Joe Conason: "Kerry's Campaign Contradicts Critics"

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.observer.com/pages/conason.asp

Among the political press corps—a well-heeled herd as susceptible to fashion as any high-school clique—the reigning trend is to declare John Kerry’s candidacy moribund. From cranky left to triumphal right, commentators compete to insult the Massachusetts Senator. The consensus ranges from "He’s struggling" to "He stinks," and legions of mostly unnamed but very important Democrats are said to be "freaked out," "grumbling," "fearful" and swooning en masse from "buyer’s remorse."

In The Village Voice, Democrats are urged to dump Mr. Kerry, with scarcely an acknowledgment that he quite recently secured the party’s nomination with landslide victories in nearly every primary and caucus. (That may not be terribly democratic advice, but then who cares what the actual voters think?) In The Wall Street Journal, Democrats are portrayed as glumly "stuck with Mr. Kerry" while verging on "quiet panic."

To read those downbeat descriptions is to assume that George W. Bush is poised to win by a landslide. The innocent reader would hardly imagine that Mr. Kerry actually leads Mr. Bush in the latest polls of likely voters.

For the moment, the horrific photographs of torture and sexual abuse at Abu Ghraib prison and the general deterioration of conditions in Iraq appear to be doing serious damage to the President. The most recent Gallup survey, released on May 11 by CNN and USA Today, shows that 48 percent of Americans believe the President can better handle "the situation in Iraq," while 45 percent place more confidence in his Democratic challenger. Two months ago, Mr. Bush led Mr. Kerry on that measure by 15 points.

more...

[blm]

1. Conason - the CONSTANT voice of REASON.

Let's hear the doom and gloomers try to refute Conason.

[jobycom]

3. Why? Now they'll just label Conason as a DLC hardliner DINO

Someone will connect him to Skull and Bones, and proof will be found somewhere that he supports PNAC.

[Andromeda]

23. And don't forget the most important thing --

He looks French!

[JI7]

4. a lot of this crap reminds me of primaries

how the media just kept talking about kerry's campaign being over without actually knowing much. it's as if they expect kerry to be in trouble just because he doesn't hold a consistent double digit lead. rather than reporting on issues, it's just rumors about the campaign. kerry had to actually win before they stopped claiming his campaign was over. and now we will have to deal with this crap all over again. he will have to go directly to the people and campaign and wont be able to depend on media.

[jobycom]

5. They fooled me during the primaries, I admit

I thought Kerry was out of it. That's why I trust Kerry over the media right now.

Kerry 1
PR Department of the Republican Party (ie, media) 0.

[Frances]

2. Cranky left

I think that pretty well describes a lot of us at DU

If we defeat Bush, we'll still be cranky, but I'll be a happy cranker!

[Larkspur]

6. I'm a Dem glumly "stuck with Mr. Kerry"

but I'm not verging on "quiet panic." I just have scorn for Kerry and hope he gets raked through the coals this election. Oh yes, I want him to win, but will have no sympathy for him when the Bush machine gets really nasty later this year, and assuming Kerry wins, the Repukes go after him, like they did Clinton.

One can be a Democrat and despise the Prez wannabe.

[blm]

7. We know the drill. Kerry uncovered too much govt. corruption

and his investigations of BCCI, IranContra and CIA drugrunning almost stole the headlines away from Gore's dirty song lyrics hearing.

We know your priorities are with the moderates and centrists of the party. blah....blah....

[sangh0]

9. How hypocritical

In another thread, larkspur calls Kerry "Bush*-lite" and in this thread, larkspur going to vote for "Bush*-lite"

I guess someone LIKES imperialism

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

13. Are you a socialist?

Just curious, is that the kind of government you believe in? Just trying to figure out what it is you want, because just bashing Kerry and Democrats doesn't really tell me anything.

[Larkspur]

19. No, I believe in regulated capitalism

I believe that the government has to make sure that all business play by the same rules. I see government as the Referee in business matters and only providing services for the benefit of the common good.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

14. LOL

" I want him to win " "and hope he gets raked through the coals this election "

No contradiction there, nope.

[mitchum]

22. One can also be a Democrat and despise our fellow Democrats...

(especially the childish, bitter ones who want to see our nominee "raked over the coals")

[yellowcanine]

8. "Moribund" candidacy is a right wing talking point.

Sometimes I think we haven't learned anything. The pubs are trying to "gore" Kerry and Dems are going right along with it. The truth is that Kerry is in a better position now vis a vis Junior than Clinton was with Poppy Bush. Go back and look at the numbers. Plus Kerry has way less baggage than Clinton did and Junior has way more baggage than Poppy did. The Iraq quagmire/prisoner abuse/prisoner torture/WMD lies/911 "asleep at the switch"/Valerie Plame outing scandals are not going to go away. Then there is the Medicare prescription mess which is going to sink Junior in Florida - it won't even be close. Actually, I don't think the election is going to be that close. It would have been without the Iraq quagmire maybe. Do you know anybody who voted for Gore who is going to vote for Bush this time? I don't. But there are plenty of Bush 2000 voters who are either going to vote for Kerry or not going to vote at all.

[dsc]

10. With the exception of fundraising

Not a thing on the list is Mr, Kerry's doing aside from his amazing fundraising for which I give him full credit. The problem for me is that Bush's fall isn't seeing a huge increase for Kerry. While a 1 to 1 transfer is unrealistic, there should be enough transfer for us to have seen by now.

[sangh0]

11. Keep saying that

Maybe someday, it'll be true

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1586879

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

15. Excuse me?

What were the lies, the Pew Poll is wrong, what?

And YOU owe me an apology because I told you about a week ago that it doesn't take any external conditions for you to shit all over people. And you just did it again.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

16. That is some impressive rhetoric - where can I learn to be so articulate?

:hi:

[sangh0]

17. Keep saying that

I am done debating you

Maybe someday it'll come true (but I doubt it, cause I ain't going anywhere)

[salonghorn70]

20. Great Post

If Kerry were doing as badly as some think it would be about 48-40 in favor of Bush right now.

[robbedvoter]

21. Love Conason! best parts:

" Supine cooperation with the G.O.P. has become standard operating procedure in election years for elements of the mainstream media. This year, the Republicans would like nothing better than to demoralize Democrats before the general election actually begins"
and
" But before anyone takes the media’s funereal pronouncements about Mr. Kerry too seriously, let’s not forget the record of his would-be pallbearers. These are, after all, the same experts who assured us last year that Mr. Kerry had irrevocably blown his chances, that Howard Dean was almost certain to secure the Democratic nomination, and that Mr. Bush was virtually "unbeatable."