No, it is not a new initiative against obesity - it is a cute little button with the "Asses of Evil" slogan surrounded by "Bush", "Ashcroft", "Cheney", and "Rumsfeld", and Theresa Heinz was handing them out at a Kerry event.
We'll say it again - as Team Kerry emerges from the Democratic Underground into the bright light of a national campaign, they will need to re-think their tone. Yes, the candidate has a credibility problem with the base here - having been, by his own admission, rolled by Bush on No Child, the Patriot Act, and the Iraqi War, Kerry probably feels a special obligation to show partisan Dems that he "gets it", that he has finally figured out that Bush and Company personify all that is evil.
However, this "Ases of Evil", the "three words that I know [the President] understands - Bring it on!", the "playing dress-up in a flight suit" - its a huge hit with a certain type of audience, but a loser when put on display for the rest of a now-curious nation. Bit of a pity, since they are some of his signature applause lines, but at some point he will need a message that goes beyond "I am not Bush".
Kerry wants to be President - he should take a moment to act like one. You're never to old to grow up a bit.
MORE: OK, it's only March - I can't believe we are in for an eight month food-fight. But where is Sunny John Edwards, anyway? Nice guys finish, well, second.
That said, Bush may well be vulnerable on his lapsed "uniter, not a divider" theme - I suspect the country would like to feel a bit of unity of purpose, heal the wounds, etc. By constantly insinuating that Bush, and, by implication, anyone who supports him, is an idiot, Kerry may be losing a chance to pick up a bit of ground here.
UPDATE: Byron York trots out poll results to show that we the people think Kerry has been more unfair in his attacks than Bush. Yeah, but we are going to turn that around, baby! We're bringing it on!
Senator Kerry is 60 years old. Time's a-wastin'.
Posted by: old maltese | March 09, 2004 at 03:23 PM
I totally agree!
Senator Kerry, whatever you do, do not, I repeat DO NOT, criticize the President harshly. You just might end up ahead in the polls or something.
The minute man tosses 'em up and we just throw 'em down.
Thanks minute man!
Posted by: WillieStyle | March 09, 2004 at 07:14 PM
I think Kerry's approach could bring his poll numbers all the way up to Mike Dukakis' levels - with much the same results.
Cheap sarcasm is no substitute for rhetoric; it merely comes across as cheap sarcasm.
If Kerry and his campaign staff show the same degree of class his wife is showing with her buttons (especially handing them out while John Ashcroft is in hospital with gallstones and pancreatitis), they may end up doing much of Karl Rove's job for him.
Posted by: Trevor Saccucci | March 09, 2004 at 08:36 PM
Still waiting for those who rushed to attack Sean Hannity's book for calling liberals "evil" (which it does not do, if you actually read it, or for that matter the previous book) to attack Heinz.
Posted by: HH | March 09, 2004 at 10:10 PM