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Democrats' Bush-bashing strategy goes bust
Politico ^

Posted on 01/25/2010 4:20:41 AM PST by Sub-Driver

Democrats' Bush-bashing strategy goes bust

By: Jonathan Martin January 25, 2010 05:07 AM EST

After three consecutive losses in statewide races, some top Democrats are questioning a tactic aimed at boosting the party’s candidates in each of those contests: Bush-bashing.

Running as much against the Bush White House as he was running against Sen. John McCain, Barack Obama easily carried Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts in 2008.

Yet when Democratic nominees for governor in Virginia and New Jersey and for Senate in Massachusetts sought to tie their GOP opponents to the still-unpopular former president, the strategy didn’t resonate. Voters were more focused on the current administration or local political issues — and the onetime Democratic magic formula seemed yesterday’s news.

“Voters are pretty tired of the blame game,” said longtime Democratic strategist Steve Hildebrand, a top aide on Obama’s presidential campaign. “What a stupid strategy that was.”

Howard Wolfson, a senior official on Hillary Clinton’s campaign and veteran Democratic communications guru, noted that his party was able to run against Republican Herbert Hoover’s Depression-era presidency for 30 years.

“That doesn’t seem to be the case here,” he said.

Another well-respected Democratic consultant put it simply: “Need a new game plan!”

Having so effectively lashed GOP candidates to President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in their successful 2006 and 2008 cycles, and seeing the Republicans’ still-dismal approval ratings, some in the party aren’t quite ready to turn over a new political leaf.

But following their recent defeats, there seems to be consensus now in the Democratic consulting community that candidates can’t simply insert grainy footage of the former president into a commercial or say their rivals will “support Bush policies” and hope voters will respond.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bds; bushbashing; demonrats
Well duh........
1 posted on 01/25/2010 4:20:42 AM PST by Sub-Driver
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To: Sub-Driver

If Obama had not bankrupted the nation, the meme may have had some legs.

But when Change=Worse, that dog just don’t hunt.


2 posted on 01/25/2010 4:28:02 AM PST by nhwingut (Palin/Bachmann '12)
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To: Sub-Driver

The “grainy footage of Bush and Cheney” can be trumped with HD clips of Obama’s trainwreck. Not a good battle for the the Dems.


3 posted on 01/25/2010 4:30:31 AM PST by nhwingut (Palin/Bachmann '12)
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To: Sub-Driver

“Howard Wolfson, a senior official on Hillary Clinton’s campaign and veteran Democratic communications guru, noted that his party was able to run against Republican Herbert Hoover’s Depression-era presidency for 30 years. “

Little Orphan Annie helped their cause, LOL!


4 posted on 01/25/2010 4:35:09 AM PST by autumnraine (You can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out!)
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To: Sub-Driver
Yet when Democratic nominees for governor in Virginia and New Jersey and for Senate in Massachusetts sought to tie their GOP opponents to the still-unpopular former president, the strategy didn’t resonate”

Shhhhh!
Don’t tell them that.
Hey, Democrats, the “Bush/Cheney/Haliburton is Hitler” meme is very, very good strategy. Just use it again in November, ok?

5 posted on 01/25/2010 4:40:31 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: Sub-Driver

This guy still hasn’t figured it out. Good!:
“Obama Senior Aide Axelrod Still Blames Bush for Current Voter Anger and Economic “disaster””
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2436637/posts


6 posted on 01/25/2010 4:43:37 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: Sub-Driver
“Voters are pretty tired of the blame game,” said longtime Democratic strategist Steve Hildebrand, a top aide on Obama’s presidential campaign. “What a stupid strategy that was.”

Better send an e-mail to Carville, Steve. He just wrote a piece demanding more of the blame game!

7 posted on 01/25/2010 4:45:35 AM PST by relictele
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To: Sub-Driver

I have to give Bush credit; the man has stayed out of the public eye for over a year. I love how Cheney is the attack dog. We need more Cheneys.


8 posted on 01/25/2010 4:50:17 AM PST by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: Sub-Driver

Wait until the Democrats see grainy footage of their candidates morphing into Pelosi, Reid and Obama. We’ll see what works come November...


9 posted on 01/25/2010 4:51:19 AM PST by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: Sub-Driver
"...noted that his party was able to run against Republican Herbert Hoover’s Depression-era presidency for 30 years.

That was because their friends in the media controlled information to the public. You can not have an informed voter if they are being lied to.

Those days are over. The truth now has a way around the gatekeepers at the New York time and the once mighty three major networks.

10 posted on 01/25/2010 4:52:07 AM PST by CIB-173RDABN
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To: SmokingJoe

Here’s what carville thinks, if you’ve got the stomach to read it. I only read part, because my guts started churnin’!
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5d87e54e-0925-11df-ba88-00144feabdc0.html


11 posted on 01/25/2010 5:04:27 AM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: Sub-Driver

Isn’t it obvious? BUSH is making them pursue this strategerie. :)


12 posted on 01/25/2010 5:29:31 AM PST by NonValueAdded (Mass. elects Scott Brown. NVA:" for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my birth state")
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Well, even the dumbest dem can see that there hasn't been a Bush in the Whitehouse for a whole year, and some of them are even beginning to realize that the dems have been running the show in congress for going on the 4th year now. The reason they can't help but notice (whereas they might now have during the 1930s and 1940s) would be the media trumpeting just what a wonderful thing all that hope and change was... And how the waters were receding and the world was starting to heal, etc... And how they got tingles down their legs... And when the panelist at the dem debate offered Obama a pillow if he wasn't comfortable enough*...

You know, through the evenhanded reporting on politics by the media.

Mark

Yes, I know that was a Saturday Night Live sketch, but if the media can do it to Governor Palin, I'm going to do it to PrezBO!

13 posted on 01/25/2010 5:39:12 AM PST by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: Sub-Driver
media fragmentation

The tear-stained Dem political consultants pine for the days when FDR was mainlined into the voters' consciousness.

How very sad for them.


14 posted on 01/25/2010 5:48:34 AM PST by Madame Dufarge
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To: Sub-Driver
Keep on blaming the previous administraton, "Ears". Don't pay any attention to those senior RATS saying otherwise!

You have the purity of your idealogy to support you. You are the One, after all and you won...don't change your tactics...just keep blaming Bush!

Ignore the results of Virginia, New Jersey and Mass...they were just angry at Bush!

15 posted on 01/25/2010 5:59:17 AM PST by Redleg Duke
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To: Redleg Duke

I just posted this on another thread:

This team has been nothing but propaganda artists from day one. It’s all they know. They cannot govern, they cannot deliver on their promises, all they know how to do is write and give great speeches.

So they will continue to use rhetoric that has worked for them this far until it doesn’t work any more. Then they will move on to something different and see if that works.


16 posted on 01/25/2010 6:05:01 AM PST by FatherFig1o155 (It's time to expose politicians for what they are. My soapbox is here: njconservative.wordpress.com/)
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