Pollster: Dems Must Capitalize on Ports Uproar to Win in '06

[PhilipShore]

From Congressional Quarterly
Pollster: Dems Must Capitalize on Ports Uproar to Win in '06
Mar. 02, 2006

http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/03/pollster_dems_must_capitalize.html

Public concerns over national security implications sparked a raging debate over a deal, approved by the Bush administration, to allow a company based in the United Arab Emirates to manage operations at several U.S. ports.

And this backlash has provided Democrats with an opportunity to address one of their biggest political deficits. While their party has long enjoyed an advantage over the Republicans on most domestic economic issues, they have badly trailed their GOP counterparts on defense and homeland security issues.

This was one of the central issues discussed Thursday during the release of the latest bipartisan "Battleground 2006" poll, sponsored by George Washington University and conducted jointly by Lake Research Partners, a Democratic firm, and The Tarrance Group, a Republican firm.

The poll, which surveyed 1,000 registered likely voters between Feb. 12 and Feb. 15, was conducted before the port issue came to light. But Democratic strategist Celinda Lake said the controversy provided an opening for Democratic candidates this year to establish stronger bona fides on security issues.

[rsmith6621]

1. Im Afraid that Many Dems Will.....

Have their thumbs up their ASSES........to use anything that is as explosive as this issue to win any election....Im still waiting for Dean to announce what the Message is for 2006.

[Pirate Smile]

2. more

"Lake said Democratic candidates tend to do better when they can “domesticate” issues of security — that is, when the focus turns to protecting Americans at home and not on issues of international terrorism. “This port issue helps us refocus and elevate the saliency of that security here at home,” Lake said. “I think that is an enormous opportunity for Democrats. But we need to take advantage of that opportunity.”

Lake said her research on the port security issue led her to believe Democratic candidates who live “in the hinterlands” will emphasize port security issues more strongly than Democratic candidates whose districts are proximate to major ports.

Voters in Albuquerque or St. Louis, Lake said as an example, will be concerned about terrorists who might want to detonate bombs in containers that enter port cities but are transported around the nation. “What if they’re set to go off 12 hours later, when those containers are on trains or trucks going through our neighborhood?” Lake asked.

Democrats are hoping the port security issue will help the party erode the Republicans’ still-decisive edge on the issue of protecting the public. When poll respondents were asked about which party was better-equipped to protect America from a terrorist threat, congressional Republicans led Democrats by 52 percent to 35 percent.
“Democrats should not be fooled into believing they can shift the debate to domestic issues without first addressing national and homeland security,” wrote Lake and two co-authors.

[featherman]

3. EVERY Dem running for any seat in Congress anywhere

must hammer his GOP opponent relentlessly for the next 8 months on this.
"Selling our port security to the Arabs" (to put it into the type of bumpersticker language that the voters remember) is a monumental political bonehead move on the part of the Administration and it's GOP supporters.

Essentially indefensible at the average voter level. Hit them with it over and over and over again... basic politics - "make the SOB deny it" (Lyndon Johnson).

This is a great gift for the Dems. I can only hope that there is enough hard nosed toughness left in the party to take advantage of it.

[PhilipShore]

4. Selling our port security to Taliban supporters

[depakid]

5. Count on the Dems to just punt again

Laughtenberg already said as much today.

I don't really see that they have the credidibility to "capitalize" on the ports issue. They've already shown themselves to be ineffectual about it- yet again. Emphasizing it only makes them look worse.

The Dems seem to be banking on the fact that they're not Republicans to win a few seats. They have no intention to nationalize the election- and after the events of the last 6 weeks, that would be nearly impossible anyway. So there's nothing to contrast their positions with those of the far right- other than apparent cowardice- meaning that they haven't given anyone good reasons to vote for them.

They might as well pack their bags and go home, because their DINO's have pretty well guaranteed them a 7th straight congressional loss.