IPW Daily Report – Sunday, February 29, 2004
"He's ignored Haiti as much in the same way he's
ignored much of the countries in this hemisphere,"
said Edwards,
about President Bush.
“Democrat frontrunner John Kerry is not sure God
is on America's side in the war terrorism. Kerry
made the startling comments during Sunday's
Democrat presidential debate in New York City.”
– writes Matt
Drudge.
This president always makes decisions late,"
Kerry said,
[the Bush administration] "empowered the
insurgents" and made a peaceful solution
difficult. "I never would have allowed it to get
out of control the way it did."
Dems accuse Bush during latest debate
Edwards is O-U-T!
analysis
by Roger Wm. Hughes
Bush launching Ads March 4th
Dems accuse Bush during latest debate
It was yet another Democratic Presidential debate
and yet another Bash Bush performance by the
remaining wannabees for the Dem Party nomination.
Second banana John Edwards accused Bush of neglect
concerning Haiti:
"He's ignored Haiti as much in the same way he's
ignored much of the countries in this hemisphere,"
said Edwards, a freshman senator from North
Carolina.
"The proper thing to do is for America to be part
of a U.N. force to secure the country," he said.
Top banana John Kerry said of Bush, “He’s late, as
usual.”
But perhaps the biggest bomb of the event was John
Kerry’s saying that he wasn’t sure if God was on
America’s side concerning the War on Terror: [excerpt
from DRUDGE report]
Democrat frontrunner John Kerry is not sure God is
on America's side in the war terrorism. Kerry made
the startling comments during Sunday's Democrat
presidential debate in New York City.
Elizabeth Bumiller of the NEW YORK TIMES asked
Kerry: "President Bush has said that freedom and
fear have always been at war, and God is not
neutral between them. He's made quite clear in his
speeches that he feels God is on America's side.
"Is God on America's side?"
KERRY: Well, God will -- look, I think -- I
believe in God, but I don't believe, the way
President Bush does, in invoking it all the time
in that way. I think it is -- we pray that God is
on our side, and we pray hard. And God has been on
our side through most of our existence.
Beyond that, the debate (sponsored by CBS and The
New York Times) featured the usual free-trade
issue, Washington Insider vs. The Real World
rhetoric and fiscal responsibility.
Looming over the event was Super Tuesday and the
1151 delegates yet to be awarded by those ten
states. According to an Associated Press article,
Edwards has ‘virtually ceded four New England
states to Kerry and stands little chance of
victory in the biggest battlegrounds, New York and
California, or Maryland.’ The remaining states of
Georgia, Ohio and Minnesota have been Edwards’
main focus of campaigning, though he is behind in
those polls as well.
A more Southern-friendly March 9th date is on the
horizon for Edwards with four states holding
primaries on that day. But Edwards first has to
survive Super Tuesday/March 2nd.
The AP article referenced Dem Party chairman Terry
McAuliffe’s hope that the nominee would gell soon.
Reports are that Bush is due to launch a massive
ad campaign beginning March 4th. McAuliffe can’t
counter that unless the nominee is clear:
”At some point, we need to be unified,” said
McAuliffe.
Edwards is O-U-T!
analysis
by Roger Wm. Hughes
Sen. John Edwards continues to act like there is a
possibility of winning his party’s nomination when
there isn’t one. His Party Chairman Terry
McAuliffe knows that it is over and has set the
March 9 elections as the last day for the Edwards
campaign. That is a gift from McAuliffe to
Edwards, given the fact that all evidence
indicates it is over now. Edwards has
little prospect of winning any states on this
Tuesday’s Super Primary date -- and if he does win
two, it doesn’t matter.
Edwards campaign’s failing is in waging a campaign
of class warfare. He has relied on his childhood
memories of his father working in the South
Carolina mills to soften his populist appeal.
Frequently, the Edwards campaign has gathered
laid-off workers, telling them he remembers his
own father being laid off from his job. He then
goes on to incite hatred against the rich by
dividing the nation into two Americas -- one of
rich and poor.
In Edwards’ campaign of division, he has limited
his campaign’s appeal. A campaign of division is
by its nature an insurgency campaign. This is not
unlike the Howard Dean campaign, but with more
manners.
The limiting factor of all campaigns of division
is that its first division must provide you with a
majority. In other words, the ‘us’ must be greater
than the ‘them.’
Edwards’ failing has also been in not providing a
reason why he is a better choice than Sen. John
Kerry. His choice of trying to make that point by
being the most polite amongst the three gang
fighters of Rep. Dick Gephardt, Howard Dean and
John Kerry prevented him from raising the
negatives on Kerry later.
In today’s debate in N.Y., Edwards tried to bring
to the fore the differences of Kerry’s wealthy
class and Washington insider status, but it’s a
case of too little too late. The race is over and
the Democrats are already hearing “Hail to the
Chief” being played for Kerry.
An example of why Edwards’ attempt is too little
too late is this exchange between he and Kerry:
"Do you believe we're going to change this country
out of Washington, D.C.?" Edwards asked.
"Yes, because that's where the Congress of the
United States is, and that's where 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue is," Kerry said. "And the
answer is, we're going to need a president who has
the experience and the proven ability -- proven
ability -- to be able to stand up and take on
tough fights."
Edwards tried to hit Kerry on trade, as well, by
attacking Kerry’s proposal to have a 120 day
review of trade pacts:
"What you're going to say to a family that's lost
their job because of bad trade agreements is
'Don't worry, we've got a Washington committee
that's studying this for you," said Edwards.
Kerry simply deflected the question by saying
Edwards was misrepresenting him.
Few understood that the nature of the Democrats’
hatred of President Bush would result in a rush to
judgment in picking their party’s nominee. Not
even Kerry, who chose Iowa in order to revitalize
his campaign in New Hampshire, understood the full
implications of making his push in Iowa to
frontload his momentum to the nomination. Still,
it has had the effect of leaving everyone else
except for Edwards in the dust. Edwards’ longevity
comes from placing number two in the results.
Most of Edwards’ supporters at this point are
hoping for the number two spot on the ticket.
Edwards’ insistence that he is still viable to
reach the goal of being the nominee is beginning
to hurt his VP chances. Not because it takes him
out of Kerry’s consideration, but because anyone
having such faulty judgment shouldn’t be allowed
anywhere near the Presidency.
.
Bush launching Ads March 4th
President Bush is launching a $4.5 million dollar
ad buy this Thursday, March 4, with television ads
on the Fox News Channel getting a reported 50% of
that buy. According to an AP story, it’s the first
substantial cable channel ad buy by a presidential
campaign. Bush’s campaign started purchasing
airtime last Friday, with purchases in 50 markets
and 17 states.
The article also reveals Bush’s ads will be airing
during the 24-hour news networks, Fox Sports Net
(yes, most slotted during NASCAR events). Bush TV
ads will also show on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and
expectations are that there will be buys on ESPN,
the Golf Channel, too. And what about other cable
channels? Supposedly, ad rates were looked into
for the Home and Garden and the History Channel.
So, what are the Bush ads about? Bush's "steady
leadership in changing and dangerous times."
The AP article also pulled out some political
analysts, who deduced:
Political analysts say advertising through cable
TV allows the campaign to target its advertising
to specific constituencies and be on the air
everywhere, including in states that may not be in
play in the election.
"It's a fairly efficient way to engage voters
without having to cherry-pick states," said Evan
Tracey, president of TNS Media
Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group, which
tracks ad spending.
Bush-Cheney advisers say polling shows that
Republicans watch less broadcast TV than
Democrats, which suggests that the best way to
reach the GOP base is to target cable networks
with high Republican viewership.
Addressing the growing importance of the Hispanic
vote, Bush’s campaign also purchased airtime for
ads on two Spanish networks (Univision and
Telemundo) and will begin showing Bush ads next
week in New Mexico, Florida, Nevada and Arizona.
According to the AP article, this is part of the
Bush strategy:
"President Bush feels that it's very important to
reach out to citizens throughout this country who
may not have English as their native tongue," said
Scott Stanzel, a campaign spokesman. "Our media
and advertising campaign will reflect that
effort."
"If the Republicans take 5 (percent) to 10 percent
of the Hispanic vote, they're going to kill the
Democrats in those key states," said Joe
Velasquez, a Democratic consultant with Moving
America Forward, a group trying to mobilize
Hispanic voters.
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