Kerry's biggest mistake?

[Neo]

What was most damaging to Kerry's campaign? Voting against the $87 billion? Having his phrase "global test" twisted out of context? Inability to effectively explain his plans? Just being an over-all unlikeable douchbag?

[Ace195]

Bush won deal with it

[Professor S]

Kerry's biggest mistake was that his campaign was based on getting Bush out fo the office, not having himself elected.

Example: I remember in the first debate Lehrer asked him about the $87 Billion. Kerry answered as follows (more or less)

"I made a mistake in what I said*, but whats worse? Making a mistake in what you said or in a badly planned war that have caused..." and he went on against Bush.

He didn't answer the question. He didn't explain the reasons why he *VOTED against the 87 Billion. This was a formula he used over and over again. He didn't explain his positions and instead spent his whole campaign attacking Bush. People don't vote for the President based on what your opponent does, they vote depending on what you can bring to the table.

This lends itself to what I've been saying all along with Kerry. No one really knows what he stands for because he has changed positions so much and voters are more likely to vote for something familiar they can trust rather than an unknown.

[jeepnut]

The problem was that few people voted for Kerry because he was Kerry. I would venture to say that more people voted for him because he wasn't Bush. That's not how you win an election.

[Blackmane]

I agree with Strangler. He didn't have his own positions to back himself up enough and depended on the anti-Bush sentiments to push him through.

I personally think this was a planned election on the Democrats, especially those who want to see Hillary Clinton running for president in 2008. Put an uncharismatic man, unliked by a lot of his fellow senators, and generally too liberal to run against Bush, and push the point of trying to point out Bush's fault. This makes Bush less popular, and Cheney by default, and gives Hillary an easier shot in 4 years.

Just a thought, and probably too conspiracy-ish to be right, but it is an interesting idea.

[Neo]

Do you think Hillary is actually electable? I'm thinking women would vote for her just because she's a woman but who knows. On the republican side I see McCain, Guiliani, possibly Arnie in the unlikely event the constitution is changed. I don't think Cheney will run because he wasn't interested to begin with.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Neo

Do you think Hillary is actually electable? I'm thinking women would vote for her just because she's a woman but who knows. On the republican side I see McCain, Guiliani, possibly Arnie in the unlikely event the constitution is changed. I don't think Cheney will run because he wasn't interested to begin with.

Hillary is not electable. In order for a Democrat to win they need to carry at least two states in the south. Hillary will not do that, especially considering how right the south has become.

Here's what I think the biggest problem with the Demcratic party is:

They listen to the media. As this vote has shown the voice of the media is not the voice of the people, and in fact the media has often alienated some voters and inspired opposition.

They are so wrapped up in being "progressive" that they have lost their southern base (probably forever) and most patriotic deomocrats. Zell Miller is not alone in his belief that the democratic party no longer speaks for the culturally conservative democrat. This election showed that.

Now I don't agree that cultural issues are what a president should be elected on, in fact I hate cultural issues and think the majority of them are non issues, but they are very important to a lot of southerners and mid-westerners.

Until the democratic party can find another Bill Clinton, who could speak to these issues (or speak around them), the democrats may not get elected again anytime soon.

[dropCGCF]

Originally Posted by Neo

What was most damaging to Kerry's campaign? Voting against the $87 billion? Having his phrase "global test" twisted out of context? Inability to effectively explain his plans? Just being an over-all unlikeable douchbag?

Not playing the Catholicism card. This is going to be John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. all over again. Damn moral America.