OK, DU'ers, are you watching?

[Ninga]

Watch and be witness to what many, many, many old folks have said on these boards the past year or so.

1. The GOP wins at all cost.
2. The liars are on the GOP payroll.
3. The GOP is framing the campaign with Kerry's war experience.
4. The guy on C-SPAN slamming Kerry's Purple Heart is associated with Freeper, and it wasn't disclosed by C-SPAN.
5. NEGATIVE ADS DO WORK!. NE Ohio is being slammed with Bush ads on cable and network at the tune of 2 to 3 per prime time hour.

I am sick to death with Kerry's performance to date. Where is the Kerry who put a knife to Dean in the primaries?

It makes me sick how the GOP is framing Kerry as one who can not make a decision.

Where is our guy? So far, he is a no show. And don't give me any crap about it is early in the game.

With all of the $$$$$ the GOP has, there is no "early." Early is now.

[Melodybe]

1. Chill, we are raising more money than ever and team Kerry just finished a

round of new commercials. Bush is now having some money problems, enjoy it.

[freetobegay]

2. oy vey

eom

[Ninga]

3. Ok Oy Vey you Say

Question? How many presidential campaigns have you been active in?

My years and years of experience working in all kinds of campaigns is working against me at this stage of the game. Until I see otherwise, my take is my take.

Kerry is and will continue to be, in big trouble.

[freetobegay]

6. Including this one 7

Kerry will be our candidate & when people start channeling their energy to that, instead of negitivity...

[Brotherjohn]

4. Bush is depleting his war chest. He spent a record $50M in the last month

Kerry has just equalled Bush's fundraising for the last quarter, and has hardly spent anything lately (I agree he should start soon, thoguh). Yes, the negative ads have worked to an extent. They have dropped Kerry somewhat in the polls, but Bush's approval has not really gone up, despite all the hoo-ha about the polls yesterday.

Bush has gotten little payoff from the record-setting ad blitz of the last month, and even at his best, it'll take him a full quarter to raise that much again. Plus, as someone pointed out in another thread, most Bush donors have already given the maximum $2000. His fundraising has peaked.

I had read he had around $200M; well $50M is down the drain, with little effect, even WITHOUT daily counter-ads from Kerry. When that starts, Bsuh can blow the rest of his money (and Kerry can now keep up), and he'll be treading water until the election.

Also see this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1448505

[Brotherjohn]

15. More on the subject:

The Bush campaign "has now has raised $184.4 million."
"At the same time, the campaign reported to the Federal Election Commission that it had $86.6 million in cash on hand, indicating that it already has spent $97.8 million, or more than half of the amount it has raised. The campaign said it spent nearly $50 million in March..."
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/nation/8483071.htm

Meanwhile, although Kerry's war chest was nearly depleted prior (he had to go through primaries), he has raised $60M in the first quarter of this year, while spending little, and his fundraising pace now equals Bush's.
http://www.abc6.com/article.php?ID=5025

Kerry has $60M, Bush has $90M. They're raising at an equal pace now. Doesn't sound like Bush has such an advantage anymore, especially when you consider many of his donors are legally "tapped out".

Also:
"Kerry can break records in part because like Bush, he skipped public financing for the primaries, freeing himself from a $45 million spending cap he would have faced until his party's nominating convention in July."

"In 2000, nominee-to-be Gore was already close to the spending limit in March, leaving him a long summer of relying on others like the DNC, which faced its own fund-raising challenges, to counter the ads of the well-financed Bush."

"This time, Kerry can spend as much as he can raise between now and the convention. He hopes to have raised a total of roughly $105 million from January 2003 to the convention."
http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10669~2058086,00.html

[texas1928]

5. IMHO

Kerry needs to start getting on TV DeBunking the claims of the republicans and Bush. Not just on a Website. A lot of people do not have Web access or have taken the time to study and read about the issues. They just allow the voice and print media make their decisions for them. And Kerry needs to start talking to the Media and pushing his positions in front of the media. The media is a free campaign and he needs to utilize it better.

[JI7]

9. the media ? hahahha

you think the media will do as kerry wants ? kerry gives them access to his speeches but they never air them as they air bush's speeches. if it was that simple kerry would be on tv most of the times saying whatever he should and wants to say. the same goes for the entire democratic party.

[texas1928]

12. He does not have to try and make them do what he wants

He needs to give them a story, that is what the media is looking for. He needs to charge after Bush and anytime the republicans open their mouth and say something he needs to come right back with a response. I can't count how many times there has been a news story about some republican claiming something about Kerry's past, senate record, etc. and they say that Kerry did not have a comment, but you go to the Debunk site and it is on there. He needs to start showing proof and answering these people. Bush does not want to provide proof of his record in the AWOL issue, he can not show proof of economy recovery and Kerry needs to start blasting him in the media. They want a story, no matter who is talking they want a story. Kerry is not talking enough.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi texas1928!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

7. It's still early

Remember how far back Kerry was in September and Dean was cinsidered a shoo-in? It only matters in November who is ahead...

Keep the faith...

[JI7]

8. tv ads cost money, they aren't free

and kerry is raising money for that now. you want him to use up all the money now and now have much left as we get closer to elections and when people really start paying attention ? bush has way more money than kerry so he can afford to spend all that crap every month. kerry can't.

it's not kerry's fault the media is pro bush. this is why kerry is on the ground campaigning in various states and going directly to the people.

and if you remember kerry was not ahead in the polls every single day and he wont be ahead every single time during this campaign. it matters more what the trend it overall and as we get closer to the elections.

[mzmolly]

10. The "Kerry who put a knife to Dean in the primaries?" Doesn't exist.

The media put a knife in Dean...

They're shining up the knife for Kerry next.

[apnu]

11. I think Kerry is waiting for the official nod from the DNC...

... and then both his campaign and his supporters unleash their/our collective fury. I don't like that he's apparently waiting for the DNC convention as Shrub is active right now. It's clear what Shrub is trying to do, take over the issues of the campaign and make us play catch up as we did with Gore.

However, it is early, and who knows what the future will hold. Shrub has been spending a lot of money and it hasn't helped him much yet. I believe it has a lot to do with the soul searching currently going on in the 'pug party. Moderates and pro-business conservatives are appalled with Shrub and they don't know what to do. Kerry would do well to exploit this weakness in the GOP.

Another thing to remember is that Kerry is a fighter, he's dealt with the Hanoi Jane thing all his political career, and it has always been trotted out like a tired pig every time he's run for his seat and when he makes noise in the Senate. He's used to negative attacks against him and he's endured, he has a ton of experience in this and I think (when he finally gets going) he'll do fine.

But, I am distressed at the seemingly in-activity of his campaign right now, I don't know if this is by design or censorship by the conservative controlled media. The coverage on him has been lack luster at best by the newspapers and TV/Cable outlets. And raido... well... that's a whole different story.

I hope he gets going soon, I know he has the moxie for this, now if he'd just show us his "quality" (Two Towers reference there)

[texas1928]

14. Well

Bush has the luxury have not having to worry about the RNC. He has the nomination. But his attacking Kerry at this point IMO, is a sign of desperation. Kerry is not the nominee yet (granted he will probably be the Candidate), but Bush can not run on his record so he has to lash out at whomever may oppose him and his lashing out at Kerry instead of the DNC this early in the year shows he is desperate.

[apnu]

16. which is a good thing, i hate to say...

Because its always darkest before the dawn. My worries stem from the fact that I'm fired up and prepared to do my job come November. I'm doing my very small part to talk to everyone I can about this and educate them on whats at stake, and most importantly, stress the importance of voting. I've got the fire, the motivation, the anger, the energy and the will to do this.

I just wish Kerry would show us the same passion now.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

13. It is early in the game

Hell, it hasn't really started yet.

[sofa king]

17. I'm not that concerned right now.

Particularly when I compare what's going on right now to what it was like in October of 2002. Back then Bush was orchestrating a Khaki Election, people were still incoherently pissed about 9/11, and the President's job approval rating was somewhere around 66%.

Now his job approval rating is hovering at 50%, with his war chest hemmoraging cash just to prop it up that high. Bush is on a "trajectory" (I think that's what they call it) which closely echoes the 1992 election. Back then, the other Bush's job approval was steadily dropping while Bill Clinton's popularity remained steady. Clinton did not rise significantly in the polls that year, as I recall. Instead, Bush wiped out.

I think we're seeing much the same thing this time, and I suspect that Kerry is taking a breather while the President's warped policies continue to bear their bitter fruit. It's Bush who is successfully running against himself right now. Kerry, I think, has a certain amount of time to regroup, plan, and amass funding.

What does concern me is that with all that money, there is the possibility that Bush's approval rating may not drop enough. Forgive me for preaching to the choir here, but I'm of the opinion that John Kerry's victory has to be overwhelming, like well over 55% at the booth nationwide. I don't trust these people running the show and I honestly think that if they can get close enough to steal the election, they'll try it. If you really believe that some of those people are criminals (as I do), you must also expect criminal behavior come election time.

I've seen people suggest that those Diebold voting machines can be manipulated to produce a desired result, but a much easier way to do it is to simply have the machines completely fail in a state with a Republican-controlled legislature. That would bypass the voting process entirely. If that doesn't work, they only need to have the electoral votes from one mid-sized state annulled in order to throw the election into the Republican Congress, which could also be done by asserting voting irregularity.

This is the mission before us: to motivate the American people to vote in such numbers and so overwhelmingly in favor of the Democrats so that the Republican majority is eroded at all levels, from state legislatures to Congress to the White House. Simultaneously, we have to watch every single precinct for criminal manipulation. And we have to vigorously police ourselves to ensure that the public never questions Democratic integrity. It is a tall, tall order, and my real fear is that a partial success will in reality be a failure.

[bobbieinok]

19. your comments about the vote are unfortunately very true

[sangh0]

20. Kerry Accuses Bush of 'Secret Deal' With Saudis on Oil

Kerry Accuses Bush of 'Secret Deal' With Saudis on Oil
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/20/politics/campaign/20KERR.html?fta=y

Senator John Kerry attacked the Bush administration on Monday for what he called "a secret deal" with Saudi Arabia to cut oil prices in time to help the president in the November election.

Two days after an Israeli missile strike that killed the leader in Gaza of the militant group Hamas, Mr. Kerry also spoke of his record of support for Israel and promised that he would end what he called the United States' "sweetheart relationship" with Arab nations that support Palestinian terrorists.

Campaigning in South Florida before flying to Atlanta to raise money, Mr. Kerry seized upon a new book by the journalist Bob Woodward that recounts an Oval Office discussion of a potential invasion of Iraq. In that discussion, Mr. Kerry said, "the president, the vice president, the secretary of defense made a deal with Saudi Arabia that would deliver lower gas prices."

"But here's the catch," Mr. Kerry, the presumed Democratic presidential candidate, said at a gathering in Lake Worth, Fla. "The American people would have to wait until the election, until November of 2004," for the Saudis to lower oil prices.

"If this sounds wrong to you, that's because it is fundamentally wrong," Mr. Kerry declared before more than 1,000 people at Palm Beach Community College. "And if, as Bob Woodward reports, it is true that gas supplies and prices in America are tied to the American election, tied to a secret White House deal, that is outrageous and unacceptable to the people of America."

[sangh0]

21. Kerry Opens New Bush Attack, Focusing on Iraq and Economy

Kerry Opens New Bush Attack, Focusing on Iraq and Economy
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/22/politics/campaign/22CAMP.html?8bl

Senator John Kerry on Wednesday began what aides said would be an increasingly visible and combative challenge to President Bush, starting with a bus trip through the distressed Midwest and a television advertisement attacking Mr. Bush's Iraq record.

The moves, intended to define Mr. Kerry's candidacy, amount to a re-emergence of sorts by a candidate who largely yielded the spotlight to Mr. Bush after effectively winning the Democratic nomination in early March....

The campaign said that Mr. Kerry would broadcast two advertisements in 17 states for 10 days at a cost of about $4.5 million. One advertisement attacks Mr. Bush's record on Iraq, while the other seeks to present Mr. Kerry as someone who could protect the nation from terrorists...."