I think I've got Rove's strategy figured out

[worldgonekrazy]

The IWR was Bush's ticket to re-election in Rove's eyes. How so? Any Democrat that supported the IWR would not be able to win the primary (see Kerry, Gep, Edwards).

Conversely, any Democrat that didn't support the IWR is handicapped to an extent in the general election because the populace wants to feel all warm and safe. Being the bunch of cowards that the American public ultimately is, they won't vote for an anti-war candidate even if they themselves were/are against the war because they think such a candidate will let the terorrists kill us all.

So, if Dean wins the nomination, how can he counter this? Soften his position against the war? Or go for the hard sell and try to convince the public that it was only this war for this reason that he was against, but since it happened anyway he is still competent enough to handle it?

Clark would probably be the best candidate to counter this particular strategy because he wasn't really against the war. When the general campaign starts he could start saying "well I wasn't really against the war but it wasn't done well" or something like that. Of course, he has his own liabilities (such as licking the boots of Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al. just a short time ago) but that is off topic and has been well discussed so I won't get into it here.

So how about it? What can be down to preempt this strategy?

[Abe Linkman]

1. What is IWR & why not post in plain English?

n/t

[lancdem]

2. Iraq War Resolution