Should Kerry be doing more to appeal to Republicans and Libertarians?

[Democat]

Twice now, I have read about Kerry making comments where he is a little rude sounding to "Republicans". The most recent was in the speech where the right wing operatives showed up with their flip flops.

Do you think that it would be more effective if Kerry were to distinguish between good Republicans and the evil right wingers? I know quite a few Republicans who might vote for Kerry this year, but they are probably less likely to every time he groups all Republicans together and insults them, even when he is just responding to some right wing thugs.

I think it would be better if he talked about how there are a lot of great Republicans all over America who are sick of Bush corrupting their party. Look at McCain's semi-support of Kerry. There are others as well, like Arnold, who represent a whole group of people who call themselves Republicans, but who are sick of Bush. Sure, the politicians will support Bush, but even some of them are hoping Bush loses.

Kerry needs to use the "uniter" issue more and talk about how he wants to represent Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Libertarians, Independents, and all other Americans.

I understand that he needs to stand up against Bush and the right wing thugs, but he needs to, at the same time, make sure that good honest Republicans and real conservatives understand that he will do what is right for all Americans, not just for party line Democrats.

Has Kerry been making this point in his speeches? Does he talk about bringing America back together after all the partisanship that Bush has brought to the country?

I haven't heard all of his speeches, so maybe he's already pushing these themes?

[rwheeler31]

1. no

If independents and gopers cannot be upset at what is happening, they are making this mess and are aooproving it or profiting from it.

[azmesa207]

2. Should Kerry do more to get Republican

how can you say he has been rude To them after the attack the have launched on him If anything he not been tough enough It time the Democrats get some Balls and go after them with a vengeance I tired of them being mis goody to shoes

[Democat]

4. Here is what I am asking

Should he distinguish between "Republicans" and "Right Wingers" when he goes on the attack?

Maybe it's too fine of a distinction for most voters to care about.

I would just like to see him saying things that make it seem like all reasonable people, no matter what their party, want to see Bush gone.

Clinton was a master of making it seem like everyone supported him except the extremists, and I would like for Kerry to come across more like that. Like it's Americans against Bush, not just Democrats against Republicans.

I am all for fighting hard and mean - being wimpy is what lost us the last couple of elections, but I wonder who the target should be - all Republicans or hardcore Bush supporters.

[amazona]

3. No it's pointless

Instead of catering to the minority (and Republicans and Libertarians are statistically the minority) he should be paying more attention to the rest of us. If he wants to get the inner cities out, the minorities out, (you know, people who might actually vote Democratic) etc. he doesn't need to be playing up the Libertarian crap. Any Libertarian who hasn't figured out yet that Chimpy played him for a fool is already hopeless -- one look at the federal budget should be able to tell anyone who isn't delusional where today's GOP stands on "pocketbook" issues.

You can't argue with the delusional. Let's focus on people who actually might be motivated to get out and vote for our team, given a proper incentive. I mean, OK, he can throw the right a few bones, but catering to the Libertarian hysterical extreme is a waste of time. These people haven't a clue what they stand for. In the last two weeks, I have seriously heard some of these people, whose own pocketbooks were adversely affected, parrot the ridiculous, "Outsourcing is good" party line.

You can't teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

As a former Libertarian, I am probably more disgusted than most at the idiocy of the ideology not to mention the idiocy of the people who never outgrow it.


So take my rant for what it is worth.

[Pastiche423]

5. I believe Kerry should be doing more

to appeal to Democrats.

[ulTRAX]

6. OF COURSE HE SHOULD!!!

There's some issues that Kerry could tap... taming the raging Bush deficits SHOULD be of interest to fiscal conservatives who still believe in old fashion fiscal responsibility and haven't caught on yet that today's GOP uses fiscal irresponsibility as a political weapon. But Kerry needs to do some education on just what these deficits are and why they are a danger.

In another thread I proposed trying to sell off some public lands in the west but ONLY if ALL funds were used to buy more public lands in the east. That's an issue that cuts across party lines.... and would appeal to Sagebrush Rebellion types.

I also proposed Kerry, or maybe I did elsewhere, that Kerry resurrect the 9th amendment and attack the practice of making laws that exceed legitimate intent. Certainly this, in theory, is an issue that cuts across party lines and should appeal to Libertarians.

Given how anti-democratic our federal system is... Kerry can not write off any potential ally as long as can do so WITHOUT compromising away his liberal values in the process as Clinton did.

[no name no slogan]

7. He should be doing more to appeal to DEMOCRATS

...and non-voters who lean Democratic, but won't vote unless given a good reason to do so.

Most people in this country still identify more closely with the Democrats on the major issues, like jobs, healthcare, public spending, etc. However, we still have 50% of the population who DOES NOT EVEN VOTE.

I want to see Kerry appeal to these people: the working poor, the ever-shrinking middle-class, senior citizens, working families. THESE are the ones we need to get to the polls, NOT the so-called "moderates" who make up their mind at the last second.

If Kerry could even get a tenth of the 50% who didn't vote in 2000 to vote for him, he'd have a unBushable margin, even if Jeb stole FL again.

These votes are Kerry's for the asking-- he just has to make the appeal. Or he can continue to fight over that fickle 2% "moderate" vote that is as unpredictable as a tornado.

[lams712]

8. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!

Kerry should be trying to neutralize the Nader campaign and not try to be "Republican-lite".
If Gore's and Nader's votes from 2000 are combined, the political "left" had a majority over the Republicans.
The people are out there to be had for John Kerry, he doesn't have to worry about wooing ANYBODY on the right.