A good strategy for our nominee on issues: I'm to the right of Nixon

[mot78]

I know that many older DUers have antipathy for Nixon (I do myself, and I wasn't even alive then) but according to most DUers, most of our candidates (except for DK, CMB, and Sharpton)are to the right of Nixon or on the same end of the spectrum as him (ie. on healthcare) In order for someone like Dean to appear more moderate, a form of triangulation he could use is to say "well I'm more conservative/same end of spectrum as Nixon was on many issues" and use this to appeal to swing voters. I don't know how effective this would be, but it would be ironic, considering that Rove is comparing Dean to McGovern.

[madrchsod]

1. none of the democrats are right of nixon

nixon was a paranoid who believed in the worse in man. there was nothing centerist about him other than he thought the world was against him. he thought nothing about his fellow man and helped only himself and his friends to plunder america and south america. he prolonged the war for his own benefit,he was evil. rove is comparing dean to mcgovern because of the war, and mcgovern was the right man at the wrong time.i feel dean is the right man at the wrong time. at this time in history i feel clark is the only guy to challenge bush-bush is the weak one on the issues that play to clarks strength. dean would be a better canidate after clark cleans up the mess bush has left. in my perfect world dean and clark would run on the same ticket. clark is needed to repair our relationship with europe while dean takes care of the internal problems..just my two cents

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. I think mot78 is talking about stuff like

expanding the Food Stamp program, proposing a guaranteed annual income to replace welfare, starting the EPA, and making conciliatory gestures to former enemies.

Nixon was undeniably to the left of Bushboy.

[John_H]

3. None are, but let's asume so for the sake of discussion:

The general elcetion opponent is to the right of Reagan. Since DK, AS, and CMB will not be running, Americans are faced with a choice. A vote for a Dem or a vote for someone who's right of ronnie. Or of course a vote for someone who enables someone who is right of ronnie.


Ov course, to this argument the Nader supporters and Greens start screaming that a vote for a a third party candidate doesn't help bush but the rest of us are smart enough to understand it does, right?

[w4rma]

4. IMHO, it's a bad idea to associate ourselves, in any way, with Nixon (n/t)

[Toucano]

5. Something tells me you are right. n/t

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. Well, Nixon DID support government services

Nixon did believe in the government social support network- he was from California after all. However, as stated above, Richard Milhouse is not a name to be associated with post 1973.