What are different candidates doing.. right?

Between the hyping of x candidate and dissing of y candidate, there is little analysis of what different candidates are doing effectively. What is working in these different campaigns.

In the words of the Highlander... In the End There Can Only Be One...

Instead of jockeying around with our biased views of who that is - why not start thinking strategically. Learn from the successful aspects of the different campaigns. Have to identify those things, before we can learn from them.

In the End... we want our candidate and his(her) campaign to be able to tap into the things that are most effective from all. The challenge in terms of BUSH MONEY and media bias (that is free Bushie positive press, along with continual snarky anti dem coverage) is going to be huge.

Frankly, in the end, just having people "go to vote while holding my nose" is NOT going to win the election.

So can we learn from effective strategies from the various campaigns?

Both are linking Renewable Energy with National Security. This feels like a winning strategy because people know oil comes from the MidEast and the MidEast is filled with turmoil, so we need to find something new so we aren't tied to that turmoil.

...peeps on the left and right know full well that Saudi Arabia is responsible for exporting a great deal of the extremist sentiment we are supposedly "warring" against, yet Bush lets them go with not so much as a harsh word. What's up with that?

But none has raised nearly as much as bush, who has broken all records, so unslakable is the voting class' thirst for Muslim blood, and insatiable the appetite of the corporate oligarchy for more oilngun money.

to audiences - but not just in person. A couple of months ago my peacenic mother (70+) received some Edwards materials. She was impressed. I let her know of his pro invasion vote (and supportive rhetoric at the onset of the invasion - though he remained critical of the "HOW" we were going about it) - in the name of disclosure. Being pragmatic, she said she didn't know that in the end she would make her choice on the war vote. But stated that she was impressed with his materials and stands. Point being - even in written word - this guy connects.

Mom remains uncommitted, and has given nominal support to several candidates (we both believe that the primary process is healthy and keeping numerous voices in - force the media to cover the issues - since they seem so wont to do so on their own). But she is impressed.

having many candidates has forced the media to cover the issues! for that reason, i think all of them are great!
dennis and howard are inspiring new voters to register.
joe is showing us why we don't want a repube lite prez.
carol is showing that women of any color are ready for prime time.
al is just plain great in my book! i wish he would find a congressional seat and get some party backing.
as i see it, clark is paving the way for kerry: we need a dem/military type, but one with legislative experience, who's also a real sportsman... not just a jogger.

is better than doubling the Bush's brain.

he isn't taking every issue and making political calculations about what will suit him best. He hears about issues and comes out based on what he feels is right, take for example the black box voting issue, as far as I know he was the first to come out in support of the paper trail. I think people who get to know about him really respect this about him. If he does somehow get the nomination I think it will show through more.

'kick' and influence to the progressive wing of the party. The better he does (eg longer he stays in the race), the harder it is to marginalize him and others, as was always done with Sen. Wellstone.

In Indianapolis, Indiana last week, Michael Moore spoke at a relatively conservative college. During the speech he mentioned various candidates. The one who received the loudest applause (I have heard this from several accounts) - Kucinich. In Indianapolis. Granted the audience was those who went (full house) to see Michael Moore, but none the less, Dennis K is building a real following.

His numbers still look too low to pull off 'the upset' (but hey in primary season.. who knows?!) - but I do think that he is setting up a potentially shifting dynamic - where what is now perceived as more marginal, becomes viewed as a little bit more powerful (in terms of connecting with people). That, in the long run, is a very good thing.

I only saw Clark and Dean mentioned.

heard a first hand account, and read a newspaper (teen column) account. The big response from the crowd was to Kucinich. Frankly (no offense - but this is Indiana) I was surprised.

Thats great, thanks salin, hopes are a risen.