Politics of Hate Won't Beat Bush

[AnotherRican]

Politics of Hate Won't Beat Bush
Susan Estrich
December 4, 2003
Retrieved from http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/098743-5314-021.html

Anyone up for a "Hate Bush" meeting in Hollywood? Doesn't it sound like just the sort of thing conservatives would invent to make liberals look stupid and open the conservative spigots?

But this was no right-wing conspiracy. Matt Drudge may be the one selling the idea that Hollywood held a "Hate Bush" meeting, but he didn't come up with the title. This is a self-inflicted wound by another silly Hollywood liberal giving honest politics a bad name.

The meeting in question was chaired by two longtime Democratic operatives, Harold Ickes and Ellen Malcolm, who have recognized that whoever wins the Democratic nomination will be at a severe financial disadvantage as compared to the president.

The Republicans have an institutional advantage when it comes to raising money, because they are the party of business, and because they have a larger small-donor base; they also have an advantage because they control the White House and both houses of Congress.

So what are Democrats to do?

Under the new campaign finance laws, neither party is allowed to raise "soft" money. But independent groups can. So longtime Democrats have created two independent groups. One, headed by Ickes, focuses on providing media cover for the nominee beginning this spring, when the president is expected to start spending heavily; one headed by Malcolm and former AFL-CIO political director Steve Rosenthal will focus on field organizing in target states for the general election.

Invitations were sent to the usual Hollywood suspects, a collection of people with an interest in politics and money to give, to attend a meeting Tuesday with Ickes, Malcolm and Rosenthal. It was titled a "Meeting to Change the Leadership in America in 2004." Hardly worthy of Drudge.

Then Laurie David sent an e-mail forwarding invites to the "Hate Bush 12-2 Event," and the right went nuts.

Who is Laurie David? In news clips, she is identified as Larry David's wife. Who is Larry David? He's the star of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Maybe his wife should curb hers. It is only helping Republicans.

The way to defeat Bush is not to advertise how much you hate him. Hard-core ideologues who hate Bush are not going to decide this election. They'll vote for the Democrat, as they do every four years, but there aren't enough of them to elect a Democrat. You need swing voters to do that. Hatred may motivate the left to contribute money, but it is hardly an effective talking point for public consumption if you want to win elections.

Ari Emanuel, a talent agent who represents Larry David and whose brother served in the Clinton White House and now in Congress, knew just how bad the Drudge story was for Democrats. "People are assembling over a political issue -- the 2004 election," he told the press in response to the ruckus about hating Bush. "The invite didn't say 'Hate Bush,' and I don't think (the Drudge story) was productive."

Productive? I bet it produced a lot of money for George Bush. And worse, it helps produce votes for him.

The people whose votes Democrats will need to defeat George Bush don't hate him. On a personal level, they like him. They need to be convinced not to vote for him, for reasons that have to do with the war, or special interests or the economy. "Hate Bush" headlines do just the opposite.

Enemies are one thing, but with friends like Laurie David, the Democratic nominee is going to need all the help he can get.
_______________________________________
Estrich is professor of law and political science at the University of Southern California. Contact her at sestrich@law.usc.edu

[prboyfl]

Conservative Republicans need to stop crying and whining every time other Americans critisize Bush. They need to suck it up and grow up. You guys are in power already. what more do they want? build statues of Bush jr? I already donated money against Bush. Its not that I hate him....I just really really really really really really dont like him. Even Daddy Bush was 10 times the president jr will ever be.

[AnotherRican]

Originally posted by prboyfl
Conservative Republicans need to stop crying and whining every time other Americans critisize Bush. They need to suck it up and grow up. You guys are in power already. what more do they want? build statues of Bush jr? I already donated money against Bush. Its not that I hate him....I just really really really really really really dont like him. Even Daddy Bush was 10 times the president jr will ever be.

PrBoy... the problem is that most of the media is lefty and they hate most of what Bush stands for. The Democrats are in disarray because they know their candidates suck. Now Dean makes the stupid statement of disbanding the large media companies. This is the lead Democratic contender and now he is shooting the foot of the lefty folks that support him. Dean looks more and more "stupider" than Bush all the time. The rest are clowns. All they can do is bring a constant negative message to the people of the USA. The Dems want us to surrender to terrorists. What a great (stupid) idea. They want to make a Billion dollar University with 10,000 students who will meditate on world peace and chant... chant what? Chant... SURRENDER! Go figure these left-wingers! I'm glad the country is not in their hands.

[Nacionalista]

I like Bush. He may not be a good president but for me he is an outstanding Commander in Chief.

Military people look at the presidency in a different way.

For me, Bush is a good leader and I will like to see him as the Commander in Chief four more years.

I will vote for him in 2004 if he runs for President again, and I don't care for which party he belongs.

Many of you may know that when I used to vote in Puerto Rico, I voted for candidates and not parties. That is what they used to call in PR "Boleta Mixta".

Same thing I will do here in the states.

BUSH 2004 !!!