Going Positive: Kerry's MORNING in AMERICA

[ulTRAX]

As much as I detest Bush, I'm not looking forward to an 8 month slug-fest with nothing but negative ads.

How can Kerry both attack Bush but do so in a positive way?

How about stealing Reagan's old slogan from 84... imagine Morning in America 04.

Remember that national pride when under Clinton the we as a nation finally won that long battle to get to a surplus?

Imagine a day when drug companies put their resources into research instead of on wasteful ads. More progress and cheaper life saving drugs.

Imagine a day when the US is again respected in the world community? (ok.. fudging a bit on this one)

Imagine a day when you no longer have to worry about whether you and your family have health care.

Imagine a day when you don't have to worry about losing your job to unfair foreign competition. (gag... I Know Kerry supported NAFTA)

You get the picture....

[ulTRAX]

1. shameless bump...

I like this idea... not to mention the insult of a Dem using it. LOL

[alcuno]

2. 2 things.

Reagan was running for reelection and Kerry would get pummeled for using Reagan's slogan. How about "A New Dawn for America?"

[ulTRAX]

13. pummeled?

I'm not sure that would happen. But I am suggesting that Kerry be sure to add a positive note to his campaign. I like the way this approach engages a viewer.... "imagine a day when..." Reagan's ads came to mind... though to be honest I only remember the slogan.

[Stephanie]

3. That slogan brings up very bad memories

Find something else - don't associate Kerry with Reagan in any way

[ulTRAX]

11. bad memories

It might bring up bad memories for most on the Left... but Reagan won... remember?

Reagan (Rep)* 54.5%
Mondale (Dem) 44.4%

[PROGRESSIVE1]

26. Those numbers are wrong Reagan 57.9%/Mondale 42.1%

Unfortunatly it was a 15+ point landslide.

However, I wouldn't mind a Kerry 57.9%/Bush 41.6% margin!

[Sufi Marmot]

4. Similar sentiments from Salon...

One of Salon's writers thinks that Kerry needs to exude more warmth.

Salon link.

I don't disagree.

-SM

[Ksec]

5. How about "Time to bring credibilty back to America"

[Zero Gravitas]

7. Restore Honor and Dignity to the White House!

(not to mention honesty and hope)

[ulTRAX]

9. didn't Bush already do that?

Sure he did... and his first step was to expose the damage the Clinton staffers did to the Whitehouse and Executive Offices...

Well it made great press until the OMB or whomever discovered it wasnt true.

As someone used to say... a lie stands on one leg, the truth on two.

[Zero Gravitas]

6. I'm all for positive but...

there's no need to evoke Reagan. If that "genius" Rove comes up with more ads like the latest one Kerry will win by a landslide! Its so blatant that even CNN points out that the "$900 billion" thing is just plain false on the facts. Its what we call a "lie". Given Bush's credibility chasm its only going to make Bush look even worse.

[Ksec]

8. I found it interesting that the repugs could figure out our economic numbe

numbers when they do such a bangup job on their own.

[Andy_Stephenson]

10. Oh please John be nice so...

Bush and the rest of the country thinks you like him. Can't discredit a fellow bonesman...directly anyway.

I hope to hell he grows cajones a spine and comes out swinging. But alas I fear it is wishful thinking on my part.

[Jax]

12. I hate reagan

and everything associated with him and his ilk. Completely fucked up administration, supporters. Took us on HUGE right wing turns all the way around.

Just like b*sh. Hate them.

Sleazy lying right wing thug. And a crappy actor.

Jax

[ulTRAX]

14. one thing that can be said about Reagan...

Unlike Bush... at least Reagan won both elections... though 1980 was a squeaker.

http://www.losangelesalmanac.com/topics/Election/el05.htm

[Nevernose]

15. The CONCEPT behind NAFTA was a good one

I believe that Kerry, and Clinton, and a lot of other liberals like me believed that it was a good first step. The problem with NAFTA is that we never took the SECOND step (greater environamental controls, raising the Mexican minimum wage & standard of living, etc.).

[ramapo]

16. Kerry has to expose the fraud that's been perpetrated

Reagan's Morning in America dawned upon the top 10% of wealth. The middle class has been screwed by the Reagan and Bush tax policies. Clinton was better but I don't think he was as good a friend as we sometimes think.

Kerry must be positive, very positive, while at the same time explaining that all is not right with the current status quo.

[Jane Austin]

17. Being positive

One way to be positive is simply to use the word "positive". Just say it a lot: I have a positive plan for jobs; our plan is the positive one for creating jobs, etc.

Have you ever seen Frank Luntz (phthhh) do those instant reaction focus groups on Hardball? People react positively to positive words like, well, "positive".

The other day in New York, Bush used the word "optimistic" about 13 times in his speech.

Kerry needs to start doing that, too. What a shame it would be to lose just because somebody stuck the right words into Bush's speech,

He wouldn't have to be nicer or a pushover. Just stick in the key words whenever possible.

Edited for typo and to add conclusion.

[calimary]

20. Simple but BRILLIANT, janeaustin.

Just plant the right WORDS. The ears and brains will then make the connection.

[Jane Austin]

23. Blush

Thank yew!

[ulTRAX]

18. kerry needs a mix of tactics

In another thread... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1222424 I suggested that Kerry can not just stand by and not respond as Bush tries to frame the issues to paint Kerry in a corner.

Kerry needs a mix of approaches.... one must be an optimistic positive approach. But he also has to also demonstrate he's a fighter and will not tolerate the slime that will be thrown at him... AND he has to use education to give the Democratic Party a cohesive ideology... inoculate the public against the lies and distortions of the Right, and lay the groundwork for longer term Democratic goals.

Alas... the Democratic Party has no long term goals.... and they can't even muster the spine to fight for Democracy itself by calling for reform of our anti-democratic Constitution.

[Bandit]

19. Let's rebuild the bridge to the twenty first century ~ GOP tore it down

Let's us rebuild it. Opportunity for all not just Halliburton.

Bush/Cheney: No Bid Contracts ~ Big Time

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

21. "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"

This is the play that Kerry should borrow from Reagan's playbook. Simple and to the point. Doesn't have to be overwhelmingly negative, just lets the voter think for themselves if they are happy overall with the direction of the country.

[ulTRAX]

22. two types of issues

I think Kerry has to divide up his issues.

There's some seemingly powerful ones TODAY... the jobless economy, the failure to get Bin Laden, an unstable Iraq... all might NOT be issues next fall.

Kerry should bash Bush on these issues but be wary Bush is doing everything possible to have the rug pulled from under him. Better to expect a turnaround in each... and criticize Bush for playing politics before our economic and national security. Bush could not resist another big tax cut for the rich instead of a true stimulus plan delaying the economic recovery. Bush could not resist exploiting 911 to go after Saddam.... diverting resources from the REAL war against terrorism... giving Bin Laden a 12-18 month holiday.

Then there's the issues that won't go away... the obscene Bush deficits.... the failure to protect Social Security... his criminally irresponsible fiscal policies... Bush's radical foreign policies.... the lack of a sane energy plan.. etc.

I think what you suggest belongs in the first category.

[bain_sidhe]

24. My contribution to positivity...

A tag line after mentioning any of Kerry's proposals (health care, jobs, economy, whatever)...

"Life can be BETTER."

The implied line being "if you vote for me." It also leaves unsaid the "negative" corollary "or life can be WORSE" (if you vote for Bush) comparison, but evokes it just the same.

[Jane Austin]

25. Oh, I like that one!

Good, positive word and good, positive sentiment!

[tlewis]

27. Positivism

Republicans, at their philosophical core, do not have a positive message for America. They are the party of self-interest. Their main message always seems to be that they want things to be "the way they used to be."

Democrats / Progressives, on the other hand, maintain that if people work together, we can make the country BETTER than it used to be. Better than it ever was.

Compare the population of the US today to what it was in the 1930s-1940s, in terms of sheer numbers (which I don't have handy.) Obviously, yesterday's answers will not work for today's problems, let alone tomorrow's.

By being true to what we believe, Democrats can easily be more positive than the selfish, fear-mongering, backward-looking Republicans.

This is my first post. Thank you.

[gristy]

28. Your first post!

Don't want your first post to be the thread killer :) Those will come in time... Welcome to DU!! :hi:

[ulTRAX]

29. welcome to DU!

tlewis wrote: "Republicans, at their philosophical core, do not have a positive message for America. They are the party of self-interest. Their main message always seems to be that they want things to be "the way they used to be."

I think what's positive is often in the mind of the beholder. Those in the GOP can counter that they want a more traditional society where people respected each other... worshiped on a regular basis, kids were safe because society was less culturally corrupted.... and the ACLU wasn't trying to get Gays into the Boy Scouts. A nation that was more friendly to small business formation... less taxes.... It's somewhat true... and many may be in the GOP because they believe it. But there's the other half of GOP which wants America becomes a place where corporations and the ultra-wealthy run amok.

"Democrats / Progressives, on the other hand, maintain that if people work together, we can make the country BETTER than it used to be. Better than it ever was."

I think both sides believe they can make the nation better. I don't think anyone actually goes though life believing they are destructive. In some ways the struggle is whether this is done though private citizens or though government programs. The unspoken undercurrent in this tension is whether efforts should be voluntary or government should redistribute some wealth. Some of this goes back to the politics of the early republic.

"By being true to what we believe, Democrats can easily be more positive than the selfish, fear-mongering, backward-looking Republicans."

If it were only true. In other posts I expressed a certain amount of contempt for the Democratic Party which historically has failed in its mission to bring democratic principles to the US and failed to make government responsive to the average citizen.... More on this if you'd like.... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1189523