Biggest Reasons Kerry Lost in 2004

adios · #1 08-31-2005, 08:35 AM

Any viewpoints on this? When I reflect on the campaign last year I find the Kerry campaign was a total fiasco.

elwoodblues · #2 08-31-2005, 08:44 AM

Biggest reason that both he and Gore lost (in my opinion) was that neither came off as likeable. People might think Bush is an incompetent boob, but somehow he's managed to convince people that he's just like us (despite his privileged upbringing.)

Broken Glass Can · #3 08-31-2005, 08:52 AM

The biggest reason they lost was for policy reasons. People turned out in big numbers to vote against surrenderism, tax increases, and other liberal policies.

It is a mistake to always turn election results into personality contests. People vote politics a lot more than you may think.

Autocratic · #4 08-31-2005, 08:55 AM

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The biggest reason they lost was for policy reasons. People turned out in big numbers to vote against surrenderism, tax increases, and other liberal policies.

It is a mistake to always turn election results into personality contests. People vote politics a lot more than you may think.

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Are you kidding? Policy was absolutely not the reason - it usually IS a personality contest, because the average person has minimal policy understanding.

Broken Glass Can · #5 08-31-2005, 09:02 AM

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Are you kidding? Policy was absolutely not the reason - it usually IS a personality contest, because the average person has minimal policy understanding.

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So why do the red and blue states remain almost the same election to election even when the candidates change?

Because conservatives in red states want a conservative president, and vice versa.

People in Massachusetts would vote for a moral midget, if he were a liberal running against a conservative. And the opposite is true in Utah.

How do you think Kerry and Kennedy got to be senators in the first place? [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Autocratic · #6 08-31-2005, 09:05 AM

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Are you kidding? Policy was absolutely not the reason - it usually IS a personality contest, because the average person has minimal policy understanding.

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So why do the red and blue states remain almost the same election to election even when the candidates change?

Because conservatives in red states want a conservative president, and vice versa.

People in Massachusetts would vote for a moral midget, if he were a liberal running against a conservative. And the opposite is true in Utah.

How do you think Kerry and Kennedy got to be senators in the first place? [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

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That isn't policy, that's rhetoric. GOP rhetoric matches up with what most people in the South wants to hear, and Dems have the same effect on the coasts.

You really think that the American public has a good grasp on policy?

Matty · #7 08-31-2005, 09:09 AM

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When I reflect on the campaign last year I find the Kerry campaign was a total fiasco.

[/ QUOTE ]Why is this?

Not only are incumbents with their bully pulpits hard to take down, but incumbent Presidents in America during wartime are almost impossible to take down- you just can't touch them. In 2003 it was accepted that Bush wouldn't really have much of a challenge in 2004, yet Kerry came within "a football stadium in Ohio" of making history.

Reason Kerry lost: 9/11. If Gore had been President during 9/11 there's no way he would have lost in 2004.

Alsoafter the campaign Kerry released military documents that showed many of the SwiftBoat liars were just that, liars who had contradicted themselves repeatedly and praised him and his service in the past. Apparently he didn't want to release them during the campaign because he wanted to take the high road. So some say that could have changed things, but personally I think anyone who actually listened to the SBVFT was absolutely unshakeable by the facts.

Reason Gore lost: Well he won by 1.5 million, and studies have shown if the recall had gone through he would have won Florida as well. But the reason he didn't blow Bush out of the water was Clinton's BJ, a growing dissatisfaction with the gutter politics among the public and subsequent low voter turnout which recently has hurt Dems more than Reps. Also his mannerisms during the debates were kinda stupid. He also tended to brag a little too much (although not as much as some would have you believe).

Some questions for you: Why did the 9/11 President who had approval ratings in ths 90's come within a football stadium in Ohio of losing his office?

Also, why did he lose by 1.5 million in 2000, especially in light of his huge money advantage that year?

Broken Glass Can · #8 08-31-2005, 09:09 AM

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You really think that the American public has a good grasp on policy?

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I don't think most people are policy wonks. But they know were they stand on basic issues like taxes, the war on terror, and the hot social issues. I give people credit for voting for what they believe in.

Matty · #9 08-31-2005, 09:12 AM

Oh, I also recently got a horde of data from the 2000 election that you can't find on websites. As I look through it over the next couple of weeks I'll post any really interesting screenshots I find.

adios · #10 08-31-2005, 09:17 AM

Interesting viewpoint, a significant reason that Kerry lost in 2004 because Gore got screwed in Florida in 2000. Apparently your position is that Kerry conducted a well run campaign. I think you're in denial. I wonder how many Democrats agree with you. I'll post my reasons why I think Kerry snatched defeat from the jaws of victory later.