What would you do to put Bush on the defensive ?

[kentuck]

In other words, get him to respond to your attack? At the moment, Kerry is being attacked from at least two sides : He's being accused of missing 76% of his votes on the Intelligence Committee and he's also being attacked as not deserving his medals he won in Viet Nam and, in fact, faking his wounds. If he responds, he is by definition on the defensive. In order for him to be on the offensive, he needs an attack of his own - not a response to a Bush attack.

So, what would you do or say to put Bush and Rove on the defensive? What type of ad would you do? What would you say at a press conference? Can't it be done without going negative? Kerry is doing his best not to go negative.

[Cobia]

1. Why are you so stupid?

Why haven't the Texas Rangers won a World Series?

[Ruffhowse]

2. Attack Bush on the "trust" issue, as in "You just can't trust him!"

There are so many examples where Bush has either grossly misled the people of the United States, or outright lied. Just list them and keep pounding that message---"Bush, you just can't trust him!" The beauty of this attack is it is very hard to refute without getting mind numbingly detailed about it. And it sticks real good.

[Cha]

3. There are Much smarter political minds on this than

I ..and I wish they would come up with something at just the right time to make bush unavoidably go on the defense.

They don't apologized for anything, though..so it would be like a magic bullet.

That thing about Kerry saying the campaign should be about issues was brilliant when disavowing the moveon.org's ad..a major case of Gotcha!

[wtmusic]

4. Good question

I don't know what's going to draw him out. Abu Ghraib or Plamegate might yield some clues.

[opihimoimoi]

5. Given the fact America was attacked domestically and abroad

many times over the years....why did Bush do nothing until 9/11 until it was too late? and then, it was to close the barn door and pontificate.

He was supposed to protect us with wisdom and planning...Hello?

Condis job is Nat Security Advisor...Hello?

Rummy got confused with his title....Its DEFENSE Rummy, NOT OFFENSE.

Cheney was given the task of coming up with a plan to deter Terrist attacks//////HELLO? we got nothing from Cheney for 8 months,

Nada, zilch, nai, puka, nothing....

[Raven]

6. I'd ask him for his college and business school transcripts.

And, of course, they'd be lost.

[PretzelWarrior]

7. how about by telling veterans Bush is screwing them..telling taxpayers

Bush lied about the tax cut and their net tax went up while Richie Rich and Daddy Warbucks are making more.

I guess I'd do what Kerry's doing right now. Attack with facts from current events and recent White House policies and statements.

He DOESN'T HAVE to dredge up stuff from 30 years ago or from when Bush was snorting lines in Austin while Kerry was a senator.

[Keirsey]

8. Lay

He got pretty defensive when he was asked about Kenny Lay. :)

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Find some bimbo to make up a date rape story about *'s frat boy days

Hey I know it's dirty but it's the kind of shit the Repugs would try.

[Leilani]

10. Make him prove he reported for duty in Alabama

Nobody, I mean nobody can find info on the missing months...

Only Kerry should not do this...his surrogates should do it.

The Swift-boat smear team has made service during Vietnam an issue...
Kerry has a record in Nam...why should he be on the defensive?
Shrub should be on defensive.

[jimshoes]

11. I'd ask him to explain his views on first amendment rights

particularly free speech in light of his tightly controlled campaign appearances.

[AndyTiedye]

12. It Can't Be Done

If Bush* does not want to respond to your attack,
your attack will not be on the news. What attack?

WHO OWNS THE NEWS?

[Old and In the Way]

13. How do we not know there aren't a few bombs to be dropped between now and

November? I suspect if Kerry can win without using the bombs he'll do it to avoid further irreparable tears in the national political fabric. But if he has to, I think he's willing to deploy them. I could be wrong, but given what we know about this gang of criminals, I have to believe there's some real incriminating evidence that's available to him, if needed.

[kentuck]

14. How about an "anonymous source" ??

Has contacted a person at the DNC to say that he sold cocaine to Bush back in the early 70's and the "anonymous source" says that George cheated on Laura more than once. He has names and dates. And he says that Laura never knew. The person at the DNC is withholding the information until it is checked further to verify the information and the names the anonymous source has given them. If asked about it at this time , the DNC will deny having any information on George W Bush. But if it turns out to be true, it will turn the family values world upside down...

[Joe Turner]

24. Did you hear the one about Condi?

A couple of months ago there was a pretty convincing story going around that Condi Rice in the course of talking with some people at some Beltway Glitz affair about the work she does in the administration said something like: "well my husssbann...president Bush". This account was confirmed by more than one surprised person at the table and it did get a little back water press.

I find this slip up of hers a little more than curious.

[kentuck]

25. Yeah, that was discussed here a bit, Joe Turner...

Welcome ! :)

[JHBowden]

15. Stem Cell research

Paint Bush as anti-science and anti-old people.

[Hamlette]

16. find some way to scare him

the shrink who wrote Bush on the Couch said he and tons of anxiety, growing up in such a cold house with a bitchy mother. He said Kerry should try to get next to him, intimidate him. Find something that scares him and he'll implode. He's flip and aggressive to cover his anxiety.

[Osama_Bin_Winnin]

17. Ask for a CAT scan of his brain

[mfritz]

18. Bush is a phony, plus Halliburton

You have to take into account the immature personality of the main stream press. They love catty comments, ridicule, personality attacks. That way they don't have to strain their precious brains discussing any real issues. So here are my two favorite:

1. Bush is a phony. Make fun of him for all kinds of little trivial stuff. Mock the way he leans into the podium and pounds his hand when he wants to emphasize a point, they way he drops his g's when talking to a folksy crowd. Point out the ridiculous extent to which he stages his events, especially the phony question sessions. The guy must be producing golden material for these attacks every day. You just have to pay attention, pick on little things and make fun of them. The press eats this stuff up. Some perfect examples from the past: the phony ranch, flight suit photo op, Thanksgiving in Iraq, his expensive taste in clothes, his boorish behavior when he visited England, etc.

2. Halliburton and Enron. There is SO much material here. Focus on Halliburton war profiteering. Gouging our SOLDIERS in a war zone.


That said, I really do think the best attack is to keep hammering on the domestic issues. They will move undecideds into Kerry's camp.

[Mike L]

19. In the first debate I'd put out a timeline for making Iraqis responsible

for their own security and stability and gradually bringing the troops home. Rove is terrified of this issue. Independents want to establish security and withdraw our troops. Iraqis aren't doing shit themselves now and people know it. If Kerry says he will hold Iraqis accountable, I think he will cut Bush's legs from under him. Kerry needs to do something to 'close the deal' and this would do it, IMO.

[sundancekid]

20. write out an ACTUAL JOB PERFORMANCE REVIEW ... he is running

from his record because he knows it stinks ... he wants to retain his job? let's give him a "standard every day" report card on how we think he's done his job -- just like we get and/or give in our own lives --

There will be a VOTER REVOLT to FIRE his butt. Period.

[LostInAnomie]

21. Bring up the massive national debt he directly caused...

... and how he never vetoed a spending bill.

That would play to the old school repubs.

[kentuck]

22. George W Bush is not a conservative.

That might get a response??

[zulchzulu]

23. His med abuse (leak story again during GOP Convention)

The story has to be leaked again precisely during the day before Bush accepts the nomination. Here's a PDF to print out and hand out to anyone you know:
http://www.kerrysupport.com/media/bush_meds.pdf

The original story is here:
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/printer_4921.shtm

Someone like Dean or Gore has to mention it in an interview.

Drop the goddamn bomb.

[kodi]

26. demand that the public be allowed to see the caskets arrive at dover

tell the truth about this.

it is a point of honoring those who gave the full measure of devotion for the nation, and ask why were the busheviks hiding their caskets from the americans those soldiers died to protect.

anything less is dishonorable.

[zulchzulu]

27. Bush wants to stop overtime pay!

Bush proposed regulations that would end eligibility for overtime pay—a critical source of income—for 8 million workers by reclassifying them as managers, administrative workers or professional employees.  In addition, Bush's Department of Labor issued advice to companies in its explanation of the proposal on strategies to avoid paying overtime.  Among these were cutting workers' base pay to subtract extra overtime pay costs and cutting workers' hours to strictly enforce a 40 hour work week.  The non-partisan Economic Policy Institute called the proposal “pure special-interest politics with complete disregard for the democratic process.” 

[grasswire]

28. they've always said...

....that criticism of the old man drives him wild. It would have to be carefully done, though.

At this point in W's narcissism and paranoia, he's pretty much a sitting duck. Notice how many times he accuses the press of trying to "gotcha."

Easily tweaked, he is.

[OneBlueSky]

29. call him an environmental disaster . . .

plenty of facts available to back up the assertion . . .

[iwantmycountryback]

30. Corporate love fest

Instead of just e-mails to supporters who know it's true anyway, make this a big campaign ad. Get people out there driving this home, and when September rolls around play an ad about this in battleground states, where middle class people are struggling in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, maybe Tennessee.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

31. He is on the defensive

Like a cornered rat.

[Endangered Specie]

32. Ask him to find various countries on a map...

with the names already on them.

[Hippo_Tron]

33. Call him a chickenhawk

Something that isn't done often enough.

[JSJ]

34. bush should be 'attacked' for his attacks on our candidate

A good defense is a hard, unrelenting offense.