Peggy Noonan is "advising" us..

[question everything]

The Wall Street Journal

To Beat a Man, You Need a Plan
By PEGGY NOONAN
September 16, 2006; Page P18

(snip)

In light of that, my sense of things: They say the election is all about Iraq. It's not. It's about George W. Bush. He dominates the discussion, or rather obsesses the discussers. It's all about him, which isn't necessarily good for the Dems... I think that Americans have pretty much stopped listening to him. One reason is that you don't have to listen to get a sense of what's going on. He does not appear to rethink things based on new data. You don't have to tune in to see how he's shifting emphasis to address a trend, or tacking to accommodate new winds. For him there are no new data, only determination. He repeats old arguments because he believes they are right, because he has no choice -- in for a penny, in for a pound -- and because his people believe in the dogma of the magic of repetition: Say it, say it, to break through the clutter.

(snip)

If you woke most Americans up at 3:00 in the morning and said, "Tell me, looking back, what would you have liked in an American president after 9/11?" most of them would answer, "I was just hoping for a good man who did moderately good things." Who caught Osama, cleaned out Afghanistan, made it proof of the possibility of change and of the price to be paid by those who choose terror as a tactic. Not this historical drama queen, this good witch or bad.

(snip)

But I feel the Democrats this year are making a mistake. They think it will be a cakewalk. A war going badly, immigration, high spending, a combination of sentimentality and dimness in foreign affairs -- everyone in the world wants to be free, and in exactly the way we define freedom at dinner parties in McLean and Chevy Chase -- and conservative thinkers and writers hopping mad and hoping to lose the House. The Democrats' mistake -- ironically, in a year all about Mr. Bush -- is obsessing on Mr. Bush. They've been sucker-punched by their own animosity.

"The Democrats now are incapable of answering a question on policy without mentioning Bush six times," says pollster Kellyanne Conway. "What is your vision on Iraq? 'Bush lied us into war.' Health care? 'Bush hasn't a clue.' They're so obsessed with Bush it impedes them from crafting and communicating a vision all their own." They heighten Bush by hating him. One of the oldest clichés in politics is, "You can't beat something with nothing." It's a cliché because it's true. You have to have belief, and a program. You have to look away from the big foe and focus instead on the world and philosophy and programs you imagine.

(snip)

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115835083706164686.html (subscription)

[Radical Activist]

1. You can't beat something with nothing.

That's true. That is the problem with much of the party establishment and DLC crowd. You're only going to get so far if your main message is that your not as bad as the other guy. That's what makes a liberal with strong convictions more electable than a moderate who is too timid to take a stand on anything controversial.

[fooj]

2. Thanks for imparting your wisdom, Peggy...

Geez.....

[indepat]

8. Peggy, an apologist par excellence, unequaled in gall and fantasy

IMO.

[AX10]

9. I agree!

[calimary]

12. She was Reagan's "monica."

I do wonder about the idea of taking free advice from Reagan's "monica." Or even trusting it.

[indepat]

13. Hopefully the Gipper was deity for, if not, Peggy worshiped a false idol

IMO.

[calimary]

23. A good way to put it. The way she gushed about him was almost

obscene. Ridiculous. Embarrassing. Worse than fawning school-girl. It really did make me suspicious. I bet if she didn't have a chance to use any presidential kneepads, she probably fantasized about 'em.

[bluerum]

3. Sorry Ms.Noonan - but the repubs who have been in the majority

for 12+ years have enabled the shrubby little weasel who now rules the country.

The dems are running against the current majority. It is right and fitting to point out that majority support of illegitimate policies from an illegitimate administration has led the country down dark paths and to the brink of ruin. This is something that any responsible dem must point out.

However, there is certainly a great deal of truth in asking that alternative policy and plans be proposed by the dems. But it's not wise strategy to put all your cards on the table when your opponent is still holding the upper hand so I can understand the dems playing it close to the chest.

[LittleClarkie]

4. But we have unveiled plans and agendas. None get covered, and the pundits

just continue to say we have none.

[dorktv]

6. Yes because that is the story and by god they are sticking to it!

[FrenchieCat]

24. Of course it is...which is why this article is ridiculous....as is

Ms. Piggy and whomever else decided to say something.

That's why I hate these assholes....cause the lie and distort and analyse shit that ain't even factual.

Gawd! :eyes:

[Cosmocat]

27. BINGO ...

Just last week, the senate democrats put their comprehensive security bill through, which of course was defeated on party lines, and not a freakin peep ...

Not a peep ...

The other thing is ... Everyone is going on about how the republican cleaned out congress in 1992 with a "clear vision with the Contract with America" ... People have been parroting that for almost a year now ...

Horsehockey ... They put out the contract with America SIX WEEKS before the election, and most of the country had never heard of it ... They cleaned up because they hated on Clinton and did the take out the incumbants meme ...

[xchrom]

5. so, exactly what is pulling back to kuwait?

hop scotch?

what is making alternative fuel the equivalent of a Manhattan project?
a cake recipe?

what ever.

[kentuck]

7. I have thought of this a lot...

I do not automatically dismiss an argument because it may come from someone I do not like or do not trust. However, it is not just about Bush. The Democratic ads are tying the Republicans running for re-election to Bush and the Bush policies, including the war in Iraq. It is their incompetence and lack of oversight as a Party. They have failed America. That is what the Democrats are saying, as far as I can tell. Even though we may seem to obsess about Bush, it is really obsessing about the damage he has done to our country. We cannot accept that.

[question everything]

21. I think that it is a matter of reacting rather than pro-acting

we don't have much choice, of course. Bush talks to the nation, on TV, radio, the State of the Union and we can only react to what he says, or to what the majority in Congress says and does.

And, perhaps, with the mid term elections, we can originate our own thoughts and not just react to what they say. We do need to react - as Kerry should have done immediately after the Swifters attacked him. I think that the 1992 Clinton campaign is still a great example of immediately reacting.. and Clinton certainly had his share of rumors and gossip.

Or, at least, starting be reacting - a few sentences - and then use it as a jumping board to expand on what we are doing.

They say that cut taxes stimulate the economy? We can talk about more people out of jobs and the increasing cost of heath insurance and the uncertainty of retirement. Every one can relate to this.

[Sparkly]

10. And quoting Kellyanne Conway!!

Conway's entire job seems to be the continuous repetition of the "Democrats have no ideas" meme.

[lyonn]

31. Kellyanne Conway, Ugh

They media even had to eliminate her from their talking head shows she was so outrageous. David Brock, "Blinded by the Right" had a few words to say about her and all her buddies and husband.

[bigdarryl]

11. These Conservatives make me laugh by trying to .....

Tell dem's how to run campaigns and forgetting they have been in charge for a decade now.

[Vickers]

14. They know Dim Son is poison, but he personifies the current state of

the Repuke party.

The more they say it's not about him, the more I remind them that every fucking one of their candidates is a cookie cutter facsimile of Idiot George.

Get used to it, Peggy, you dumb cow.

[Cha]

15. I'd say it's about The Media, Stupid!

And Diebold voting(?) machines or not. No paper trail. How the heck do you trust you voted for whom you think ya did?

[AlCzervik]

16. Newt Gingrich came out with his "Contract on Merika" about a month before

94 midterms, democrats just need to be democrats at this point and start talking up a plan in October. The whole arguement about "Democrats don't have a plan" is just more bullshit from the RW to distract attention away from their problems.

[Jade Fox]

17. That second paragraph is actually good.....

She points out how things have been so convoluted by trying to use 9/11 to justify every Bush agenda item, and how simple our response should have been.

Otherwise, as usual, she's no rocket scientist when it comes to analyzing things.

[bling bling]

18. The Dems should probably listen to her.

I've been reading Peggy Noonan for years and lately she seems to be jumping off the ship. At first I was skeptical about it but I'm starting to think that she really is turning on Bush and thinks this country is heading in the wrong direction.

She has made my gag reflex go off several times throughout the years but I read her because she does seem to have her finger on the pulse of the mainstream GOP. I have an uncle who is a wealthy, die-hard Republican, and lately even he has been turned off by his party. The Republicans aren't going to vote Dem, that's for sure, but they're not going to trip over themselves this year to go vote for the Repubs either. That's the feeling I'm getting, anyway. They feel BOTH parties suck right now.

Noonan may actually be really trying to help the Dems out with her advice. They ought to listen and at least consider it. Maybe Noonan et. al. will be happier with a Dem majority in the house or senate so that she can start blaming the Dems again for everything that's wrong with America. As of right now they sound pretty pathetic clinging to the accusations that the Repubs can't get anything done because of the angry "obstructionist liberals" ---- what a joke.

Maybe she actually cares about her children and realizes that if something doesn't change the hatred of our country will serve only to put our kids in harms way. Who knows.

[question everything]

32. I think that old time Republicans

the ones who believ in small government and who think that personal matters should be just that - personal, do not like the direction that their party, and the country have been taking.

They know that a healthy democracy should change horses once in a while and are not too happy with a one party ruling all three branches of government, especially when this ruling is under that "god tells us to..."

And this may be where she is coming from. Realizing that there is not much "checks and balances" now in our government.

[CTyankee]

19. Sober up, Peggy, from your latest binge drinking

and get a grip! My god, woman, you have been seriously out of touch with what is going on. Just clear the bottles from your floor and try to make it to the kitchen to make yourself a pot of coffee.

Now, dear, take a clear, sober look at your America today. If you are not scared shitless about what W has done to the ME to destablizie it, or to the entire world for that matter, then you have been on a toot to long. Time to get clean of alcohol!

After you have gone through your therapy, be back in touch. Maybe we can talk. Until then, don't try. I'm not listening.

[mitchum]

20. That bitch is still crazy, isn't she?

I call her a bitch not because she is a woman, but because she is a bitch

[JeffR]

22. The punditocracy stripped bare... once again

Vacuous, myopic, self-satisfied, pig-ignorant, slothful and completely out of touch with anything beyond their own field of vision, which is of course centered squarely on their own navels.

Thanks for the advice, Peggy. A bunch. Buh-bye.

[wagthedogwar]

25. Give us a plan, we don't have a clue

read: Tell us your ideas so we can steal them and retain power.

Good try Peggy

[AtomicKitten]

26. Peggy is one creepy lady.

We will be sure to take her words under advisement, and file then in the circular file.

[Supersedeas]

28. Noonan working from Rove's dogma - Repitition - we suck but they have no

plan, therefore we win.

[Sapere aude]

29. It's sounds like the old "get over it" routine. Bush is the right's

millstone and we are supposed to ignore it. Yeah right.

[lyonn]

30. According to Ms. Piggy:

"But I feel the Democrats this year are making a mistake. They think it will be a cakewalk. A war going badly, immigration, high spending, a combination of sentimentality and dimness in foreign affairs -- everyone in the world wants to be free, and in exactly the way we define freedom at dinner parties in McLean and Chevy Chase -- and conservative thinkers and writers hopping mad and hoping to lose the House. The Democrats' mistake -- ironically, in a year all about Mr. Bush -- is obsessing on Mr. Bush. They've been sucker-punched by their own animosity."

No Peggy, you just set-out why the Dems will take control, baring voting machine shenanigans. Bush is guilty of all you mentioned above and more. People are beginning to wake up. Lower gas prices may not help your crowd this election.

If the media keeps quiet about foreclosures and the Feds can keep interest rates down then they may fool the public again, but how do they explain away the world perception that America is only out for itself. All those dead due to our president should haunt them this election.