Politics Blog

The Bush ads are working. Here’s what Gallup has to say about them:

In a survey taken in mid-February, Kerry led Bush by 28 percentage points in [17 swing states where the ads are airing], 63% to 35%. Now Bush leads Kerry in them by six points, 51% to 45%.

In contrast, there has been much less volatility in states where the ads haven’t aired. Kerry held a four-point lead in them in February; Bush holds a two-point lead now.

Running those ads costs money. Every dollar you contribute ensures that several voters in a swing state see an ad exposing Kerry’s ultra-liberal record.

Today is Wictory Wednesday. Every Wednesday, I ask my readers to volunteer and/or donate to the Bush 2004 campaign.

If you’ve already donated and volunteered for the Bush campaign, then talk to your friends and enlist them in this battle for America’s very soul.

If you’re a blogger, you can join Wictory Wednesdays simply by putting up a post like this one every Wednesday, asking your readers to volunteer and/or donate to the Bush campaign. And do e-mail me at wictory@blogsforbush.com so that I can add you to the Wictory Wednesday blogroll, which will be part of the Wictory Wednesday post on all participating blogs:

– PoliPundit

Goo-goo “reformers” like John McCain are always saying that “negative” campaigning drives down voter turnout.

I disagree. “Negative” campaigning informs voters of a candidate’s record and impresses upon them the gravity of the choice they’re making in the voting booth; so I’ve been urging the Bushies to go negative for several months now.

The latest Gallup poll backs me up. After several months of Democrat attacks, followed by a few weeks of Bush attack ads, goo-goo “reformers” would expect voters to be tuning out from the presidential race. However, voter interest is at an all-time high:

5. Compared to previous elections, are you more enthusiastic about voting than usual, or less enthusiastic?

    More enthusiastic Less enthusiastic Same No opinion Registered Voters 2004 Mar 26-28 52 29 18 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 56 32 10 1 2000 Oct 13-15 38 39 20 3 2000 Mar 10-12 39 38 22 1 2000 Jan 7-10 45 37 17 1 1996 Oct 23-24 17 36 45 2 National Adults 2004 Mar 26-28 51 32 16 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 55 34 10 1 2000 Mar 10-12 37 40 21 2 2000 Jan 7-10 43 38 17 2 Republican leaners 2004 Mar 26-28 52 27 20 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 53 31 15 1 2000 Mar 10-12 45 32 22 1 2000 Jan 7-10 51 32 16 1 Democratic leaners 2004 Mar 26-28 51 35 13 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 59 34 6 1 2000 Mar 10-12 33 47 19 1 2000 Jan 7-10 39 42 17 2

– PoliPundit

“The Bush people dumped $20 million of negative ads on our heads; it’s going to have an impact.”

– Steve Elmendorf, John Kerry’s deputy campaign manager.

Or, as AP reporter Ron Fournier put it a few weeks ago:

While sticks and stones may break some bones, negative advertising will hurt you.

UPDATE: A reader makes a good point in the Comments section:

I would rather see us take the high road. However, the media and Dems would accuse us of running “red meat ads” and “vicious attack ads” even if the ads showed nothing more than GWB petting a puppy.

He’s right, of course. Remember how the lying liberal media responded to the first round of “positive” ads? They trotted out ultra-liberal 9/11 families with headlines that literally read: “Sept. 11 Families Disgusted by Bush Campaign Ads.”

— PoliPundit

The Bush ads are working. Here’s what Gallup has to say about them:

In a survey taken in mid-February, Kerry led Bush by 28 percentage points in [17 swing states where the ads are airing], 63% to 35%. Now Bush leads Kerry in them by six points, 51% to 45%.

In contrast, there has been much less volatility in states where the ads haven’t aired. Kerry held a four-point lead in them in February; Bush holds a two-point lead now.

Running those ads costs money. Every dollar you contribute ensures that several voters in a swing state see an ad exposing Kerry’s ultra-liberal record.

Today is Wictory Wednesday. Every Wednesday, I ask my readers to volunteer and/or donate to the Bush 2004 campaign.

If you’ve already donated and volunteered for the Bush campaign, then talk to your friends and enlist them in this battle for America’s very soul.

If you’re a blogger, you can join Wictory Wednesdays simply by putting up a post like this one every Wednesday, asking your readers to volunteer and/or donate to the Bush campaign. And do e-mail me at wictory@blogsforbush.com so that I can add you to the Wictory Wednesday blogroll, which will be part of the Wictory Wednesday post on all participating blogs:

– PoliPundit

Goo-goo “reformers” like John McCain are always saying that “negative” campaigning drives down voter turnout.

I disagree. “Negative” campaigning informs voters of a candidate’s record and impresses upon them the gravity of the choice they’re making in the voting booth; so I’ve been urging the Bushies to go negative for several months now.

The latest Gallup poll backs me up. After several months of Democrat attacks, followed by a few weeks of Bush attack ads, goo-goo “reformers” would expect voters to be tuning out from the presidential race. However, voter interest is at an all-time high:

5. Compared to previous elections, are you more enthusiastic about voting than usual, or less enthusiastic?

    More enthusiastic Less enthusiastic Same No opinion Registered Voters 2004 Mar 26-28 52 29 18 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 56 32 10 1 2000 Oct 13-15 38 39 20 3 2000 Mar 10-12 39 38 22 1 2000 Jan 7-10 45 37 17 1 1996 Oct 23-24 17 36 45 2 National Adults 2004 Mar 26-28 51 32 16 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 55 34 10 1 2000 Mar 10-12 37 40 21 2 2000 Jan 7-10 43 38 17 2 Republican leaners 2004 Mar 26-28 52 27 20 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 53 31 15 1 2000 Mar 10-12 45 32 22 1 2000 Jan 7-10 51 32 16 1 Democratic leaners 2004 Mar 26-28 51 35 13 1 2004 Jan 29-Feb 1 59 34 6 1 2000 Mar 10-12 33 47 19 1 2000 Jan 7-10 39 42 17 2

– PoliPundit

“The Bush people dumped $20 million of negative ads on our heads; it’s going to have an impact.”

– Steve Elmendorf, John Kerry’s deputy campaign manager.

Or, as AP reporter Ron Fournier put it a few weeks ago:

While sticks and stones may break some bones, negative advertising will hurt you.

UPDATE: A reader makes a good point in the Comments section:

I would rather see us take the high road. However, the media and Dems would accuse us of running “red meat ads” and “vicious attack ads” even if the ads showed nothing more than GWB petting a puppy.

He’s right, of course. Remember how the lying liberal media responded to the first round of “positive” ads? They trotted out ultra-liberal 9/11 families with headlines that literally read: “Sept. 11 Families Disgusted by Bush Campaign Ads.”

— PoliPundit

All those Bush ads are having an effect. 41 percent of Americans now see John Kerry as “too liberal,” up from 29 percent in January. This has had an effect in the head-to-head matchup as well.

However, as I never tire of saying, there are still seven months left until the elections. In that period, there will be important events, including gay marriages in Massachusetts, the handover of power in Iraq, the Democrat national convention in Boston (out of which Kerry will get a huge bounce; he’s an effective speaker, no matter what the pundits say), the Summer Olympics, the GOP national convention in New York, the elections in Afghanistan in September, US presidential debates, and any unforeseen surprises such as a terrorist attack or an October Surprise. Polls taken at this point in time mean very little.

— PoliPundit

How much would John Kerry’s gas tax increases cost you? Find out with this nifty calculator.

Then watch the new Bush TV adon this, which is the most effective one so far. The ad is funny, focuses laserlike on one issue, and features the best possible victim - you. It plays into, and solidifies, the already-congealing image of Kerry as a wacky liberal.

— PoliPundit

What goes around comes around.

— PoliPundit

John Kerry is off the campaign trail for a few weeks:

As Sen. John Kerry prepares to go under the knife for a shoulderinjury tomorrow, he got grim news from his doctor.

For a regular person, his prognosis is excellent. But for a politician in the throes of a major political campaign, it was close to terminal:

• No handshaking for at least three weeks.
• No high-fiving or fist-pumping for five to six weeks.
• And no baby-hugging for at least eight weeks.

“This will be done on an out-patient basis and I expect a full recovery,” said Dr. Bertram Zarins, head of sports medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Within two or three weeks, he’ll be shaking hands again.”

For a pol going head-to-head with President Bush, three weeks is an eternity without a rope line.

But I’m sure the lying liberal media will keep the anti-Bush stories coming while Kerry is away. So don’t expect any let up in the campaign.

— PoliPundit