Is Bush Fucked?

[Joe]

Basically what crackpot said earlier about the economy; voters vote first and foremost on how the economy is doing, which is a shame since issues the President actually has control over should be at the forefront of this election, not the fucking economy.

"Are you better off than you were four years ago? Is America more respected in the world?" I assume you will recall who used that as an election slogan.

Reagan, I'm pretty sure, or if not him than Clinton. What's your point?

[Elfdart]

Actually, it's the way Kerry has done it in every race he's won. He realizes that his stiff, monotone presentation will get on people's nerves if he's in their faces all the time. Unlike Gore, he knows better than to wear out his welcome with the public. So he bides his time, keeps it close, then surges late and wins. He's the Bill Bellichick of politics.

Are you saying that Kerry is deliberately running an utterly forgettable campaign?

Of course not!

But he always keeps a low profile so as not to wear out his welcome in people's living rooms. He hits back sparingly, but strongly -just enough to stay in the race, and then in the last 4-6 weeks, pours it on. He did it in all his Senate races and in the primaries. It's the same way Clinton ran in 1992. For much of the summer, Bush AND Perot were ahead of him in the polls. Clinton won in a laugher.

[Bugsby]

Im inclined to agree with that. Kerry does need to get off his ass and start beating on Bush, but he doesnt have to do it yet. I remeber hearing one report talking about running mates. One person said he should just choose a running mate and GET CAMPAINING! The other person said that he should wait and choose a running mate until the Convention, which is what hes doing. Bush is making a lot of mistakes, but why should Kerry jump on them now? What good will it do if he wears out his welcome by mid-August? Kerry should (and likely will) keep a low-profile campaign until the beginning of the fall. At this point he will bring out the big guns.

The thing about running a negative campaign is that you can only do so for a short time. After a little while, you just sound like you are bitching. Seems to me that Kerry is timing his hard campaigning for when he will have the most impact. That is good strategy.