What one thing does Kerry need to establish at the debates?

[geek tragedy]

My answer: he has to erase all of this bullshit about his "flip-flopping" on Iraq. He needs to hammer the point--he voted to trust his president, and Bush violated that trust. There were no changes--Bush simply screwed everything up and lost everyone's trust.

[drdigi420]

1. That Bush is lying about Iraq and the Economy

[readmylips]

2. Ridicule is what the media is looking for....

Kerry needs to ridicule bush and make sound byte jokes at his expense because that is exactly what the media will glorify from bush, and they know that that's how bush wins. Bush will use ridicule and jokes to laugh at Kerry's intellect, exactly how he did Gore and the media proclaimed bush the winner even when he didn't say anything intelligent.

[Dawgs]

3. I agree...

Kerry can win this election easily if he distances himself from Bush on Iraq. He needs to point out why he voted the way he did.

I would also like to see him say something like "As President, I will do everything I can to prevent a draft... I'm not sure Bush can make that same promise". This does two things. It puts Bush on the defensive with this topic, and it wakes people up on this issue. It would scare kids and parents into voting against Bush.

[Joe Chi Minh]

4. Breathe

Actually, all I think he needs to do is breathe. He could take out and play a comb and paper, and he'd still win come November 2.

[democrat_patriot]

5. Dispel 3 biggest repuke talking points:

1. Filp-flopper lies.

2. Soft on terror.

3. Raising taxes.

[John_H]

6. If Kerry wins the first debate so decisevely that it's UNSPINNABLE

the election is over. The key here is that his win has to be so big that even a 6-1 rethug/Dem Hardball panel can't spin it, so decisive that Judy, Wolf, and Jeff are forced to call it for Kerry 3-0.

KKKarl knows he needs a 3-4 pt. cushion on election morning to overcome our energized base and GOTV effort. If Kerry stomps chimp that first debate, and barring Osama or some other surprise (which our wimpy surrogates have yet to innoculate us against) he won't have it.

[liberal N proud]

7. He simply needs to frustrate shrub and then

shrub will lose it and stutter his way through the evening and it will be all over.

[cheezus]

8. Bush is losing the war on terra

[Perky]

9. No NO NO

The emphatic issues which must be the outcome of either the first or the thrid debate:


Georg Bush may not have the competence to lead. Doe he or Doesn't he.

This election can not be about the challenger...It neeeds to be about whether or not * is comeptent to lead.

[geek tragedy]

12. He does need to deflect the Bush bashing, though.

He needs to blunt the impact of the flip-flopping and demagoguery regarding the $87 Billion vote. He needs to call * on those lies.

[HFishbine]

10. His Height

That will be good for 2 to 3%.

[welshTerrier2]

11. just simple CLARITY

Kerry's positions are very well thought through but they make crappy soundbites and come across as both fuzzy and pedantic ...

and he'd better establish a sharp and clear "framework" for his positions long before the debates roll around ... talking points made during a debate are much stronger when the candidate and his overall positions are already very well known ...

go ask voters to explain any position Kerry has on any issue ... they will NOT be able to say anything ... all you'll get back is vague, flip-flop, boring, wordy, etc ... Kerry's positions on the issues are very detailed and very well thought out ... but they are not reaching the voters ...

when the debates roll around, this better not still be the case ... if it is, no matter what Kerry says, he'll be rolled up in the same wrapper he's in now ... this is the time to establish the context of what Kerry will address during the debates ...

[jumpstart33]

13. Kerry just has to call Bush on every lie he has told about him and Dems.

I hope the campaign is mulling over all the film clips AND yes, all the clips of Kerry's statements that might be labeled as flip-flops. He has to be able to explain these in terms that Bush idiot followers can understand.

[Joe Turner]

14. The 3 Biggies Are

1) Bush is in the pocket of Corporate America and has aided and abetted the exportation of American Jobs to overseas cheap labor markets. Smirk's supportive statements of Outsourcing American Jobs as a "good thing" makes this abundantly clear.

2) Bush misled America into invading Iraq which has greatly diminished our military and economic resources to combat the REAL TERRORISTS that were behind 911.

3) Bush has purposely left America's Borders Wide Open to reward his corporate cronies' thirst for cheap labor during a time of war when thousands of terrorists seek ways of entering America.