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September 04, 2003
Kerry Committing Political Suicide
Struggling 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.
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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:
http://www.nathannewman.org/log/archives/000940.shtml#000940
http://www.nathannewman.org/log/archives/000945.shtml#000945
http://www.nathannewman.org/log/archives/000989.shtml#000989
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,
Posted by Nathan at September 4, 2003 01:43 PM
