The party of fear will run on optimism?

[gatorboy]

Priceless.

[Captain Angry]

1. They're smart.

They will blame the fear and negativity on Democrats, while expounding on the virtues of Reagan and good old fashioned, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.

Most people will buy it, the media will repeat it, more people will buy it.

Rinse.

Repeat.

[gatorboy]

2. Heh! That would be some trick.

Considering they already did their boogyman routine ("Watch out! Another 9/11 if you vote for a Dem!")

[Captain Angry]

3. Not much of a trick with a willing press.

How did SO many Americans continue to believe that Iraq and Al-Qaeda were connected?

The line you use there about 9/11 is another perfect example. How many people heard that, and how many times was it repeated? There is obviously no veracity to the statement, but it will be repeated constantly, and implied more widely.

They will say that there is optimism that our fine military will achieve victory, and bring peace and democracy to the region. There is the optimism that the people at home will have a same place to live again if they're in charge.

People don't remember gas being $1.00/gallon prior to somebody's occupation of the White House. They're not going to care who was in charge when everything went wrong, they're going to care what the next guy is going to do.

And of course, the big rabbit in their hat is "Gays! Abortions! Immigrants! Flag Burning Commies!" They're waiting for next year to really start banging those drums again.