Rove's strategy revealed: Make Kerry spend money to defend himself

[Richardo]

OK So it's just my idea. Came to me listening to NPR on the way home tonight. Bush goes negative early, Kerry has to produce commercials to counter the lies and distortion. The report indicated that as a result Kerry is focusing more on fund raising. (I know he has to, Bush has a three or four fold advantage in cash).

So yes, Bush can be seen as on the defensive putting out these ads so early, but I see it in a more Mayberry Machiavellian light.

[Octafish]

1. Shhh.

And Kerry's not taking the bait.

[xray s]

2. If money was the only thing that mattered...

...Howard Dean would be the one facing Bush right now.

I am glad Bush is having to blow his wad this early. Kerry has a lot of ways to respond other than 30 second ads. When this is all over, he may turn conventional wisdom about the power of 'money advantage' on it's ear.

[Richardo]

6. Off subject, but I really like the Oddball sigline, xray s...

...and Howard Dean burned through that $40 million in a flash. Had nothing left for the primaries.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. That strategy will backfire sooner or later.

It will soon get to the point that you can't believe anything at all that comes from the Bush Administration nor the RNC. Well, we don't believe them already, but I'm referring to mainstream America.

[Richardo]

5. As I said earlier today - Kerry's effective counter move is ...

...predicting their next move. (i.e. "They're going to release misleading ads tomorrow." "They're going to attck me and here's how." etc etc)

That takes a lot of the punch out of the attack. :thumbsup:

[BeatleBoot]

4. Certainly.

That's exactly what they are doing.

Trying to make Kerry spend the kishka.

But Bush spent $10 million on some ads and he fell in the polls, which is why you have Tony Blankley, et al, attacking him.

Poor, poor Shrub. He's got no record to run on.

Meanwhile me and my co-workers wonder who will be the next one to get laid-off.


I miss Bill Clinton.


:(

[Sparkly]

7. The thing is...

everything the Bush campaign has tried backfired on *them!* Kerry's doing a great job at framing the issues and turning things back on Bush. He's getting free publicity doing it, too.

If it continues, and Democrats turn each of Bush's slogans into liabilities, every ad the Bush camp funds will work against them. I'm hoping for a rebuttal to "Steady Leadership" soon! (It's been steady like falling off a cliff is steady -- just straight downhill.)

[Zero Gravitas]

10. Not only that

the "$900" billion tax raise thing is just so blatant a lie that even CNN points it out. And the bit about asking permission to "defend America" is just laughable. The Bush credibility gap that started for some when David Kay admitted that there have been no WMDs in Iraq for a decade has widened into a chasm. Crap like this only increases it. As Kerry says: "Bring It On!"

[Sparkly]

11. I even saw

Margaret Carlson telling the truth about the $900 billion and the "permission slip from the UN to go into Afghanistan" today. And I haven't seen her show any vertebrae in awhile! Very encouraging.

[xray s]

8. Chicago 10pm news

Showed a short piece of Bush's attack ad and Kerry's response that Bush is attacking because he has to run away from his record. Charlie Cook then quoted "when someone hits you, you have to hit back harder"

It seems Cook doesn't have to teach Kerry any new tricks. I am impressed with Kerry so far.

[Gloria]

9. "A Challenge a Day, Keeps Bush at Bay"---cheapest form of

advertising is to come out with a comment about Bush every day that will be picked up by the media....."crooked, liars" is a good one.

A little kernel, clever, putting down Bush in sound bites....

Plants the seed of drip drip drip and then encourages it to grow into a flood in the American consciousness....

[Sparkly]

12. My favorite was...

the rodeo vs. one hour for the 9/11 investigation. That was GREAT -- it went far (it's still getting replayed) and Kerry really took control of that issue, forcing the Bushboy to back down. I *loved* that one. (And it didn't cost a dime in ads!)

[Zero Gravitas]

14. Great stuff

Bush's credibility chasm is widening and all Kerry has to do is give a little nudge here and there to send the implosion on its way! These guys are so desperate that they are helping our cause with their ridiculous attack ads. Even the freepers should be able to see through them.

Mr. President*, where are the WMDs? Where are our jobs? Why should we believe anything you say?

[seabeyond]

13. if roves intent it backfired because

kerry a couple days ago said liars and crooks. and i am not apologizing. yesterday all the media saying what lies, why can you say that where ae they crooks and there was a puase yesterday not good. then this ad comes out. lies. and sitting on hardball the dem is saying lies, 900 billion in tax increase, kerry wants u.n. ok and iliminate patriot act...........so all clearly lie.

then hard ball asks if he is comfortable with kerry saying liar and crook. well says demo, we just got done tlaking about three lies, right now. good enough example

another set of commercials got beat up. two strikes so far with rove.

we all know repug convention in 9/11 is going to at least be another strike out

[PVnRT]

15. That's the GOP strategy all the time

Attack with silly, unfounded attacks, in order to avoid discussing issues, as they know they'll lose if they have to do that.