Charlotte]

23. Absolutely correct! Well said.

In addition to providing AWOL's own flip/flop examples, Kerry needs to answer the Repub charge. However, I'm guessing only the most biting parts of Kerry's statement on this ends up on the news shows.

[KharmaTrain]

7. This Is Supposed To Be THE Big Meme

Gotta hand it to RoveCo, they package their fights in small sound bites that require long answers to refute...guess which argument wins.

Kerry has a problem if he doesn't get out on this now and hard. But it has to be just as simple and loudly expressed. While I know why his votes were cast the way they were, and one has to take perspective and other aspects of the vote, that's not what most voters will pick up on....now how do you translate that in "sheeplespeak"???

[Jack from Charlotte]

17. Agreed, IMR. If Kerry doesn't respond TODAY..........

on this, perhaps the only day he's assured of getting a big run on this by the media folks, I'll be disappointed in the quality of his campaign organization and/or advice.

Kerry needs a witty, biting line of some sort (the media boys love that sort of thing) like, .....

"Let's talk flip/floppers...... We've got the biggest flip/flopper in office since the elected Bush....(Note: I know Kerry won't use that but it's so appropriate when referring to AWOL's diddy) said, Read my lips. No new taxes."

And then list a half dozen CLEAR, simple quotes by AWOL showing his flipatude.

[KharmaTrain]

26. I'm Watching And Waiting

So far I've seen some GOOP spinners on the Cable Networks (CNN & MSGOP...Faux doesn't count)...already hammering on the flip/flop with no Democrat response.

The good news is bunnypants overblew his own headlines with this gay marriage ammendment garbage. The run-up reports were this speech was a "test" that let loose the themes that will be used over and over...the mantra of the regime's attacks on Kerry...or at least the "legitimate" ones.

I definitely think we need to run out the * regime's flip flops on many of the same issues they yak about...remember nation-building for one? Tofay's there's "The Dick"'s comments about not tampering with gays and then weasel-dick Gary Bauer claiming that was then, now we have <thunderclap> LIBERAL judges forcing gays down our "throats"...sheesh.

The lies and hypocrisies of this regime that mean the most have to be simplified and amplified...and very loudly if we're ever to be heard by the ears that are going to win this election.

[DinahMoeHum]

9. Wouldn't worry. Methinks Kerry's "rapid response" troops are

preparing the counter-attack even as we speak.


:kick:

[BillZBubb]

10. Rove is running out of tricks

He had the chimpster use the same attack on Gore. The beauty of it this time is that we have SO much ammunition where chimpy has waffled. Kerry should be able to kick Bush*s ass so hard on this that he shits out of his nose. Other posters have given a lot of examples.

One of my favs:

"The MOST IMPORTANT thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our NUMBER ONE priority and we will not rest until we find him."
George W. Bush, September 13, 2001


"I don't know where he is. I have no idea and I really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
George W. Bush, March 13, 2002

Or how about telling Sharon to withdraw "immediately" from his West Bank incursion. Within days the word "immediately" was redefined (as only a true fascist can do) to "whenever you think you are ready". Amazing!

[emulatorloo]

12. While we are waiting "Kerry Says Bush Rhetoric At Odds with His Record"

<snip>

Bush Relaunching Effort to Hide His Record of Failures

Four New Political Campaign Themes Ring Hollow

Today, George W. Bush is launching a new political campaign message to disguise the fact that he has a miserable record on jobs, health care and security. Bush’s new stump speech will highlight security, prosperity, compassion and freedom. Despite the new political record, the Bush Administration has a record of failure on all of these areas.  John Kerry has a plan to move America forward and enhance security and freedom while restoring prosperity and compassion.

<snip>

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0223i.html

[seabeyond]

14. sounding like new amendment

sounding like he is right now suggesting we new to make a new amendment on marriage

laughing at republican husband last nite, for last decade all the tromping on constitution adn changes all over place, allow ten commandments, marriage only man and woman and foriegn presidents, hm...........

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Well, there ya are, folks.

The Kerry operation is fast, on the job and on target. And I'm not even completely sold on him. (Don't worry, don't worry--ABB).

[F.Gordon]

15. Why?

Bush* was just pandering to his "Jim Jones" base yesterday. The fact that they don't have anything other than an old tired Clinton-Attack says a lot to me. Bush* has not only been losing the swing-voter, he has been losing some of the "Jim Jones" faithful.

The Dems have been addressing a number of issues against Bush* and this is how the child-like leader of the most powerful nation on earth responds......

"They now agree that the world is better off with Saddam out of power. They just didn't support removing Saddam from power," Mr. Bush said to laughter from the audience. "Maybe they were hoping he would lose the next Iraqi election."

[July]

19. We won't apologize to the Chinese . . .

. . . oh, yeah, we will.

Campaign promise about carbon dioxide (or was it monoxide?) emissions?

Lockbox for Social Security funds?

U.N. security council will have to "lay their cards on the table."

We need a tax cut because we have a surplus, we need a tax cut because we have a deficit.

And so on.

Kerry's team should be able to hit this one out of the park.

[emulatorloo]

20. Another good one while we wait

<snip>

Kerry said Bush sounded as if the past three and a half years had never happened.

"But the American people haven't forgotten this president's failed record, because they have to live with it every day," he said in a statement. "George Bush's credibility is running out with the American people. They want change in America, and I'm running because I am determined to bring that change and put America back on track."

<snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040224/ap_on_el_pr/bush_campaign&cid=694&ncid=2043

[OldCurmudgeon]

24. Steel tariffs

against tariffs!
no, FOR tariffs!
no, against tariffs!

(whichever side of this issue you're on, this kind of flip-flopping is really deplorable)

[Rob in B_more]

27. Reply with laughter

He should do a press conference where he plays the tape of Bush's speech and laughs at every point with commentary on why it is such a joke. End with bring it on, sort of like the Move ON video "bring it on" It would all rest on performance but it could totally defang the GOP's whole strategy.

[Moderator]

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