can we still win the election with Saddam found?

[Mass_Liberal]

does this trump our "the war was a failure" card, and does that mean the election is lost?

your thoughts?

[caledesi]

1. SH - BFD. Ask him about the WMDs?

Hey, this is Dec 2003. We have almost a year to go before the election of a new president. This "capture" will fade fast.

BTW, where is OBL? Isn't he the one who is really causing havoc?

[HFishbine]

18. No, No, No

I respectfully disagree. All would be grand if we capture Osama and find WMDs too? We cannot run solely on this adminstrations unmet goals. If we frame the election that way, we lose whenever they acheive something.

We should be focusing on the larger issues, not these individual challenges.

[jonoboy]

2. why is the election lost ??

if people stop dying perhaps..but I doubt that will happen..remember Saddams sons and al the hullaballoo...give it 3 months and who will give a stuff about Saddam but if there are more soldiers dying I think Bush is in very very big trouble

[La_Serpiente]

3. Of course we can

n/t

[JohnKleeb]

4. Show me the WMDs

I dont know man.

[kstewart33]

5. Let's pause a moment

And celebrate the capture of this tyrant. It is great news, from any perspective.

Now, let's keep our perspective on the impact of his capture on the election. It does not change the quagmire that we're in over there. Remember the capture of Hussein's sons and the widely touted belief that the attacks would greatly diminish as a result? Didn't happen, and unfortunately, I don't think the attacks will diminish in this instance.

Steve Gilliard posts an interesting perspective on his website. Take a look. A snip of it and the link is in the post, "interesting perspective on the impact of Saddam's capture."

[cthrumatrix]

6. * said Saddam is "irrelevant"...don't you remember?

[Mass_Liberal]

8. ya

I personally think we can do it. We have to work harder to do it, but we can. I think however, that Americans are going to be so estatic that the at-home anti-war position is going to be hated and useless.

[chimpymustgo]

7. Damn skippy. Huge boost for Clark. Maybe Kerry.

We can - we must still take it to AWOL. Kerry is on Fox now taking a very forward-looking approach. Chance to get it right now. Wonderful moment for US to say we de-capitated the regime, opportunity for the world to take a stake in this. President has done a poor job so far doing that.

[wndycty]

9. The candidate with a vision can!

Read this thread I reposted this morning:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=797281

[php1949]

10. I think it will boost his ratings for a while

But by the Spring, with the "real" economy still in the toilet, here is the way I see it:

If Clark gets the nomination, he wins all the red states and all the blue states. If Dean gets the nomination, we pick up 25 votes from Florida and probably the steel states including PA, TENN, Kentucky, and of course WV. That leaves some big questions in central states like Indiana, Iowa, etc. So we can still win, but it will be close, and that is provided Bush doesn't pull a rabit out of a hat (Osama).

[Le Taz Hot]

Florida?

Sorry, my friend, but I think you're wrong there. Florida is lost. The same machine that was in place in 2000 is bigger and better than ever. That's why, if Dean wins the nomination, he'd be making a mistake with Graham as a running mate. Even Graham, as admirable as he is, won't bring us Florida.

[BlueCollar]

11. yes

if the trial is speedy enough...and Hussein testifies...

[Iverson]

12. can? yes. will? well ...

Of course it's just my opinion, but if the Democrats nominate a "me too" centrist, that candidate will go down in flames just as if Sharpton would be the nominee. Energetic opposition, or at least the appearance of same, is the minimum necessary condition for winning the presidency in 2004.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. No, the election isn't lost

Now Bush can't use Saddam as an excuse to explain why Iraq isn't being rebuilt quickly and that real democracy hasn't been instilled. Knowing the nature of that region, and that the borders of Iraq were artificially made in the last century, I won't be surprised if violence against Americans and fellow Iraqis continues. I hope, for the sake of all the people over there, that some sort of decent government is cobbled together and that utitilies are restored and buidlings rebuilt, but knowing about the sweetheart deals involved and all, I don't see this happening anytime soon. If its Nov 2004 and soldiers are still there getting killed, it will be a big big issue.

[Mass_Liberal]

14. but will

the insurgents keep attacking?

[caledesi]

16. Uh, yes.

The "insurgents" have nothing to do w/ SH. Pure propaganda.

[Mass_Liberal]

15. accidental repeat

n/t

[Upfront]

17. What If?

Saddam says I will show you where the WMD are in return for my life. If that happens, and there real WMD, it is over.

[fishnfla]

19. 4 more years

n/t

[Maddy McCall]

23. I've seen you post that across numerous threads...

I think you are wrong, but if you really believe this, SPELL IT OUT. Dont just broadcast stupid catch phrases.

[Guaranteed]

20. As long as Bush doesn't have Osama, this

election is up for grabs.

[SheilaT]

21. The election is nearly

a year away. It's far from over.

That said, I've been saying for some time now that the Bush cabal will do everything possible to remain in power. They weren't elected, there was a coup three years ago, and they are fully aware of that. The essential question is, will there be a fair and free election on November 4, 2004?

Even in a fair and free election, so many things can (and will) happen between now and then, that we (those of us who want Bush & Co out of power) cannot take anything for granted, must fully support our nominee, must not let the Bush lies overwhelm our truths.

[Maddy McCall]

22. ABSOLUTELY!

In case you don't recall, the war is not the greatest problem to the american populace.

Here are some domestic issues about which people are more concerned:

The unequal distribution of wealth in the US
Unemployment remains high, even in the face of this Reagan recovery
Bush attempting to undermine overtime wages
The Medicare bill
The number of uninsured
Living wages are not increasing
Women's issues
Racial issues

And, about the war, the capture of Saddam will not change people's lack of support for the war. The reason they have turned to be nonsupportive of the war is because many are seeing body bags with their loved ones returning stateside.

Almost everyone knows someone who has been killed in this war. The capture of the murderous dictator will not change opposition to the war, except in the most fickle of minds.

[sandnsea]

24. The diplomacy and coalition still a failure

It was still arrogant and unnecessary to proceed down the path Bush took. With Saddam captured, we will be in a position to ask America to pause and take time to think about our future foreign policy. Do we want a President to do this again? Who has the credentials to question George Bush's foreign policy tactics? Who has the credentials to confront Bush on breaking his word to Congress? Who can stand equal to him in the eyes of Americans?

Clark certainly can do this. But Kerry can hit Bush on every single issue out there, domestic and foreign. And it isn't something he learned 6 months ago, he knows every issue inside out. With Kerry, there is no where for Bush to run or hide. Kerry can always hit back and has 20 years of knowledge of our policy to rely on in order to do it.

That said, I'm relieved. I so hope things quiet down because I don't want to see one more person die from this unnecessary war.

[Scott Lee]

25. This is actually great timing -

Can you imagine this capture on or around October of next year? I think you get the picture.

I think this will boost Chimp in the polls, but it will be somewhat shortlived. When the attacks against US troops continue (or increase), things will go about where they were before. I have always thought the Resistance is bigger than Saddam. It's got a Nationalist face now, and the Fedayeen, outside Arab fighters and Iraqi resistance nationals will start to coalesce in a post-Saddam guerilla war.

[LiberalTexan]

26. Yes! ...UNLESS

that spider hole was big enough to hold WMD's.........then we surely are screwed next November. (sarcasm)

[linazelle]

27. What is this nonsense?

The election is a year away. Nothing is lost.

[durutti]

28. Definitely.

Especially if his capture fails to put a stop to the resistance.

[NeoConned]

29. I'm not sure...

How this will effect the election. But I KNOW that there is going to be a trial for this horrible, despicable, monster of a man. If the trial is going on during the election all bets are off for the Democrat nominee. It will be a very effective subliminal 'infomercial' (i.e. it will be running on Faux and the other cable outlets 24/7). Kind of like the OJ trial. Sickening.

[HuckleB]

30. Yes.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

31. Will the attacks continue in Iraq? Your thoughts, if any?

[gristy]

32. I have no idea.

But then, I had no idea before he was found!

[KaraokeKarlton]

33. It's only going to hurt people who run on defense

Anyone who runs by trying to show they are better on the military, national defense and foreign policy won't be able to beat Bush as a result of this capture. Any voters who put that first on their agenda is going to vote for Bush.

The ONLY way to win in 2004 is to be able to frame the debate about domestic issues. The only one who has been able to frame things is Dean. Incidentally, Dean is the strongest on domestic issues of all the candidates. I think this actually helps Dean and hurts anyone who tries to make it about military experience.