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<< Bush's 700,000 Person Patronage Machine | Main | Save Overtime: Act Now >> September 04, 2003Kerry Committing Political SuicideStruggling in the polls, Kerry has decided trashing Dean is the way to go: Since Sunday, the Massachusetts senator has criticized the former Vermont governor, who leads in the latest polls in New Hampshire, for his opposition to the Iraq war, lack of government experience in foreign policy, economic plans, and membership in the National Rifle Association.All along I thought Kerry would win by biding his time and becoming the de facto anybody-but-Dean candidate, which would let him rope in supporters of Lieberman and most of Gephardt's and Edwards' supporters. But he's panicked and is going to piss off a lot of natural supporters, including people like myself who were leaning towards him. This is the email I sent off to his campaign today. ------------------------- To the Kerry campaign, John Kerry is making a big mistake if he attacks Dean rather than Bush. I'm a moderately popular blogger (see http://www.nathannewman.org/log/) and general progressive activist for two decades. I like Kerry and have been someone who's written quite favorably about his campaign: So this is a message from what would have been a likely supporter. STOP TRASHING DEAN or you'll see me and a lot of folks leaning towards Kerry go off and support Dean. This campaign is an audition for who is the person most likely to defeat Bush, not the person who can help destroy the chance of the other candidate to do so. If you want to distinguish yourself from Dean, do it in a positive manner. Talk about your own foreign policy experience compared to Bush's lack of same coming into the White House (folks can figure out who else that might apply to), talk about your positions on the economy, on gun control or whatever. But direct attacks on Dean will backfire. Guaranteed. Yours, Nathan Newman Posted by Nathan at September 4, 2003 01:43 PM Related posts:
Trackback PingsTrackBack URL for this entry: CommentsLet us know if you hear a response! Posted by: Curious at September 4, 2003 02:28 PM Kerry has to be careful or he risks being held in the same disdain as the DLC. If he wants to win, Kerry has to find a way to excite the party's base (it's not asking for much as Dean discovered. How about an assault on growing economic inequality as a economic growth issue? Why not embrace the $8 minimum wage, John? Posted by: Ben Brackley at September 4, 2003 04:49 PM Post-debate: I'm not sure what Kerry's strategy was tonight, but at least he didn't go negative on Dean. He could have taken some pointers from
Posted by: Ben Brackley at September 4, 2003 09:50 PM Nathan, the Kerry people must have read your letter, the way he behaved tonight. And with all the talk of Kerry's need to shake up his staff: do I sense a job offer coming your way? Posted by: JUSIPER at September 4, 2003 10:51 PM The Kerry people must be so frustrated to get a letter like that. For a while, someone could say to Dean: stop trashing the other candidates who have a chance to win. Talk in a positive manner. That same letter could have been written a few months ago with the names switched. Posted by: Tim Waligore at September 4, 2003 11:17 PM Good for Kerry. I doubt I was the only one telling him to cool it. I actually missed the debate but a number of friends called me and said Kerry (like all the candidates) had kept on keel and friendly. Best position for him and the Dems overall. This could be fun-- a series of debates that are essentially a shooting gallery against Bush. Whichever candidate scores the most bullseyes, wins! Karl Rove's worst nightmare of a Democratic primary. Posted by: Nathan at September 4, 2003 11:39 PM Regarding Kerry and the minimum wage, here's a quote: "Frankly, the Republican response on the minimum wage is an extraordinary story of modern economic America. Even as the American worker has increased productivity almost 75% in the last three decades, you would have to raise the minimum wage to $8.14 an hour just to restore the purchasing power it had 33 years ago - and all we’re trying to do is get it up to $6.55! Hardworking families deserve a raise. And fairness demands it." http://www.johnkerry.com/news/speeches/spc_2002_1203.html Kerry is very big into economic justice. He is very big on ending corporate welfare, fighting corporate crime, and giving the SEC the teeth it needs to stick it to power merchants. Posted by: DrFunkenstein at September 5, 2003 09:45 PM I think that Kerry should drop out of the race and stop beinga patsy for Rove. If he doesn't put one to sleep he is bashing Dean.His lifetime of speaking in glittering generalities has caught up with him. Posted by: Terry Gardner at September 7, 2003 02:37 PM pissing Posted by: som at August 24, 2004 07:00 AM Post a comment
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