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T U E S D A Y , O C T O B E R 1 9 , 2 0 0 4Kerry Missing His Target?by Michael in New York on
10/19/2004 06:09:00 PMThe NYT mildly conservative David Brooks is as milquetoast as theycome and I usually find his articles pointless and annoying -- secondonly to Maureen O'Dowd.But today's piece on Kerry seems on-target. Brooks says Kerry'slatest salvos are fear-mongering. His particular points -- on SocialSecurity, on the draft, on Mary Cheney and stem cell research -- Iactually disagree with issue by issue. But Kerry's approach to themseems scattered.He won the debates because he was measured and pointed andattacked Bush's incompetence. Bush's record is a shambles, so whytalk about what Bush might do in the future? Attack Bush again andagain for what he's already doing and his refusal to face reality.Kerry should have gotten DAYS of mileage out of that Iraqi scandalwhere Bush let insurgents spirit away massively heavy equipmentand material needed to make nuclear weapons. That happened AFTERthe invasion and over months if not longer. It's an absolute scandal,points up Bush's incompetence and highlights the area where Kerry isstrong. Not fighting terror, which is an amorphous idea, but fixing themess in Iraq.Brooks writes, "But there is a deeper assumption, which has marredDemocratic politics for years. Some Democrats have been unable toface the reality that people have been voting for Republicans becausethey agree with them. So these Democrats have invented thecomforting theory that they've been losing because they are toovirtuous for the country."According to this theory, Republicans - or usually some omniscient,omnipotent and malevolent strategists, like Lee Atwater or Karl Rove- have been tricking the American people into voting against theirtrue interests. This year, many Democrats decided, we'll be vicious inreturn.The truth, however, is that voters are not idiots. They are capable ofindependent thought. If you attack your opponent wildly, ruthlessly,they will come to their own conclusions."Brooks is right. You don't beat the Republicans by fighting just assleazily. You beat them with sober facts and calm, consistentleadership.
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Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Tonight's RescueRangers are Louisiana 1976, jlms qkw, shayera,dopper0189, ybruti, and srkp23 with vcmvo2editing.* ~ World order will be secured only ...5 minutes agoEschatonThe Stupids - When I was growing up what alwayspissed me off more than anything was when mysense of justice was violated. I'm not claiming thatmy sense of such things...37 minutes agoCrooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Blog Against Theocracy, ablogswarm in favor of separation of church andstate, is this weekend. Open Thread below.55 minutes agoHuffPost PoliticsNorman Solomon: Democrats and War Escalation -Top Democrats and many prominent supporters -with vocal agreement, tactical quibbles or totalsilence - are assisting the escalation of the U.S.war effort...1 hour agoFiredoglakeLate Nite: Michele Bachmann Stars in “Birth of anAberration” - Minnesota's wackiest export treadsthe boards of the Wingnut dinner theater.1 hour agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
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10/19/2004 06:09:00 PMThe NYT mildly conservative David Brooks is as milquetoast as theycome and I usually find his articles pointless and annoying -- secondonly to Maureen O'Dowd.But today's piece on Kerry seems on-target. Brooks says Kerry'slatest salvos are fear-mongering. His particular points -- on SocialSecurity, on the draft, on Mary Cheney and stem cell research -- Iactually disagree with issue by issue. But Kerry's approach to themseems scattered.He won the debates because he was measured and pointed andattacked Bush's incompetence. Bush's record is a shambles, so whytalk about what Bush might do in the future? Attack Bush again andagain for what he's already doing and his refusal to face reality.Kerry should have gotten DAYS of mileage out of that Iraqi scandalwhere Bush let insurgents spirit away massively heavy equipmentand material needed to make nuclear weapons. That happened AFTERthe invasion and over months if not longer. It's an absolute scandal,points up Bush's incompetence and highlights the area where Kerry isstrong. Not fighting terror, which is an amorphous idea, but fixing themess in Iraq.Brooks writes, "But there is a deeper assumption, which has marredDemocratic politics for years. Some Democrats have been unable toface the reality that people have been voting for Republicans becausethey agree with them. So these Democrats have invented thecomforting theory that they've been losing because they are toovirtuous for the country."According to this theory, Republicans - or usually some omniscient,omnipotent and malevolent strategists, like Lee Atwater or Karl Rove- have been tricking the American people into voting against theirtrue interests. This year, many Democrats decided, we'll be vicious inreturn.The truth, however, is that voters are not idiots. They are capable ofindependent thought. If you attack your opponent wildly, ruthlessly,they will come to their own conclusions."Brooks is right. You don't beat the Republicans by fighting just assleazily. You beat them with sober facts and calm, consistentleadership.
Add New Comment
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Tonight's RescueRangers are Louisiana 1976, jlms qkw, shayera,dopper0189, ybruti, and srkp23 with vcmvo2editing.* ~ World order will be secured only ...5 minutes agoEschatonThe Stupids - When I was growing up what alwayspissed me off more than anything was when mysense of justice was violated. I'm not claiming thatmy sense of such things...37 minutes agoCrooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Blog Against Theocracy, ablogswarm in favor of separation of church andstate, is this weekend. Open Thread below.55 minutes agoHuffPost PoliticsNorman Solomon: Democrats and War Escalation -Top Democrats and many prominent supporters -with vocal agreement, tactical quibbles or totalsilence - are assisting the escalation of the U.S.war effort...1 hour agoFiredoglakeLate Nite: Michele Bachmann Stars in “Birth of anAberration” - Minnesota's wackiest export treadsthe boards of the Wingnut dinner theater.1 hour agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kerry ...http://www.americablog.com/2004/10/kerry-missing-his-target.html
1 of 64/7/09 12:30 AM