Saturday, September 18, 2004
A Dangerous Idea
There's one thing Kerry can do to help refocus the campaign on the issue that suits him, namely Iraq. It's a very dangerous move, but it could certainly help him.
He could go to Iraq.
Not in the sense of popping in, serving turkey, and popping out. Going there and spending at least a night there. Touring the country. Letting the soldiers there know that they're not forgotten, that we haven't turned our attention to Scott Peterson and the Swift Boat clowns while they're bleeding on a daily basis. Assuring them personally that he (Kerry) will do everything to make their jobs easier and expedite their return.
Kerry is currently hurting in the heartland. Ohio and Missouri, which looked so favorable over the summer, are leaning toward Bush. If there's one thing he can do to appeal to middle-leaning voters it is to focus their attention on the economy and on Iraq and to underscore Bush's failings with both issues. Going to Iraq, spending at least a night there will do that. And it will subtly remind them that Kerry is no stranger to war zones, and that he will be a far better commander in chief.
The risks are certainly there. The trip could not be announced in advance, for fear of making it even more dangerous. The Iraqi insurgents would love to kill an American presidential candidate. But the benefits of visiting the troops, and the reasonable likeliness that Kerry would be well-guarded during his stay make it worth thinking about. He needs to blow this race wide open and going to Iraq would do that.
There's one thing Kerry can do to help refocus the campaign on the issue that suits him, namely Iraq. It's a very dangerous move, but it could certainly help him.
He could go to Iraq.
Not in the sense of popping in, serving turkey, and popping out. Going there and spending at least a night there. Touring the country. Letting the soldiers there know that they're not forgotten, that we haven't turned our attention to Scott Peterson and the Swift Boat clowns while they're bleeding on a daily basis. Assuring them personally that he (Kerry) will do everything to make their jobs easier and expedite their return.
Kerry is currently hurting in the heartland. Ohio and Missouri, which looked so favorable over the summer, are leaning toward Bush. If there's one thing he can do to appeal to middle-leaning voters it is to focus their attention on the economy and on Iraq and to underscore Bush's failings with both issues. Going to Iraq, spending at least a night there will do that. And it will subtly remind them that Kerry is no stranger to war zones, and that he will be a far better commander in chief.
The risks are certainly there. The trip could not be announced in advance, for fear of making it even more dangerous. The Iraqi insurgents would love to kill an American presidential candidate. But the benefits of visiting the troops, and the reasonable likeliness that Kerry would be well-guarded during his stay make it worth thinking about. He needs to blow this race wide open and going to Iraq would do that.
