Posted on 07/18/2004 10:59:52 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It's showtime for John Kerry (news - web sites) at the Democratic convention next week, when four days of carefully choreographed image-building will introduce Americans to the White House hopeful and try to spark a bounce for him in the polls.
Kerry's prime-time, televised speech to accept the Democratic nomination to challenge President Bush (news - web sites) will be one of the 2004 campaign's crucial moments, giving him a national stage to define himself and his candidacy for voters.
The speech on July 29 caps a four-day convention that will be equal parts pep rally and infomercial. The goal, organizers said, is to showcase Kerry's life story and military service, portraying him and running mate John Edwards (news - web sites) as leaders who understand the worries of middle-class Americans.
"When we come roaring out of this convention, everybody in America will know what John Kerry and John Edwards will mean to them," Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) Chairman Terry McAuliffe said.
While the candidates have been running for years -- Kerry announced his presidential bid in December 2002 -- the national conventions are often the first time the general public tunes into the race.
Polls show many Americans are still unfamiliar with Kerry, a four-term senator from Massachusetts, decorated Vietnam War veteran and former prosecutor. Democrats say the string of events featuring his family, friends, fellow veterans and the party's brightest stars will help fill the gaps in knowledge.
"What we hope will happen ... is that people are going to get to know John Kerry much better," said Kerry pollster Mark Mellman. "They are going to get to know his values, his strength, his commitment to service."
Republicans will get their own chance to polish Bush's image at their nominating convention in New York beginning on Aug. 30. In Boston, they say, Kerry will be attempting a "public make-over" to disguise a liberal voting record.
"Kerry is going to try to introduce himself to the American people as someone in the political middle, which is a place he hasn't visited in 20 years," Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said.
POLITICAL THEATER
The official purpose of conventions is to choose the White House ticket and adopt a platform that spells out the party's position on key issues. But with the nominations now decided early in the year by a string of state primaries, conventions have evolved in recent decades into tightly scripted political theater.
Both Kerry and Bush hope their four days in the spotlight give them a measurable surge in public approval, known as "bounce," which in the past has often meant a double-digit boost in the polls.
Bush strategist Matthew Dowd has tried to raise expectations for Kerry, predicting a 15 percentage point gain for him after the convention. Mellman played down that likelihood.
He said most candidates who earned a big boost in polls after a convention had trailed their opponent by big margins beforehand. Kerry has been tied or ahead of Bush in recent polls and already has solidified his base Democratic support.
"The electorate is so clearly divided, and the number of undecided voters is so small, I think it's unlikely that either side gets a very big convention bounce," said Karlyn Bowman, a poll analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.
The Democrats will focus on a different theme each night. Opening night spotlights Kerry's economic, health care and foreign policy proposals, the second his biography, the third his plans to make the country more secure and the fourth his acceptance speech.
While national television networks will cut back coverage to one hour a night on three nights, cable news plans exhaustive coverage. Speakers will include former Presidents Bill Clinton (news - web sites) and Jimmy Carter, Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Ron Reagan, son of the Republican former president.
Kerry has worked hard to head off damaging spats at the gathering of the usually fractious party. Some Democrats howled when New York Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites), the former first lady, was left off the initial speakers' list. She was later added.
Democratic leaders are still working to head off labor disruptions and potential picket lines over the contract dispute between Boston police and firefighters and the city's mayor, Thomas Menino.
I'm sure John F*ckin will get a huuuuuuuuuuuge booooooounce of of the convention! ;-)
Yes and I'm sure he'll just love the photo spread of himself on the Drudge Report tonight looking older than W's daddy.
Oh.. I see you posted the post-botox photo. Thanks.
lol.. He looked real rough the last few days.
I bet his face is as smooth as a baby's behind next week
Yeah.. I'm sure he'll get a double dose of Botox injections. Won't help the eyes that are sunk into his head though.
The Kerry campaign must release his health records regarding his prostate cancer and any other ailments.
I personally don't believe he had a 'shoulder' operation this past winter.
He must have made a full recovery in his shoulder as you see he was kite sailing and water sportsing it the last couple of days.
You forgot the BARF alert on this article..........didn't you?
lol... guilty :-]
The level of deceit coming from this campaign surpasses even slick willie's lies.
You beat me to it!!!!!
Occassionally someting believeable came out of Clintoon's mouth, and even the Bore's mouth..........but not the John-Johns..............
and that takes some doing.. ;-)
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