Why do you think most people are not a bright as you?
You create the impression that a brilliant person like you can see through Gore... but the ordinary dumb idiots not born with your brilliance have to watch a fight between Bush and Gore to see the truth.
What a load of condescending garbage.
When one side of a political fight descends into name calling and blame, and the other side concentrates of fixing the problems, the fixer always wins they election.. Even when the fixer can't fix the problems.
The classic case was in 1936. After 4 years of Roosevelt's New Deal the great depression was as bad or worse than it was in 1932. It is true that the Works Progress Administration had put 8 million people back to work. But 13 million more had lost their jobs during the first four years of the Roosevelt administration as well. Five million more people were out of work in 1936 than in 1932.
Republicans attacked Roosevelt around the clock for his failed policies. Roosevelt did not attack back. He proposed his left wing fixes.... even though we now know his fixes made things worse
On election day in 1936 the voters were faced with a choice. On one hand they had a Repubican candidate and party that only offered severe criticism of Roosevelt. Republicans were into hating FDR. They offered no real fixes. All Roosevelt talked about was how he was trying to fix things and how he needed people in office to help .. not hinder. The voters gave Roosevelt a landslide and total control of the house and senate.
On election day the choice was failed fixes or no fixes. The voters chose failed fixes. At least Roosevelt was talking fixes. They rejected the Republican platform that only proposed blame.
An election is very much like a horse race. It is worth nothing to be 7 lengths ahead in the back stretch only to be behind the horse that crosses the finish line first.
The object in horse races and campaigns is the same... stay close and save plenty for the home stretch.
You argue for a strategy that cost Bill Simon the governorship of California. Gray Davis was very very unpopular. Davis attacked Simon time after time. Instead of being the fixer and let Davis become the evil attacker, Simom attacked back even harder. The end result was a Davis win. Lyn Nofziger and others tried to give Simon a clue. He rejected them to follow your type of advise. Simon was certain that counter attacks was the way to go. Simple Simon did not have a clue.
Bush and Rove understand how to win elections far more than any of their critics.
The media and the Democrats have tried their best to destroy George Bush with hateful attacks. They try their best to provoke him into angry responses. They know if they can provoke counter attacks they will have a prescription that could result in his defeat. It drives them nuts that he never takes their bait.
But the world is full of people who would take the bait. They are a quite similar to a breed of fish called Suckers. They just can't help but choose the failed course. Thank goodness Dubya understands how to win... The lets trash and bash too crowd only knows how to lose.
Well said!
By the way, citing 70 year old history regarding one election has nothing to do with the way people think today. I know it would be the "honorable" way to play this game but if you look at the polls here in America you will see that Kerry is actully gaining. I also know it's early but the American people are easily swayed by the media. And, unless GWB starts fighting back, even a supporter like me, starts to think he has no backbone.
You create the impression that a brilliant person like you can see through Gore... but the ordinary dumb idiots not born with your brilliance have to watch a fight between Bush and Gore to see the truth.
What a load of condescending garbage.
You don't think moderate, ordinary Americans are swayed by what they see and hear on TV??? Are you joking? Mass media - network television in particular - is a billion dollar industry simply because people believe, and will buy, what they see on TV. In this country, there are so many, particularly the elderly, that still believe that whatever is shown on network news is the gospel truth. They are of the old school in believing that "Walter Cronkite would never lie!" Dan Rather et al have stepped into those shoes, and although a vast number see through the bias, sadly, many do not.
After the relentless pounding of the Bush administration by the media, Al Gore steps in and turns it up a notch. You don't think those who have only gotten one side of the news will believe what he is saying? The fact is that older Americans are less likely to have internet access - many don't even have cable. Unfortunately many good, decent people may not be politically savy and well read. When the media distorts and takes out of context most everything the Bush administration puts forth, many people are only getting part of the picture. And they believe what little they see. It doesn't make them "dumb idiots" as you say. All they know is what they've been told. And they vote.
I don't advocate having President Bush lower himself to the depths of the filthy mud slingers. I DO believe however, sometimes silence isn't golden.
Fantastic analysis CT