WP: The Kerry Camp, Cautiously Giddy

[kskiska]

Mario Cuomo was glowing after John Kerry's Iraq speech Monday at New York University: "Great! Excellent! Masterful!" raved the former New York governor, who sat near the front. "He's never been clearer. He's turning this thing around."

And then, just as his handlers hustled him away, Cuomo turned to yell a few words of advice over his shoulder: "Now what he needs to do is be specific, hard, truthful, do more of the same."

(snip)

Kerry's supporters don't believe the race is over, particularly not after Monday's speech. Kerry's attitude was more tough, more mocking of Bush than he has been in the past: "If his purpose was to confuse and mislead the American people, he succeeded." The speech was received here as the beginning of Kerry's Incredible Hulk moment, when, angry and provoked, he finally unleashes his inner demon.

Still, "for the first time, I'm thinking about it," says Ellen Jacob, a Democratic activist who works in publishing, meaning thinking he might lose. "He had all this momentum in August and now it seems to be gone. Maybe if he could just speak more in sound bites, you know, quick catchy phrases."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39937-2004Sep21.html

[Nlighten1]

1. "Kerry's Incredible Hulk moment"

LOL! The visual.

[Ediacara]

4. We all knew it was coming :-)

The bounce is gone and the state polls are following.

[w4rma]

27. Careful. Big media used that theme on Dean, too. (nt)

[Toucano]

41. Kerry has an "inner demon"?

Demon?

Gimme a break! This author is either ignorant of the meaning of the words being used or an ass.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

2. A half-way decent article by the Post.

:kick:

It's about time.

[Kierkegaard]

3. Heeerrreee comes the closer!

Show some backbone and throw some strong words out there and the press will be all over it like flies on pig waste.

[demoman123]

20. There was nothing new in that speech about Iraq.

Here is his 4 point "exit strategy":

(1) get international support troops involved by letting other nations have a piece of the oil ;

(2) rebuild high-profile infrastructure by giving contracts to other corporations besides Halliburton ;

(3) train Iraqi troops;

(4) sponsor free elections.

As Bush rightly pointed out today, this is HIS plan, with only a few changes (oil-sharing and Halliburton reduction).

There is almost nothing new here. This was touted as a big policy speech, but it's clear that Kerry is not going to change course in Iraq.

I am not a Freeper. Go ahead and flame me. But Kerry is simply not strong enough on getting out of the war.

[unfrigginreal]

31. I'll tell you what was new

it was the full assault that he made on Bush. He all but called him a liar and a nitwit and he did it without coming across as mean or angry. He told America that Bush was covering up the truth about how things are going in Iraq. He laid out specific disagreements that he has with Bush in his run-up and mishandling of the war.

He also, finally, clearly stated that the Iraq War took resources away from the WOT. A huge monkey off his back.

I hope that he continues contrasting what he would have done versus what Bush has done in Iraq. It took him long enough to find his voice but I'm damned glad that he did.

[demoman123]

46. Yes, the tone is different.

I think that's the influence of the new team, particularly Carville. But I can't help but think this is a replay of Humphrey-Nixon '68, where both sides were committed to "staying the course in Vietnam."

[hansolsen]

39. I agree. N/T

[truthisfreedom]

5. "Maybe if he could just speak more in sound bites..."

quick catchy phrases? isn't that what got us here in the first place?

i think Kerry should do what he does best. one should always work with one's strengths, and Kerry's got some.

[Dudley_DUright]

8. I just hope his voice holds out!

It was very scratchy at the Orlando rally tonight.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. So

Clinton's voice was getting horse towards the end of the 92 race. I'm not worried Kerry's a fighter.

[swag]

6. America Cautiously Giddy: Truth Being Told

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. well, dumbya speaks in soundbites

so maybe that would help Kerry appeal to some of the masses.

[Crachet2004]

9. More ridicule of Bush...without being mean.

More truth. More passion. Continue attacking the war-it is working.

Don't get bogged down trying to explain complicated strategies, plans and ideas.

Tell them where we want to go, not so much how we are going to get there. Trips are sometimes boring, it is the arrival at the destination that captures imaginations.

[SeekingTruth]

10. What they are doing is brilliant....

think of it, if Kerry had came out tough as hell in a sudden burst, all the jokes would have been Gore-like, i.e., he's off his lithium, needs mental help, et cetera...

What they are doing is a masterstroke. He has gradually turned up the heat in a such a manner that it didn't appear sudden.

More and more I think the Kerry campaign has some tremendous aces up their sleeves....

[Just Me]

43. Since Bush is proving himself delusional about the realities concerning,..

,...the consequences of both his domestic and foreign policies,...he is the one who apparently needs his anti-psychotics adjusted!!!

[funnymanpants]

12. WP spinning here

"Kerry's supporters don't believe the race is over"

Yea, no shit it's not over! The polls that don't have Repubs over-represented have the race as a dead tie.

Notice how much the Repubs want to create an aura of invincibility around Bush. That is one of their talking points. And the *WP* picked it up.

[K. F. Gibbons]

13. CALCULATED RIDICULE IS THE KEY.

ITS HOW THEY BEAT GORE IN 2000

[goclark]

15. Even Candy Crawley was surprised at Kerry

tonight.
She acted like she was in shock that he was boldly telling Bush to hit the door!

Keep it coming Kerry, keep it coming!

[JackDragna]

14. Too little, way too late.

The public has already formed their view of Kerry. There are now very few undecideds to impress with tough rhetoric. Kerry lost this election months ago.

[goclark]

16. No Way Jose

Kerry is on fire and Bush is a deer in headlights!
His UN speech was down the tubes.

[JackDragna]

18. Deer in headlights?

Bush's military record just got taken completely off the table with the CBS debacle. Kerry talks big, but still laces his speeches with talk about how he's going to "destroy" Al Qaeda, using the aggressive language people identify with Republicans. You talk like a Republican, sound like a Republican, and people will just go ahead and vote for the Republican. Kerry's in the headlights and he has been ever since he won the nomination.

[goclark]

24. ROTFL I have been a PROUD Democrat

all my life!

Rolling All Over the Floor, thanks for making my day!

[BootinUp]

34. ridiculous n/t

[CatWoman]

42. um

you're the one sounding like a Republican.

So you're going to tell me that Bush is "insulated" from further attack of his service record because of CBS?

That's what the Republicans keep telling me.

[funnymanpants]

17. Don't thinks so

I don't know if this tatic will work, but the race is not over. The polls that don't over-represent the Repubs have the race as dead even. I think anyone would be foolish if he didn't say that this one is too tight to call.

[WLKjr]

19. Um no it's not yet

You should read into how Kerry wins his debates and his runs for office. The man has never lost a debate if I am not mistaken, EVER. I think I read that in my 2004 politics almanac I have (inner wonkiness needs it)

[JackDragna]

23. I wish I could be that optimistic..

..but Kerry's under the microscope in a way he never was in any prior election. Trying to come back when so much is stacked against him isn't going to work this time. He needed to set the tempo early, define the terms by which the election was held and never, ever let Bush steal the initiative. By refusing to go after Bush until now, by letting the Swift Boat Vets smear his record and by saying pretty much nothing during the whole CBS debacle, Kerry has ceded the pace of discussion to the president. I would so love to share people's optimism here, but unfortunately I've seen too many campaigns like this one, where the Republican kept the Democrat on his heels, forcing him to respond, respond, respond to the basest, stupidest allegations about his patriotism and quality of character.

Kerry is sunk.

[WLKjr]

26. Having the "kerry is sunk" attitude is what the republicans wanted

They do that to get us dems to cowar down like beaten dogs. By saying kerry is sunk, it lets them win before the real fight even begun.

Sort of like how they handle terror. They scare the shit out of us everyday to keep control and to keep a constant enemy to fight so that we all follow blindly without question. I am sick of that shit. That's why I support kerry and I have a gut feeling during the debates, we will see who will be the president of the US., and I don't think W will be it.

[snippy]

38. Very weak minded and faint hearted. You are dancing to Rove's tune.

He is controlling you like a puppet on strings, just as he intended to. You are describing the state of play last week. That may or may not be what happens in the future. But you do have a choice. You can choose to be Rove's puppet or you can choose to be your own man (or woman).

[American liberal]

40. what you do not seem to understand...

is that people are registering to vote in record numbers! Rove was quoted as saying that only 50% of those registered to vote will actually do so. That attitude will come back to bite him in his flabby white ass!

We are going to be witness to a record voter turnout and crush Bush--polls be damned!

Keep the faith, JD. The debates will seal the deal!

Peace,
AL

[TommyO]

44. I just convinced my 38 year old

brother to register and vote for the first time in his life (it was after we were both yelling at one of *'s campaign ads yesterday).

He's in NJ, a reasonably safe state, but every vote helps!!!

[American liberal]

47. way to go, TommyO!!! <eom>

[Dan]

22. Not true

I think after the GOP convention, the public just turned off... and now, the mess in Iraq is no longer allowing any thinking person the luxury of avoidance of the issues.

[Jane Austin]

29. Who are you, Pat Caudell?

n/t

[Garion_55]

30. You should have been here during the primaries.

AS a kerry supporter, still supporting kerry when he was 20 points down and in third place in the polls, i gotta tell you bud, i couldnt be happier with where kerry is at now.

Its a tie game after everything thats gone on. AFter all the money spent and the lies told about him.

All kerry has to be is the guy who is not Bush, who will not screw shit up as bad as bush has, thats all. The more that people learn about the failures of bush, the easier that is going to be.

[unfrigginreal]

32. Bullshit

that is all.

[Dan]

21. What he should do

since so many people do like Bush as a person, is...

(a) recognize that Bush is a decent man, who because of his limited
worldview and life experiences has been either unable or misled because of his limited experiences - misled into a war.

(b) that while Bush met the occasion on 9/11 after a few missteps,
and that role should be appreciated, unfortunately as a President, he no longer has what is needed to address the long term issues facing America and the world.

(c) that while he moved attacked Iraq unfortunately based on inaccurate or the cherry picking of intelligence - this decision has created a problem for America and the world - and now more than ever we need a Leader that can be accepted by other world leaders and their people. Because without this acceptance, their can be no consensus on dealing with the issues of terrorism.

(d) that for reasons that are not exactly clear to me, the idea that he and other members of his administration appear to be embarked on a religious campaign - unfortunately influences some of views of a majority of the Middle Eastern states - also unfortunately, undermines his credibility.

For these reasons, we must have change. Because for a brief moment, Mr. Bush might have been able to lead the world, but because of unfortunately circumstances, choices, decisions, and perceptions - he no longer enjoys any widespread support or belief in his abilities to be the leader of the free world.

Kill him with kindness, while stabbing the shit out of him.

[Hand]

25. Whew!

You had me worried there until the last line!

:hi:

[unfrigginreal]

33. No kidding

I think we can leave the "he is a decent man" crap to the media. They've been pushing it since 1998 anyway so they don't need our help with that one.

[BootinUp]

35. Bush mislead? nope

The fault lies with him nobody else. And enough of our fellow Americans do realize it.

If Kerry starts feeling sorry for Bush that'll be the time when Bush plays his dirtiest and leaves Kerry in the dust.

[Chomskyite]

28. I'm saying this as someone with $10 in checking right now

People actally get paid six figures and bennies for putting out this kind of piffle. And people praise them for how skillfull they were in their production of said piffle. . . . They graduate into TV cable punditry and then they get their own shows. That's where they can decide which polls are the real ones and REALLY move us toward the river of sewage.

I realize celebjournaliam had invaded full-frontal, but I wasn'aware we'd get the likes of Hanna Whatershernanme's "giddy" piece. What's next, "Are the Bushies feeling buoyant?" Will it get a two-part series?

[jackofhearts]

36. One four letter word explains it

...IRAQ...if Kerry can keep the bush regime on the defensive about Iraq he can get more people to vote for him. Unfortunately that does not mean he will be in the white house next year. The nazis will stop at nothing to maintain power so there is going to be fraud and manipulation on a scale we have never seen. The results of the election...the true results may never be known. I think Kerry can win the popular vote and even the electorials...but the nazis will find a way to prevent to the actual votes and election from ever being properly counted and known.

The bush regime does seem to be against the ropes at the moment. Kerry needs to keep them there and beat the holy shit out of 'em.

[JoFerret]

37. Now imagine the full body slam

when Kerry challenges Bushie in the debate about why he did not distance himself from the SmearBoat vets and even had his Poppy out there supporting them. I can see it now.

[Wapsie B]

45. Ellen Jacob sounds like a gop plant to me.

Keep the masses demoralized, especially the Democrats. Only way of avoiding a Kerry landslide. Create the illusion of a close election so that it can be Diebolded in a few key areas.

Note to Ellen. Hey sweetcheeks, do I have to do your job for you? You're supposed to be firmly behind our candidate. This is no time for wishy washy. Activists don't have the luxury of doubt this time around.