NationStates Jolt Archive

What do you think is the largest contributing factor in Kerry loosing the election. I'm not looking for "Republican's Suck" or "Republicans are Idiots" type messages. I want real opinions on what you think led to the Kerry Campaign's loosing the election.

I think Bush's advertising campaigns is what did Kerry in.

If there's one way you want to get someone NOT elected, it's to show them voting for raising taxes.

At least in America, that is.

Not to mention, people don't like change.

What do you think is the largest contributing factor in Kerry loosing the election. I'm not looking for "Republican's Suck" or "Republicans are Idiots" type messages. I want real opinions on what you think led to the Kerry Campaign's loosing the election.

Hammering on Florida for one! Demeaning our allies for another.

The Reason I Think Bush Won The Election Is His View On Terrorism. Kerry Didn't Seem To Have A View On It. Kerry Just Tried To Make Bush Seem Like He Was Imcompetent And I Think The Voters Realized That Bush Would Do A Better Job Than Kerry. Also Kerry Said He Was Going To "make A Stronger America", But He Didn't Really Say How. All He Said How Bad Bush Was. The Voters Of America Don't Like Passamistic Views. Bush Was Very Optimistic And Thats Why He Won. :)

Basing his campaign on four months in Vietnam, 35 years ago, instead of on the last 20 years he spent in the Senate.

"Hello, I'm John Kerry, and I WON'T BE reporting for duty."

Oh, and let's not forget: "I'm not Bush." Weak, very weak.

I think that Kerry really ran into trouble when more people voted for Bush.

he took too long to respond to attacks made by the bush campaign... bush's team has been all over every offensive move that kerry made.... plus kerry was always tagged as a flip-flopper (because he was)

What do you think is the largest contributing factor in Kerry loosing the election. I'm not looking for "Republican's Suck" or "Republicans are Idiots" type messages. I want real opinions on what you think led to the Kerry Campaign's loosing the election.

The Bush campaign has labled Kerry as a flip flopper. He never recovered from that. It's that simple. No matter how idiotic that sounds, that's it.

The reasons????


Kerry Plan: White House Run Hid True Ambition (2004-11-03) -- Sen. John Forbes Kerry, who was also a presidential candidate until recently, today finally explained "the plan" to which he often referred during his White House bid.

"You probably thought my plan involved sitting in the Oval Office," said Mr. Kerry, "But everything I have done this year was simply to lay the groundwork for my triumphal ascension to the post of Senate Minority Leader. Now that my coattails have carried Tom Daschle to defeat, I stand ready to lead the remainder of the senate Democrats with my progressive ideas."

A straw poll of Democrat senators shows that Mr. Kerry stands a good chance of garnering the position, since the party is looking for "fresh new faces."

"I've never met him personally," said one veteran U.S. Senator, "but it sounds like he has the personality to pick up where Sen. Daschle left off."

by Scott Ott

I think the biggest contributing factor to Kerry losing by so much (as opposed to Gore) is not so much in this election, but last election. Last election, W Bush was seen as Bushes son, and the Bush legecy was transfered to W Bush. Because of that, many of voters stayed at home, not wanting to vote Gore, and too scared to vote Bush. Since then, Bush showed that he wasn't his father, and it wouldn't be the same as with the first Bush. Therefore, much of the fear of voting Bush was gone. As a result, those voters who stayed at home last election went to vote for Bush this election. So it's more that not as many voters voted for Bush last time than it is that so many voters voted for Bush this time.

What do you think is the largest contributing factor in Kerry loosing the election. I'm not looking for "Republican's Suck" or "Republicans are Idiots" type messages. I want real opinions on what you think led to the Kerry Campaign's loosing the election.

Nothing went "wrong",.. it went perfectly right.

That's the point, we excercised our representative democratic process, and pissed off those with "certainty" that their guy was the one-true-hope for mankind due to the outcome.

It just shows the arrogance of the left (and those rightists like JFKerry that simply want his power) that they "KNOW BETTER" as any outcome but "their mandate from the gods of what WE believe" is unjust.

What would your reaction be if the roles were reversed..?

Would you be berating the "right" for their "not coming together in this time of national need"...?

Of course you would..!

But it's still our process, and, as I've heard SO MANY TIMES ON THESE BOARDS, "if you don't like it you are free to not join in".

Let's not be children, and do what's best for those we care about..

There are a few things that Bush supporters care about, he talks tough, and he religious, some like his stance on Iraq and all that, but at least half vote for him because of that.

he took too long to respond to attacks made by the bush campaign... bush's team has been all over every offensive move that kerry made.... plus kerry was always tagged as a flip-flopper (because he was)

You almost got it right. I think the Democratic primaries hurt the Dems a lot because people saw all this hate aimed at Bush and most people don't hate Bush. They may disagree with Bush, but they don't hate him. Seeing hate like that turns voters off to any arguments the "hater" may have. Then suddenly Kerry is chosen on his "electability" not his issues. Then Kerry picks Edwards the dud for his VP according to polls. Edwards is young and energetic but he couldn't even carry his own home state and people dont vote for VP for President. Kerry himself is unimpressive because of his attendence record in the Senate and a valid point by the Bush team that he voted against supporting our troops w/the $87 billion. Most people know that Kerry voted against the money for political reasons during the primary. The list goes on and on for why Kerry lost. Biggest reason is Kerry himself. He is, to use Limbaugh's words, a "charismatic dud" and people don't connect to him.

Americans would rather vote FOR someone instead of AGAINST Bush. They need more reasons to vote for someone that against an aopponent. The motto anybody but Bush turned people off because most people want to agree with the person they are voting for.

No one single thing turned the election to George W. Bush, but rather a series of things:

1.) THE FOCUS: George Bush managed to keep the focus on terrorism, even as the Iraq War went bad and the economy crumbled. Kerry was unable to shift the focus back onto Bush and back onto domestic issues.

2.) MORAL VALUES: The Religious Right turned out in numbers far higher than expected. This is the thing that -really- concerns me...it's a signal that the Christian conservatives have the power to rule this country. Moral values trumped everything else. America is becoming more and more conservative.

3.) CANDIDATE: In hindsight, we may have made a mistake in nominating John Kerry. Although he seems to be a decent man, and a fairly moderate politician, he couldn't rally the base like Bush rallied HIS. I cannot help but wonder if perhaps Howard Dean might have been a better choice.

4.) BUSH: Bush is LOVED by his base. He's inspired them to seize control of America. He's also not as stupid as we thought.

I think it was sealed when he lowered taxes, or atleast Kerry would've had to raise them to support his ideas of equality.

"Hello fellow Americans, I wish to become president to rule the world! Hehe"

*Everybody laughs at him*

"But I will lower taxes!"

*Stampede of voters running to booths*

I think that's about it... So much for democracy, maybe they should re-name it 'Greedocracy'? No wait, they already have Capitalism...
-Ross

Nothing went "wrong",.. it went perfectly right.

That's the point, we excercised our representative democratic process, and pissed off those with "certainty" that their guy was the one-true-hope for mankind due to the outcome.

It just shows the arrogance of the left (and those rightists like JFKerry that simply want his power) that they "KNOW BETTER" as any outcome but "their mandate from the gods of what WE believe" is unjust.

What would your reaction be if the roles were reversed..?

Would you be berating the "right" for their "not coming together in this time of national need"...?

Of course you would..!

But it's still our process, and, as I've heard SO MANY TIMES ON THESE BOARDS, "if you don't like it you are free to not join in".

Let's not be children, and do what's best for those we care about..

Arrogant left? The only arrogant person I see here is you.

that they "KNOW BETTER"

Take that quote out of insulting context and you've hit the nail on the head... Just kidding. :)
There's nothing arrogant about the left, there's something very optimistic and refreshing as the only way Communism works is if people try and so Communists must have great faith in humanity.
Those however not that far Left must atleast attain a reasonable amount of faith or they wouldn't believe what they do.
You could call the Left naive, but not arrogant, and I consider myself Left so please don't use words in an off hand way ok?
-Ross

Im thinking nothing went wrong. Regardless of who won or lost, just take a minute to look at the voter turn out. Look at how much we are talking about the outcome and how much it was anticipated! Nothing went wrong... people did what they were supposed to do!! And it makes me proud really that the election was such a debate!

Im thinking nothing went wrong.

If you're homophobic that'd be true, if you believe everybody's equal then it didn't go so smoothly... :mad:
-Ross

Arrogant left? The only arrogant person I see here is you.

Then you aren't looking hard enough. If you've been around the forum or around a liberal population anywhere you know what he's talking about.

In the circles of Ohio voters I frequent, Cowboy jokes, calling Bush "lil shrub", and Kerry's preceived arrogance during the debates were enough to paint liberals as arrogant know-it-alls. No one lkes a know-it-all. Kerry's image in my neck of the woods was that he thought awfully highly of himself. That he believed all us rural, religious people as uneducated, redneck brother-cousins. The democratic party (again, from my end of the spectrum) seems to be full of people who are so egotistical they forget that those who don't support gay marriage, abortion, and overtly socialist practices are American Citizens, too.

I feel that it was this, the perceived arrogance, which played a major role in losing Kerry the White House. And, if the trend continues, without the Democratic party making some inroads with us "dumb" people, I can't see them regaining much power, very quickly, in the near future.

overtly socialist

That's not a bad thing, a socialist government would be a good one, or atleast a mix of Capitalism and socialism, rather than... What America has now.
Also, better a know it all than a know nothing eh?
-Ross

That's not a bad thing, a socialist government would be a good one, or atleast a mix of Capitalism and socialism, rather than... What America has now.

Some might disagree with you here - the American economy, even when lagging, is still far more effective than most.

This should in no way be seen as a defense of tax cuts for the wealthy, et al... but the naked suggestion that socialism helps economies rather than hurts them is open to debate.

I think that Kerry really ran into trouble when more people voted for Bush.

Yeah, I think that might have had something to do with it.

That's not a bad thing, a socialist government would be a good one, or atleast a mix of Capitalism and socialism, rather than... What America has now.
Also, better a know it all than a know nothing eh?
-Ross

I was not attempting to say that overtly social policy (such as government run health care) is a negative thing, it's just that not everyone shares the view that it's the best way to go. And when the attitude is presented that if you don't agree with a social policy you're a dropped-out fool, it hardly breeds a rabbit-like following. The left and right spectrum should be treated as a difference of opinion not as a smart vs. dumb continuum. Otherwise you'll lose your battles.

I have no idea what you mean by "better a know-it-all that a know nothing". So, in the interest of not stepping on any "flame-mines", I'm ignoring that comment.

I think that Kerry really ran into trouble when more people voted for Bush.Yeah, I think that might have had something to do with it.

:D Hahahahaha, I love light political humor. It's so much better than actual politics.

What caused this was an extreme left swing of the Democrats combined with a badly run (until this October) campaign.

If you're homophobic that'd be true, if you believe everybody's equal then it didn't go so smoothly... :mad:
-Ross


Read my entire post before making a statement. Im talking about that people ACTUALLY got out to vote and that the election was an exciting thing! I didnt say anything about the issues!



And no im not a homophobe. I do not PERSONALLY agree with the lifestyle but Im not going to bash anyone for thinking differently. Everyone has the right to live the way they want.

If you note when Kerry's downward trend started, you will find that is when the Swiftvets first put out an ad. Since Kerry was trying to use Vietnam as his ticket into the White House, the Swifties reminded people what Nam was really about and exactly Kerry's real contribution to that era. Considering that over 70% of current troops support Bush, Kerry obviously made an impression on them too.

If you note when Kerry's downward trend started, you will find that is when the Swiftvets first put out an ad. Since Kerry was trying to use Vietnam as his ticket into the White House, the Swifties reminded people what Nam was really about and exactly Kerry's real contribution to that era. Considering that over 70% of current troops support Bush, Kerry obviously made an impression on them too.

Right on!