Kerry will be a target

[bryant69]

Let me preface this by saying that I like all the candidates pretty well (except one of those who have dropped out all ready). But let's be very clear on something. Whoever gets the nomination or whoever is in the lead will be pilloried by right wing commentators and the right wing media (by which I mean the openly right wing media, Fox News, Washington Times, Wall Street Journal Editorial Page, etc. (What do you mean Fox News isn't openly right wing? Stop kidding around.)).

Any attempt to put up a more moderate candidate will not stem this tidal wave of hatred and disdain. Dean got the "Treatment" for a few months (and, to be fair, made a few misteps as well), and now that Kerry is out in front, well, he'll get it. He's getting it I should say. The Wall Street Journal Front page article on him underlines the fact that he was Michael Dukakis's lieutenant governor.

Ann Coulter's entire article is on him today, and it's pretty awful. She covers the standard points, or should I say, the points that will be standard if he wins the nomination.
1). He's French (which is a racist line or prejudiced if you like).
2). He makes a big deal out of his military service in a boastful way. (There's a grain of truth in this, but it's a tiny grain. The military was a key part of Kerry's life--it's part of what made him who he is, so of course it shows up in his stump speeches and such).
3). He's a gigolo. Not in the traditional sense, but in that his two wives were wealthy and he is using their money for his political ambitions. (Lots of things wrong with this position)

Anyway to sum up; every candidate we nominate will be slammed into, as stated above. The purpose of putting up a more moderate candidate (unless you are like me and prefer more moderate policies) is not to avoid attacks by the right. It's to draw in people from the center.

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

[WilliamPitt]

1. Any Democratic fruntrunner will be a target

Said candidates will just have to take their beatings as they go.

[sidwill]

3. Ditto

Anybody will be a target. The repukes can't run a campaign any other way.

[creativelcro]

12. Kerry is doomed

:evilgrin:

[molly]

18. Only in your mind

[sangh0]

2. Bring it on!

Kerry has access to enough resources to fight back. For every dollar the Repukes spend trying to spread lies about Kerry, his wife will spend two.

[sallyseven]

6. Kerry has been throu

fire before. Repuks in Mass have tried to get under his skin. They wil try to bring up his metals and anti war stuff. M ost americans agree Vietnam was a horo story and Iraq is one too,

[auntpattywatty]

4. HIs health is a big deal now - people need to vate for a that can win the

nomination and be able to stand up against slings and arrows already received - Howard Dean.

[K-W]

11. This is an aweful argument

Just because Howard Dean has been critisized in the primaries and managed to retain support does not in any way mean that he will be the most able to do so in the presidential election. Dean has attracted a group of supporters that have become very dedicated to him, they wont abandon him for any criticisms. That is great for the primary, but in the general election they will not be anywhere near as significant. He needs more than just them. The primaries are not the general election, they are a very different pool of voters. They cannot be related in the remarkably simplistic way you have relied on.

Show me some polls that show that after all the media Howard Dean's perception among the general population has not been negatively effected by his portrayal. Then you can begin to try and make that point.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. But will he be attacked by his own party?

That is the question that I want answered.




Ed (sp)

[sallyseven]

8. Kerry's health is good.

At least he has a brain. Cheney is one blip away from dying. Bush is 2 steps away from the nut house.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Non-responsive.

[sangh0]

10. Will Kerry be attacked by Martians?

My question is as appropriate as yours. Both our questions are unsupported by any facts in our posts

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

14. Huh? I believe that the other Dem candidates exist.

Not as confident in Martians.

Your question is not as appropriate as mine.

The other Dems(DLC included) went for Dean's jugular when he was perceived to be the frontrunner. My question is will they go after Kerry with the same vigor? Methinks not.


Your Martian question is just throwing up a straw(little green)man.

[sangh0]

16. You asked "But will he be attacked by his own party?"

Not "Will he be attacked by the other candidates?"

Lieberman is NOT the Democratic Party. Neither is Edwards, Dean, etc. No one person is "the party"

The DLC (ie the party) will not attack Kerry. Individual members of the party may, but the party itself will not, and your question is as ridiculous as wondering about "When will Mars attack?"

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

17. Why won't they attack him? (the DLC)

This ought to be good.

[polmaven]

15. Apparently so!

There is one faction here at DU that will continue to attack John Kerry no matter what....and, I believe, will attack any candidate other than their own choice.

Yes, a few are supporting this candidate as a Democrat, not as a god, and who have given Kerry credit for his amazing comeback to win the two contests to date, but the majority absolutely refuse to even entertain the notion that their particular choice may not actually be the choice of the entire free world.

This hate is NOT good for nor worthy of the Democratic party.

[K-W]

7. Your logic is flawed.

Of course all candidates will be attacked. The question is, will those attacks work. That is where the candidates will differ. So thier stances, image and perception are important for both reasons. We need a candidate that people can relate to and feel safe with, and we need a candidate who will be capable of developing and retaining the right image and perception.

[bryant69]

13. Well, yes

But I think that's what I was getting at in the final paragraph. There's no way to avoid attacks; but you want a candidate like you see who can bring in the most people. I guess that could be defined as able to withstand that attacks.

[isbister]

19. Who cares?

I don't know if you've noticed but bush has a terrible record

Kerry could probably just explain the Medicare drug bill for every speech and win.

[mlawson]

22. Yeah, bush has a terrible record.

So did Ronnie in 1984. The swing voters didn't care; they LIKED Ronnie. We have at least 10% of the voters, who vote as if this were for class president in high school. And they are more than enough to swing the election. That is the problem, as I see it; we have to have a nominee that they will LIKE beter than bush, as mindless as it is.

[rpf113]

20. I hope ...

I hope the other candidates tear into both him and dean HARD. Of course this is because I want Wes!

[mlawson]

21. How much teflon does he have???

He will need a super coating of it, just as any other nominee would need. But really, have any attacks or accusations ever stuck to him, in his years in politics?? Because if they have, he doesn't have a sufficient coating, and it will be a disaster.

We need a nominee on whom NOTHING will stick. We have such a candidate, but he is apparently not going to be the nominee. :-(

We also need a nominee who can connect with the common people, just as Clinton did. But not very many Dems seem to worry about that, either.