The campaign is underway! Bush reveals his one and only tactic:

[Brotherjohn]

FEAR.

We all knew he would resort to this, but here's a quote from his press conference that is perhaps his most forceful and galling such statement to date:

"We must never forget the lessons of September the 11th. The terrorists will strike and they will kill innocent life, not only in front of a Red Cross headquarters, they will strike and kill in America, too. We are at war."

Of course, no one likes a pessimist. So, as with Iraq, he talks out of both sides of his mouth ("It was only a 'gathering' threat... is that a mushroom cloud?"). To try to sound positive in the face of his own fear-mongering, he also said that "The world is more peaceful".

Yeah, right. The world is more peaceful (just don't look at Iraq and the entire Mid-East; or at home, either, where we are "at war"). Meanwhile... RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!

[Cocoa]

1. the amazingly ironic thing about that quote

is that it was in the context of an answer where he was saying how the enemy uses fear.

As I was listening, I was thinking, what about how YOU constantly use fear for your own purposes. Then, as if on cue, he spoke the words you quoted.

I wonder if there's something psychological going on.

[roguevalley]

5. I think he's disturbed.

Consider the parallels with Hitler:

1. doesn't read the truth, but gets the news filtered by others who read papers for him.

2. doesn't mingle in reality. white house/camp david his bunker.

3. doesn't have a single minion ready to tell him to shut up or the truth, just like Hitler.

4. wants to wage nihilistic war, war and more war.

5. wages war against nameless, faceless 'enemies' that change with the hour.

6. a deep loathing for intellect

7. goes with the gut, 'intuitive'

8. zenophobic up the wazoo

9. ranch/burchetesgarten <spelling error>

10. inferior people 'advising' him

11. destiny, as in sense of own

12. failure at EVERYTHING, EVERY DAMNED THING HE DOES/TOUCHES

13. crazy as a loon.

14. defines reality as he wants it, not as he sees it

15. hates his own people, country

add more as you see them

[Brotherjohn]

6. Good point! I noticed that too while watching, but I forgot it.

He just says so many dumb, hypocritical, and illogical things, it's hard to keep track.

[Cocoa]

10. here's the quote...

The terrorists rely on the death of innocent people to create the conditions of fear that therefore will cause people to lose their will. That's their strategy. And it's a pretty clear strategy to me.

Amazing that he could be really explaining his own strategy here, as you say, and even more amazing that he's doing it in the same answer that your quote came from.

I especially like "it's a pretty clear strategy to me." I bet it is.

[rucky]

2. It's Working...on all of us

the thought of him getting reelected on that platform scares the crap outta me.

[elfwitch]

4. me too

I'm not afraid of death, but I am deathly afraid of them.

[rocktivity]

3. Well, then, our response should be

We have nothing to fear but Bush himself.

Fear his puppet leadership.
Fear his suidcidal economic policies.
Fear his scam of a war on terror.
Fear of his being forced to institute a draft.
Fear his intolerance of even a hint of critcism or dissent.
All we need is the courage to vote him out.


rocknation

[rucky]

9. That could be a MoveOn Ad

just got this email about a contest: Bush in 30 Seconds

You should send it in:

http://www.bushin30seconds.org/

[Brian Sweat]

7. I remember when Poppy was running for re-election,

every other word was gulfwar.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. Gulfwar. I am very glad to be here tonight. Gulfwar. My opponent says that this is the worst economy since the great depression. Gulfwar. I am here tonight to set the record strait. Gulfwar."

Junior is the same way.


"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. Terra. I am very glad to be here tonight. Terra. My opponent says that this is the worst economy since the great depression. Terra. I am here tonight to set the record strait. Terra."

[sable302]

8. will not work

Nobody wins an election on a platform of fear. You must run on a platform of hope for the future, and that all the problems, many though they may be, can be solved better by me than by the other candidate. Bush ran the first time on cutting taxes to return American prosperity to the people and on the hope of bringing dignity and honor back to the whitehouse (thanks to Clinton's wee wee).

Running a campaign on fear would just be stupid. Also, I defy anybody to show an example of a president who won an a fear-based platform.

People would vote for Dean's anger before Bush's fear. Anybody with a brain in their head should know that. And as for "talking out of both sides of his mouth," will this make people less scared of him, or will it just make him look more like a dumbass.

If Bush wants to run on fear, then I say go for it. He has my blessing, because it all but assures us he won't win.

[grasswire]

11. No!

He's going to stand on his record. He said this:

"But I will defend my record at the appropriate time, and look forward to it. I'll say that the world is more peaceful and more free under my leadership, and America is more secure. And that will be the -- that will be how I'll begin describing our foreign policy."

See that? He says "And that will be the....."

What word did he leave out? The word "strategy." Or maybe the word "plan."

The world is more peaceful and more free under Bush leadership. That is the campaign strategy.

(I guess that means the BFEE won't be creating another 911 before the election.)

[Cocoa]

12. spin? talking point? memo to the whores?

could be anything...

[Brotherjohn]

14. It's like I said. No one likes a pessimist. But out of the other side...

... of his mouth, he'll be saying "9-11" and "terrorists" every five seconds. Of course the "official" strategy will be "safer... more secure... we're winning". But implicit in the CONSTANT references to 9-11 and terror is the idea that "You need me to make you safe".

I think you're exactly right that he almost said "strategy". When Bush speaks, it is always SO obvious that he's saying what he's been schooled on by his team, and he always lets little things like this slip. He might as well have said "Karl told me that the strategy we're going to use is to repeatedly say that we're safer and more secure under my leadership."

[radfringe]

13. his numbers are in trouble

terra-lerts, bin-laden tapes, saddam tapes or FEAR speeches are always dragged out when his numbers are in trouble

http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm

Gallup Poll and CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?"
Approve / Disapprove / Don't Know
10/24-26/03 53 42 5
10/10-12/03 56 40 4
10/06-08/03 55 42 3

http://www.pollingreport.com/wh04gen.htm

Bush v Democratic Candidate
Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. Oct. 23-24, 2003. N=829 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 4.
"Suppose the next general election for president were being held TODAY and you had to choose between George W. Bush, the Republican, and , the Democrat -- who would you vote for?" If "Other" or "Undecided": "As of TODAY, do you LEAN more toward Bush, the Republican, or , the Democrat?" Names rotated

Bush 49% Dean 43%
Bush 49% Clark 43%
Bush 50% Lieberman 43%
Bush 50% Kerry 43%
Bush 51% Gephardt 42%