Why the Clarke story will eventually help us.

[rockymountaindem]

It's easy for people to blow the story off when "the liberal media" et. al. are the only ones reporting it. However, as more and more people read the book they will spread the word around to their family and friends. How many people here have been able to convince conservative friends and family members to see things our way? It's harder to ignore the gravity of Clarke's claims when someone you know and trust is giving credence to the book. "Oh, well, I didn't believe it at first but if my brother/mom/dad/softball buddy/co-worker/neighbor says it's true then maybe this Clarke guy has a point."

Perhaps the story didn't help us at first, but I think in the long run it will do a lot of damage to the Bush* misadministration.

Just my $.02

[sampsonblk]

1. I sure hope you're right

but I don't think so. I don't believe that folks who like Bush are going to read a book like that with an open mind. If they won't bother to do the easy party (watch the testimony on TV) then I think its unlikely they will spend money and time to read a book that might change their minds.

[rockymountaindem]

3. I'm not talking about conservatives reading the book.

I'm talking about conservatives hearing about it from liberal friends and family. If your some old conservative and suddenly your intelligent liberal child starts talking up Clarke (for example), I think that's a more personal way of promoting the story than to have Politician X and Politician Y debate it on TV.

I think this will snowball for a couple of months.

[sampsonblk]

6. Agreed. Let's Harp till November

That's what I intend to do. Everyone who will listen is going to hear about it from me. I hope we can change some minds.

[Mz Pip]

2. It will only help us

if things keep going wrong in Iraq. That is the clincher. Whether or not Bush did enough before 9/11 can be debated indefinitely along partisan lines but if Iraq continues to be a drain on our military and resources then Bush is in trouble.

Come October if Iraq is still a mess then Bush is in trouble. It's hard to spin a quagmire no matter how hard you try.

MzPip
:dem:

[caledesi]

4. Agree. Take these into consideration:

Clarke's book is sold out at most stores.
Forget the library; had to order more.
He is a Republican.
He is tough, articulate and seems very forthright.
Plus, the "dominoes" keep falling (O'Neill,John Dean (Worse than Watergate) Clarke, Wilson's book is due in May). How many others?

[enough]

5. Especially if they read the book themselves

and see what a mainstream, straight-arrow guy he is. He really does buy into the basic mainstream picture of politics and the world. (Gives Reagan credit for the fall of the Soviet Union, for example. And apparently believed in the Cold War 100 percent.)

I'm just starting the book, so maybe my impression will change, but as I read it it seems even more amazing than I thought that somebody like this would speak out so emphatically about Bushco's failures.

Maybe this is why their attempt at character assassination doesn't seem to be fully succeeding.