What Kerry Should Do

[andyfox]

1) Forget about Vietnam. People don't want to hear about it. "John Kerry Reporting for Duty" was a bad idea. John O'Neill has been hounding him for thirty-five years, did Kerry think he'd stop now? With questions about his medals (both his earning of them and his throwing of them) and with tape of him as a (relvatively) long-haired (relvatively) radical talking about Genghis Khan, it was a lose-lose issue.

2) On Iraq, Kerry's position is essentially the same as Bush's. He (and Edwards) voted to give the president the power to invade. And they said they thought Saddam had WMDs. Instead of saying it's the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place (or whatever he's said), say the war in being fought inaptly and ineptly. There was no planning for post-war by the inner circle. And what planning was done by the outer circle was deliberately ignored by the inner circle. Point out specific tactical mistakes (disbanding the army; relying on Chalabi). Use the Rumsfled known-unkowns tape.

3) On the war on terror in general, again show Bush's ineptitude. Show him saying to Matt Lauer that it can't be won. Point out the disaster that is Afghanistan. Ask why Omar Mullah hasn't been brought to justice. Find some statistics and facts from Iraq that make things look bad. (Madelaine Albright was excellent on this on Jim Lehrer last night. Then again, they had Henry Kissinger, who sounds like a Mafioso consigliere, making the case for Bush.)

4) Hammer on the economy. Most people don't understand the deficit as a percentage of the GDP or adjusted for inflation. Harp on the fact that there was a surplus when Bush took over and now there's a "record deficit." Keep citing the $422,000,000,000 or whatever the number is. Under Roosevelt there were more jobs when he left than when he came in. Under Truman. Under Eisenhower. Kennedy. Johnson. Nixon. Gerald helmetless Ford. Etc., etc. The poverty rate is going up.

Keep it simple. Show Bush saying A and then point out B.

And don't be so pontifical. That slow, strong cadence sounds like he's lecturing, talking down. Just like Gore spoke. People don't like it. Bush is sometimes a bit too homey, but it's much more effective than Kerry's style. It's hard to like Kerry; give them less reason to dislike you.

No charge for my services, senator.

[adios]

IMO he's basically attacked the administration on Iraq and the war on terror. He needs to be clear and definite how he'd conduct a "war on terror" and why it's better than what Bush is doing. He needs to be clear about his own exit plan in Iraq.

Every time that guy get's into droning with platitudes galore mode I'm to the next channel.

He needs to be more "presidential." For instance during the recent Russian events he needed to go on the air in his best blue suit and do some tough talking behind a podium and field some questions from the media. He needed to act like he was president. He missed a golden opportunity. I noticed today that he gave a speech on foreign policy where he was wearing a suit and was behind a podium. I watched for 2 minutes expecting that I'd hear some substance but he droned off into super platitude mode at which point the channel was changed.

[GWB]

Kerry needs to do more windsurfing. He has to buck up that "I'm the new JFK" image.

[MaxPower]

He should just take Clinton's speech from the Democratic convention and use that as his stump speech.

[Matty]

He had to establish himself as a wartime president. Granted he doesn't hold an advantage there like he does on domestic issues, but it was essential to establish himself the way he did. He had to get through that period where the American Public was getting to know him without becoming scared of him.

I agree that he should now now focus on domestic issues. He does too. That's why he's hired Sasso and some other former Clinton men to drive the new message.

[Abednego]

I don't think it would hurt him if he cut his hair in the short style so popular today (not to mention the considerable amount of money he would save) and then maybe even grow a gotee and get a tatoo. Al Gore got a piercing when he found out Bush got a Dick Cheney but the beard came just a little too late.

[nolanfan34]

This is spot on. What's sad is that you can sum up an effective strategy for him in 4 paragraphs, while millions of dollars worth of campaign workers can't seem to do it.

I can't fathom why he isn't hammering harder on presenting some sort of plan or exit strategy for Iraq. That's what people want to hear - when are we getting out of there. Don't harp on why we ended up over there, show some vision and give people something to believe in. It's not that hard.

[Abednego]

Yeah ..... especially the enemy

[andyfox]

He does drone. Again, it reminds me of Gore when he does that.

Not good.

[andyfox]

Good point. It does indeed look silly when a 61 year old man windsurfs.

You, OTOH, look quite fit, healthy and handsome. This will come in handy during hte debates to counteract your opponent's height advantage.