20/20 2004 Hindsight
Despite the fact that it's reliving the past and most people have "moved on", so to speak, I'm interested in what you feel to be the mistakes of the 2004 Kerry campaign.
What do you think the campaign should have done differently?
What were the primary factors in Kerry's loss?
From the standpoint of the race being Kerry's to lose, just how did he let it slip away?
And as a bonus question, who, if anyone, do you think would have won if they had been the nominee rather than Kerry?
Bottom line: Why did Kerry lose?
Explain your reasoning.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 7/27/2005
14 comments
14 Comments:
5 paragraphs!?
More like 2 words.
He lost because they convinced people he was a flip flopper, and found a good word/image to repeat over and over and over and over.
"flip flop"
Bush wins
Ugh. You've apparently not been paying attention to any of my posts here Maybesomeday... I'm certainly a Kerry fan. A huge one, actually... he was my favorite before the caucus, but I never expected him to get the nomination. Even though I have no political affiliation I was able to shake his hand on a downtown Davenport street corner. Try that with Bush.
I was just explaining why I believe he lost. I'm not saying it was even remotely right that he got beaten by ignorant people slapping sandals together, but I believe that's how it happened. People were easily brainwashed, and the GOP was happy to repeat the phrase flip flop every 3 seconds until he lost.
You guys can't even agree why your candidate sucked. Better figure it out before the next go round
To Dave....
We may differ in our opinion of why our candidate lost, but we are all in agreement that Bush sucks like a black hole in space. That's not too tough for any honest, reality-based person to figure out.
... and I must say that I echo DownLeft's opinions almost 100%. I too believe that the right had Kerry in a box from the get-go with his war vote, and figured out how to use it against him. Then tragically, he stepped on a land mine and handed them the issue when he gave them "I voted against the war before I voted for it." (of course it was used out of context and was unfair... but it was still devastating.) He aided and abetted the right in establishing the "flip-flop" meme.
And the role of the media is giving Bush white glove treatment vs. giving heavy play to every bullshit RNC blast-fax should never be left out of any analysis.
Bush's statements never added up, his proposals were mathematically impossible, yet the press never said a word.
Also, the multi-million dollar Swift-liars effort was a major factor, and should be included in any analysis as well. The entire thing was demostrably and proven to be false and utter contemptible bullshit, and this even got some, though little, media play. But it was adhered to and repeated so often, so steadily, and got so much free media just from idiot cable talking heads discussing it ad nauseum that it truly had it's desired effect, which was what would have been unthinkable in any other time, namely that Kerry's very biggest asset, his heroic and patriotic service in the military, and his even more courageous and patriotic role in organizing non-violent opposition to the war after he returned, was amazingly perverted into his service being portrayed as almost never happening, that he lied his way into all his medals, and that he had it easy in 'Nam somehow, completely ignoring the fact that no matter what, he had volunteered for duty and served in an extremely hazardous combat area, had led his men valiantly and that every single one of his crew, including Republicans, came out and vouched for his accounts. And his actions after the war were used to portay him as nothing less than a traitor.
This was simply unbelievable, and the Kerry campaign and the press sat by while it happened and did nothing.
And what happened when Bush's proven avoidance of combat, desertion and dirilection of duty was reported? The entire thing blew up over the fact that a couple documents were supposedly forged.
They made that the issue, completely ignoring the fact that even WITHOUT those particular documents, there was ample evidence that Bush simply decided he didn't have to fulfill his guard duty, failed to report for a required physical likely because of the liklihood that drugs would be detected, and then showed up once or twice to get things wrapped up.
His campaign lied and covered things up repeatedly, his commanders stated they never saw him on duty, and despite offers of tens of thousands of dollars to anyone who would come forward and say they say Bush serve during the year in question, to this day, no one has claimed it.
That was all swept under the rug.
Just stop and consider the way Kerry's true service was perverted, a man who opposed the war yet served in harms way, and the way Bush's direlection of duty was treated, a man who was gung-ho for the war yet found a way to avoid having to go to 'Nam and didn't even finish his obligation in the states. It's mind-blowing.
Blah, blah your guy was a dud and everyone knew it. He stood for nothing, had no solutions and didn't understand common folks.
You bunch of turds should have stuck to your guns and stayed with the maniac Dean. Maybe Hillary will save you.
Blah blah, our guy was a principled war hero, an incredibly accomplished man who had always stood up for the very best of American values and strengths.
Your guy was an incurious illiterate who was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.
He's never accomplished a damn thing except being a coke-head and a lush until his Dad finally set him up with some oil companies, which promptly failed and were bailed out by ... you guessed it, Daddy's Saudi pals, and others.
He was a losing candidate for office and then latched onto Karl Rove (Whom Bush calls "Turdblossom")who got him elected to the most weak governorship in the United States where he presided over a state that routinely placed near dead last in numerous catagories such as children in poverty, polution, crime, corporate/government corruption, etc.
Stay smug Davey, but I can't respect anyone who gloats about having elected an umitigated failure as President.
I..and many, many others, know that history will judge Bush Jr. as one of the very worst president's in our nations history. The evidence is all around you if you'd only pull your head out of Rush Limbaugh's cyst filled ass long enough to breath.
The reasons Kerry lost are complex, but his opposition to the Vietnam War after he had served was difficult for the WW II generation to understand. It's the same today: people have a hard time grasping the concept that someone can "support the troops" while believeing our presence in Iraq is ill-conceived.
Here's why you lost.
Q: Mr Kerry, what is your plan for Irag and fighting terrorism?
A: Go to my website.
It really is just that simple.
So you're people are too stupid to figure out "the internets", as Chimpy calls it?
Anything more than a sound bite policy to handle an incredibly messed up and complex quagmire is enough to make a candidate suspicious?
In other words, you're saying that Americans were too damn stupid to vote for Kerry.
I see.
I'm saying, he didn't answer the question and neither did his website.
I'm saying he had no coherent plan to deal with the threats we face.
I'm saying he was a stand for nothing do nothing Senator.
I'm saying pick a candidate who is not an elitist East Coast liberal Senator. (pay attention Hillary)
He lost because more voters wanted Bush to be President than wanted Kerry to be President. Those voters weren't too stupid to see through Bush's evil, twisted plans to make his oil buddies richer, they just didn't like what Kerry had to say. You may sugarcoat his positions and call them nuanced... but the fact remains that he had very little in the way of core values and people don't trust that.
Read the latest Harper's. He didn't lose.
Yes, someone kickass, like.......like Durbin, or ....Dean you know, one those kickass guys.
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