Damn, I'm amazed. The Democrats finally musta read Sun Tzu!

[Walt Starr]

They are playing this 100% the right way! When the Republicans start the slams (and you know they will) in a single voice every response from the left is, "why don't you support guaranteeing every American citizen's right to vote?"

BRILLIANT!!!

This is the most long term strategic move I ever saw the Democrats make! As long as the follow-through is there, the Democrats WIN WIN WIN with this!

They've finally taken to framing the debate in OUR TERMS!!!!!

It's about the right to vote!

[unpossibles]

1. I have to agree

even though it makes me cringe to hear them say Bush won, I know it is necessary to have broader appeal.

damn. I want a freakin cigarette!!!!!! why did this have to happen right after New years?

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

haha- today has been killer for me too! n/t

[AirAmFan]

20. Bush got more votes among those that were COUNTED from ballots

people managed to cast in spite of hurdles that kept millions away from the polls:

lack of a national holiday on Election Day, forcing many people to sacrifice income in order to vote (a stealth poll tax);

lack of equal access to early voting at convenient early voting places or by mail;

biased registration procedures including arbitrary deadlines for registering in all but a handful of same-day registration states;

biased voter purges;

"caging" that targets first-time voters in predominantly minority precincts for disqualification;

"felon disfranchisement" laws that serve mainly as a pretext for disfranchising hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Democrats through sloppy or intentionally erroneous database work;

3,000 separate sets of county rules about who may vote and how, rather than mandatory uniform national standards;

lack ov voter-verified paper trails for votes;

deliberate "shorting" of voting equipment and precinct staff leading to tremendous inequality in the opportunity to vote (ten hour waits versus one machine for every 100 resgistered voters, and use of TV news pictures of long lines to convince millions to stay home);

arbitrary denial of the chance to have a provisional vote sent to the proper precinct for counting;

official interference with the conduct of exit polls;

ID requirements that make it much easier for licensed drivers and homeowners to vote than those who rent and are too poor to afford cars;

and dozens of other barriers to voting.

[insane_cratic_gal]

2. eating crow yet love?

But I think they are doing great and holding their intergrity well

[Walt Starr]

7. So long as the Democrats speak with ONE VOICE

after this debate, we're in like Flynn.

A single Lieberman blasting this all over the place, however, and it could backfire.

Any Democrat who does not follow the party line on this MUST be targeted for termination of their career.

[aquart]

3. Goody. Let's all pretend this wasn't fraud.

Do I have any confidence in the legislation that will be introduced? NONE. Sorry.

[merh]

4. Now you have caught on!

heeheee - yes, in happy fantasy land, it would be great if Kerry were named #44 - but that ain't gonna happen and most of us knew that.

But to get the dems to stand together and demand hearings and legislation to reform the elections, that is a win-win situation. They are united in their position that the irreegularities be investigated.

repukes sound like whiners!

[icehenge]

5. Strong

I'm glad they are unified and seeming to want to make the
republicans understand the importance.

[LoZoccolo]

6. A link to a free Sun Tzu e-text is here.

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/132

[Der Blaue Engel]

8. Best. Post. Ever.

From Walt Starr! :D

[Walt Starr]

10. My earlier fears were based upon

previous actions by the Democrats. I *misunderestimated* their strategic abilities.

AFAIK, even Reid was in on this, dissing the move to take the Republicans by surprise on the issues that would be raised.

[Cats Against Frist]

9. I am in concurrence

The Republicans look like assholes. The difference is clear in this arena, who exactly is being led by hyperbole, rhetoric and emotion. Nancy "Mom" Pelosi just handed them their ass. All they can do is come back with insults and "disgrace this" and "disgrace that." I'm sorry, but as an American citizen, I'm not concerned about whether the "pageantry" of Herr Bush's election is interrupted, if it gets a public dialogue going about voting irregularities and electronic voting.

The Republicans can't use their appeals to logical fallacy this time. Only the dull will buy it, it is obvious.

[In Truth We Trust]

11. I agree- great sign. Hope it continues!!!

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. The DEMS are tag teaming

and hitting ever point that we have uncovered, researched and debated here at DU.

All our work is paying off today. They heard us. YAHOO!!!

[dogindia]

13. right BUT

Bush is going to do a lot of distruction. The allowing of fraud to stand this time.

IT IS STILL A MAJOR CRIME.

They put Martha in jail for lying....this is MAJOR MAJOR....

Just making it right later is not enough,

Oh I killed my wife...but I won't kill the next one. Get It MSM and DEMS

[txindy]

14. No surprise here

I believed they would. It isn't about blind faith, you know. It's about the magnitude of the problem and the ability of those whose careers are threatened by it to recognize and confront it. I believe in their desire to protect their careers and their constituencies.

[Patsy Stone]

15. I think I've said that all along... But, welcome to the party. :) n/t

[Salomonity]

16. they're also their terms

The GOP has an obvious comeback--how do you guarantee every citizen's vote by disenfranchizing an entire state, because you don't like the outcome?

It's a really awful precident for congress to claim the right to decide which state elections they choose to recognize--and there are no standards, other than what congressional majorities think.

And the GOP is going to be the majority for a while.

[txindy]

19. That's not a comeback, at all

The Democrats aren't asking for Ohio to be disallowed completely, but that the final Electoral tally be delayed while the 'irregularities' in Ohio are investigated. Otherwise, the door is wide-open for either party to monkey (cough) with any state's results as it pleases and have the results count simply because no state's 'official' results will ever be effectively challenged.

[BernieBear]

17. HARKEN ROCKS!

[Amaya]

18. Agreed

they're doing this the right way. I was sorta afraid they wouldn't, so I'm pleasantly surprised
:)

[mountainvue]

21. Oh ye of little faith. I hope you feel better about things

today.

[Walt Starr]

22. So long as the follow through is there

we'll be okay.

[emcguffie]

23. I think Lewin voted aye.

[juslikagrzly]

24. Agree, brilliant strategy

Make the repukes look like the whiner/weiners they are!

[Gold Metal Flake]

25. Great, kid! Don't get cockey!

This could be a new begining, or a last gasp. Keep the pressure on the congress and the media. We must all work harder from here. Watch what dinos come down against this, and target.

[Machiavelli05]

26. Exactly. all these radicals here dont understand whats going on

[cyn2]

27. Good insight