March 26, 2004
The Final Straw
I've been amazed the past four years at how doggedly Republicans and conservatives have stood by the Bush administration despite all it has done and failed to do. Fiscal conservativism long ago went out the window. State's rights have been thrown out for a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. And time after time this administration has lied to the American people on virtually every issue that has crossed it's collective desk. Yet there has been relatively little internal dissent in the Right. I would have thought better of fully half the country.
But the lynchpin has always been national security. Fighting the war on terror is so important to this country that all other slips, gaffes, and outright scandals this Administration perpetrates are overlooked because they are Fighting The Terrorists and Keeping Us Safe.
With the entry of Richard Clarke onto the political stage, this may change. It should change, but I say may because the Democrats really have to step up to the plate and take this issue away for it to happen. Clarke is a devastating liability to the Bush administration, but he is not going to make this stick by himself. The Democrats have to be willing to step up and say Bush is weak on terror and that they are strong on it. If they do this, if they make the case convincingly (and it can be made, because it's true), they will win this election.
Case in point, Andrew Sullivan:
"Sometimes, a Democrat has to be tougher than a Republican in this area - if only to credentialize himself. I can certainly conceive of Richard Holbrooke being a tougher secretary of state than Colin Powell. I'm not yet convinced and want to hear much more from Kerry. But I'm persuadable. Four more years of religious-right social policy and Nixonian fiscal policy is not something I really want to support."
Message to Kerry et al: RUN WITH THIS. NOW.
Posted by Palabris at March 26, 2004 10:15 AM
I feel certain that Andrew Sullivan is on the verge of announcing support for Kerry -- or, at the very least, no support for Bush. By coming out for the marriage ammendment, Bush delivered a major blow to Sullivan's support. Now, after announcing that he can see how a Democrat might do better as a "war leader" than Bush has, Sullivan goes on vacation for a week. The very same week, no less, that Clark's testimony and book come out, which means there's one less attack dog on the right to try to distract from the real issues.
If Kerry plays this right, he can do some serious damage to the Bush campaign. I think he's been smart so far by saying nothing and letting the rest of the Dems come out on the offensive. Let this stir around for a week, and then come up with a comprehensive, balanced response that focuses on what Kerry will do differently if he's elected. Kerry needs to stay on the high ground here. He's already got the Democrats on his side. Now is the time to begin courting the conservative voters.
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