Stephanopoulos pessimistic about Dem chances in 2004.

[Julien Sorel]

"It looks like we are coming out of the recession," Stephanopoulos said. "Wages are starting to go up. Productivity is starting to go up. Generally if you look at polls across the country people respect President Bush even when people don't agree with his policies. He has an amazingly strong hold on the Republican party. He's not going to have a primary opponent. I think when you add all that up it puts President Bush in a very strong position going into the next election."

Stephanopoulos said he expects the campaign will occur during a good economy and that national security will be the biggest campaign issue, something Democrats classically have had a hard time with. He was especially discouraged by front-runner Howard Dean's campaign based on antiwar outrage, believing Americans will prefer Republican optimism.

"I was meeting with Bush officials today," Stephanopoulos said, "and they were salivating to run against Howard Dean so they can accuse him of raising taxes."

...

He said Gen. Wesley Clark has lost support because he lacks a defined platform, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., was hurt by waffling on the war issue; Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., is seen as too old; and Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., is too young. He added that Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., originally polled high but hasn't been able to excite Democrats or raise money.

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/10/30/3fa0bdef49b37


The entire thing makes for a good read, although it's hardly good news.

[boxster]

1. I'm pessimistic about Stephanopoulos' chances to still have a job in 2004.

That is all.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Georgie is just a bastion of RW talking points isn't he?

[CWebster]

3. Hey just the cheerleader we need

Excuse me if I look to political luminaries with less pop culture status and more practical insight.

[madfloridian]

4. GOP spin.....all is well.

SNIP...""It looks like we are coming out of the recession," Stephanopoulos said. "Wages are starting to go up. Productivity is starting to go up. Generally if you look at polls across the country people respect President Bush even when people don't agree with his policies. He has an amazingly strong hold on the Republican party. He's not going to have a primary opponent. I think when you add all that up it puts President Bush in a very strong position going into the next election."

But George is not GOP you say? And the stock market goes up as well. All is well for the corporate world.

It is only the people who suffer.

[Zero Gravitas]

24. Productivity

Productivity = more work for the same pay or the same work for less pay (in real terms). What about the three million jobs that evaporated under the Monkey-King's reign George? What about all those high paying white collar jobs that are being exported to India?

[JaneQPublic]

5. Just ask Bill Clinton how much he values George's political instincts. n/t

[CMT]

6. how many times has it been predicted that the economy will boom?

yes I think that things are getting better economically at least in the third quarter with the tax rebates and all, but the key will be jobs--will this be a strong enough upswing to start creating massive amounts of jobs in the next year? I'm not convinced it will be.

The situation in Iraq will be a key factor, which will not necessarily bode well for Bush. People want us out of there. Our people are still being killed and injured, the country is still in chaos. The price tag will keep escalating and we have a great issue there. Bush is willing to spend $87 billion, $100 billion or what to rebuild Iraq but how about the infrastructure in our own country?

[loudnclear]

7. Ya gotta love this guy...he is the ultimate anti-Clinton (et tu Brutae)

Nevertheless, I think is correct in his assessment. How ever they arrived at the numbers, 7+% GDP growth will not go away until after Christmas. That will be enough to carry them over the first and second quarters. Personally, if the Republicans win in 2004 that will be ok because things will be so utterly in chaos Dems will win in 2008 and keep control until 2064.

[Kat 333]

8. Stephanopoulos would seem to have bigger things to worry about ...

For starters - the ratings of his "new and improved" Sunday morning THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS.

[Wellong]

25. Should change the name of the show

They should name it "George and I", as that is reflective of the amount of viewers.

1

[newyawker99]

28. Hi Wellong!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[blm]

9. NYTimes proved that charge against Kerry is false. Why did Stef use it?

>>>>>>>>>
Though his emphasis has shifted, Mr. Kerry's writings, statements and speeches from before the vote on using force through now do show consistent underpinnings. He argued for using the threat of force to support the weapons-inspection program, but only using force when all other options were exhausted. And he often warned that the greatest challenge would be in stabilizing postwar Iraq.

In the interview, Mr. Kerry said that he was frustrated at the way the debate about Iraq was playing out and that he believed that Dr. Dean had escaped scrutiny. He said Dr. Dean had criticized him and others who accepted the administration's assertions that Iraq had unconventional weapons, although Dr. Dean himself had previously said he believed Iraq had such weapons.

And he said Dr. Dean had expressed support for the same alternate Iraq resolution that Mr. Kerry and many other Democrats had preferred. It would have allowed Mr. Bush to go to war without further United Nations or Congressional approval, though it would have given him somewhat less latitude. That proposal never came up for a vote.
>>>>>>

http://nytimes.com/2003/10/24/politics/campaigns/24KERR.html?pagewanted=2

[eissa]

10. God, I am so sick and tired of this!!!

I can't understand this at all -- why on earth do we keep having to battle our own stupid democrats all the time?! Why can't we just support our own?! I swear I spend more time e-mailing people like Stephanopolous and the DLC than those damn repugs! Why the FUCK are democrats going all over the media saying Bush is our man, the economy looks good, war is great, blah, blah, blah! With people like this in our party, the stupid repugs won't have to campaign -- we're giving it to them! God, I'm so mad!!! :mad:

[CWebster]

11. And to think how folks get so gosh darned mad

at the suggestion that there is only one party....the money party.

[w4rma]

12. Just yet another DLC turncoat. (n/t)

[janekat]

13. sigh.... he's probably right

n/t

[CWebster]

16. considering who is in agreement

he probably isn't.

[Julien Sorel]

20. I think he's right in parts, but I disagree with his main

conclusion. I think a vigorous campaign with the right candidate and message can take Bush down, exactly like his daddy was taken down. It's going to take hard work, as Bush's father did not enjoy the personal popularity that this Bush, for some reason, does, but it can be done.

But some of these people are in complete denial, listening to spin about how easy it will be for Bush to be beaten, how all of the candidates can do it, and some even more ridiculous stuff. If people want to beat Bush in 04, they are going to have to pull their heads out and start making some tough choices about who can and can't do it. But too many people are hung up on the choice they made a year ago, or 6 months ago, and they refuse to use reason any longer.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

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

[redqueen]

14. Stephanopolous? A-list Whore.

Nothing more needs to be said.

[AP]

15. According to Blumenthal/Clinton Wars, Steph was Chicken Little.

He thought the sky was falling no matter what was happening, no matter how big or small. It was a WH joke.

[Carolina]

33. he really is chicken little

in more ways than his "the sky is falling on Democrats" predictions. In May when he was here in SC for the 1st Democratic debate, I had a chance to corner his sorry little ass and upbraid him about his turncoat, sellout, chickenshit media ways. I stand 5'3" and I was looking down at him the whole time as I reminded him that he wouldn't be squat without Bill Clinton, and that he and his kind have shamelessly given W a free pass. His weak, little man retort: well, we're better than FOX, don't ya think?

Geez, what a weasel. That GOP money must come with some sort of brainwashing, brainshrinking tonic.

[KoKo]

17. I believe he was the "Mole" in the Clinton Campaign. He certainly has

behaved like one since he left Clinton's WH. And, just remember he suddenly got that cushy job as anchor of a Network Sunday show. He must have toted some heavy water for that one, given his lack of personality to be a Pundit (weak).

Nope, Steph was a Mole. And, still is, probably. A Novak type.

Anyone remember his "exclusive interview with James Baker" just after the War started this Spring? He interviewed Baker in Baker's office which had two American flags behind the desk like Shrub. It was so unusual for Steph to go off and have an exclusive interview and with Baker no less.....I figured something big was up......like Baker had suddenly done a coup and take the country over from Shrubby. It was one of the more peculiar things I've ever seen, and never heard a follow up or saw an article about it from the NYT's or WaPo.

Steph is bad news. Although his show is occasionally very good, that's just so he can keep his credentials with the Dem party.

[edzontar]

18. Steph is doing everything he can to HURT our chances.

A sell-out traitorous whore if there ever was one.

Not to be saved!!

[BigBigBigBear]

19. Well

George does turn my gut a bit...but frankly, I agree that the Republicans are dying to run against Dean. I think they believe they'll squash him like a bug.

Kerry and Clark (with the war medals) concern them a good deal more. I wish Clark would focus his campaign a little better.

Personally, I'm uncommitted at this time and could go with Gebhardt, Kerry, Dean or Clark. My concern is NOT who I like the best and who resonates with my views the best, but who can beat the GOP machine.

Call me unprincipled if you like. But next year, I want to win - ugly, unprincipled, however.

I've said this before and gotten pretty well toasted for it here - beating Bush needs to be everyone's top priority.

[indigo32]

21. I have to admit

the tax thing is scaring me a bit... for that reason only... I actually agree with Dean on that issue. But I don't see Kerry being that big a threat. I'm sorry, there is a serious anti "Politician" vibe going round, I've yet to be convinced otherwise. Clark... well he could yet show us something... and I WOULD jump if he did. At any rate I'll be voting for whomever gets handed the ring.

[Yupster]

22. Not to worry about that Stephy said

according to the ratings, no one is watching him.

[Zero Gravitas]

23. he's a whore

A corporate media GOP appologist media whore. Fuck him.

[Snellius]

26. "If the economy's bad, it's good for Democrats" is nonsense

This myth got started with the Depression and the New Deal, but if you look at the history of presidential elections, Democrats usually do better in periods of rising expectations. The way to beat Bush is to use his hypocritical Americanism against him.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

29. A campaign based on antiwar outrage is doomed to failure

Steph has got that right. Optimism is the key. On both the economy and national security.

[demgrrrll]

30. Yea, Stabhiminthebackopolos was the one who advised Bill to appoint

an Independent Prosecutor to clear his name. Great advice. Has he been talking about the same thing for the CIA case? Didn't think so. I guess he thinks Ashcroft will be just fine.
He is an opportunist of the first order. I read a blurb recently where he supposedly ran into Bill at a restaurant and Bill gave him ohhhhh about 30 seconds of his time. I can't stand the little jerk. I think whatever he has to say about anything primarily concerns what is in it for him.

[HFishbine]

31. "Optimism is the key."

Agreed With NYfromMA. But unlike Stephapotomus, I hardly think this is the domain of the republicans. Indeed, for Bush to keep the issue of national security front and center, he must continue to convince us that we are in danger; that the world is a fearful place; that we must continue to remain engaged in a never-ending war. It's really a grave trap for Bush -- either preach fear to play up national security, or tell people the days of war and fear are coming to an end, which diminishes the importance of his percieved strenghts on national security. This is an important dichotomy that Stephapotomus fails to recognize.

The dems on the other hand have a far better chance at articulating a message of hope an optimism. There are so many things on the dem agenda, from health care to equal rights that speak to a better America -- one that repudiates Bush's paridigm of fear. It will be interesting to see which dem picks up on this first (no one really has yet). The people are hungry for a light at the end of the tunnel, the torch bearer will do well.

[gristy]

32. Dean will nail Bush on his tax policy

"I was meeting with Bush officials today," Stephanopoulos said, "and they were salivating to run against Howard Dean so they can accuse him of raising taxes."

Dean is a smart guy, and he will destroy Bush's sound bites (that's all he has) on taxes. Payroll taxes, property taxes, sales taxes. ALL have gone up and will continue to go up. The majority will support the rich paying their fair (i.e. progressive) share if it is properly presented to them.