Before getting onto new info, I want to note that I updated yesterday's piece on next year's Batman movie. Aside from correcting an actor's link, I added another story link that discusses the plot of the film.
Before the storm
This is written on-the-fly (as most blog entries are), but I wanted to say something at this point in time concerning the imminent, eight month long presidential race, now that John Kerry is the defacto Democratic nominee.
Most likely before the end of the day Thursday the Bush campaign will begin to run its political spots, and with over $150 million in his campaign war chest the ads will be running every step of the way, undoubtedly retooled along the way.
A look at a Bush/Cheney site reinforces what we’re going to see pitched in favor of the incumbents and against the Kerry/? campaign. I’d heard a week or so back that Bush’s slogan (one of them at least) will be “Steady leadership in changing times.” Essentially, Bush will be marketed as representing “clear vision,” “strong leadership,” and the embodiment of hope.
Now, we may blow all the raspberries and flip all the birds we wish at this, but that’s the message that’s going to be pushed in front of every potential voter in the country. Those of us against his (re?)election will have to dissect the claims and reveal the truth.
Every time one hears the above, he’ll also soon hear a negative message concerning Kerry. Bush will stress tax relief in a rising tide lifts all boats perspective, and will be trying to drown out how selective his opponent’s repeal of tax cuts is likely to be – targeting the cuts given to those who don’t need them.
Expect the following to be attached to Kerry with increased frequency and vehemence by his opponents:
Charges of “waffling” and “flip-flopping” as they look for every change of heart evidenced in Kerry’s congressional voting record, or any places where something said on the campaign trail contradicts a vote cast.
“Liberal.” Apparently this code-word will be bandied about strongly, even more so than in 2000, intending to paint the myth of Kerry as someone who will take away everyone’s guns, weaken the nation, and raid the wallets of working people while giving that money to the shiftless and lazy. (I had at least one, otherwise informed and intelligent friend who was adamant that Gore had promised to take away the guns of citizens, so these charges tend to circulate until they assume a ring of truth through repetition.)
“Unprincipled.” This will draw on much the same ammunition that the “waffling” guns will be using.
The first and the third will have to be countered by digging farther into each instance, the times, what was believed at the time, and what other ramifications were involved in the vote; virtually no piece of legislation that goes through congress is a pure, stand-alone item. The “Liberal” charge(s) will also have to be dealt with in a point-by-point fashion. It's going to be difficult to overcome, as the truth is inevitably less entertaining than a cheap shot. I'm making no guarantee I'll be taking the time to race to uncover each, but it's the general direction we'll need to strive in.
The campaign ads will be aimed at all of those on the fence, unsure of who to vote for, with the intent of either pulling them over to the Bush camp or getting them so disgusted with the process that they don’t bother to vote.
I know I’m not alone in feeling that we’ve been – once again – backed into a corner and forced to choose between the lesser of two evils by a defective Primary process; as I’ve said in weeks past, the primaries should be a far more compressed, national-level affair, allowing the majority a better chance to vote on platforms rather than be stuck with a situation created by a handful of states. Too much time allowed too many pundits to turn it into a horserace of "electability" rather than a discussion of issues.
As in 2000, I’ll end up voting for the Democratic candidate essentially on this lesser of two evils stance. Having seen the road the Bush camp has been building, I’m at least very sure it’s not one I want to walk down, much less send my children on. We have to be able to do better than this.
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