Kennedy Supports Kerry

[Dr. Shane]

Kennedy: I'll support Kerry in 2008 race

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He criticized President Bush's leadership and said of the American people: "Every day, I think they regret that John wasn't elected."

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Maybe "Everyday, I think they wish the Democrat Party would have put up a better canidate" would be a little closer to reality. Most of the people that voted for Kerry did so just because they didn't like Bush. I think exit polls showed only about 30% of those that voted for Kerry actually voted for him and not against Bush.

But Senator Kennedy hasn't been in touch with reality for a long time <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

[Bravus]

We're in agreement on this one: Kerry was not a strong candidate. We may not be in agreement on one corollary I draw from that: the Republicans didn't so much win the election as the Democrats lost it. Frankly, I'm getting very frustrated with opposition parties (who happen to be on the left) in both Australia and the US: they seriously need to get their acts together, just for the health of democracy. No credible opposition is a Bad Thing.

[Dr. Shane]

My perspective is that Bush has done some good things:

• War on terror
• Appointed originalist judges to the bench
• Cut taxes to stimulate the economy
• Supported faith-based ministries
• Made schools accountable through No Child Left Behind
• Proposed an ammendment to ban gay marriage
• Banned partial-birth abortion

Hawever I am disappointed in Bush in somethings and the opposition doesn't seem to have any solutions either:

• Comprehensive energy policy
• Rising healthcare costs
• Control of federal spending
• Control of illegal immergration

I am most disappointed in President Bush that he has let his enemies define him. He should be "staging" a lot more media events and defining himself. He acts like he doesn't want to get into the fray and as a result those that wish him ill-will get to define who he is.

I believe that is also true about the war on terror. President Bush has let those that hate America define what America is. President Bush has not been aggressive in public relations within the Islamic world. As much as his enemies accuse him of propaganda, I believe he is sorely lacking in it.

In order for the Democrats to win they will need to win many moderates and some conservatives. They need to identify these weaknesses and address them with solutions.

[lazarus]

Shane said:

Quote:

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He should be "staging" a lot more media events and defining himself. He acts like he doesn't want to get into the fray and as a result those that wish him ill-will get to define who he is.

I believe that is also true about the war on terror. President Bush has let those that hate America define what America is. President Bush has not been aggressive in public relations within the Islamic world. As much as his enemies accuse him of propaganda, I believe he is sorely lacking in it.

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I think Bush's problem is more substance than presentation. Much of what has been touted as success and effective strategy has been shown to be precisely the opposite. What has confidently been portrayed as the war on terror is now better understood as a deeply flawed stratergy that has in reality strengthened the position of the terrorists.

When Bush repeats the tired platitudes that served him for the first 4 years of his presidency folk begin to wonder whether her really knows what he is doing. Have you noticed how many of his speehes are now a rehersal of what we aleady know!

Some have suggested that the Plame affair had rattled Rove and thus left the Bush administration adrift. Rove is Bush's brain after all!