Kerry campaign “not playing to win”
Ed Schultz, the widely syndicated liberal talk show host, has been a staunch supporter of John Kerry. That’s why I was shocked today to hear him say that the Kerry campaign’s radio and media strategy is so poor, it’s as if they don’t want to win. I do recall Schultz interviewing Kerry earlier this year, and Schultz being unsatisfied with Kerry’s response to the voting machine scandal -- that they "have a team of lawyers working on it." Lately, Schultz has not been able to get any interviews with the candidate.
This theory of "not playing to win" would fit nicely with the intriguing conspiracy theory that both establishment parties take orders from elite groups like the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission, led by the likes of David Rockefeller and Zbigniew Brzezinski. See my July 20 post "Edwards indoctrinated" and my October 24, 2003 book review of "The Grand Chessboard."
Maybe Kerry will come out swinging during the debates...
posted by Tom Cleland @ 9/13/2004 10:39:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Bill Maher was also critical of the Kerry campaign strategy. Appearing on Larry King Live last night, he offered a simple explanation to the flip-flop charges, and complained that Kerry was not adequately responding to that and other attacks from the Bush campaign.
They also showed the video clip of Michael Moore and Bill Mahr begging Nader not to run. Maher had some good things to say about Nader, namely that he’s right.
Schultz and Maher make it sound like Kerry has already lost. If that’s the case, why waste your vote on Kerry? If Schultz, Maher, Moore, and Franken all endorsed Nader, maybe he could reach 15% and get into the debates! They have it within their power. If that’s too drastic, perhaps they could give Kerry an ultimatum. Give him one last chance. Then throw their support to Nader, so the people can at least hear an alternative to the establishment parties, and grow the movement for 2008.
9/14/2004
Tom, that's weak.
Just dropped in to share this link with you:
http://www.pdamerica.org/Just heard today that Bush wants to only debate Kerry once, as opposed to the three debates suggested by the debate commission. I think this is a great time to push for a Nader debate, because it could benefit both our candidates now.
Kerry could say, "Gosh, I guess I'd better debate Nader after all, because Bush clearly isn't serious about democracy or America." At least that is what I would be suggesting if I were a Kerry campaign consultant.
Nader could really take it to Bush in a way that Kerry can’t. Recently Nader spoke of “responsible withdrawal from the quagmire in Iraq” for example. I doubt the Dems will give an inch to Nader. He could be helpful in a debate, though, the way Perot helped Clinton in 1992. I think Nader would do his best to pull at least as much from Bush as from Kerry.
Nader's been focusing most of his attack on Kerry. However, it would still be great if Kerry offered to debate Nader on the grounds that Bush won't debate. I think that would be a win win for both Nader and Kerry. And then Kerry would not be being attacked from both sides. Because say what he will, Nader has focusing his attacks against the dems, because that's where he figures his votes come from, and he is of course right. The Republicans only gain from his candidacy.
But if Nader refused to debate Kerry after all his complaining about being left out, then he loses there too. But by debating Nader and calling a Bush a no show, Kerry elevates Nader solely at Bush's expense. In doing so, he makes Bush look like an outside by raising Nader above Bush. Bush is saying only one debate, so make him hurt for it. I just wish I knew who to send this idea to, where it would actually get to someone who might listen. Maybe that Mary Beth Cahill woman.
The idea of CBS and Fox debating one another is funny, considering that they are considered the two most conservative and slanted of the networks. At least ABC has less to gain from media consolidation, which frees them up somewhat.
The best would be to have one of them debating someone off of Bill Moyers NOW. CBS versus FOX is almost like having Kerry debate Edwards now that they are running on the same ticket.
Post a Comment
<< Home