The Art of Politics

Exit - Stage Left

Back on the road, Kerry takes his campaign bus, veers left across the political median and into oncoming traffic...

With his campaign twisting in the wind, John Kerry scheduled a midnight kickoff to his campaign's resumption, and got it off to a start by swerving his campaign across the political center median and trying to make some mileage driving on the left side of the road.

"I will not have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could've and who misled America into Iraq."

Uh oh. Kerry surely has the right to some righteous indignation, even if only politically, having been touched up pretty well at the Republican convention. But going after the Viet Nam record of Bush or Cheney is going to cost you the cover McCain is providing, who currently protects Kerry's right flank against direct attack even from the Swift Vets, at least on his Viet Nam service proper. This rhetoric, especially the movenon.org/Deaniac line about "misled America" is going to perhaps endear you to the base, and perhaps silence internal criticism, but it's not going to get the speedometer past 45...

"Well, I'm going to leave it up to the voters to decide whether five deferments make someone more qualified than two tours of duty."

The rubicon has been passed now, and we've popped the bus up on the median to boot. Kerry can no longer take the high road - perhaps he felt either an irresistable urge or irresistable pressure to get down to the who/how/where of Viet Nam service. But it's game now, and the days of "we respect John Kerry's service", even if lip service, are likely over. And while Dick Cheney may have received five deferments, he simply received what Kerry himself had sought, and you'll not convince voters that Cheney isn't a tough SOB regardless.

"Misleading our nation into war in Iraq makes you unfit to lead our country. Doing nothing while this nation loses millions of jobs makes you unfit to lead this country. Letting 45 million Americans go without health care for four years makes you unfit to lead this country."

We're still driving on the median, but at least after the Iraq line Kerry is at least drifting back onto a drivable lane. Nothing unusual about tagging Bush on the economy or health care.

"Letting the Saudi royal family control the price of oil for Americans makes you unfit to lead this country. Handing out billions of dollars in government contracts without a bid to Halliburton while you're still on the payroll makes you unfit lead this country."

Kerry has channelled the spirit of both Al Gore and Howard Dean, yanked the wheel away hard left like Gilligan from the Skipper on the SS Minnow, and is now racing into oncoming traffic. The Saudi bogeyman and Halliburton in a quick one-two punch would make a typical DemocraticUnderground signature line, but playing in Peoria it ain't. Internal polling must be trending long term very badly to embrace lines of attack that are more the product of sleep-deprivation or a bad reaction to medicine than effective political strategy.

Kerry, frankly, has been given some good advice, but executed it badly. Going on an issue offensive is a good idea. Making the issue the Saudi's and Halliburton and Dick Cheney's Viet Nam deferments is not, and sounds more Michael Moorean than Machiavellian.

If these issues were winners, it'd be Dean that was running against Bush...

Posted by MEC2 at September 3, 2004 01:41 AM