Fox: "Kerry Urged to Increase Attacks on Bush"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,131070,00.html

NEW YORK — Anxiously watching President Bush's convention, Democratic leaders are urging John Kerry (search) to step up his attack on the Republican incumbent before eroding approval ratings become a serious political problem.

The candidate and his beleaguered staff are being flooded with advice, much of it contradictory. Some party officials want Kerry to criticize the president for sitting out the Vietnam War in the Texas Air National Guard (search ). Others say that would draw unwanted attention to accusations about Kerry's combat experience.

In the broad scheme of things, the GOP advances may be nothing more than a political adjustment — a nudge of the pendulum, rather than a big swing. But for some Democrats, the president's momentum came as a shock, in part because Kerry's team had bragged openly that Boston had set the stage for victory. That was their first mistake. "It's never a good idea to get people too excited too early," said Bill Carrick, a leading Democratic strategist from California.

After raising expectations, Kerry listened to campaign consultants advising him to let surrogates respond to accusations that he exaggerated his medal-winning wartime service. They wanted him to remain above the fray, and he did, until the accusations from the group calling itself Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (search ) began tugging him down. By the time Kerry personally struck back, calling the group a front for Bush spreading "lies about my record," the damage was done. Polls show Bush is now favored over Kerry on questions of who is more qualified to be commander in chief and which candidate is more honest. Immediately after his convention, Kerry led on both questions.

:beer:

It kind of does sound like republican talking points. But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

Bill Carrick and Frank Schreck are loyal dems the last time I checked. But hey, if you read the whole piece, you'd have known that.

there's like a 1-2 pt shift in the polls and the prez has mo and it came as a shock??? They are working overtime to make it seeeeemmm like Kerry's team is coming apart. Novak did it this afternoon on CNN, blabbing about "the shakeup" at the Kerry campaign blah, blah, blah straight out of Rove's playbook they need some originality, desperately!!!!

I would like to see Kerry ridicule this meme and then say "This campaign is a long way from being over, and the American people will see that I have the right plan and G Bush has no plan before this is over."

...that Kerry's success lies not in attacking Bush for what he IS, but for what he is NOT.

Bush...the "No Plan, Man" candidate...the Connecticut Cowboy...bring it awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn!

:evilgrin:

Kerry Turns Up the Volume With Litany of Critiques for Bush
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/01/politics/campaign/01CND-KERR.html?hp

"All too aware that his inner circle has pressed for a more aggressive campaign style, Senator John Kerry today heavily criticized George W. Bush for what he called the president's failures in handling the Iraq war and the wider war on terror, saying "I would have done almost everything differently."..."

this is just spin to try to make it look like his offense is the result of indecision.

These polls within the margin of error, gimme a break.

to an interview with Clinton where he talks about Kerry's reaction to the Swift Boat ads. Apparently, Kerry thought no one would pay attention to them, which is the reason he didn't go on the offensive as soon as the ads started running. Clinton said Kerry was absolutely stunned when they continued to pick up speed. He could not believe that lies, slander and total defamation of his character would be taken seriously; he thought the whole thing would just blow over. Kerry decided to respond only after his polls started to decline.

People keep saying Kerry had a plan...Kerry knew what was coming, but maybe he didn't. I think he knew Rove would use dirty tricks, but I don't think he expected Rove would also attempt to destroy him in the process.

24/7 adulation and unquestioning coverage.

I suppose you can call that being taken off-guard, particularly considering how the media has handled Iraq, but Clinton really didn't do that great defending himself when he was attacked either. He just weathered it, like Kerry's doing.

I'm not sure there's a whole lot else that would have worked. Kerry did have rebuttals and his own swift vets out there, but the media just blew them off.

link, you'll see...

but in the meantime, here's an excellent Salon article.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/09/01/kerry_media/index.html

Look under your desk, and the rug. Look under your chair. And be sure to make a video of it

"That's why I think we need to answer back. But I think, I think in the beginning John couldn't believe it. I mean after all the guys that were on the boat with him were up there on stage with him including some that were probably Republicans — they just knew him and if you've never been through this kind of thing before, where people question your integrity and your very core — it's disorienting, but I think he's got a good answer. The facts are on his side and he'll prevail."

link: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,130528,00.html

I used the word stunned, instead of "couldn't believe it" and "disorienting."

I also included a reference to Kerry responding only after his polls declined. That was from another article, I am including a portion of the article and link here:

"Kerry finally decided to respond Thursday by blaming Bush for what he described as a scurrilous attack and filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Friday.

His actions came after confronting considerable evidence that two weeks of largely unanswered attacks were taking their toll. A CBS News poll found support for Kerry among veterans has declined markedly since the convention, and a number of Democrats said they believed that the attacks on Kerry had at the very least slowed whatever momentum Kerry had enjoyed after his convention."

link: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1093090020215830.xml

I should know better than to post without verifying first. My bad.

Clinton said Kerry was absolutely stunned when they continued to pick up speed. He could not believe that lies, slander and total defamation of his character would be taken seriously; he thought the whole thing would just blow over. Kerry decided to respond only after his polls started to decline.

Actual quote:
"That's why I think we need to answer back. But I think, I think in the beginning John couldn't believe it. I mean after all the guys that were on the boat with him were up there on stage with him including some that were probably Republicans — they just knew him and if you've never been through this kind of thing before, where people question your integrity and your very core — it's disorienting, but I think he's got a good answer. The facts are on his side and he'll prevail."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,130528,00.html


There is a big difference between Clinton speculating that Kerry 'couldn't believe it' and Clinton stating such a thing as if it were a fact. Also as you can see, Clinton made absolutely no comment resembling 'Kerry decided to respond only after his polls started to decline.'.

Thanks for making the effort to find the link.


(I don't know why you included that other link, there are no quotes from BC in it...)

I should have verified quotes before posting. I don't mind admitting I'm wrong when it happens to be true :hi:

That is one sentence from Fox that I believe...