Andrei Cherny reflects ... I'll suggest any Dem wishing to ponder a future of bold new ideas would be well advised to check out his book (link at the top left of this site)
Scot Lehigh explains
Jonathan Chait warns that some who supported Bush will be in for a big surprise. Michael Totten beware.
EJ Dionne says Dems must organize and fight back. I say: "Well duh!"
Debra Saunders has a lot of great ideas for Bush to do from a conservative viewpoint that might help Bush bridge the divide between Red & Blue America ... I expect all of NONE of this to happen. Mary, check with Michael Totten about 3 years from now. I suspect you'll both be in for quite a shock.
Judis & Texeireira still don't get it.
I always knew Frank Pastore was evil when he was a pitcher for the Reds. I just never had any idea how evil he truly was. Congratulations, Republicans ... this is what you've married into:
The left bewitches with its potions and elixirs, served daily in its strongholds of academe, Hollywood and old media. It vomits upon the morals, values and traditions we hold sacred: God, family and country. As we learned Tuesday, it is clear the left holds the majority of Americans, the majority of us, in contempt.
Simply, a majority of Americans have rejected John Kerry and John Edwards and the left because they are wrong. They are wrong because there are not two Americas. We are one nation under a God they reject. We remain indivisible despite their attempts to divide Americans through their relentless warfare against class, ethnic and religious unity.
Sorta answers those questions why Jewish voters never really made the step over to Bush this go-round, I suppose.
More thoughts after a good convo with a good friend I encourage openly to run for office in 2006 .... re: Kerry .... stating the case against the incumbent is not to be confused with making the case for the challenger. That, I think, in a nutshell, was Kerry's biggest fault. He had several good ideas in the mix, but for the dozen or so that bothered to read the campaign book, they lit a fire nowhere else. For anyone wishing to challenge an incumbent, I think this same advice holds.
With a little luck, I'll get around to crunching some numbers (mostly local, state) over the weekend. Any thoughts about a post-election gathering, drop an email or give a ring. Planning a return to a movie theater sometime soon for some R&R.
Comments
Greg--
For those of us who just started reading your page, could you explain your criticism of Judis & Texiera? A genuine question, not a criticism.
Posted by: AWC | November 5, 2004 03:39 PM
These two give the basics ... more might be best uncovered by using the Search tool (time constraints here prevent further commentary, but more may be forthcoming)
http://www.gregsopinion.com/archives/004211.html
http://www.gregsopinion.com/archives/003662.html
Posted by: Greg Wythe | November 5, 2004 04:26 PM
Good criticisms. I agree the Dems need a stronger message (a lesson I learned while trying to canvass for Kerry).
But I do think there's some truth in the J-T thesis. That is, the percentage of Americans that are either Hispanic or professional is growing, and both tend to vote Democratic. The question is: can the Democrats seize this growth while holding onto traditional constituencies (notably seniors and white union members) and perhaps appealing to white moderates in the border states?
The past two elections show that J&T were wrong to think this new coalition would happen automatically. The problem was more than wishful thinking. J&T could not have predicted that 9-11 would create a patriotic bubble for the Republicans. We'll see how long it lasts.
Posted by: AWC | November 5, 2004 05:04 PM
There were a couple of times during the campaign that I thought Kerry was onto stating what he stood for--like the "Let America be America again." No, it wasn't great, wasn't specific, but it was something, at least--it connoted an idea of strength and even morality. But it died out. We never heard it again. There seemed to be this unwillingness (I hope not inability) to create a message, stick to it, and repeat, repeat, repeat it. Being simple isn't the same as being simple minded.
What gets me is that we are basically talking about basic good public speaking--have a point. Of course, it's having a specific type of point. Kerry wound up making the same mistake that Ann Richards did--focusing on why the opponent wasn't qualified. That's important but can't be the only or main thing.
But frankly, I didn't find Bush's statement of he stood for all that clear. What he did in 1994 and 2000 was far better. He had his message (points 1, 2, and 3) and came back to them.
I know there's a difference between having a theme and saying what you stand for--the former is a means to but not the whole of the latter.
What should keep us somewhat positive is that to a certain extent, what needs to be done isn't that hard.
Posted by: Tx Bubba | November 5, 2004 05:15 PM