Election links
THE ‘BUSH HATE’ STRATEGY works with some folks, according to the headline story in today’s GR Press:
When she filled out her absentee ballot, Marilyn Mennetti did something she has never done.
She voted straight Democratic.
The Grand Rapids real-estate agent describes herself as a political independent who has supported Democrats and Republicans. This year, she’s mad at a politician who’s not even on the ballot.
“The only way to stop George Bush is to put Democrats in the House and the Senate,” Mennetti said. “I don’t care if nothing happens in Washington.”
I think it’s unfortunate that a platform of “People don’t hate Bush enough to not elect him so we’re going to use what hate there is to not elect other people“. But the biggest problem all along for Democrats has not been that Bush is so strong, but that his opponents are so weak.
You’ll note that the voter quoted isn’t voting straight Democrat because she believes the Democrats have a better plan. She’s voting straight Democrat because she thinks it’s the “only way to stop George Bush”.
Unless I’m badly mistaken, the Democrats’ 2008 campaign strategy isn’t going to be “Look at this good candidate we have!“, it’s going to be “George Bush was awful, and the new Republican candidate is in Bush’s party, so don’t vote Republican.”
It’s the old “we know what you’re against…but what are you for?” dilemma. Sad.