Reply #22: I agree, the GOP has been great at enforcing Democrats' MANNERS.

[Sparkly]

They sling mud with abandon, yet they feign white-gloved shock when Kerry swears or Dean tells the truth.

Yes, it's Rove -- but it started with Gingrich and if Rove bows out for 2008, there'll be somebody else (Karen Hughes, perhaps).

Since 2000, the RNC has been giving Democrats free advice (how nice of them) such as, "Democrats can't go negative." "Democrats have to be careful not to attack a wartime president." "Democrats can't seem angry or bitter." They're STILL doing that.

Now they've added, "Democrats criticize and complain, but don't have any ideas of their own." That needs to be countered loudly and strongly.

Gore took the high road, and never "went negative," and their campaign of "Liar Liar Pants on Fire" made it close enough to steal. Kerry's campaign was better at offense (which is more effective against an incumbent), but I agree -- they underestimated the power of the other side's offense until it was too late.

Their game is basically, "Make the other candidate unacceptable." They tie a lot of cultural propaganda into the whole thing, but ultimately, that's what it's all about. Doing the same, or even telling the truth, leads to the old "Lesser of two evils" ennui among voters, but so be it.

In my view, this is literally about life and death. I hope Democrats will go on the offense, ignore the "helpful hints" on manners from the RNC, and make whoever their candidate is in 2008 unacceptable, no matter what it takes.