Will bounce help Kerry seal the deal?

[isbister]

IT TURNS out that there are four ways of dealing with the bounce John Kerry has enjoyed from his first two victories in the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination: Ride it, attack it, ignore it, or offer an alternative. Each presents its own opportunities and risks, but as 10 states prepare to vote this week (seven today), every political calculation and all the elements of voter decision-making start with the Kerry surge and the fact that it has transformed the campaign everywhere in the country.

So high was the bounce that the major question to be answered this week is whether any other presidential campaign will remain standing credibly after it ends.

In states that Kerry had to virtually abandon in order to gamble everything that a victory in Iowa would propel him forward, the transformation has been astonishing.

From single-digits in polling in New Mexico, he has gone above 30 points in two weeks; here, he and Howard Dean have basically changed places. It is not entirely pure momentum; the same voters I met in Iowa and New Hampshire are to be found nationally -- people who think Kerry is the strongest challenger to President Bush.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/02/03/will_bounce_help_kerry_seal_the_deal/

[blm]

1. Whoa....I totally agree with this part:

>>>>>>>
Dean is the opposite. Making only token appearances in the Feb. 3 states and with no paid TV, he has decided to launch a personal attack on Kerry's character. He says that Kerry is a special interest clone because he has raised money from registered lobbyists, a handmaiden of the special interests. He also says that there appears to be no difference between Kerry and Bush where influence-peddling is concerned.

This stuff comes complete with a warmup act by a former Marine general, Joe Hoar, who calls Kerry a lightweight and dilettante.

This is the rhetorical equivalent of Dean's famous Iowa scream. It does not deserve a respectful hearing, and so far it isn't getting one.
>>>>>

What the hell is Dean thinking? Bush did that to McCain in SC. It's not going to work again.

[Mile Hi]

3. Wasn't Kerry doing the same

to Dean when Dean was leading.
I remember a lot of negative stuff Kerry said against Dean.

[blm]

4. He didn't say there was no difference between Dean and Bush, did he?

Kerry stuck to issues that he was DIFFERENT from Dean on. Dean attacks based on a lie that Kerry is an influence peddler.

That's hogwash and Dean knows it and Dean doesn't offer his record to compare with Kerry's on the issue of donations which he is using to attack Kerry.

[Mile Hi]

2. The sheople

were told and they followed.

Wasn't it the pundits that brought up elect-ability.
Funny I don't remember this being an issue until the media started to talk about it.

[blm]

5. Funny, people barely knew any other candidate but Dean thanks to the media

that promoted him for most of last year.

[Gman]

6. Electability has been an issue here at DU since at least

before Thanksgiving last year. Specifically Dean's electability. There's lots of folks here that got moderator warnings during these flame wars.

[isbister]

8. "The sheople"

were told to choose Dean and the voters of Iowa and New Hampshire rejected him. Today, the voters will do the same.

To me, ABB means elect-ability is very high on everybody's list.

[Odallas]

7. Kerry bounced with the main-stream media...

...who now say he could beat gwB in November. Run. Run far away.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi Odallas!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: