Will the Repub attacks on Kerry's quote backfire?

[jumptheshadow]

I just caught the latter part of a Madeline Albright interview on the Today show. Today was flashing graphics of a poll that reported extreme worldwide discontent with Bush's policies. They like Americans but hate our government and our government's actions. It was quite clear that Kerry's remarks about "leaders" reflected the genuine feelings of the constituents of those "leaders."

It has been frustrating to me how insular many Americans are and how difficult it is to get them to understand 1) global interconnectivity, 2) cultural differences, and, 3) the impact our nation's actions has on others. Many Americans who don't live in a big, diverse city, or a university town, just aren't tremendously interested in international events and culture. This out of touch perspective has, I think, enabled many an American misadventure and faux pas.

However, with terrorism back in the news again, and with the media focusing its false outrage on Kerry's remark, it looks to me like international politics might be slowly moving on to the national radar screen. Joe Biden's remarks, followed by Madeline Albright's sharp analysis of our reputation overseas, coupled with Howard Dean's acerbic observations to the media, show me that Democrats are closing ranks and are finally educating the American public. Will Americans wake up?

Wait until that public realizes that the disintegration of American international relationships has made us less safe than we were before.

[gasperc]

1. frame it around Bush's reckless policies has got everybody hating

us, we went into Iraq for the wrong reasons and it's made the world way more dangerous, no tact, strategy, nothing

[hippiechick]

2. Traditionally, though ....

the voting sheeple see the GOP as 'better' for 'international issues' and the Dems as 'better' on domestic' issues.

If the country is seen as 'in need' of international (whatever), the voters might give the GOP another shot at it, thinking in the the old loop that the Dems don't have anything to offer.


Just my humble observation...


:hippie:

[smartass]

3. Republicans own the air waves. Tough to overcome propoganda.

[ithacan]

8. "USA = Bush" is the worst propaganda

the Bush media are all spinning this as "anti American" and "hating the US" rather than what it actually is, which is hating Bush's policies.

And hating Bush's policies because they are making the world a more dangerous place.

For the right wing fascists here, as always with fascists, the nation equals the leader. Criticism of the leader equals criticism of the nation.

[jumptheshadow]

4. But has 9/11 and the Internet changed everything?

And will Americans finally be able to absorb a more complex argument?

[KissMyAsscroft]

5. I dont think anyone is really paying attention right now.

I think the Howard Stern thing is getting some play and helping us.

I dont think many people give a rats ass about Kerry's comments to tell you the truth. No one is talking about this crap around the water cooler.

The Howard Stern thing has legs though, because the guy is a character and people like him. What he says carries a lot of weight.

I dont think this Kerry comment is going to sway people one way or the other. If anything its hurting the repukes by making them waste time not putting out their message.

We need to keep giving money to Kerry and fighting like crazy to make our voices heard.

We need to flood the propaganda networks with immediate reaction when they try to "Gore" Kerry.

[jumptheshadow]

7. I agree with your strategy

We need a grassroots "instant response" team.

We also need leading Democrats with varying constituencies to continue to step up and hit back -- and hard.

[gottaB]

6. Man, I don't know

I'm not about to overestimate the intelligence of the public, or, more to the point, the quality of what passes for informed commentary in the US news media.

That said, I think you may be onto something. Powell et al saying "prove we're unpopular" is sort of like Buchco saying "What do you mean, `Crooked'?" They're just drawing attention to their incompetence and stupidity.

[jumptheshadow]

9. And Cheney is their spokesman, demanding disclosure

The hypocrisy of it all.

Man, it gives the Democrats a *huge* target for their counterattack.

Why aren't we taking advantage of it.

[gottaB]

12. you have to expose yourself in order to attack, it's risky for a pol

I think Kerry can finesse it, but he has to prepare the ground. Once more swing voters know who he is, he will have more lattitude to say things which could be spun as unamerican or soft. For the time being he must be cautious about giving the Republicans any openings.

Cheney will lunge at him today. We'll see. I mean, yeah, it's a huge bullseye, but it helps to be in a safe position like Ted Kennedy.

We need savvy critics in media. It's like, imho, some of our best voices are coming from the entertainment industry, which is fine, but we still need more better liberal news media.

Another issue. The Dem nominee has to be diplomatic when discussing foreign policy. Even the proxies should be diplomatic. Not a problem when Albright is speaking, but I think it constrains what can credibly be said by the opposition party.

[smartass]

10. Unfortunately, too many people are easily manipulated by the press.

Just mention the buzzwords "freedom" "terror" and "democracy" and the masses start salivating like Pavlov's dog.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

11. I use the people in the cubicles around me to guage

the temperature. Some of the sheepish people are starting to listen. Many who were on the fence about the war were deeply upset by the no WMD thing. Those who were pro war, especially a Marine Vet who was as vocally pro-war as I was anti, are now suspiciously quiet.

These are good signs. When people complain I say "vote"

[snippy]

13. Democrats need to make it backfire.

The talking points should be something like:

It would be Bush league diplomacy and dishonorable to reveal the identity of someone who said something in confidence. It is obvious to everyone, even the most ardent Bush supporter, that Bush would do the dishonorable thing and breach a confidence if he were in the same situation.

Completely lacking in honor or integrity, Cheney, Powell, McClellan and and all the other members of the Bush administraion are confounded when someone behaves with honor and integrity. Kerry is not some dishonorable cowboy.

Someone also should point out that it is the Bush administration which relishes revealing confidential identities. Even when it is a felony.

[Imajika]

14. No, it won't backfire...

"Wait until that public realizes that the disintegration of American international relationships has made us less safe than we were before."

The majority of the American public doesn't care what other nations leaders or people think about the US President. They never have, and they never will.

People whom really care about the US image abroad would already have been voting Democratic anyway.

Why Kerry stepped into this I will never know. If most Americans even suspect Kerry is catering to European interests, they will immediately become more likely to vote for Bush.

Kerry and his supporters making the rounds on TV should just get off this topic altogether. It simply can not help us. Americans often tend to look at the rest of the worlds people's and leadership as inferior and weak. The massive media attention on the Spaniards vote for the Socialist party even makes this story worse for us. Do you think most Americans want a leader that a socialist in Spain would support?

I just can't believe the Kerry campaign has allowed this story to continue. It is a giant loser for us.

Imajika

[ElsewheresDaughter]

15. i heard the recording from Kerry's speech- he said "more" NOT "foriegn"

leaders .......the reporter who printed this was probaly one of bush*s "actor reporters"