Arianna Huffington: Six Things John Kerry Needs To Do To Win In November

[Fridays Child]

CAMPAIGN 2004: SIX THINGS JOHN KERRY NEEDS TO DO TO WIN IN NOVEMBER

By Arianna Huffington

Dear Senator Kerry,

Congratulations on becoming the de facto nominee. Now the White House is gunning for you and party hacks are deafening you with advice. Take a deep breath and tune them out. Here is a simple six-point plan for becoming the
44th president of the United States.

One. You may share JFK's initials, but you need to campaign with RFK's passion. The night Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, you were on a ship coming home from Vietnam. And you have often talked about his legacy on the campaign trail, about politics as something more than "the art of the probable - tinkering around the edges without any greater vision." Ushering Bush out of the White House will take more than a critique, however masterful, of his failed policies - and more than a new-and-improved Medicare plan. It will take a bold moral vision of what America can be. As Bobby Kennedy often said, "Some men see things as they are and ask, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and ask, 'Why not?'"

Two. Don't pick a VP by looking at the map. Pick someone who can help you bring soul back to American politics and appeal not just to our self-interest but to our better instincts. In other words, do not pick Evan Bayh.

Three. Don't fall back on the tried-and-untrue swing voter strategy that has led to the prolonged identity crisis of the Democratic Party. Fifty percent of eligible voters did not vote in 2000. Speak to them - to the young, to the poor, to single women. Speak to those who have given up on our democracy, who are struggling without health care, without decent schools, without jobs. The dithering poltroons offering you focus group-tested advice on how to triangulate your way to victory won't like it. But you'll feel better about yourself, and you'll win.

More at http://ariannaonline.com/columns/column.php?id=700

[jfxgillis]

1. Arianna --

-- kicks fucking ass.

[Kanary]

2. "Speak to those who have given up on our democracy"

Oh yes, Arianna.. you have nailed that one!

I've experienced this so very personally. When I went to a meetup for one candidate many months ago, (will *not* name the candidate... all that gets, it seems, is defensive posture of the candidate, rather than hearing what I'm saying), and asked about the policy re: poverty, etc., I was just dismissed with "So, you're a one-issue voter". Well, crud-a-rama! Of COURSE, my survival is the most important thing to me!! If I don't survive, there's certainly no way I can work on issues involving the environment, education, health, or anything else. I still can't comprehend the thinking of someone who can dismiss me so easily.

While there are many here on DU who DO understand poverty issues, it certainly isn't a very strong issue here. In fact, I've been blown away by how many people repeat the mantra that we "need to get poor people registered to vote". Just as Arianna says, if the candidate SPEAKS to poor people, and works on their behalf, they will flock to the polls! We need, once more, to be seen as important..... just as important as the environment, etc.

"Speak to those who have given up on our democracy"

If John Kerry, and the rest of the Dems, listen to those words of clear wisdom, then there will be NO STOPPING us!

Kanary, with fervent hope this is heard....

[JoeKSimmons]

3. With all due respect to Arianna

John Kerry has a beautiful wife that can advise him just as well if not better. I don't know how Arianna and John's wife get along but the last thing I want to see is a cat fight between the two.

This missive from Arianna just looks a little condescending to me.

[spooky3]

4. Why in the world would you draw a parallel between the writer

and Kerry's wife?

The advice AH is giving has nothing to do with her gender. It has to do with her views as a prospective voter and her own professional experience. If a black writer offered the same advice, would you call attention to his or her race?

[sangha]

8. It has to do with her views that have never won an election

Don't you realize she's nothing more than anyone else who has never won an election (ie. unqualified to say what will win an election) She's just a rich women who writes for a living. Since when did the pundits become experts?

I'd bet dollars to donuts there's a "What Dean Needs to Do to Win the Election" piece in her file cabinet

BTW, it was widely reported that she was basically running her former husband's campaign in California, where he broke spending records and lost

[spooky3]

21. When has Carville or Begala won an important election?

How about for Novak, Broder, etc.? Do they or do they not offer advice, critique campaigns, opinionate, etc.?

Since when is winning an election a requirement for not being treated in a sexist manner when offering your opinion as a pundit?

We here at DU offer advice on campaigns all the time. How many of us have won an election.

She is an excellent writer, and she's paid to express her opinions. That is what she is doing.

If you or anyone else cares to critique what Huffington has written on the basis of its content, please do. However, it is objectionable to refer to her gender in such a condescending way.

29. Have you ever won an election?

just asking.
Even if you have does that make your opinion have more or less cachet?

[Cassandra]

9. Arianna is making suggestions as a political columnist

not as someone's little woman. Don't confuse the two.

[lams712]

5. Arianna Huffington KICKS ASS!!!!

A big :kick: for telling the truth. Her advice is Right ON!!!!

I'm sooooo glad she has come over to our side!!!!!!!

[DEM FAN]

6. Arianna Is A Doll.

:-)

[K8-EEE]

19. I Worked On Arianna's Gov Campaign

Great article, as usual.

I was impressed how she seemed to go out of her way to be nice to everyone. She didn't seem to be a rich/snotty bitchy type at all.

However...she had to drop out of the race, it seems to me she herself took most of this advice and couldn't make it work. But I guess once the huge Arnie Machine was rolled out, she was cooked.

In the beginning, I really thought she had a chance. I would have LOVED her to be our Governer!!

26. as confirmation

When I worked at Barnes & Noble in NYC we'd have a lot of well known people come in looking for books. It was always interesting to see what they were like as people in their encounters with booksellers.
Discovered some interesting things.
One example, Al Franken was quite condescending and treated us like we were stereotypical know-nothings one time when I helped him.
I also helped Arianna Huffington once & she was the complete opposite, genuinely friendly, no condescension at all.
This was back when she was still considered somewhat conservative and I remember thinking how it was interesting that some people may be conservative in political views but are actually quite democratic in their social outlook as with her while some are the opposite as with Franken.

[regnaD kciN]

7. BRAVO!!!

If JK takes this advice, I won't need to hold my nose while voting this November.

:bounce:

[Fridays Child]

13. She could have saved ink by narrowing her advice down to three words...

Be Howard Dean.

[K8-EEE]

20. Excuse Me??

That caused Howard Dean some problems....

[Fridays Child]

23. No, it caused the slimeball media some problems and THEY...

...caused Howard Dean some problems.

27. ssshhhhh

:)

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Love ya, Arianna *kiss kiss*

For a former Republican socialite, she's all right in my book.

[goodhue]

11. excellent advice

I hope Kerry and the DNC take it. But I'm not holding my breath.

[waldenx]

12. Kerry won't follow 1 of those things

He feels he is owed the presidency and will only give lip service to the people.
Arianna has infantile optimism as if she has never followed John Kerry's career as a selfish politician.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. What she's saying is

"Don't repeat Al Gore's mistakes."

Yes, I know Al Gore won the popular vote, but he should have won it so overwhelmingly against the Bushboy that no fraud was possible. It should have been Johnson versus Goldwater all over again.

[rucky]

15. I Agree & Disagree

Arianna described what I want to see & what we could have had.

But that's not Kerry. Whatever Kerry's doing is working so he should keep doing it. America doesn't want to try anything radically different right now. There's no consensus on where we should be heading, people just want to get off the wrong path. If Kerry tries to articulate a clear vision, he risks alienating voters who don't share his vision or aren't as inspired by it as they should be. This is what happened to Howard Dean & Dennis Kucinich.

[DrFunkenstein]

16. Kerry On The Back Cover of "Pigs At The Trough"

Arianna Huffington has always been willing to speak and write with conviction about the world around her. Her sharp wit and thoughtful commentary help put issues on the agenda ignored by conventional thinkers. I'm certain, that with her powerful new book, Arianna Huffington will be stirring the waters for some time to come.

- Senator John Kerry

[DuctapeFatwa]

17. One is good advice, 3 is terrible advice, 4 is tricky

the rest don't really say much, Enthusiasm is good.

Re 3, Kerry should stay on his own message: the everyday investor.
More likely to vote than the poor, and this election is a little different. There are lots of voters who don't have a problem with bush's policies but have gotten to the point where they can't stand bush.

On 4, he shouldn't run away from his voting record, but he needs to stress certain aspects of it, like consistently voting for more money for Israel, voting for the crusade, whatever he has in his record that is pro-business, pro-military, that's where bush will attack him.

I don't think Arianna is alone in engaging in a little wishful thinking, wishing Kerry were more this or that, but hopefully she will move past that and learn to celebrate Kerry for what he is - "electable" and focus on his strengths, as another poster pointed out in another thread, millions have spoken.

[Emillereid]

18. Hopes he listens to this advice --

especially number 3. Democrats have got to stand up for our historical values and not pander to some mythological 'middle, swing' voter.

[mdmc]

22. I think that Kerry can win. As far as Arianna's advice

It will take a bold moral vision of what America can be.

Pick someone who can help you bring soul back to American politics and appeal not just to our self-interest but to our better instincts.

Three. GOTV

Four {represent}... liberal values — held dear by most Americans.

Five. Remember: He who controls the language defines the political debate.

Six. Strike a new bargain with the American people. Tell them, "Let's put an end to the tyranny of low expectations. You can expect a lot more of me, and I will ask a lot more of you." President Bush has used Sept. 11 to divide us — and as a handy visual for his new campaign ads. Imagine how different our country would be if he had used it instead to call on the American people not to go shopping but to commit themselves to a large, collective purpose. Believe in us enough to ask us to confront both the horrors wrought by terrorists and the horrors wrought by random violence in our inner cities, and by woefully inadequate health care, education and housing. Believe in us enough to ask us to share in the sacrifices necessary to build a country of real opportunity for all and a sturdy social safety net. The values and spirit that emerged on Sept. 11 — generosity, selflessness, courage — are still very much part of who we are. After years of being pandered to and lied to, we are longing for a leader who will speak straight to us and challenge us to live up to those intangible qualities that make our nation great.

I agree with her.

[revcarol]

24. You'd think Dennis had been whispering in her ear.

x

[dolstein]

25. The first thing he should do is ignore everything Arianna says

Considering her dismal performance in the California recall election, Arianna is hardly in a position to be offering advice.

[revcarol]

28. And considering election 2002, McAuliffe should not be the chair of

the Dem Party.

He could do much worse than listen to Arianna. He could listen to McAuliffe.

[RetroLounge]

30. and how many elections have you won?

eom

[Forkboy]

31. Precisely

and that's why he should ignore Lieberman's advice too.What a shitty campaign he ran!