Check this out: Kerry Needs a Campaign Theme
Kerry's Big Quest: Single Clear Reason For the Race Ahead
Gerald Seib, Wall Street Journal February 11, 2004 (subscribers only site)
Gerald Seib notes today that:
“For a man who's rushing with remarkable speed toward a Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. John Kerry has an interesting problem: He hasn't impressed upon Americans a particularly clear rationale for his candidacy, other than the fact that he isn't George Bush.”
Seib essentially argues that Kerry owes his ascent to Howard Dean and Democrats’ intense dislike of President Bush. Taking a cue from Dean, Kerry fired up his criticism of President Bush and, as Dean came rather suddenly to be seen as unelectable, voters turned to Kerry as the only alternative with the sufficient resume and stature to take on Bush. Yet, in the firestorm of momentum, few voters really know much about Kerry’s rationale for being president, other than removing Bush. Thus, Kerry needs to hone a more coherent campaign message – a central rationale – for his candidacy.
Good article, and Seib concludes that there is still time. He’s exactly right, and I would go further to say that Kerry, as a person, isn’t that well defined to the electorate, either, and if he doesn’t define his candidacy more clearly very soon, the Republicans are going to do it for him, unloading their $100 million arsenal on him, probably by late spring. Kerry could take a cue – or get a clue – from John Edwards, whose thematic “two Americas”, writes Jack Beatty in The Atlantic, “is at once a moral X-ray of American society and a political cudgel to beat that son and symbol of privilege George W. Bush.”
Gerald Seib, Wall Street Journal February 11, 2004 (subscribers only site)
Gerald Seib notes today that:
“For a man who's rushing with remarkable speed toward a Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. John Kerry has an interesting problem: He hasn't impressed upon Americans a particularly clear rationale for his candidacy, other than the fact that he isn't George Bush.”
Seib essentially argues that Kerry owes his ascent to Howard Dean and Democrats’ intense dislike of President Bush. Taking a cue from Dean, Kerry fired up his criticism of President Bush and, as Dean came rather suddenly to be seen as unelectable, voters turned to Kerry as the only alternative with the sufficient resume and stature to take on Bush. Yet, in the firestorm of momentum, few voters really know much about Kerry’s rationale for being president, other than removing Bush. Thus, Kerry needs to hone a more coherent campaign message – a central rationale – for his candidacy.
Good article, and Seib concludes that there is still time. He’s exactly right, and I would go further to say that Kerry, as a person, isn’t that well defined to the electorate, either, and if he doesn’t define his candidacy more clearly very soon, the Republicans are going to do it for him, unloading their $100 million arsenal on him, probably by late spring. Kerry could take a cue – or get a clue – from John Edwards, whose thematic “two Americas”, writes Jack Beatty in The Atlantic, “is at once a moral X-ray of American society and a political cudgel to beat that son and symbol of privilege George W. Bush.”
posted by JFH @ 5:04 PM
<< Home