Kerry's "War Room" More Effective Than Clinton's? Kerry on the offense!

[wyldwolf]

Great article in today's Atlanta Journal.
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WASHINGTON -- John Kerry is mounting the most aggressive presidential campaign a Democrat has run in decades.

The tactics already seem to have caused a sputter in the much vaunted Bush political machine at a crucial point in the campaign — when the president is anxious to define the Massachusetts senator before the senator can define himself, much as the president's father defined his opponent, Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, in the 1988 campaign.

"John Kerry is no Michael Dukakis," said Darrell West, a Brown University professor who has closely followed Kerry's 19-year career in the Senate. "He will respond immediately to any Bush attacks to make sure news stories carry the rebuttal. His goal is to make sure negative information does not stick to him. If you can rebut charges right away, it reduces the odds that voters will believe them."

In fact, the Kerry campaign does not wait to respond. Thursday, hours before the Bush campaign began its first television ads attacking Kerry, the senator's "war room" had distributed rebuttal facts by e-mail to hundreds of political reporters, set up a conference call with Kerry surrogates, and made Kerry officials available to television news programs. It also responded with TV ads of its own Friday.

Nearly the same thing happened Wednesday, when Bush appeared with a group of businesswomen to promote his economic policies, and again Friday, when he touted his record on promoting international women's rights. Kerry surrogates offered criticism of the president on each occasion.

"We're just not going to let Senator Kerry's record be distorted," Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) said Friday during a conference call with reporters to rebut the Bush charge that the senator intends to raise taxes.

In most instances last week, the Kerry rebuttal was public record before the Bush charges aired, a much more aggressive approach than that of Bill Clinton's famed war room of 1992, where the objective was to merely respond to attacks during the same news cycle.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/election/0304nation/14kerryads.html

[cally]

1. I hope he continues

I was impressed by his launching his rebuttal ads so quickly. I don't think * had even a day of free news for his attack ads. Instead all the newscasts contained Kerry's ads or his 'lying crooks' adlib. :bounce:

I do hope Kerry starts releasing some detailed policy plans soon so that he isn't defined only as a negative candidate.

[jean]

2. "distributed rebuttal facts by e-mail to hundreds of political reporters"

and "made Kerry officials available to television news programs."

The media can already see how accessible Kerry's presidency will be! This is a huge contrast to the secretive, bullying and punitive bush* admin!

[gristy]

3. That is welcome news.

One thing (among many) is that these so called "War Rooms" are staffed by people, and these people are supported by more people around the country. In politics, as in sports, the best talent and the most money isn't always enough to win. It takes a TEAM dedicated to the cause, willing to go that extra mile, stay up that extra hour, donate that extra dollar, research that tenuous lead. The Kerry Team has what it takes, I think. The self-doubt of the Bush* Team will grow and grow as time goes by. Marginal and half-hearted * supporters will lose their motivation and slip away, or it they stick around ('cause they need the job), make mistakes. The Kerry Team will grow stronger with each weak, even in the face of occasional setbacks. We will not be denied!

[blm]

8. And Rove is still under a cloud with the Plame outing.

Keep these jerks off their game for the next 8 months.

We have to keep Kerry's campaign funded.

[KoKo]

4. Bush is getting stuck in his own sticky pot of arrogance and the more

he does his "photo ops" now, the more he's stuck in the mess he's made.

Good news! And Kerry's rebuttal is excellent. No Tom Daschle whines and hand wringing. Attack fast and go for the obvious. Good Stuff!

[supernova]

5. Listening to campaign news is rather pleasant now

Hearing Bushler's phony charges immediately followed by Kerry's terrificly logical replies.

[FauxNewsBlues]

6. The Power of the Blog

I don't think this can be underestimated. Not only do the Kerry people and the press read the blogs, but the blog readers themselves are important sources of information. When Dear Leader says something, a reader in Fairbanks, Alaska might remember something that contradicts it, feeds it to a blogster, who gets read by Kerry's staff, who forwards it to the press.

In effect, Kerry's war room is almost limitless in size because of the power of mass communications. Karl "genius" Rove is probably crapping his pants right now. They can't run on Chimpy's record, and the lies are just not going to fly even through one news cycle.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. It seems as the Dems were ready for this !

.
.
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Now that their Candidate is "defined" all their resources are getting behind Kerry.

Seems like they "saved" alot of ammunition for the REAL fight, -

good on them !

I keep checking on Kerry's blog too (the DBUNKER site)

If the World could vote,

Kerry'd get in by a landslide !!

go DEMS !! :bounce:

[DinahMoeHum]

9. Kerry's team has obviously learned from Clinton and Carville. . .

and they ain't afraid to get into a fight with *.

:kick::kick::kick:

[Jim Warren]

10. Man I hope so

Short of having Carville actually on his team, I've been hoping his campaign would be using pages from the ragin' cajun's playbook.

[Dr Fate]

11. I was wondering when DEMS would start hiring "DU" type strategists

It always frustrated me when I would think: "These DEMS need to start hiring DUers or bloggers, because these old guys dont know what they are doing..."

Looks like Kerry's guys DO know what they are doing- thank goodness for that.

All I can say is: Keep it up- dont let your guard down for one moment, Mr. Kerry...

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

12. You go Kerry!

This is great news, as usual! I think we have the election this year. Kerry is going to make a great president :D