GOP strategy for the last 22 days

[grasswire]

The Bush campaign has given up on the independent vote.

Most efforts now are to keep Republicans in line so they don't erode.

Everything must be viewed in that context. The campaign is willing to risk alienating everyone else in order to keep the base from crossing over.

[Bucky]

1. Gee, you'd almost think he's more interested in winning than governing

Please don't tell me I'm being cynical here. But if I didn't know better, I'd almost think the president would rather win the election than be the best darn leader for all of America that he can be.

[evilqueen]

3. It's HARD WORK!

hahahahahahaha

[leftofthedial]

2. he is definitely hammering the message for his base

we have to get out more voters than the repuke base

[RummyTheDummy]

4. A sure sign they know they're in trouble

And all of this is good news for us since their base isn't big enough to get it done. He did great outside his base in 2000 and it was barely enough to get it to the point where the Supreme Court could appoint him.

They are finished.

[high density]

5. It's too bad that so many old school conservatives

are pissed off by the massive deficit and drunken spending...

[Bucky]

10. No. It's pathetic that so many conservatives don't care about the debt

Despite our chatter, Republicans do have core values. They believe in limited government, personal responsibility, fiscal restraint, securing American interests and security overseas, and reducing crime rates. Bush has failed in all of these areas. What's he got left?

[mahina]

6. Which gives Kerry the obvious opening to decry his false conservatism

with the debt, nation building, etc.
He's about as conservative as my left baby toe.

[KharmaTrain]

7. They Peddling As Fast As They Can...

I'm not sure if it was Bunnypants going into meltdown during the first debate or Crashcart scaring the shit out of any rational person who tuned in Tuesday, but I've sensed this campaign has gone from "Fear" to "Hate" mode.

Bunnypants used every Gingrich cliche in his answers Friday. He was strident and a embattled man just lucky to be standing up. We truely are seeing the emperor with no clothes...half of us are laughing, the other half is ignoring, but they know this dude is naked. It's death by 1,000 cuts and we're at cut 700 or so now.

I've never seen an incumbent this late in a campaign pandering so hard to keep his base intact...not attempting at all to crossover and steal a few from the other side. Not Ike, Not Nixon, Not Raygun, not even his own poppy in his failed '92 bid has gone so far over to the right just to keep his grip on power.

It's great to see the teflon gone, but now the fear is what comes next. Yes...everyone is seeing how this race is breaking and preparing accordingly. Our side is so used to having our asses handed to us, we can't believe this is happening. The other side is so used to getting their way and away with literal murder, they're panicking...or could be there real shortly.

I sense the last line of "defense" is the last debate. The pressure on the manchild to "step up" is intense. The question is who does he step up to? His base and alienate everyone else? To us? This is way to complicated for that addle brain to comprehend, yet pull off.

[grasswire]

8. code words for the base...

...as the "Dred Scott" comment turned out to be code for Roe v. Wade. Lots of code words. Lots of bluster, because the base likes him to be mad. Lots of snubs toward France.

[prolesunited]

12. I didn't realize how true that was

until I saw it mentioned here and then listened to Alan Keyes over the weekend. He went on at some length about the Dred Scott case and how it finally established full personhood for African-Americans and how a similar shift needs to be made in defining a fetus as a full person.

Can you imagine the implications of that? Every time there is a problem with a pregnancy, would there be a homicide investigation?

[fujiyama]

9. Your post

gives me hope.

Hope. That these bastards are almost finished.

[underpants]

11. Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal

Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal Massachusetts tax and spend liberal

[GOPBasher]

13. You forgot...

Massachusetts tax and spend liberal -- he'll use that one, too

[C_U_L8R]

14. Looks like a scorched earth strategy

Bush is desperate. He's flailing and lashing out.
Just put a bright spotlight on him, stand back
and don't let the messy evil slime get on ya.

[yellowcanine]

15. Rove has decided he can win with GOTV of the "haves and havemores", AKA

"my base". I think that only works if the ABB group stays home and it is cleat they are not going to. Also it is suicidal for an incumbent to give up on the swing voters when he is polling under 50% in most polls. But what do I know? I am not Carl Rove. Thank God for that and have another Twinkie, Carl.

[Richardson08]

16. attack,attack and attack Kerry.They can't run on their record,when they

have no record