Excellent advice for the Kerry campaign

[HootieMcBoob]

From the DailyKos.com

I especially love this part:

3. Scared Straight. Forget Bush's fleeting gaffe about the war on terrorism not being winnable; he's not going to trip up again. Besides, micro-angles like this or the band-aid purple heart flap are thin threads onto which to hang your campaign message. (N.B.: Your staff must end its fixation on minutiae.) You need a strong, simple and damning line of attack. That said, the dirty (but open) secret the conservative national media know, yet won't dare utter, is this: Bush is petrified to speak in public about most everything, and especially about policies and his specific record over the past four years. He's scared to do press conferences; scared to allow anyone who hasn't signed a loyalty agreement into his campaign events; scared to debate you; scared to talk about how his prescription drug plan is backfiring among seniors and fiscal conservatives, his immigration policies are backfiring among Latinos and social conservatives, his steel tariffs and tax cut policies are backfiring among blue-collar white workers in manufacturing states, and his No Child Left Behind and stem cell policies are backfiring among suburban white women. The key point is not the specific policies or economic statistics; to mention them, or call for weekly debates, is to fight smaller skirmishes instead of the larger war. Rather, push the macro message that Bush is petrified to talk about any of it. You and your surrogates should use these exacts words: not "doesn't want to," but "scared and petrified." Make the media repeat them, thereby forcing the Republicans to refute your charges in your language. And you need to do this now, pre-emptively, because Jim Baker came on board specifically to negotiate you down to two debates and Bush-favorable rules. You need all three; if you have established the "president is petrified" storyline in advance, no matter how scared Bush-Rove may be of debating three times they'll be more scared of being labeled scared for backing down. And when the tough questions during the debates on the economy, health care and Iraq are asked, and Bush's answers and eyes start darting around, he will ratify the scared-and-petrified criticism with his verbal and non-verbal responses.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/9/6/233518/4477

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Straight On: Use language to control language. Bush scared and petrified.

If you want to get a meme into the public psyche, use it.

To get the true meme about Bush being unfit for command circulating, use the words "scared and petrified" as well as "unfit for command". Make sound bites built around that. Don't leave it up to chance. Nixon used to issue 25 word statements so that the press would only be able to use those exact words in the news casts. Things are a little more sophisticated these days, but the principle remains.

Control the debate by controlling the language.
Control the language by using language.

[bambo53]

2. Can we mass send this to the DNC?

It's brilliant. If only the Kerry campaign would use it.

[HootieMcBoob]

3. Let's do it

the more of them they receive the better. I'm gonna send a copy and link off to both the Kerry people and the DNC right now.

[niceypoo]

15. When Kerry approached Carville he ditched the DNC.......

The DNC can't break away from their Milqtoast approach to everything. Had the DNC not relentlessly attacked Howard Dean he would be ripping Bush a couple new holes right now. He wasn't milqtoast so they attacked and attacked him. The DNC's "Me too" and "Bush lite" approach to the mid terms sure went over big with the base. If your going to email anybody email Carville. He has never fallen for that approach.

[VolcanoJen]

4. YES! I feel this way exactly!! For example... the "Debates" issue.

If Bush's people try to weasel out of one of the planned three debates, Kerry should attack Bush as being scared and petrified.

In fact, he should take it to the next level. He should openly offer Bush a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bring Dick Cheney with him!! "Mr. President, I know you're scared to face the American people as we debate your record of the past four years. I'm concerned for you too, and therefore, I'd like to offer my approval for you to bring the Vice President with you to the debates. He can stand at the podium with you, he can answer questions for you. Bring the Vice President, and let's set a date for these debates TODAY."

I really think it could work. :D

[KC21304]

12. That's great. " Bring Cheney with you "

[TheDonkey]

5. email it to Kerry, or tell your local Kerry reps

it's a good point but doesn't do much here to get excited about it.

[RedEarth]

6. Very good...send it to Kerry ...here is a link

[e-mail]

their mailing address ^ just in case you do not have it.

[Julien Sorel]

7. This is the way to do it.

Bush is running on being a tough guy, painting Kerry as a wimp. If he humiliates himself and stutters and stammers in a debate, while Kerry looks calm and unflappable, the whole rationale of his campaign will be badly shaken.

[Flubadubya]

9. Funny, Bush paints Kerry as the wimp...

when we really know who the wimp actually is. Yes, Kerry needs to use this can of whup-ass to full advantage. I like the tone of it. :evilgrin:

[John_H]

8. Will every surrogate repeat this? Sadly...Nope. C'mon Senator,

let's win this one.

[Flubadubya]

10. Ding, ding, ding...

You've got that one nailed. See my previous post today: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x760797

Kerry the candidate can't do it all by himself. Those staffers really need to be pulled into line, and FAST!

[Mick Knox]

11. Daily KOS dead on as usual nt

[blue neen]

13. This is really good...e-mailed it to the Kerry website.

[skip fox]

14. Yes. Kerry's campaign needs to paint a portrait of W. which will counter

the composite picture W.'s henchmen (directly and behind the scenes) have peinted of Kerry:

1.) most liberal senator
2.) flip-flopper
3.) opportunist and coward in the war, trying only to build credentials for entre into political power
4.) traitor (giving comfort to the enemy through Congressional testimony)
5.) unfit to command

They keep hitting at us with one after the other. The campaign has drug its heels and has lost the effectiveness of a counterpunch on any one individual item of the above, thus has been off-balance (there are some who deny it . . . but I can only believe what I see . . . especially in terms of the new crew brought aboard, etc.).

What we need is a swift counter-punch and then have Kerry go directly on the offensive, and the plan for the offence listed in the original post makes fine sense. It paints a picture of W. as petrified, and this confirms many people's views of him. Plus we have pictures of him behind the mic looking like a clown who's lost the circus. Plus . . . all those bloopers!!! Where the hell do they come from if no stage FRIGHT!

A picture to counter a picture.

[Q3JR4]

16. I like it,

bookmarked and kicked.

[sangh0]

17. Sounds good

I approve

[HootieMcBoob]

18. kick

Get the word out. W is scared and petrified! Plus he wants gynecologists to practice their love on their patients? :kick:

[sangh0]

19. another kick

for a good idea

[goclark]

20. Great point,,masterful! Kick to Kerry!