All opinions posted. None too pathetic or contrived. Everyone gets their say.

"...even the wicked get worse than they deserve." - Willa Cather, One of Ours

Thursday, July 29, 2004

Democrats: Too Nice For Their Own Good

Washington Post
TV Networks Continue to Fail the Public On Coverage of Politics
...the Democrats' namby-pamby decision to go positive -- not to attack the arguably very, very vulnerable administration of George W. Bush -- has put a pall of niceness over the proceedings that, try as they might, cranky-minded TV commentators haven't done much to dispel...

But a little hard-core, down-and-dirty political colloquy would seem more than appropriate for a time in which Americans are threatened by international terrorism on one side and economic woes on the other...
[...]
A viewer could have come away from the speech with the impression that Edwards was saying "a Kerry-Edwards administration will be even better than Bush-Cheney" rather than "the current administration has got to go." He didn't offer enough motivation for changing leadership in the middle of an apparently intractable war.
[...]
...Katie Couric told viewers of yesterday's "Today" show on NBC that Illinois legislator Barack Obama had "electrified" the crowd with his stunningly eloquent speech Tuesday night. Too bad NBC refused to show it. Too bad profit-mad NBC-Universal was determined to air its lame reality shows and sitcom reruns instead. And then Couric tells us we really should've been there. The networks are just plain nuts.
[...]
Coverage by cable networks lasts longer but strays often from whatever is happening on the vast stage (with the vast screen behind it) in Boston's FleetCenter. On Fox, gabby and opinionated commentators occasionally will allow a few minutes of a speech to air, but then they return to the spotlight they love so much for their own use.
[...]
...The networks have got to look for a better convention story than the hoary old bore about how conventions don't matter any more. It makes them sound like shills for the corporate front offices, who hate to lose an hour of profit-making pap even in the middle of summer.
Edwards' speech was nice, but 12 hours later I can't remember a significant phrase from it. Maybe "not in our America"? This makes it sounds like non-Democrats might be living in an America that is different than the one everyone else lives in. Sheesh.

It may seem trivial, and it is, but the Dems really need to come up with a campaign slogan with some resonance. Remember "putting people first" & "end welfare as we know it", "Building a bridge to the 21st century", "Are you better off than you were four years ago?", "it is morning again in America", and "compassionate conservative" & "leave no child behind"? I do. And I can tell you who said them in and for which winnning campaign (Clinton '92, Clinton '96, Reagan '80, Reagan '84, Bush 2000). These lines are memorable for a good reason. They told us something compelling about the specific candidate that made you want to vote for them, even if it wasn't true.

What is Kerry's theme? "Let's Restore America to...something", maybe? Who knows? God knows possibly but the public doesn't.

In tomorrow's speech I hope he tries for something compelling and superficial, as opposed to something serious and quickly forgetable. This is a big opportunity to connect to the people and he can't blow it.
Posted by: Zayphar / 7/29/2004 05:54:00 AM 0 comments

Allies and Security


"The best security we ultimately have is the spread of freedom and democracy and justice throughout the world…We are the ally of the US not because they are powerful, but because we share their values."

Tony Blair
Posted by: Zayphar / 7/29/2004 05:52:00 AM 0 comments