[lbo-talk] Re New Economist Poll: Bad News For Bush

Nathan Newman nathanne at nathannewman.org
Fri Sep 10 12:14:51 PDT 2004


----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Henwood" <dhenwood at panix.com>

Nathan Newman wrote:
>But more than these dirty ads from Bush, those turnout efforts will end up
>being the real story of this election.

-The dullness of Kerry's campaign runs the risk of alienating the -turnout agents, who may not ring doorbells with the number and fervor -you're hoping for.

Or those older mentor left activists who criticize Kerry as "dull" will discourage those younger activists from volunteering. As I said about Gore in 2000, we can't do anything about his campaign (and I think Kerry is still doing far better overall), but we can fight to mobilize and win regardless of the candidate.

Again, there is the odd passivity on the Left as if it's the job of the candidate to win, rather than elections being the job of the grassroots activists. Candidates once barely campaigned for office-- the assumption being that it was the party activists who were the heart of the campaign.

-- Nathan Newman



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