Harold Ford has the wrong strategy against his Repub opponent?

[kentuck]

From what I have read and seen, Congressman Ford is running a very "positive" campaign and expects to be rewarded for it. Unfortunately, so is his opponent. In this specific race, I think Congressman Ford needs to put out certain facts that might not be seen as "positive" from his perspective. If he does not, I will predict that he will lose his election bid for the Senate.

His opponent is making feel-good commercials about how he pulled himself up from the bottom and how he used to be a construction worker that started his own business and how he supports business interests.
Since Tennessee tends to lean Republican anyway, his message will be successful unless it is vigoroursly challenged by Congressman Ford.

Ford needs to remind folks that his opponent will vote with the Republicans and George W Bush and our country will continue to decline with his votes in the Senate. George W Bush has visited Tennessee to campaign for his opponent. Ford needs to connect his opponent with Bush and the failures of this Republican Administration, not just run on his own "positives". Otherwise, he will find himself on the losing end on election day.

[SteppingRazor]

1. I think Ford himself should run a positive campaign, but...

unconnected groups should rip Corker a new one. Somebody needs to start up "People for a Better Tennessee" or something.

[LunaSea]

5. maybe like this?

http://thetruthaboutbobcorker.com/

[kentuck]

6. How effective..?

and does it get any play on the M$M? Sometimes the candidate himself has to speak up, in my opinion, for it to be reported and to have any impact? I may be wrong...

[SteppingRazor]

7. But if the candidate himself does the sliming...

it could easily backfire.

The recent Florida primary has a great example. In the Democratic primary for state senate district 30, Irv Slosberg spent close to $3 million -- far and away a record for a state senate run. He went very negative early and often on TV, while running cheesy, folksy ads on radio. His opponent, Ted Deutch, spent about $500,000 and had a mix of positive and negative ads, usually stressing differences between himself and Irv. Deutch won.

Admittedly, some of Deutch's ads featured support by popular congressman Robert Wexler, but it just goes to show that tons of money and a vicious campaign don't always carry the election.

[kentuck]

8. Sometimes you can simply tell the truth and they think it is hell..

as Harry Truman said. :)

[BlueJac]

2. nice guys finish last

[kentuck]

4. In this race, that will be true...

nice guy against nice guy, the Repub wins. Ford is doing a disservice to himself and to the country if he does not tell the truth about his opponent - that he is supportive of Bush and the Republican agenda. Voters will not assume anything unless they are informed.

[beyurslf]

3. I think he should run a negative campiagn attacking his opponent and

not stop until election day. People might say they don't like negative campaigns, but how many people are in Congress today because of them? We just like admitting that we like negative campaigns.

[JNelson6563]

9. We don't want to do anything to offend the Republicans

we must be very careful not to do so!

:puke:

[kentuck]

10. Tennessee may be the key to Democrats taking back Senate....

So this is a very important race. The strategy is very important. What should Ford do? Continue to be the "good guy"- appealing to both sides? Or attack his opponent as being too close to Bush and the Republican Party and as being an accomplice in the continuing decline of America?

[Armstead]

11. Its's possible to be nice AND tough

IMO Ford could vehemently criticicize the Bush record and the GOP agenda without being personally nasty or seeming to attack his opponent.

In otehr words, a contest of ideas and philosophies and the differences between the actual results of GOP rule and what the Democrats can offer as an alternative.

[kentuck]

12. That should be his strategy.

imho..