..Democratic Strategist Bob Weiner Warns for 2004

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 - U.S. Newswire

Democratic strategist Bob Weiner, in an article in Monday's (Aug. 11) Adweek, says what happened in 2002 -- the Republican upsurge in the last weeks of the election -- will happen again if the Democrats again fail to generate a strong nationwide ad campaign for 2004.

Weiner says Democrats' "nonaggression tactic" against Bush "blew up in their faces." He asserts, "While Bush was campaigning around the country nationalizing the Republican agenda around his leadership, Iraq, homeland security, and tax cuts, Democrats refused to interfere with local races. They refused to say to voters that they stood for anything." None of the Party arms -- the DNC, as well as the House and Senate campaign apparatuses, nationally aired even non-controversial election-week ads -- "a campaign of non- action." Weiner says, "The Party left itself unarmed and paid the ultimate price." ---

[Democat]

1. "Nonaggression tactics" is an understatement

The Democratic Party let Bush roll over them without so much as a wimper in 2002. If we do the same thing in 2004, we are done.

[tom_paine]

16. The Polite way of saying Bootlicking the Emperor

But I am not writing for publication and have no hesitancy about calling it what it is, plain and simple.

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. this will be a continuing theme

until one of the candidates is our nominee. Then we'll set forth a platform and go from there.

But with the DLC wing of the party battling the Progressive wing of the party, the overall direction is like a rowboat with one oar - paddling in circles.

One faction needs to take control, and soon.

[Julien Sorel]

4. It's not about a candidate, but an approach.

Democrats have to get in, and stay in, Republican faces, right down to the end, fighting fire with fire, mud with mud. Sean Connery's description of 'The Chicago Way' in the 'Untouchables' comes to mind. If the other guy brings a knife to the fight, you bring a gun. Dems haven't been doing that.

[damnyankee2601]

5. I've got the guns.

Where do want me to bring them?

[damnyankee2601]

3. Fight fire with fire.

No more pussyfooting around. The GOP has left a scorched earth political landscape littered with ugly issue debris that can be used as weapons against them. Let us all pick up every bit of it and beat them to death with it. To wit:

Low wages
Unemployment
Low wages
Deficit
Low wages
H1-B visas
Low wages
Outsourcing
Low wages
Outside-US Military Procurement
Low wages
Expensive Energy
Low wages
Union Busting
Low wages

[Unknown Known]

6. Fire McAuliffe

:bounce:

[ewagner]

7. Or let him

do what he does best, raise money and let somebody with "fire in the belly" run the strategic portion.

[Merlin]

9. That's the right approach.

Terry is good at the bucks. But he's light on Generalship.

[AfricanDonkey]

23. McCauliffe saved the party, what are U talkin about?

Before him, we didn't even have a nationalized voter list, something the Republicans have had for over 2 decades.Before him we didn't have hardly ANY small donor program, now its our main focus.Don't blame him for the idiocys of the DCCC and DSCC and those idiot DNC members.Remember WE elect the DNC members when we vote at our state committee meetings.

[Merlin]

8. Now HERE's a Dem strategist I like!

He's right on the money:

Weiner cites three former Clinton aides who made certain inaction never crippled their boss. He says, "What George Stephanopoulos did for Clinton -- rapid response and aggressive message outreach -- made the difference. James Carville and Paul Begala make clear in their book, Buck Up, Suck Up that aggressiveness is how you win. "But Democrats decided to do nothing about advertising nationally in 2002." Weiner agrees with President Clinton who stated, "Weak Democrats and Independents felt they had nowhere to go."

[bvar22]

10. In 2002, Paul Wellstone was one of the few....

...Democrats that ran an agressive campaign based on issues and direct confrontation of the bush*/republican machine. Cynthia McKinney was also aggressive in attacking the conservative agenda.

You do the math.

[schultzee]

13. Geez do we have the Yale Mafia in the White House?

I hope my concerns are wrong, but it does not look good.

[toopers]

17. McKinney was replaced by a Democrat

If McKinney would have represented all of her constituents, and not just the minorities, another Democrat would never have been able to unseat her. Her father lost the state office for the same reason, though he blames it on the "J-E-W-S".

[newyawker99]

19. Hi toopers!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[toopers]

21. Hello NewYawker99

Thank you for having me -- it's great to be here.

[sendero]

11. it is so nice...

... to hear a "pundit" or "stragegist" say something I believe :)

By the time 2000 rolled around, I was downright angry. Angry at the continual assault on Bill Clinton based on lies and bulls*it. I expected at least *some* Dem candidates to come out swinging after seeing just how dirty low down the Repugnicants can get.

But it never happened. Were they scared of becoming a smear target themselves? Did they interpret Clinton's continuing high poll numbers as a reward for taking the high road (that he really didn't take)?

I didn't get it then and still don't. But I'm sure I agree with this fellow and most of the repondents here. I'm not going to be villified for jaywalking while the other guy gets away with murder. If it has to be a war of words I hope somebody can speak up. My favorite candidate (name omitted - don't want to hijack the thread) has shown he can and will and that is a huge part of why he has my support.

But it has to happen not just at the presidential level. We need Congress back too.

[THX1138]

12. "nonaggression tactic"

Wasn't that Liebermans idea? Maybe everyone should e-mail him a copy

[jamesinca]

14. He is right on this one

Who is causing some of the biggest stir in the Dem Candidates? Who is out there attacking the Bush agenda? Who is not afraid to say that Bush has lied? Is it Edwards, no. Is it maybe Dean, Clark, and Kucinich, yes. They are the ones that are electrifying the party, they are the ones that are really getting it stirred up. Lieberman on the other hand is attacking them, Kerry seems to be at least making a plan. These three, I am going on the assumption that Clark runs, are the ones that are stirring it up. People need , crave somebody that is willing to open the mouth. You don't even have to be correct, just opened mouthed, Limbaugh is proof of this.

[BadGimp]

15. The enemy has infiltrated the Democratic Party

You really have to hand it to them...the hard right in the GOP.

They did not stop at taking over their own party. They knew they would have to corrupt the Democratic party in order to weaken the movement. They infiltrated the party and now we have what we have.

[DemNoir]

18. I wonder

How much this guy gets paid as a "strategist" to come up with this bit of wisdom everyone here knew even before the last election!

[tomp]

20. votes were stolen in 2002

i just know it. and they will be again in 2004 unless the dems get their head (they must have one between 'em) around it.

[cyr330]

22. campaign donations

I've certainly wondered what the DNC did with the money it raised for the congressional elections, since they obviously didn't do shit with it as far as campaigning is concerned. I am still quite furious with a lot of the Dems who kissed Republican ass all the way to defeat. Those were the same ones who are now bitching at Dean for being so confrontational. I suppose they think we should stick with their "winning" strategy for the fall 2002 elections?