Kerry's grassroots: Veterans, Firefighters, Unions, the middle class

[NewYorkerfromMass]

Kerry's got real solid support from a lot of core Democratic groups.
I sense a lot of Democrats want to unleash the biggest weapon in the arsenal on Bush- and it's Kerry.
Kerry's got grassroots, and he's got true believers too:

Firefighters ignite Kerry effort

A Surge Fueled by Stamina, Wealth and Veterans Support

Time: How John Kerry Won Iowa

[Frederic Bastiat]

1. We need to snatch up Independents to eventually unseat Bush

While its good to have the support of core Dem groups, eventually the nominee has to reach out to independents and that's where my support for Kerry begins to waver. I believe that only an outsider like Clark can do this.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. Read this from the ground last night:

a lot of moderate Republicans will vote for Kerry:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=144884

[sandnsea]

5. Indpendent veterans, union members....

We've got alot. In fact, on the forum the veterans that are most active consider themselves independent now, having dumped George Bush in a hurry.

[dogman]

2. I'm a Union member and Veteran

but not a firefighter. I see more support in both of these groups for Clark, who of course did not contest Iowa. It will be interesting to see this play out. I just hope were all together in the end.

[dreissig]

4. Solid Opposition, Too

Kerry is seen by the antiwar Left as the business-as-usual candidate. In the past, Democrats have made the mistake of writing off the Left as a locked-in constituency. In terms of strategy, it's never a good idea to assume that groups have no choice but to vote for your guy.

Democrats were so convinced of the marginality of the antiwar Left that they allowed the Chicago cops to beat the shit out of demonstrators outside the 1968 convention. Alienating the Left led directly to Humphrey's loss in November. Faced with defeat, Humphrey tried to make amends to the Left, but it was too little, too late.

Hundreds of thousands of American voters - mostly Democrats - took to the streets in bitter cold to protest Bush's plans to invade Iraq. We looked for support among big time Democrats like John Kerry. But that man voted for the war.

Go ahead and brag about the solid constituencies Kerry has supporting him. He's got at least one solid constituency that opposes him. Don't tell us what Kerry said later on, after he voted. That's what Humphrey said in 1968.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. It is just wrong to say that Kerry voted for the war

Kerry voted for a resolution that limited the scope of the conflict to Iraq, and required the President to determine that further diplomatic efforts would not protect the United States before committing to military action. Bush took us to war in violation of that resolution because diplomatic efforts were succeeding, the inspectors were in Iraq and working. Bush took us to war illegally by defying the resolution.

You have your targets set on the wrong man.

[Arlington]

6. Dean better figure it out quickly

I've been supporting Dean (dollars plus editorial support) but I have been increasingly disappointed that his campaign has been trying to make it on grassroots alone -- not possible -- has ignored the need to put together a national campaign management team with real heft -- bad idea -- and failed to refine and manage messages that will expand their base and target new demographics.

My first preferences back in June played out in the same order in which the Iowans voted -- Kerry, Edwards and Dean. Up to now, Dean has been the only one to differentiate himself, which is why I've been behind him (because he has been moving the Democratic campaign as a whole out into the bigger world) -- but his campaign doesn't seem to realize that this is a dynamic and not a static process.

Pissed me off when I heard some Deanicacs yesterday say they would vote for Nader before they would vote for Dean. They obviously do not know what this election is all about.

Bottom line -- if Dean does not get his act together in the next couple of weeks, I will start pushing my efforts toward Kerry.

I think Kerry-Edwards would be Bush's worse nightmare.

[newyawker99]

8. Hi Arlington!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: