Terry McAuliffe: Another Damn Mistake

[jackstraw45]

WHY do we have this guy as the head of the DNC?

From this USA Today article:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-03-25-dems-usat_x.htm


"Entering McAuliffe's new corner office, which is equipped as a TV studio, visitors walk over a doormat bearing a likeness of President Bush and the words, "Give Bush the Boot.""

HOW STUPID IS THE DNC??????? Of all things, to have Bush on a doormat...F'ing McAuliffe.

See below from the Al-Rashid Hotel in Iraq for why I'm so mad. Why hand the GOP ammunition to alienate dems from moderate voters? GRRRRR!!!!!

[fob]

1. Relax. The doormat with Give bush* the boot is funny. I bet Ed Gillespie

the RNC head has some real scary shit regarding Kerry at his pad.

As for the entryway at the Al-Rashid Hotel, what's wrong with the truth?

[jackstraw45]

5. You're missing the point...

Moderate, swing voters will NOT appreciate the democratic leadership acting like Saddam Hussein and using a President as a doormat.

It's not how WE view it at DU (personally, I think they are both appropriate), but it's how SWING voters will view it after they HEAR about it from the pukes on GOP radio.

Common sense should tell the DNC that if Saddam used President Bush as a doormat AND tried to have him assassinated, perhaps it's not a good idea for the DNC Chair to use his SON as a doormat.

Bye bye swing voters.

[fob]

14. First of all I didn't miss the point. I know the VRWC will trumpet this

as an issue to try an equate Dem = saddam appeaser, but when haven't they? Just ask Max Cleland. With all the shit coming out this week, I expect, no, I DEMAND that the right-wingers try and do just that. Their credibility is experiencing new lows, this will only serve to drive that trough lower.

As for swing voters, I am confident there are enough of them that can recognize a "coaching tactic" to boost spirits over a ridiculous saddam comparison.

I have noticed the saddam tried to kill my daddy meme has come back to life recently, it's no more valid now then it was then.

[RummyTheDummy]

15. This election will be an all out war

Nervous Nellies need not apply.

[fob]

27. Copy that! Check your pink tutu at the door, man!

Per the Simpsons,
You wanna fight?

Hey, them's fightin' words!

[Toucano]

30. Gimme a break.

Anyone who would base their vote for president on somthing as silly as this deserves to have Bush be president.

Frankly, I'm sick of constantly worrying about the spineless, brainless, indecisive dullards that are the "swing" voters.

Unless we're talking about converting the "swing" voter to active participation in the political process of this nation, forget about them.

There are far more potential voters who have real reasons to support us, who will support us, if we address their concerns and convince them they matter.

There are far more substantial reasons to criticize Terry M.

Besides, no one's going to buy that "Democrats Love Saddam" shit.

[magnolia]

42. I don't think....

...swing voters worship at the altar of Rush Limbaugh and the like. If they do on a regular basis they would have swung to the far right already. The doormat is clearly meant to be humorous. The people who can't see that and are offended by it are not going to be swinging in our direction anytime soon. I don't think a guy without a job is going to say..."who cares if my family eats or not...I will not have people wiping their feet on my presidents face!" They probably have a couple of rolls of GWB toilet paper and are wiping............on his face!

[kanrok]

6. Yeah, I'll bet that Ashcroft has a "Bill of Rights" doormat

[mikey_1962]

2. This guy will sink the party...........

He's good at raising money (and making it as Global crossings proved)
But this is the big leagues.

[Redleg]

33. I am interested in your reference to Global Crossing-

you know Terry was exonerated of wrongdoing regarding his stock transactions, right? Why bring that up here. Also, how will he sink the party? You can't just throw that accusation out without some ideas to back it up.

[mikey_1962]

36. Yes he was cleared but...

If he is going to lead my party I want him "clean as a hound's tooth"

Yes he was cleared but how many times have YOU been offered to turn 100,000 dollars into 18 million dollars in 18 months?????????

It doesn't pass the smell test...

[Redleg]

40. I agree that we want "clean" party leadership.

I just don't think it is going to be possible. Remember that the GOP will throw enough dirt on anyone to make some of it stick.

[SendTheGOPPacking]

3. I like it

:shrug:

[jackstraw45]

9. Of course YOU like it

I like it too.

But I'm a STRONG democratic vote.

"Reagan" dems will be QUITE turned off. They could sell these things at the DNC store for all I care.

But it shows INCREDIBLY poor judgement, in light of the hotel in Iraq, for the CHAIRMAN of the DNC to lead a USA TODAY reporter over a doormat of Bush to his office.

Just incredibly poor judgement in such a close election where dems will need EVERY swing vote possible.

Just not politically saavy.

[SendTheGOPPacking]

16. Well, okay

[RobertSeattle]

4. So what

I'm sure the RNC HQ is full of nasty pictures and trinkets about Democrats.

ORDER YOURS TODAY!
http://www.bushdoormat.com/

[Cocoa]

7. send Terry an email

maybe he doesn't know about this.

[Jacobin]

8. I like it

[jackstraw45]

13. I LIKE IT TOO!!

Jeez, people. It's not whether WE like it or not.

It's whether it's politically costly to have the Chairman of the DNC parade a USA Today reporter over it. NOT POLITICALLY SMART.

But whatever. I ordered one for myself but I wouldn't put it in the DNC headquarters.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[displacedtexan]

11. I must agree, Catfight.

I just ordered one of the GOP-will-hate-this doormats.

[jackstraw45]

12. You sound incredibly naive...

The reason we dems lose is because we think EVERYONE thinks like we do...

Attack ME as you like for pointing out a MISTAKE by the DNC.

If you READ my post carefully, you'll see I'm making a point about swing voters, especially in the south.

POINT PROVEN: Check out the drudgereport.

NExt you'll have the Limbaugh lovers here posting: RUSH SAID

And the Hannity lovers posting: HANNITY SAID:

I don't listen to either but I have something called common sense.

Just because WE like something doesn't mean moderate voters will like it.

But yeah, I guess I'm just a "repug" :eyes:

[treepig]

21. the reasons the dems lose

is that they're a bunch of wussies.

it's time for them to fight long hard and dirty, instead of trying to always come off as the nice guy or gal.

if your point was valid, alan colmes would be the most popular person in america

[Katarina]

48. I totally agree!

We've been pushed around for far too long. It's about time, hell it's past time that we started fighting back. I for one am sick to death of walking on eggshells. They wanted this fight and they damn sure got it. The gloves have come off. They have no problem bashing and trashing and neither do I. I have a 16 year old son. If the smirking chimp gets re-selected my sons life is in jeopardy. That is reason enough for me. They don't like a door-mat...well too damn bad. That door-mat hasn't killed hundreds of innocent lives. The person pictured on there has. I would wipe my feet on that door-mat any time with pleasure.

[WitchWay]

24. Agree with you 100%

you are right. This is stupid. The thing is, Kerry has already made a tactical decision to try to win over voters from the middle and right (former Bush Supporters) -- and he's already alienated the left by doing this.

So, McAuliffe is making a very bad, stupid mistake to then go and alienate those voters you were trying to win over in the first place (and giving up on other votes to do so) Whoops!

It's going to really alienate people who voted for bush by trying to welcome them into the party by treating Bush like a jerk, and republican voters like idiots. I mean, it's gonna make people feel welcome, and it will sort of scare/alienate/insult them. Not a smart way to make friends and influence people, so to speak.

[Blasphemer]

17. Not a big deal....

C'mon... this is harmless. I'm sure it is tame in comparison to what all is at RNC headquarters. The media just isn't reporting that. Voters won't care. "The head of the DNC doesn't like Pres. Bush - News at 11" - Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[jackstraw45]

19. Given the ammunition by the DNC, the pukes will make it a big deal

Now it's the Drudge headline.

I love it how people here suddenly give the media whores the benefit of the doubt that they won't run with this story.

[redqueen]

20. I don't

I would prefer that we'd have learned something by now.

[Blasphemer]

22. Sure.. they may run with it...

I just don't think anyone will care. Clarke's testimony and their current furious attempt to discredit him is so high on the radar, I don't see how something as trivial as a doormat is going to get voters into such a tizzy that it would dwarf far more serious issues. The party and it's leaders will be attacking Bush relentlessly (at least they should be) so I don't get why it's an issue.

[yardwork]

32. They will care.

This is unnecessary. McAuliffe needs to grow up.

[PA Democrat]

23. I don't know a single independent

(and I know quite a few) who rely on Drudge for their news. The doormat is funny. Bush's push poll inquiring about McCain's black child was not funny. I'll match campaign tactics any day with the repugs.

[redqueen]

18. Wow, what a shock

The DNC goofs again. *gasp!*

It's going to be an interesting seven months.

:grr:

[WitchWay]

26. Yup!

Funny how the DNC keeps "goofing" up.
Couldn't be on purpose, could it?

[redqueen]

29. Naaah

It's strategy!

You alienate the left in order to chase after the middle, then you alienate the middle in order to...

Wait a minute... :scared:

[RummyTheDummy]

25. It's the top "story" on Sludge right now (NT)

Nt

[dryan]

28. Doormat

People - get a life! More important things to worry about.

[redqueen]

31. It's not happening in a vacuum

The DNC has a long history of doing incredibly stupid things. This is just the latest.

[WitchWay]

34. fortunately (or not???)

This one is probably balanced out because Bush just made fun of the fact that he cannot find weapons of mass destruction -- which would be funny, if only it wasn't so creepy/serious/disturbing/insulting and horrific.

[redqueen]

35. I'll say not

This balance of clowning only ensures that those already convinced there's no point getting involved will continue to think that way.

*sigh*

[WitchWay]

38. Yep...

I think you are correct.

[jackstraw45]

37. That argument worked so well

During the Monica Lewinsky mess.

Or the John Kerry/Jane Fonda news cycle.

Or the Howard Dean scream media whorefest.

My point is that this was NOT a smart political move and it WILL hurt, whether we love the doormat or not and whether we think it's a big deal or not.

Call me names or not but I hate to say I think I was right about this. Now drudge has the Iraqi doormat too.

[Cat Atomic]

39. First, apathetic swing voters don't even know who McAuliffe IS.

And second, they almost certainly don't know about Saddam Hussein's taste in airport decor.

If Republicans try to use this as some sort of political smear, it'd be the most inept effort yet. And that's saying something.

*Edit*

Having said that, I do agree that it's a rather dumb move by McAuliffe.

[jackstraw45]

41. I doubt Howard Dean would agree with you

YYEEEEAAH, the media NEVER blows something out of proportion.

[Cat Atomic]

43. That was Dean, a presidential candidate.

McAuliffe is comparable to Ed Gillespie.

How many swing voters do think it'd cost the Republicans if Gillespie, say... went for target practice and shot at pictures of John Kerry? I'd say none.

The people who know his name either agree with him, or despise him. His personal life isn't going to sway anyone either way.

[cybildisobedience]

44. good for the goose

I seem to remember a N.Y. Times magazine article last year - I believe it was late spring - -that profiled the College Republicans at Bucknell. It opened with a description of this kid there who was one of the most active college repuke leaders in the country, and described his doormat: a picture of Hillary with the words: Wipe liberally.

I'm sick of worrying what these Neanderthals think of Dems for fighting back, or using the same tactics the repukes have used for YEARS.

Now I know that a college kid is different than the head of the party, but just out of curiosity, I read through the link on Free Republic to this article titled "The New Hipublicans" (I know, gag). There were more than 120 comments, and not ONE of them was about how tasteless this doormat was. They just don't care who would be offended. We shouldn't either.
link:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/k-hipublicans/browse

[cybildisobedience]

45. good for the goose

I seem to remember a N.Y. Times magazine article last year - I believe it was late spring - -that profiled the College Republicans at Bucknell. It opened with a description of this kid there who was one of the most active college repuke leaders in the country, and described his doormat: a picture of Hillary with the words: Wipe liberally.

I'm sick of worrying what these Neanderthals think of Dems for fighting back, or using the same tactics the repukes have used for YEARS.

Now I know that a college kid is different than the head of the party, but just out of curiosity, I read through the link on Free Republic to this article titled "The New Hipublicans" (I know, gag). There were more than 120 comments, and not ONE of them was about how tasteless this doormat was. They just don't care who would be offended. We shouldn't either.
link:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/k-hipublicans/browse

[qanda]

46. It's a doormat-- Not a permanent inlaid floor

I mean there are so many other things that could be viewed as inappropriate. Like joking about the reason you sent almost 600 Americans to their deaths. Give me a break!

[LandOLincoln]

47. So turn it around on 'em. Dean or Clark or one of our attack

dogs should point out that BushCo has been using the American people as doormats for 3 years now.

[dryan]

49. Oh grow up!

Years ago a chapter of the Young Republicans held a turkey shoot and used photos of President Carter for targets! At lease the picture of bush wasn't in a urinal==I once saw Clinton's face plastered in a toilet bowl at a bar!

[LandOLincoln]

50. Excuse me? I gather you were trying to make a point,

I'm just not quite sure what it was.