Kerry's Surge Could Prompt Shift at Bush Campaign

[Feanorcurufinwe]

John Kerry's resurgence in the Democratic race for the White House could force President Bush's campaign to reassess its strategy to face a potential challenge by the war hero on national security, Republican strategists and analysts said. After months of preparing for a likely match-up with leading anti-Iraq war candidate Howard Dean in the November U.S. election, Republican strategists say the focus of the Bush campaign's opposition research may shift more to Kerry, a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War.

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While they predict a close presidential race no matter who wins the Democratic nomination, Bush aides clearly relish the prospect of going head-to-head with Dean. Even among some Democrats, the former Vermont governor's lack of foreign policy experience and controversial pronouncements cast doubt on his readiness to lead a country still focused on security after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. By contrast, Kerry boasts a decorated Vietnam combat record and almost two decades of foreign policy experience in the Senate. Bush allies concede this makes him a more formidable challenger on issues like the war on terrorism and rocky international relations after the U.S.-led Iraq war.

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Stephen Hess, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank, said it "almost looked to me that the president would get a free ride" if Dean won the nomination. "I don't think he gets a free ride with John Kerry or one of the others," Hess said. "No question, he (Kerry) would be harder to beat." Republicans said they worried about Kerry's strong national security credentials.

"Kerry can fight with Bush on the national security field because of his service to the country in Vietnam and his leadership in the U.S. Senate. Those are two areas where Dean wasn't even in the arena," said Republican strategist Scott Reed. In response, Reed said Bush's team would "retool" its opposition research. Kerry's voting record will be thoroughly examined. "They'll look for flaws and vulnerabilities, and try to take him down a peg any way they can," said University of Texas political scientist Bruce Buchanan, a longtime Bush watcher.

"They'll have to plan longer and harder and more carefully," Hess said.


http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4170310

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4170310

[J B]

1. I guess they're warming up the Max Cleland ads again

Just change the names and faces and there you go.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

2. They did it in Georgia - can they pull it off nationally - a 2nd time?

I don't think so.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. Duped

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=149420