A question about campaigning angry.

[AP]

I'm just wondering: for the people who think it's so important to campaign angrily, with their anger directed straight at Bush, why do you think the candidates who don't do that aren't doing it?

Do you think they're incapable of being angry? Do you think they would if they could? Or do you think they just don't get ?

In Edwards's speech at the Commonwealth Club last friday, he said that FDR campaigned against Hoover with the campaign theme song "Happy Days are Here Again." Edwards said that FDR did NOT tell voters that they were suffering because it was their fault that they weren't angry enough at Hoover.

Hoover was ruining America and was probably a fascist. Yet FDR won by appealing to people's best instincts.

So, again, when you look at the candidates trying to appeal to hope and optimism more than to a hatred of Bush, why do you think they're doing that?

[HFishbine]

1. Mmmmm

Maybe because some of them were such enablers and apologists for Bush that they'd have nothing to gain from people being angry at Bush.

[AP]

3. Whose enabling and apologizing for Bush? Why are they running against Bush

if their goals are to apologize and enable Bush?

[JohnKleeb]

2. First off

Kudos to Edwards for bringing up FDR, and second of all, on hope and optimism, I think its because of their personal style. My guy Kucinich can show the anger but he's more of like the optimism and hope kind of guy, I think its just the way they personally are. Yes I have heard about FDR doing happy days are here again.

[AP]

4. You think they want to be president first, and then run campaigns that...

...conform to their personalities?

Don't you think it's more than that?

Also, if you like FDR, you should read this speech.

[JohnKleeb]

5. I dont know

I really dont. I think it could be personality possibly, or maybe its just the style, I prefer the hope and optimism myself. :thumbup: Good speech, I am probably one of the few who doesnt mind the son of a millworker thing, I want my son of a trucker to beat Bush :) but your son of a millworker would be good.

[AP]

6. Here's the stuff about FDR

More than 70 years ago, in the heat of his 1932 campaign, Franklin Roosevelt came before the Commonwealth Club and delivered one of the great campaign speeches in American history. Looking out upon our nation in economic and political crisis, FDR said, “Failure is not an American habit; and in the strength of great hope we must shoulder our common load.”

The man he was running against, Herbert Hoover, actually had a worse jobs record than George W. Bush. But FDR did not rail in anger. The country had endured three long years of disastrous Republican rule-but you know what?

FDR still looked out at America with a smile, not a scowl. His campaign theme song was, “Happy Days Are Here Again.” He didn't scare people or feed their fears. He didn’t tell his fellow Democrats that Hoover’s errors were all their fault, and that the Depression could have been avoided if they had just gotten in Hoover’s face. He told the country to disdain fear. He inspired hope and his optimism defined our party and our country.

FDR looked at the Great Depression and knew how to make America work again. He knew how to tap into the country’s ingenuity and build a future filled with promise and possibilities.

We need to offer the American people more than the crass politics of greed or the current politics of rage - we need to offer them a new politics of possibility. Elections are about the future. Elections are a contest of ideas. Whether it’s the “New Deal” or a new drive to save our working middle class and our way of life, ideas and principles matter to voters.

[JohnKleeb]

7. Thanks but I read it already,

Great stuff IMO.

[AP]

9. Probably the best speech of the 2004 campaign, if you ask me.

[JohnKleeb]

11. I like it

Thanks for sharing it.

[blm]

8. Campaigning too angry is like foodshopping too hungry.

.

[maggrwaggr]

10. if you're referring to Dean, I couldn't feel more happy that he's angry

BECAUSE ....

It's such a fucking relief to see someone who's fighting.

It's such a relief to see someone who actually has ideas about transforming this party.

It's such a relief to see someone who actually points anger where anger needs to be pointed.

Every time Dean hits the nail on the head, it brings a smile to my face.

Happy days are here again indeed. Because this guy is gonna kick George Bush's ASS.

[AP]

12. Where do you think Edwards has gone wrong is his Commonwealth Club

speech.

Have you read it?

[AP]

13. You can listen to the speech here, if you'd rather:

http://www.commonwealthclub.org/archive/03/03-12edwards-audio.html

[AP]

14. kick. Still looking for answers.

[dajabr]

15. Maybe they don't want to upset the trough? (nt)

[AP]

16. By doing what? Beating Bush? Bringing Democrats back to power?

??

[blm]

17. You prefer someone who PRETENDS he's not a corporatist?

The 11 year record doesn't match THIS year's rhetoric, does it?