Daily Kos

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It couldn't happen here...

by kjfitz

Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 08:23:09 AM PDT

When I made my donation to Kerry I had a twinge of discomfort knowing that I'd be in a publicly searchable database as supporting "America Haters" if Bush won.  When I mentioned to friends that the database of donations could be used to help make decissions as to who should be allowed to join the local country club, or who gets certain services or contracts, or who gets a job or not I was scoffed at as being a kook.

Then this came along:

The Inter-American Telecommunication Commission meets three times a year in various cities across the Americas to discuss such dry but important issues as telecommunications standards and spectrum regulations. But for this week's meeting in Guatemala City, politics has barged onto the agenda. At least four of the two dozen or so U.S. delegates selected for the meeting, sources tell TIME, have been bumped by the White House because they supported John Kerry's 2004 campaign.

Freepers are Slashing Their Wrists

by kjfitz

Tue Nov 02, 2004 at 04:26:09 PM PDT

Not a happy day in Freeperville.  Assorted quotes from the freepers below the fold...

Does anyone have the link to the panic thread?

How can this be???

Well that sucks.

I was psyched for a Bush win, but now.....I dunno. I really don't know. I need a stiff drink.

Sadly, I think Kerry wins it.

Very bad news.

DO NOT get depressed.

looks like I picked the wrong day to stop drinking

Fox is also saying that a LOT of people want change.

I feel like I'm going to be sick.

I am so upset about the whole election.

I wonder if Jesus has a rule on the number of prayers you are allowed each day. I think I may have over done my prayer list to Him today.

The booze might feel pretty good on top of this enormous ULCER growing in my belly.

I was talking to some of my friends. We agree FOX HAS TURNED A SHARP LEFT.

People..chill.

Frank Luntz, top republican pollster is saying Kerry has it in the bag due to larger than expected turnout. I hope he's wrong.

Drudge is a little shill for moveon.org.

Freepers Are Really Starting to Worry

by kjfitz

Tue Oct 26, 2004 at 03:42:43 PM PDT

I went through the last few hours of Freeper posts (and now I need a shower.)

Anyway, the Al Qaqaa mess, the latest polls, and the news in general really has them in a funk.  The only thing holding the wheels on the wagon at the moment is the Gallup polls.

Here are a few choice quotes:

White House Picture with Clear Back Buldge

by kjfitz

Fri Oct 15, 2004 at 08:48:12 AM PDT

Here's a picture right off of the White House Web site clearly showing some kind of "box" under his T-Shirt.  At first I thought it was a bullet proof vest but in the next photo you can clearly see from the drape of his T-Shirt that he isn't wearing a vest.

Know Your Enemy

by kjfitz

Thu Oct 07, 2004 at 10:58:31 AM PDT

The CW is that Bush has made the pivot to a pure negative end-game.  With a little thought it is easil to predicte what the focus of the new negative onslaught will be.

  • Taxes - Bush thinks his tax cuts are one of his strengths. Joe Sixpack got $$ back from the government and Bush thinks that will buy votes.  It appeals to his base and shows him to be staying the course.  As part of this he'll attack Kerry's proposed spending and ask how Kerry plans to pay for it all.  He telegraphed this clearly in the last debate.

    Counterattack - The tax cuts went to those making over $200K is OK but Joe Sixpack will remember that he did see some money come his way.  Counter that by asking about his other taxes like medical costs, cuts in local schools and services, increases in local government taxes and cost of services.  Tie them back to the Federal tax cuts.  Nothing is free.  As far as the "tax gap" goes we need to point out that George Bush has destroyed the economy and that we will rebuild it.  Use a page out of their playbook... as the economy grows so will the tax base.  Soaking the base and getting the tax cut back from them will only go so far and has been used already.  We need to get past that.


You know you've lost when you lose the LGFs

by kjfitz

Thu Sep 30, 2004 at 09:06:59 PM PDT

Here are comments from half of a post debate thread at Little Green Footballs 7:38 to 8:32:


Was Bush holding back from being utterly pissed?

After viewing this thread, I can definitely say that I've never seen more negative comments...

If I am a kerry supporter I am thrilled with the outcome of this debate and as a Bush supporter I am saddened at the missed opportunity

In my opinion, bush lost. he ran out of material and had to keep on repeating himself.

Whoever prepared Bush for this debate should be FIRED.

I think this debate was Kerry by a touchdown (with missed extra point). Kerry sounded cogent, looked decent and did a credible job of going after the president on Iraq.

I listened to a bit of the debate in the car on my way home this evening and Bush actually sounded whiny at times.

I believe that Kerry won the oration skill test.

The weakness of Bush's arguments stems from the fact that he can't really talk straight to the American people. [ed. I thought that was suposed to be his BIGGEST strength?!?]

Kerry did much better than I expected.

Bush was terribly inarticulate and stumbling.

Frankly, I am mostly disappointed.

Kerry was smooth in style...

Bush's pregnant pauses and "ummm.... uhhhhh" were painful to listen to.

I have to admit Kerry did an excellent job, and Bush was terrible.

How can Bush not be able to pronounce "nuCLEAr" like anyone else who reads the word written over and over, all over the place, all the time ?

In terms of style and delivery Kerry came off slightly better and just barely won the debate because of it.

Bush should have had a grand slam. When the debate moves to domestic policy, and Bush as is mediocre as he was tonight, Kerry would have the chance to hit his own grand slams.

A draw in this debate doesn't help Bush, it hurts him.

I think Kerry won the debate...

Wow, Bush just looked pissed and confused most of the time. Kerry was at least cool and articulate.

With people that have not been following the issues, Kerry may have done better.

I don't think Kerry needed a home-run debate. He just needed to walk away on his two feet. He did that.

I think Bush was nervous and agitated. Hopefully he'll be more relaxed in the next debate.

I have a feeling it was probably a slight boost for Kerry.

I'm afraid Kerry won the debate. At times, it was a complete pummeling on Bush's limited rhetorical capacities. It's a shame, because now the Bush victory is not so clear.

Kerry looked good,...

&$(&(&(%%$@#$)*

GWB seemed more likeable and genuine, but still scattered and hesitant.

Bush was not at the top of his own game.

Stylistically - Kerry won the debate. He was much smoother, responded better and quicker to his opponent, and had a cleaner, more confident tone.

Man, Bush is toast.  I can't wait to see the polls .  Want to bet on a Level Red scare tomorrow?

Right Track / Wrong Track Kerry Ad is Already Out

by kjfitz

Fri Sep 24, 2004 at 10:45:35 AM PDT

Wow, that was quick. I hope they can keep up the pace and keep hitting Bush on a daily basis highlighting the previous day's blunders.

New Zealand Out of the Coalition

by kjfitz

Wed Sep 22, 2004 at 01:32:03 PM PDT

I didn't see this in the US news anywhere.  It looks like New Zealand has pulled the last of their troops out of Iraq and it doesn't look like they'll be sending more any time soon.

Weekly Friday White House Document Dump

by kjfitz

Fri Sep 17, 2004 at 04:21:35 PM PDT

Looks like the WH is up to its almost routine Friday dump.  Today it is more TANG documents from the Pentagon.  Um, wait a minute.  I thought they had all been released the last four times.  Oh, well.

Some "Privileged Son" fodder but it doesn't look like any surprises yet.

New Boilerplate to Simplify Your Future Diaries

by kjfitz

Mon Sep 13, 2004 at 03:10:35 PM PDT

A detailed survey of the posting on this site has revealed that too much time is spent writing boilerplate and very little on content.

In a service to my fellow Kosmopolitans I am providing this template for future postings. No longer will you have to spend time typing the same stuff over and over in order to communicate that new nugget of information you have, in a blinding flash of light, had revealed to you (or as more often the case, seen on Drudge and assume no one else has seen.

New Anti-Swift Boat Ad from MoveOn, "Swift Response"

by kjfitz

Mon Aug 16, 2004 at 05:05:15 PM PDT

See it here.

If Kerry Wins the Dems Will Have Lost Two More Wars

by kjfitz

Fri Aug 13, 2004 at 12:36:52 PM PDT

No this isn't a flame.

Iraq and Afghanistan are both total messes and probably un-winnable.

If Kerry is elected he'll obviously have to address these messes one way or another. If he extracts the US at any point without having a clearly defined victory then 2008 will be all about "Bush was winning the wars but The Dems lost them" with the left countering by re-naming both wars Bush's War #1 and Bush's War #2.

What a mess.

Random thoughts about the election

by kjfitz

Thu Aug 12, 2004 at 02:21:35 PM PDT

I've had a few thoughts accumulating that didn't really rate individual diaries....

There won't be a lull in the campaign during the Olympics

CW has it that there is about to be a lull in the campaign because of the Olympics. The Olympics won't  dominate the news cycles as much as CW holds. Politics and Iraq will. In years past we were all so sick of Olympic advertising by this time that we were glad to see the Olympic come because it meant an end to the relentless Olympic-ization of everything. This year?  Nada.  The lack of dream teams, lack of stars,  expectations of anti-Americanism, the already hot election cycle, and the fact that Bush is behind and can't afford to quit campaigning for those two weeks will mean a very small impact by the Olympics on this year's election.

We may hit the tragic 1000 US deaths in Iraq during the RNC convention

 

What can we expect from Bush in the next few weeks

by kjfitz

Fri Jul 30, 2004 at 10:21:27 AM PDT

After dedicating almost all of his resources to date to frame Kerry as weak on defense and an old fashioned liberal, Bush has failed.  Kerry has succeeded in framing his own image as a real alternative to Bush as Commander in Chief, a person who cares about the middle class, and a leader.  Bush has to defensively re-frame himself.  His old arguments are not effective against the newly framed Kerry.

Know Your Enemy - Republican Agenda Predictions

by kjfitz

Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 11:10:51 AM PDT

The Bush Campaign is under a lot of pressure to announce an agenda for the next four years.  What that agenda will contain can be predicted based on a few influencing factors.  First, Bush's base is eroding around the left edge.  He'll need to shore it up.  Second, he has to bring up his positives so expect some sweetness and light.  Finally, he has to re-engage the swing voters.

More below the fold...

Bush Slams Kerry on NM Ad

by kjfitz

Thu Jul 01, 2004 at 05:13:32 PM PDT

Bush slams Kerry's NM ad's mention of the book he wrote("The New War").  

The ad leads the watcher to believe that the book just came out by saying it leaves out all reference to Bin Laden and everything tht happened in the last three years.  But the book was written in 1997.  They treat the book as though it states his current "strategy."  As though Kerry were the one that once he picks a path never can alter it - Kerry as Mr. Stay the Course (!?)

Anyway, It's all smoke an mirrors but it sure looks like a hard hitting and effective ad.

So what happens to Kerry's funds after the convention?

by kjfitz

Thu Jul 01, 2004 at 09:36:08 AM PDT

Kerry is still fundraising, the convention draws near, and he still has tens of millions of dollars in the bank.

So what happens to all this money?

Money spent on advertising at this point in the campaign has limited value.  He could repay his loan but that hands the Bushites a day of gloating.  He can't pre-pay expenses as some suggest (salary, advertising, etc.)

Does he hand the money to the DNC who can then spend it essentially (but not explicitly?) on getting Kerry elected?

How has this worked in the past?

New Kerry Ad - Pilot

by kjfitz

Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 10:43:41 AM PDT

This new Kerry ad seems to be an attempt to address the issue that keeps coming up that the electorate doesn't know who John Kerry is yet.  Looks pretty effective to me.

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