Why Bush's man is fighting dirty

[kskiska]

Bush's campaign mastermind has a simple rule: attack your opponent's strengths. As the polls show, it works.

Tiffany Watkins stood in front of a projection screen and went through her presentation to the convention delegates. Neither Watkins, nor the audience gathered in the plush New York hotel, were typical Republicans. They were all black. Nevertheless, Watkins, an operative from campaign HQ, urged them to get out the vote for President George W. Bush. 'We are not taking anything for granted,' Watkins warned.

Watkins does the bidding of Karl Rove, Bush's trusted campaign strategist, who has masterminded his campaigns since he first ran for the governorship of Texas. Rove's plan is simple: a mass mobilisation of the Republican base, coupled with a brutal media operation that has gone after Democratic nominee John Kerry's Vietnam record, seeking to portray the decorated veteran as a weak-willed liar.

Last week, the plan went like clockwork. The New York convention saw a series of brutal attacks on Kerry, lavish praise for Bush and dire warnings about the war on terror. The message was simple: America cannot risk electing Kerry. Bush was painted as a war leader; Kerry ridiculed as an untrustworthy flipflopper.

(snip)

But Rove is leaving nothing to chance. At a meeting last week of delegates from Ohio, perhaps the most important swing state in the race, Rove exhorted party members to greater efforts. 'Do more than you've ever done before,' he said 'We need to ask everyone we know to get involved in this crusade.'

Read the article. Lots of stuff here.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1297534,00.html

[napi21]

1. Oh good. He's back with that word crusade again.

This got shrub in trouble the last time he used it. Althoug he denied it, I believe that's exactly what he thinks he's fighting in Iraq!

[sandraj]

2. Guardian article on Rove from March of this year

Worth a read...

The brains
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1165126,00.html

"Eight years later, another Democrat, Anne Richards, occupied the governor's mansion, but Rove was promoting another Republican candidate, George W Bush. Governor Richards' advisers laughed openly at the challenge, but they were in for a shock. "We did not believe that Bush would be as disciplined as he was. He was extremely disciplined," recalls George Shipley, who was then Richards' campaign adviser. "Karl gave him 10 index cards and said, 'This is what you are going to say. Don't confuse yourself with the issues.' It's the model for the presidency."

In its last days, the 1994 campaign also turned nasty. Texan voters began receiving calls from "pollsters" asking questions such as: "Would you be more or less likely to vote for Governor Richards if you knew her staff is dominated by lesbians?" In the business, it is called "push-polling" and Shipley has no doubt who was behind it."Rove has used this kind of dirty tricks in every campaign he's ever run."

more at link

[Doosh]

3. we have to stoop to Rove's level

if we're going to beat him, we have to become him in a way. This doesn't go for every campaign, but in 2004, we just can't afford to lose. The Dems need to start spreading lies and propaganda, just suck it up for 2 months and fight at there level.

Push these stories:

1. McCain is considering leaving the Bush campaign and withdrawing his support

2. Jeb didn't show up in New York because of marital problems

3. the Bush daughters were visibly entoxicated while speaking at the convention


sounds pretty low, but guess what, they wouldn't hesitate to use this against US? Hit them with the smear of all smears. We can't lose this year!!!

[booksenkatz]

4. But we don't have to lie

The facts about this cabal are bad enough. Hit them with the facts, but damn it, HIT THEM.

Very interesting article here.

**A kick for the morning crew**

[shanti]

9. exactly

there's enought repugnant TRUTH about the chimp that we needn't resort to lies.

[Khephra]

5. "attack your opponent's strengths"

As mentioned on the CSPAN Books on Bush panel, that's not Rove's rule--it's Machiavelli's rule.

[roseBudd]

8. Use guerilla marketing to attack Bush & Co.

Create an issue that brings the media to us using viral and guerilla marketing techniques.

please help me get the word out:

most people have not read the 8/6/2001 PDB. I created a postcard size version.




Please print and distribute the image above. High res version for printing available below. Put them on car winshields. Hand them out on street corners. drop them in driveways in the suburbs.

We don't need TV buys to get some attention on this issue. We have to undermine Bush's perceived strength. We all are potential disseminators of printed media. We do not need a newspapers permission or lots of money for TV commercials. We need viral grass roots marketing. We need to create a buzz. If we create a buzz with massive distribution of printed ads we will get media coverage. If these start miraculously appearing and no one knows where they are coming from it will start to get media attention. We must also go after and mock Rice, Cheney and Ashcroft. It is the whole package.


Bush admin. INCOMPETENCE is key to undermining his strength.

high resolution version for printing here:
http://somnamblst.tripod.com /

[progressivebydesign]

14. I read that daily briefing.. and I wonder how people could support Bush.

If you were the president, and you received that briefing (even if you had never seen the obvious other daily briefings) would you take a vacation for a month?

[GCP]

6. Why the fuck did Kerry choose Shrum in the first place?

He's lost every one of his campaigns to get someone elected president.
The guy's a total loser.

"For the moment, Rove's plan is on track. Meanwhile, Bob Shrum, Kerry's own powerful political mentor, must try to win back the initiative. Republicans take heart from Rove's record. Since teaming up with Bush, Rove has powered Bush to the White House. Shrum, however, who has worked for four different Democratic presidential candidates, has lost each time.

[leesa]

7. Rove is the one who has labored to con the religious Fundies as well

He goes to their meetings and plays "Christian" with them. He and the other con men, the Grahams, Robertson, Falwell, LaHaye....all confidence men.

[jdj]

11. I guess we have CINOs as well as RINOs and DINOs

Christians in name only.

Underneath they are the scum of the earth.

It's just code for scum sucking son of a bitch.

[sam sarrha]

10. Rove being a 'One Trick Pony' should have his own weakness to take

advantage of ... I hope the Plame investigation will indite him before the election..... that day should become a national 4 day holiday.

[fob]

12. That's not what rove does. He takes HIS guy's weakness and

projects it onto his opponent and THEN attacks it.

[progressivebydesign]

13. CRUSADE????

Anyone who is not a fundamentalist Christian should run SCREAMING from the GOP!! Every word Rove utters is for a reason.. the word CRUSADE is used for a reason. He is the most dangerous man in politics... he has no heart, no soul, and no honor. Even the death-bed conversion of Lee Atwater did NOTHING to turn Rove human. Rove is an example of what Scrooge would have done, had he not listened to Jacob Marley that night... If you are a Christmas Carol fan at all.. remember the world that will be, if Scrooge had not heeded Marley's warning from the grave.

Hey Karl, those rattling metal sounds AREN'T wind chimes! Rent or read A Christmas Carol... even Scrooge changed his ways!