Just talked to someone at the Kerry WDC Campaign HQ

[kstewart33]

Asked him what's going on with Kerry. His points were:
---they were/are at a tremendous financial disadvantage due to the early convention and were forced to 'go dark' in August. The fact that they are tied with Bush after a month of attacks is actually good.
---Kerry is coming out with a major ad campaign in a few days.
---Kerry will attack (though he did not say anything about attacking in the upcoming ads) and they have have 'a ton of stuff to work with on Bush'
---Kerry will attack especially in the debates.
---Stay positive.

This may have been some gopher in the office (he sounded very young) but I'm reporting it FWIW.

[nini]

1. Kerry has always come on strong at the end.

this is what we'll need him to do.. I am still positive.

[jrthin]

2. Yeah? But that doesn't

explain why there were no surrogates on the teevee with aggressive talking points

[David Dunham]

5. CNN last night did not allow Kerry surrogates to get on the air.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. Why the networks didn't put any Dem surrogates on

QUESTION: Senator, the Federal Communications Commission last year voted to allow media companies to further consolidate, allowing a single entity to gain greater control of television stations and newspapers in any given market.

QUESTION: The ruling, however, has been halted by a federal appeals court, which questioned the FCC's plan.

Critics complain that consolidation is concentrating too much power in one place, limiting diverse views and eliminating job opportunities. Media companies, however, argue that they need to operate in a free market with less regulations to compete and grow.

How do you propose to deal with this ongoing push for media consolidation?

KERRY: I'm against the ongoing push for media consolidation. I think it's contrary to...

(APPLAUSE)

It's contrary to the stronger interests of the country.

I understand the world has changed with cable and Internet and the numbers of outlets that we have. But notwithstanding that, the concentration of power still remains, I think, a very significant issue.

I was in favor of the rollback. I voted against the expansion.

I've sat on that committee now for years; I'm familiar with all the issues. And as president, as I said, I will appoint people to the FCC, and I will pursue a policy that tries to have as diverse and broad an ownership as possible.

It is critical to who we are as a free people. It's critical to our democracy.

I mean, look, I don't know how many of you have seen "Outfoxed" or some of the other things that are going around. You can make your own judgments about it. I'm not going to stand here and give you a long critique here.

But I will say this, and I think most of you know it: that a lot of what is decided with respect to news and coverage -- look at the convention of the last week. I thought Barack Obama gave a brilliant speech.

(APPLAUSE)

America missed it. America missed it, with the exception of cable outlets. Because broadcast decided to cover these certain hours, I had something like 30 million people watch, versus 7 million on a certain night.

I thought it was a very important evening, very important evening, when Ron Reagan talked about stem-cell research.

(APPLAUSE)

My wife gave, I thought, a superb speech. These were moments that I think America ought to share.

If we're going to be a strong democracy, and if it's all driven by money, we're in trouble. I'm going to make sure we have diversity.

(APPLAUSE)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A42212-2004Aug5?language=printer

[Lefty48197]

3. I agree.

We drew the short straw with respect to the timing of our convention. As a result, Kerry stopped spending money for the entire month. The playing field levels this week, and the time for us to start kicking ass is at hand.

[NMDemDist2]

4. well that all makes sense

and we forget somedays that 65 days is an eternity in an election year

on edit: how many "independent and swing voters" do you think were turned off by the prayers at the convention?

I know it make me spitting mad :mad:

[StClone]

6. Attack in the debates

I hope it is quick, hard hitting, and emotional rather than deep, long and logical. W wins by looking the part of a fallen turnip, from the outside, common George...Gore lost on content and as the story goes Bush won on media spun good Joe appeal. Can't say sovereign?