How the Indies vote,

[Perky]

1. Is he credible or a screw-up.
2. Is he Electable.
3. Do I personally like him.

If a candidate passes those three test then it becomes an issues decision.

4. Will he raise my taxes,
5. What is he going to do about the cost of Heakthcare and higer education?
6. Will he know how and when to use America's military might.

based on thes six questions Bush is going to have a hard time keeping many of the indies who voted for him.

BUT YOU HAVE TO WIN THE INDIE IN THE MIDDLE TO WIN THE SWING STATES.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Wait...

I know he rigged the election and all, but how did Bush pass question #1?

[Pab Sungenis]

2. Winning the indie vote

<sarcasm>This, of course, was the backbone of our successful strategy in 2002, allowing us to win back the House and hold the Senate. And in 2000, when Al Gore won in a landslide.</sarcasm>

The Democratic base is tired of being taken advantage of. They voted Green in 2000, and stayed home in 2002. To count on anti-Bush sentiment to bring them back home in 2004 is misguided.

And without our base, all the swing voters in the world won't save us.

[library_max]

3. Same old fantasy.

Every time we run to the base, we get killed - cf. 1972 and 1984. The Republicans had the same luck in 1964. Al Gore at least won, if not in a landslide, and Bush also courted the center with considerable success (remember "compassionate conservatism"?).

2002 was a referendum on 9/11. The overwhelming majority of the country was still convinced that it was high treason to disagree with the president about anything. Jesus Christ couldn't have won as a Democrat in 2002.

The Democratic base needs to do what the Republican base does - recognize the side of the bread that its butter is on and wait for the party to get into power. They stuck with Bush (not their preferred Republican at the time), got the White House and both houses of Congress, and now they're getting their reward. You win elections FIRST, then start making demands. The backwards way guarantees failure.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. Jesus Christ definitely aided Al-Qaeda

Or at least that's how the Repugs would've framed it if he ran on a Democratic ticket.