LAT: Kerry Challenged by Harsh Campaign

[DeepModem Mom]

THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Kerry Challenged by Harsh Campaign
The Democrat's camp is working to adapt after missteps and an early and fierce GOP assault.

By Matea Gold, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — Before taking a vacation, John F. Kerry was looking forward to a victory lap — a period of skipping from state to state to revel in his success at effectively locking up the Democratic presidential nomination.

Instead, by the time the Massachusetts senator finally made it to his vacation home in the Idaho mountains late last week, he had spent two weeks mostly on the defensive, confronted by an aggressive opponent who didn't give him a chance to catch his breath and began pummeling him with hard-hitting ads.

Kerry also contributed to his problems as he switched from fending off Democratic rivals to gearing up for the general election campaign against President Bush. He suggested at one point that foreign leaders preferred him to Bush, and later called Republican critics "crooked" — offhand remarks that have since haunted him.....

***

Kerry aides acknowledged that the speed of the Bush assault was startling to them. "I think Bush redefined March Madness for us, coming out of the Rose Garden so fast," said senior advisor Michael Meehan....


http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-dems21mar21,1,3179121.story?coll=la-home-politics

[DemNoir]

1. This is not good news

Nothing that this group would try should be startling to them. Please wake up.

[lancdem]

5. They may have known in theory how Rove works

but until you actually experience it, you don't know fully what it's like. BTW, it's obvious they have woken up, because they're making adjustments. Better no than when it's too late.

[acmavm]

2. Did anyone really expect anything different from these guys? If so, then

I suggest that you look at 2000 and get a clue.

These people are criminals, liars, and thugs of the first order. They stole and election, they've bankrupted the Treasury by giving the farm to Halliburton, Bectel, etc., they've totally subverted the Constitution, they've lied to take us into a immorral war, they bribed and schemed the passage of a Medicare bill and were lying the entire time about the cost to the nation and the hidden benefits to the pharmaceutical companies, and that is just the very tip of the iceberg.

HELLO!!!!!!!!!!! Exactly who did the dems think they were dealing with?

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. I think it's the beltway Dems that need to remember how to fight.

The rest of us may have gotten complacent over the years, but we've always known that expecting the other side to play fair is a grand waste of good strategy time.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. That's right -- there's no "politics as usual" with these people --

they're zealots who consider themselves exempt from our political norms and traditions, and even our laws and Constitution.

[dax]

3. I really think he should ignore them...

He should focus on how Bushco lied to get us into a war, how their crony capitalist friends are ripping off the soldiers and not rebuilding Iraq, how we could get out right away if we allow the UN to take over the contracting and HIRE IRAQIS so the vast army of unemployed don't become a guerrilla army to pick our guys off-if US lets go of privatization and just buys oil on the open market like everyone else, the guerrilla war would stop. We really don't need bases over there-we could focus on domestic programs. Kerry needs to juxtapose the potential-what we could accompish as a nation with the right focus. He should be honest about taxes-he has no intention of raising taxes on anyone who makes less than 200,000 a year-which is EVERYONE damn near. He should talk about how Bush has raised taxes on everyone by strangling the states with unfunded mandates for security. Let's talk about how the security money is spent etc-the police and firemen are not getting it...if the focus is on POSITIVE PROGRAMS with matter of fact analysis of why the current programs don't work-he will win and these manufactured slips will be seen for what they are

[drumwolf]

6. Democrats as a whole need to start swinging back, not just Kerry.

Kerry doesn't have the war chest Bush does. We can't rely solely or even largely on him to do all the fighting. EVERYONE, including other Democratic politicians and even private citizens, needs to do something to help Kerry out.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. We all need to help Kerry out, and hound the press to be fair --

[nodictators]

9. Rebut and Counterattack! Do it now, John, or you'll be toast

Remember what happened to former Sen. Cleland and Sen. McCain.

Kerry has an advisor named Shelton who wants Kerry on his own points. Yeah, that's ok when nothing much is happening.

But when you're under attack you've got to respond. Now, damnit!!!

[ramapo]

11. Must do both

Kerry nor his people should be at all surprised at the Repub attack.

He needs to answer each attack while setting out an overall, high-road strategy that explains how President Kerry would lead our nation and deal with the many problems facing us.

[rocktivity]

10. BORG JOURNALISM (resistance to the GOP is futile)

The only weapon Bush has is a compliant, unquestioning, sycophantic mainstream media. We must devise a way to let them know that unfair and unbalanced campagian coverage will not be tolerated.

:headbang:
rocknation

[The Zanti Regent]

12. the Lies Angeles Times is at it again

Whoring for the GOP just like their masters at the Chicago Fibune!

[Fovea]

13. So John, you discover that there is no rest in round 1.

And round one starts when the bell rings, which is when you have enough delegates to win.

If you wanna win, get off that damn stool and start hitting the bastid.
Think of his July vacation, which he will be missing badly. He has no stamina, and he has lied his way halfway out of a job already.

You ought to be talking to Dennis. He could be the single best thing going for you, counter attack wise. Dennis is the fork to Rove's gas bag. The only cost to you, is that you have to acknowlege Dennis's platform, which you need to get behind a bit more anyway.

Bush has broken this economy. It has actally gone beyond any quick fix.
It is the state of the working class, John. It is healthcare and jobs and education. You wanna have Bush backing up? Get out there and show the lower 75% how you are going to help them. And get a veep with long, sharp teeth.

[stepnw1f]

14. They Are Trying To Make This Crap Into An Issue...

He just needs to keep punching back.

[SmokeyBlues]

15. Um, what?

Kerry aides acknowledged that the speed of the Bush assault was startling to them. "I think Bush redefined March Madness for us, coming out of the Rose Garden so fast," said senior advisor Michael Meehan....

Surely these Kerry aides are bullshitting! Right?

[grasswire]

16. we all remember...

...how well ignoring the attacks worked for Gore, I hope.

When they come after you with a knife, use a gun. There's plenty to be used against Bush. Kerry himself doesn't have to do the dirty work, but it needs to be made plain that when they slash with a knife, they get a bullet from a surrogate.

[suegeo]

17. The media sucks

How does this stupid reporter know that Kerry is "Haunted" by his statements that the Bush junta is crooked (they are) and that world leaders prefer him to Bush (something that was retracted by the reporter in Boston, who said he quoted Kerry incorrectly)?

So this stupid reporter at the LA Times is ghosthunter, and she knows Kerry is Haunted? And that Kerry didn't have a chance to catch his breath? (Did she call Kerry and hear him panting?!?! He said "Oh hold on, something is haunting me, give me a call back"??!?!)

[Democat]

18. LA Times is a right wing mouthpiece

They are always pushing the GOP talking points, and even so, most California papers are far to the right of them.

The Republicans control the media.