Democratic WEDGE ISSUES

I know I have harped on this before. But I do believe this is how we will win both in 06 and 08.

Rule #1 is you have to pick the right candidates, or at least the best ones available. And that means likeable, charismatic people who project warmth, strength, optimism and confidence.

Rule #2 = your campaign has to go on the attack, and stay there relentlessly, find WEDGE ISSUES that work against your opponent and exploit them to the max.

This is how Republicans have been campaigning for thirty years, and it is how you win elections in the modern telecommunications age.

Kerry did not lose because of Diebold or because people disagreed with his stand on the issues. He lost because he violated

Rule #1 - sorry, but he did. He came across as a slightly foppish prig. Not an ounce of warmth or likeability (on television - in person, he may be a wonderful human being, but that does not matter.)

Rule #2- he allowed wedge issue to be used against HIM, but did not ever find or use wedge issues effectively against his opponents. This is not entirely his fault as the entire Democratic party has been pathetic in this regard.

We need to start playing rough, folks. On the national stage, people want to feel secure and protected by a leader (especially in these times) and they view presidential elections as eight month jousting contests.

How a candidate performs in the jousting contest, in people's minds, is how they will perform in the White House. If they project strength, cunning, wile, aggression, confidence and tactical wisdom in their battle against their opponent, the people will subliminally respond and feel comfortable entrusting them with power.

message? or never quit? or coordinate efforts and stay on the talking points (or even have talking points for that matter). None of these is nasty or negative, they just show determination, assertiveness (not agression), and DESIRE to win. Pink tutus not required.

I commend your views and wish them support :-)

Msongs
www.msongs.com/liberaltshirts.htm

Say it loud and say it proud. To many possible positives to let stem cell research pass us by.

It is easy to become the image of the enemy when adopting his devious, unethical tactics. Where is the line? Does such a line even exist?

about winning elections so that you can implement policies which will help your fellow man/woman.

Wedge issues are not unethical. They are a smart way to drive voter sentiment. Being a successful politician is in part being a successful psychologist of human behaviour. An area in which we have been sorely lacking.

Even as a Kerry supporter, when I hear his name now, the image of a Lurch-like character comes to mind. And election day is too close to Halloween :)

Like Gore, if Kerry's concession speech was the model for his style throughout the campaign, he (they) would have caught fire. Freaking handlers ruined it.