Voting against
: I've just realized, in a duh moment, that the Democrats are not running their campaign for John Kerry. They are running only against George Bush.Gps softwear s60
Lately, it has appeared to me that Kerry has been all but hiding. He's just not making news. I wondered whether it was all media's fault (what right-wing media?). So I went to GoogleNews and looked up what Kerry has been up to lately. Not much. He's wooing Hispanics. Or he's not crossing police picket lines. Or he's taking time off (if it works for George...). Gps softwear s60
And then I went walking on Sixth Avenue yesterday and found yet another group of eager young people holding battered clipboards with "Beat Bush" stickers on them, stopping liberal-looking people (they don't go after me when I am wearing my suit, my protective-coloration at work, which apparently looks Republican even if I'm not wearing the flag in the lapel). I've seen them everywhere in New York (for example, at the exit to the premiere of Fahrenheit 9/11). So I stopped one of them yesterday and asked them what they were doing. "Raising money for battleground states," the friendly young man said. On whose behalf? The DNC, as it turns out. Gps softwear s60
So the Democratic National Committee has a very well-organized army of volunteers out not trying to support Kerry but instead trying to beat Bush. Gps softwear s60
Duh.Gps softwear s60
That is how they are running this campaign. And it strikes me as a cynical and ultimately empty campaign. It offers no reason for voters to get excited and run out and vote for Kerry (which I'm dying for him to do). It sets no agenda in the debate. It falls into the divisive, extremist hands of Michael Moore and the neonuts. It does not create a mandate based on issues. It's a campaign against, not for.Gps softwear s60
That's how the DNC is running things. And Kerry? He is hiding. I don't hear him inspiring the nation with daring policy. He's doing dull things that get dull coverage. He's just keeping his head down. He's trying to outdo Ralph Nader as the candidate of the None of the Above party. Gps softwear s60
But the sad thing is that it seems to be working. Kerry's poll numbers are OK. He's raising record amounts of money. And Bush has plenty of problems. This could be the way to win. Only problem is, when you win, you're just the other guy. Gps softwear s60
: Let's add that this isn't all Kerry's fault. It's a media issue, too. As media fosters the divisiveness and gives publicity to the extremists first, it's best if you can just keep your head down and stay out of the fray. It's a heckuva way to run a democracy.Gps softwear s60
: As I was writing this post, I found a link to Dick Morris saying that this, indeed, is the Kerry strategy:
:The man who had won his party's nomination by stepping aside and letting Dean destroy himself, now sought to repeat the act as President Bush wrestled with al Qaeda and the Baathists in Iraq and with Richard Clarke closer to home....Gps softwear s60
Will the real John Kerry emerge from the shadows then? Don't bet on it. The senator's canned appearances at his party convention are not likely to improve our knowledge of his credentials, character or political ideology. Gps softwear s60
So until August, at the earliest, the Democratic Party will be represented by a man few of us know. Gps softwear s60
If this is his strategy, Kerry's being wise. Modern politics is a lot like modern warfare, where precision-guided munitions never miss. The best way to avoid being killed is to avoid being seen. Gps softwear s60
As Dean found out between November and January, and Bush learned in April and May, when you are the center of attention, your risk of political mortality is very high. Gps softwear s60
Only the stealth candidate — the modern dark horse, who hides in the shadows of his opponent — can make it all the way to the finish line intact.
: No sooner do I post this than I see Glenn
Reynolds quoting Mickey
Kaus saying that this is, indeed, the strategy:
Actually, the Kerry team appears to have gone beyond a mere passive hide-the-candidate strategy and taken it to the next level, pursuing a pro-active make-the-voters-forget-the-candidate strategy. In the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, "just 57 percent of the respondents say they know a lot or a fair amount about Kerry," reports NBC's Mark Murray. That's "a real drop from 68 percent in the NBC/Journal March survey." The voters actually know less about Kerry the more the campaign progresses. It's working! At this impressive rate of memory loss, most of the electorate won't even recognize Kerry's name on the Nov. 2 ballot.
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Iraqi Court TV
: Saddam faces justice. "This is all theater, the real criminal is Bush," he said.Gps softwear s60
: Video here (no audio). Gps softwear s60
: ON IRAQI BLOGS....Gps softwear s60
Mohammed bids a fond farewell to Paul Bremer. Gps softwear s60
No, really, he does. The occupation had plenty of problems but too infrequently (as in yesterday's NY Times) it wasn't acknowledged that it had problems because there was terrorism everywhere. The CPA turned into an instant bureacracy that received the scorn of American authorities. Gps softwear s60
But let's give Bremer his due: He was thrown into the world's worst job and he took it on with honor and gave the Iraqi people respect. Gps softwear s60
: Zeyad writes about the handover after getting off the road:
Overall, I can say that Baghdadis are cautiously optimistic about the new developments, they have postponed their judgement on the government until they sense some real changes on the ground. Security remains the primary concern, and if the present measures continue I can say that it would improve drastically. I really hope we would see less and less American troops on the streets in the next few days.
Gps softwear s60
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