Bush's Campaign More Aggressive in Coming Weeks
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/15/politics/campaign/15REPU.html?hp"We're now moving into a phase where we will begin contrasting the president's positive, optimistic vision with the alternative," Mr. Mehlman said. "You're going to see us focus on the contrasts we're going to face: a contrast in style, in policy."
Mr. Kerry ..would be defined by the Bush campaign as "part of the Washington establishment that says one thing and does another," while Mr. Bush would be presented as a leader who does what he says he will do, even if not everyone agrees with it.
Mr. Bush theme of "Steady Leadership in a Time of Change."...Kerry (votes).. cast to present him as a liberal who opposed tax cuts and voted against strengthening the military and intelligence agencies.
<snip>"One lesson that Howard Dean should have taught all the pundits is that the election isn't until Election Day," Mr. Gingrich said. "If Kerry was a centrist from the Midwest or South, the next six or eight months would be intense. But he's a Jane Fonda antiwar liberal. They just need to let the country get to know Kerry, calmly and methodically."<snip>
Senator George Allen of Virginia... the president's been torn down, that we need to remind people of why we like this guy."