Re-invention Convention

Re-invention Convention

John LeBoutillier
Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004

Looking back at last week’s Democratic Convention in Boston, we can see the game plan for this fall’s election: John Kerry is taking a page from sports: the best way to attack an opponent is to go right at his strength and neutralize it.

George W. Bush has had a strong advantage over Kerry on the War on Terror and the issue of “who can best lead in a crisis.”

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So what did Kerry and his Boston minions do?

They cleverly re-packaged the most liberal of all 100 senators into a born-again hawk who would be stronger in the War on Terror than Bush.

On the “ability to lead in a crisis,” we suddenly met a man who heroically saves everyone - from overboard soldiers to drowning hampsters!

On national defense, we met someone who had killed enemy soldiers and suffered war wounds - not the man who consistently voted even to the left of Teddy Kennedy on canceling most of our vital weapons programs.

In other words, Boston was all about re-creating and introducing a new candidate to the American voter.

And - so far - the Democrats have done a good job.

What does the Bush-Cheney Campaign now do?

Well, we have been told to expect a massive $60 million GOP August ad campaign aimed at educating the American voter on who the ‘real Kerry’ is.

The problem is that was already tried in March through June to the tune of about $80 million. And it did raise Kerry’s negatives. His image as a flip-flopper was imbedded in millions of minds. But, unfortunately for the Bush Team, the President’s negatives also rose along with the attacks on Kerry. For months the President himself - in a departure from all past presidents - has been on the stump attacking Kerry and even Edwards. Many have thought this a mistake - lowering the lofty status of the presidency down to the level of the common campaigner.

The better path now for Bush-Cheney now would be to rise above politics and act Presidential and eschewing blatant partisanship.

Why not talk Big Issues and Big Themes?

Why not paint a picture of the future that gives all Americans hope and optimism rather than more fear and trepidation?

Why not reduce Kerry back to the pathetic left-winger he really is by using the presidency to dwarf him?

All of this can be done - not through attacks and TV commercials - but instead by new speeches and appearances by a suddenly re-invented President back in the post 9/11 mode.

Beginning right now, the Bush-Cheney Campaign needs to re-jigger their thinking. If they want to ‘grow’ their vote - mired at about 44 percent and unchanged for months - they need a new approach.

Blasting Kerry ain’t working.

So try a new way: ignore him and instead rise above it all.