Value Judgment: Depressed

Value Judgment is a daily weblog written by two independent voters on the eastern seaboard of the United States. VJ will focus on the 2004 U.S. Presidential campaigns, including strategy, tactics, and substance. The authors supported Howard Dean in the Democratic primary. Accordingly, his activities will be a prominent topic on this site.

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April 15, 2004

Depressed

I think I'm depressed (colloquially speaking, not clinically). Haven't felt like posting much here lately. Bush continues to be an incompetent, unanalytical, embarrassing bully. His press conference was a disgrace. Iraq is turning into a complete clusterf*** and Israel? Now what's he doing to screw that up even further?

Kerry continues to uninspire in a deep way. Although I hear his fundraising is going well -- good for him. The DSCC is kind of boring me lately. so I haven't gotten around to setting up our fundraising page for them.

I will be attending the March for Women's Lives on the 25th and will probably hook up with the DFA/Dean delegation there. Rumor has it that Dean will be speaking, too. NYCO found another example of subtle media spin on Dean. Will it never end with these people? The man dropped out weeks and weeks ago!

The Dartmouth paper quotes him:
The obligation that every one of us has as a citizen is to get involved in some way in our communities -- in politics in our communities -- that very thing which is the hardest is the most necessary. If we don't speak up, unspeakable things happen to the country.
The AP quotes him thus:
If we don't speak up, unspeakable things will happen to the country.
There's a subtle difference between the two quotes, and I wonder what he actually said. I can just see Wolf Blitzer ripping that one off the wire now - "Howard Dean says if George Bush is re-elected, unspeakable things will happen!"

Posted by J at April 15, 2004 08:17 AM

Comments

Looks like you are where I was over a month ago :-)

I don't even want to see much of the news anymore.
But I'm really, really annoyed at Bush totally screwing up the little chance of Israeli-Palestinian compromise. The last thing a mediator does is take sides and dictate.

Bush is vulnerable and Kerry can't take advantage... that's clear and things are going as I thought they would. It's a matter of who is best at losing the election.

Posted by: Todd at April 15, 2004 02:00 PM

Looks like you are where I was over a month ago

:-) Well, I have been called "stubborn" a time or two in my day.

Posted by: J at April 15, 2004 02:21 PM

Just a thought or two on Kerry..

It occurs to me Kerry is not making a lot of extra political hay with Bush's foibles because he can't....

Kerry has to tread very carefully here. Remember that most of the media pundits who get heavy press are very conservative. Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc are essentially shills for Bush. If Kerry pushes to hard...it fires up these conservatives to want to push against Kerry.

IMO it's a smart move on Kerry's part to keep his head down and let the media focus the negativity on Bush. Kerry doesn't have to DO anything right now...except present a reason and calm alternative to the policies we're seeing.

I think it's tough for us as people who really really dislike Bush to watch it unfold this way. But for the folks who don't eat politics for every meal...it focuses all this negative on Bush. It also allows Kerry to put things out there the way he wants them...and not fire up the Republicans and their media focus to him.

I expect this to change after the Conventions. Remember guys..it's only April...miles to go...

Posted by: Carla at April 15, 2004 06:21 PM