Anybody but Bush

October 17, 2003

Democrats' Rallying Cry: Anybody but Bush
By RON FOURNIER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) -

Democrats want a winner, above all else. Policies, endorsements,
leadership posts, Washington experience - even a candidate's history
with the party itself - mean less than usual in this year's primary
fight. Democratic voters say a single quality outranks them all: the
ability to beat President Bush.

"If he can't take out Bush, I don't care if he's the Lord himself, I'm
looking for another candidate," said Matt McGrail, 35, of Laconia, N.H.

Interviews with dozens of Democratic voters and strategists in the past
three months reveal lingering resentment over the contested 2000
election, mounting disgust with Bush's agenda and little patience for
any candidate who looks vulnerable to the White House re-election machine.

"Why do you think you can beat Bush?" said Carl Vogelhuber, 78,
challenging candidate John Edwards during an Iowa town hall in August.

"Because of where I come from," Edwards replied. "The values that I had
growing up. In many ways, I'm the opposite of George Bush. I'm a
walking, living example of the American dream."

"Not sure that's enough," Vogelhuber muttered.

This is not the time for candidates fueled by ideology, such as Eugene
McCarthy in 1968; promoting chief executive experience, such as Michael
Dukakis in 1988; pushing a raft of policies or an up-from-the-bootstraps
biography, such as Bill Clinton in 1992; or blessed by the party
establishment, such as Al Gore in 2000.

Kathleen Sullivan bares the secret to this year's race. It is found on a
campaign button she wears around New Hamsphire, where she heads the
state Democratic Party. "Anybody But Bush," says the button with
likenesses of nine Democratic candidates.

"We always want to win the White House, of course. But there's something
more going on this time," she said. "You've got to remember the sense
that George Bush didn't win the election to begin with - that the
election was stolen in Florida - and that he's taking this country down
the wrong path with both foreign and domestic policy, that he's giving
away our natural resources to his friends."

The animus has given rise to the candidacies of Howard Dean and Wesley
Clark.

Dean is leading in key state polls and fund raising on the strength of
his anti-war, anti-establishment message, and the belief that he is
standing up to Bush while his Washington-based rivals waver.

"He's the most electable. He's made the party bigger," said Jon Myers,
30, a Santa Fe, N.M., businessman. "Some of his issue I don't agree
with, but who cares? I think he can beat Bush."

But many Democrats, particularly among the party's leadership, fear that
Dean's opposition to the war in Iraq and support of gay unions may allow
Bush to portray him as a liberal. They also worry that his feisty style
will not wear well with voters, that he is not as likable as Bush.

"Dean's message appeals to me the most," said Lenore Young, an
84-year-old retiree who attended a Dean rally in New Mexico. "But if I
get wind that he can't win, I'll think twice."

Some of these Dean-wary Democrats have turned to Clark - or are at least
giving the retired Army general a chance to impress. They are willing to
overlook his long Republican ties.

"These outsiders are doing good because they've tapped into not only our
anger but our craving for a winner," said Donna Brazile, a Democratic
strategist in Washington who managed Gore's campaign.

Steve Elmendorf, adviser to candidate Dick Gephardt, said Democrats were
not this exercised over Bush's father or even former President Reagan.

"Whoever the nominee is will have more than enough resources to put up
against this guy because of the energy level of the party - big donors,
low donors, interest groups," Elmendorf said.

In the short term, each of the six top candidates is calling himself the
best Bush beater.

Gephardt points to his roots in the Midwest; Dean to his legions of new
voters; Clark to his four-star military record; Edwards to his
working-class message and Southern base; John Kerry to his multitude of
endorsements and heroism in Vietnam; and Joe Lieberman to his vice
presidential candidacy in 2000, when he and Gore collected more votes
than Bush but lost the state electoral race.

"I'm going to defeat George Bush in 2004," he tells audiences. "You know
why I'm so confident? Because Al Gore and I already did it."

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 11:03:17 +0200 (CEST), George Orwell
wrote this crap:

>October 17, 2003
>
>Democrats' Rallying Cry: Anybody but Bush
>By RON FOURNIER
>ASSOCIATED PRESS
>
>WASHINGTON (AP) -
>
>Democrats want a winner, above all else.

Of course they do! Doesn't everybody? Too bad all they've got is a
bunch of losers.


Hero@Horvath.net

This signature is now the ultimate power in the universe

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 11:03:17 +0200 (CEST), George Orwell
wrote:

>October 17, 2003
>
>Democrats' Rallying Cry: Anybody but Bush
Bwahhh-haaa-haaaa.....
More like "I ain't voting for no socialist liberal."
Too bad they are unable to accept that fact.