(Note: I think this is a plant from Bush-Fuckyourself '04, frankly)
And this outstanding party-pop-psychoan: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/493kldgc.asp?pg=2
This, below, is the best description yet of the Bush-Fuckyourself '04 Campaign Strategy:
"Here's how it works: The Republicans are working from the playbook of the schoolyard bully — teasing, taunting, questioning the opponent's manhood, and watching to see what he does. For Kerry, it's a no-winner. Fight back, and he looks defensive and angry, and lets the Republicans set the agenda. Sit back, and he'll just get beat down some more.
Better yet, the approach stands to erode Kerry's base — the real prize for the Republicans, in a super-polarized election where positions are set and turnout may be the key to victory. If Kerry fights fire with fire, he risks looking "negative" and losing the middle-of-the-roaders to Bush or to apathy. (The Republicans have already seeded the notion that the Democrats are the party of negativity and hate. At the Democratic convention, organizers did everything to tamp down personal criticism of the president, and put on a happy, smiling face. Surveying the scene, Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto informed his viewers that "there's a lot of hatred in this room behind me.")
But take it lying down, and Kerry looks wimpy — like Dukakis in the tank, like the French, like those who are "soft on terror," like the "girlie men" Arnold Schwarzenegger called California Democrats. And here, he risks losing his left-wing support: Dean, Kucinich and Sharpton supporters and progressives of all stripes who are spoiling for a real fight. The Republicans hope some of this support will turn off Kerry and move, say, to independent Ralph Nader — or that just enough left-wingers will lose the drive to go to the polls should the weather be nasty or their car break down.
Right now, Kerry's lurching between the two response strategies, clearly attempting to come up with something better, but looking passive and indecisive in the process. His convoluted communication style doesn't help. Even when Kerry's fighting back, you can't tell for sure from his words.
Taunting and bullying works. Despite a stagnant economy, growing inequalities, and a catastrophe in Iraq, Bush is running neck-and-neck with his challenger. Even better, the bullying keeps the focus on Kerry and lets Bush get away with empty slogans over concrete ideas. More deeply, it matches well with the cultivation of seething resentment, cowardice and paranoia that has been so successful since September 11.
It's a nasty tactic, and shameless. But it's working well so far, and it might clinch Bush the prize of an outright election — popular vote and all, with no need for dirty tricks. Let's hope, for their sake, that the Democrats realize this.
Siddhartha Mitter is a Boston-based writer and political analyst. He can be reached at siddharthamitter at earthlink.net.
http://www.africana.com/articles/daily/bw20040816filth.asp
"We're in a fucking stagmire."
--Little Carmine, 'The Sopranos'
"We're in a fucking stagmire."
--Little Carmine, 'The Sopranos'