How would you put Bush on the defensive ?

[kentuck]

Obviously they want to play hardball, else they would not have put out the ad about how all the Democrats are "angry". What would be your strategy to put them on the defensive? It is my opinion that there needs to be more pressure applied to get the answers from 9/11 investigation. As some knowledgeable people have noted, there was a briefing on August 6, 2001 about the immediate threats from terrorism and Bush and crowd did nothing about it.

If they want to play hardball, we have no recourse but to believe Mr Bush has something to hide by not letting Congress or the people know what information is being hidden? Is he covering up the biggest blunder in the history of the presidency of the United States? Was he warned about 9/11 and then went on his vacation to Texas so he could continue his fundraising from his farm? Since he insists on covering up the information that would clear him of any wrongdoing or any incompetence by his Administration, we have nothing else to believe but that he was asleep at the wheel. It appears he has been the biggest failure as Commander in Chief ever.

The people or their representatives have a right, a constitutional right, to know the facts about the biggest terrorist attack ever upon our nation. If Mr Bush continues to stonewall and withhold information, we must insist that the judge that is holding the RICO papers act upon them in the interest of the people of the US. No man is above the law - not Bill Clinton and certainly not George W Bush.

[unblock]

1. challenge his image

challenge his patiotism
challenge his love for america
challenge his christianity


same old facts we all know, but framing it in the right emotional tone is the important part. if we say "he's wrong" or "he's bad" then that doesn't play well, it's just heard as "we don't like him".

but if we use facts to challenge the image they've created for him, his house of cards will come crashing down.

all he has is image. if we can call that image into question, and POINT OUT that it's just an image, then bush has NOTHING to run on.


just as an example:

"why does he hate out soldiers so much? (no funerals, no pay raises, instilling fear in our troops of wmds that don't exist, etc.)"

[salinen]

6. Where o' where

are we to present an offence, or challenge this administration? That is the frustration that recurs on almost all threads. Our voices have been muffled. All the great ideas have nowhere to go. Propaganda is the 21st century WMD.

[shimmergal]

19. Especially challenge his masculinity.

That image is as fake as all the other images he pushes.

"Let's you and him fight" is _not_ a badge of courage.

[Atman]

2. Ask him where his vodka is hidden

.

[Virgil]

3. The Democrats will defeat Bu$h and his media too n/t

[Dr Fate]

4. Too easy- call him a "Liar". Use the word "liar". Bring up 10 examples.

Then call him a "liar" again, use the word "liar" and then bring up 10 more factual examples. Repeat, repeat, and repeat...

[unblock]

8. unfortunately, no, not yet

you call someone i think is a nice, good guy a liar, i'll just get defensive and stick by my boy.

first you have to show that he's mistaken, and has some specific areas where he's not so nice, not so good.

once you have a pattern of doubt as to his character, then you can go for the kill with the "liar" charge.

[Dr Fate]

9. That is how you establish the pattern- give factual examples of W LIES

The question was how to put W on the defensive, not how to be nice to Bush supporters & Rush listeners...

Perhaps the reason WHY so many non-partisan people think Bush is "nice" is becuase the media and no Democrats will tell the truth about Bush's lies.

If a DEM told the truth about Bush's lies at every oppurtunity- the message would sink in. People who blindly follow Bush no matter what cant be helped, so why even consider them???

No one likes a Liar, and Bush is one, so why not start telling the truth about him now???

The key is to give examples of Bush lies, and here are literally hundreds:

http://www.bushwatch.com/bushlies.htm

[Old and In the Way]

16. Liar's Database

We should document everyone of his public statements that are lies.
Organize by date/topic/source/severity of lie (1-10 scale)/truth

It might strain the limits of an Excel spreadsheet, though.......

[janx]

5. I don't think anyone is going to have to. That will be his

first instinctual reaction.

[DrFunkenstein]

7. AWOL, Cocaine, Harken

That should last a news cycle or two.

[sweetheart]

10. the EU went one further and beat him to rereat

on steel tarriffs... by targeting their retalitory tarriffs on the political hotspots of his 2004 non-reelection.... so he backed off and made up a fancy excuse.

To put this turd in his hole, may involve the help of outside agencies... and i have no problem with plausably deniable agency interests that oppose the criminal tyrrany of the dictators.

The EU has not only opposed but beaten him... use what works.

[chaska]

11. come at him with pretzels.

[SeattleRob]

12. He is on the defensive already..

Why do you think he's attacking Dean already? Think about it - It's unprecedented that the Repubs are already putting out negative commercials, months before any primary votes have been cast.

They are afraid because they have to run on GW's horrible record.

[JackSwift]

13. Warmongerer with bad economy, cowardly and lazy

And yeah, we're angry about him being such a collosal screw-up. Bush is such a f*** up it's hard to focus on his worst stuff.

[kentuck]

14. What about what Clark said about him in his speech yesterday?

It was low-key but it twisted the knife of truth.

[opihimoimoi]

15. Newt and other Pubs are bailin on the guy big time

They know a sinkin ship when they see one.

The Implosion has begun

Come, we get front row seats, bring chips and beer

[QC]

17. Class war.

Tell the plain truth about Bush's assault on the middle class.

[grasswire]

18. I'd start razzing his old man.

There's plenty to razz Poppy about. He's a grifter and a con man and an absolute fraud and criminal.

Going after Poppy by protesting his appearances or by organizing investigations and publishing ads reminding America of his criminal family would drive W over the edge.

And when he gets mad, he says stupid things.

[BadFaith]

20. Incessantly bring up his connections to huge special interests.

In the Bush Administration (read: The Campaign Contributor's Wet Dream) we have:

- Defense contractors deciding defense policy
- Oil and coal companies deciding energy policy
- Agribusiness and chemical companies deciding environmental policy (and enforcement thereof)
- Pharmaceutical and insurance companies deciding health care policy
- Rupert Murdoch and VIACOM deciding FCC regulatory efforts
etc., etc., etc.

The silverbullet issue will always be campaign bribery, no matter the incumbent or his/her party. The whole "Rangers and Pioneers" story, if promulgated, would be enough to make any honest and objective American sick to their stomach. A Jan. '03 study done by the Center for Public Integrity revealed that "22 of the top 100 Bush officials had significant holdings in 33 companies that lobbied their departments, agencies or offices."

The man and nearly everyone under him, save perhaps Colin Powell, are all crooks. Even the corruption in the Nixon Administration wasn't this pervasive.

Look here.

[Don_G]

21. Put Up Or Shut Up

And bring up his past record on every talking point he wants to brag about.

It works with the Freepers in my area. Why wouldn't it be any more sucessful against Dimbo?

[proud patriot]

22. Tell him I think he's weak on Homeland security

[CWebster]

23. And that is certainly something to be angry about.

Where to start?

Imagine anyone questioning why someone might "angry" enough to bust Through the "don't worry, be happy" bubble and tell it like it is. they should run counter campaigns, listing everything from corporate scandals to environmental degradation, to educational gutting, to job loss, to lies and war that have made our country less secure and less hopeful about the future.

[roguevalley]

24. talk in the most reasonable way about his lies and spending. each or

even one would sink him. It would be 50% his lies/spending,
50% my plan to fix things. Hang the spend thrift-liar can
around his neck and all the rest will sink with him.

Remember what Karl "Joesph Goebbels" Rove says: "State the
lie clearly and repeat it until it becomes truth."