DON'T Fall into the trap!!!

[mbali]

Moreover, in recent days, newspapers have been filled with uneasy quotes from Kerry's own party, anonymous Democrats who fear that his Vietnam record was now threatening to undermine his candidacy or that the attack ads will reinforce the idea that Kerry is unreliable and untrustworthy.

So let's say again what we said last week. These numbers and these assumptions are written in sand. There are new economic numbers out that don't bring good news for the president, slower growth, a weak jobs picture. Most voters think the country is off on the wrong track and would rather have change instead of continuity. And the margins of these poll numbers are incredibly small.

But with the upcoming Republican Convention likely to give the president a boost, the real danger for the Kerry campaign is that his own workers, his supporters may come down with a case of campaign pessimism. And that can turn these shaky assumptions into self- fulfilling prophecy. --- Jeff Greenfield, CNN, August 27, 2004

Come on people. Part of the strategy behind Bush's Swift Boat attack was to demoralize and divide Democrats and undercut Kerry among his own supporters - and far too many of us are falling for it hook, line and sinker. Even the press sees it happening, yet we are diving willinging right into the trap that Rove set for us.

Rove knows how lily-livered we can be. And he's playing us.

He knew that whatever Kerry did to respond to the Swift Boat attacks, there would be Democrats who would beat him up for not reacting the "right" way. If Kerry had started screaming on Day One about the attacks, some of us would have gone after him for taking the bait, for allowing Bush to pull him off his message and off his game, for giving the story legs, for being too thin-skinned, blah, blah, blah.

On the other hand, he also knew that if Kerry held his fire and responded strategically and thoughtfully, some of us would do just what we see happening in here - attack him for being weak, pathetic, slow, afraid of confrontation, a pushover, advised by "pussies," and worse.

Why do Democrats respond to these kinds of challenges, not by rallying behind our candidate but by turning on him? Does anyone notice that Republicans do NOT do this? No matter what Bush says or does, they stand up for him. If Bush announced today that he was divorcing Laura to marry his 15-year-old male lover, his team would throw up quietly and then line up behind him and fight to the death anyone who even suggested that this might not be the right thing for him to do.

I don't think that we should be blindly loyal and never raise any objections or offer suggestions - but these attacks on Kerry and his campaign by OUR OWN PEOPLE are going much too much too far. We're doing Bush's work for him. They know all they have to do is just sprinkle a little blood in the ring and we'll tear him - and each other - apart while they just sit back and enjoy the fight. And we're proving them right - AGAIN.

Please, let's stop this. Kerry knows what he's doing. It's time for us to give him the respect and support that he deserves.

[Trajan]

1. Show an example of widespread lack of support ....

Give us a link ....

[mbali]

5. No need to show an example of something I did not say . . .

[Feanorcurufinwe]

17. I think trajan implicitly directed his comment at the author you quoted.

[mbali]

19. Then let's wait for Jeff Greenfield to provide a link . . .

:-)

[LynnTheDem]

2. WE WILL WIN.

For AMERICA'S SAKE!!! :)

[seabeyond]

3. just honor his record in total strength

i am saying. someoen even kinda suggests kerry's lack in his experience in vietnam, a huge cheney you in disgust for what the person is saying.

i have people that say i dont follow politics and then go on to tell me they buy the lie and have the right. like i am suppose to validate their lie and say, they have the right. it is factually wrong, fuck you, not an opinion, factually wrong

i honor kerrys career, and simply no one is going to make it less, how dare and shame on you

bring em on, lol lol

[Nightjock]

4. That was terrific!

Some people needed that speech.


One other note. After years of watching CNN, I'm done with them. They are now Fox Jr.
The cable news people need a close election because the ratings were astronomical while Bush stole Florida.

[mbali]

8. CNN is a disgrace

Valley girls and jocks made up to look like anchors, breathlessly covering the Golden Globes one minute, stumbling through an interview with a world leader the next, and then giving us their political opinions picked up at last night's cocktail party.

I want Ted Turner back!!!

[union_maid]

9. I think CNN really enjoys a war, too

With Bush they'll get plenty of them. People started watching CNN during the first Gulf War. That's when Wolf Blitzer became a household name. They're the War Network, so it's good for their ratings. Not wars that drag on and have a lot of inconvenient casualties so much as that shock and awe kind of thing.

[mbali]

12. And they spent all that money on those cool war graphics . . .

[MontecitoDem]

6. Thanks!

I needed this talking to - I think it's a combination of the ramp-up to the RNC, the ridiculous focus by the media on the Swift Boat crap, the lack of attention to the Abu Ghraib report, and the blind-eye towards what's happening in Iraq. All together, it has taken the edge off my optimism. So thanks again!

I'm pretty sure the March tomorrow will revive my hope!

[mbali]

10. Keep hope alive!!!

:-)

[Fovea]

7. Karl Rove

needs to be taken down so hard that he can't even breed.

[mbali]

11. And that won't happen if Kerry spends all his time and effort attacking

front groups like the SBV, leaving Rove and Bush free to do their dirty work behind the scenes.

Kerry knows this. We need to learn it.

[Fovea]

18. Kerry shouldn't need to attack the SBLiars.

but everybody else should.
Let's have pictures of Karl's special friend Scooter, doing what he does best. Let's see some rethug asses heading for jail, like the asst DA who perjures himself with every breath.

[DoYouEverWonder]

20. We should attack Rove and Bush

and the individuals who were the ringleaders of the SBV. Forget about the rest of them, they are just pawns in the grand scheme of things.

Karl Rove just loves to see us attacking vets, swift boat of otherwise. This is exactly what he wants us to do.

[mbali]

22. Agree

We need more attack dogs out on the trail, speaking up for Kerry and shouting down these liars. Unfortunately, too many of our attack dogs seem more adept at attacking Kerry than in going after Bush.

[Paradise]

13. imo, this is good advice, mbali! thanks! :) n/t

[blondeatlast]

14. For those who are feeling down (as I was the other day):

Walk a precinct or man a booth. It's invigorating to see how many middle of the road voters and even Republicans absolutely DESPISE this president. Particularly the pissed off Republicans, they know that the neo-cons don't have any interest in them and many are intensely angry at the SBCL smear and what it's done to vets, even if they do think Kerry was wrong to testify.

Write letters; my sig line is a great organization with which to work from your desktop, targeting single moms in swing states. There are many, many others doing the same thing, and you barely need to move from your desk. Nearly every grassroots organization you can name has a similar swing-state program.

Don't get down, friends. Do something, even if it's just putting a sticker on your bumper. You'll be surprised at the amount of thumbs-up you get.

We will succeed. We WILL.

[mbali]

16. Thanks!

:yourock:

[A_Possum]

15. Republican/Rove weakness

The whole smearvet thing is a sign of total weakness. When all you have is lying about the other guy, you are in the soup.

Period.

This isn't Nazi Germany. There are plenty of us who see the truth, and we're speaking out and voting. If the pugs think they're gonna win, they are dreaming Big Time. Which is good. I actually think many of them are quite isolated from reality, so when the fall comes, it's gonna be a big shock.

[cheshire]

21. We should be more worried about moderate Republicans and swingers

[John_H]

23. LOL! Every smart Dem I know hangs her hopes on the words of

JEFF GREENFIELD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oasis]

24. True.Taking America back is not going to be easy. We have to fight the big

money, corporate interests tooth and nail. It's David and Goliath all over again.

We can only win if we keep pulling together. There is too much at stake to start getting weak-in-the-knees just because the media is stacking the deck against us.

Our strength is in our ability to get the truth out with the avenues available to us: Internet, door to door, e-mail, phone banks etc.

Working together,we can, and will defeat this "colossus with clay feet".