Anyone who watched the Sunday talk shows heard the new meme the GOP is trying to push: "Kerry and Edwards will 'SAY' anything to get elected." (If you want to read Chairman of BC-04 campaign, Ken Mehlman's relevant quotes from his appearance on MTP this morning, I have included them at the bottom of this diary.)
Fortunately, the Dems have great ammunition with which to easily counter this charge---the truth---which is "Bush Cheney will 'DO' anything to get elected." Moreover the Dems have a mountain of evidence to back up their claim.
In just the past few weeks, several high-ranking GOP operatives have been unmasked as the organizational masterminds and/or funding sources behind a series of attempts to suppress or affect voter turnout in several swing states.
We cannot however count on the SCLM to do the right thing and give these stories the widespread media coverage they deserve.
I submit that the only way to get this story reported widely in the SCLM is to come up with a short, "catchy" narrative that connects all these incidents together into one cohesive, simple concept---a short soundbite with a "catch phrase" title would be best. For instance: "Block the Vote 2004" or "GOP Voterjacking" or "Honey, I Shrunk the Vote" or (insert your own brilliant slogan here)
_____.
(In other words, we need to beat the GOP at their own news-spin marketing game.)
Now, I recognize that the concept of 'marketing' and 'packaging' news is anathema to many DKos readers, but sadly necessary. It's the way the world works nowadays. (This has been especially true ever since 'news' departments were turned into 'profit centers.') For those of you who may still be skeptical, consider this . . . Which story has your local media outlet devoted more time to recently: Scott Petersen or reported instances of voter fraud and suppression?
I rest my case . . .
The following are but a few recent examples of the many GOP efforts to "Block the Vote in 2004." Many, many more instances can be found by searching online. (The Op-Ed news website provides a brief summary of some of the most egregious cases: http://www.opednews.com/wade_101504_election_theft.htm)
(EXCERPTED FROM AP:) "...Florida Gov. Jeb Bush ignored advice to throw out a flawed felon voter list before it went out to county election offices despite warnings from state officials, according to a published report Saturday (10/16/2004)... Secretary of State Glenda Hood (eventually)junked the database in July after acknowledging that 2,500 ex-felons on the list had had their voting rights restored. Most were Democrats, and many were black. Hispanics, who often vote Republican in Florida, were almost entirely absent from the list due to a technical error. Full story: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=4&u=/ap/20041017/ap_on_el_pr/florida_felons_vo
ting
GOP-BACKED VOTER REGISTRATION FIRM UNDER INVESTIGATION
Democrats in Nevada charged in a lawsuit Wednesday that a company paid by the Republican National Committee destroyed voter-registration forms they had collected from Democratic voters.
Similar allegations have surfaced in Oregon and West Virginia, where the group has been active.
Full story:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/9915462.htm?1c
FROM KELOLAND TV:
SENATE CANDIDATE'S NEPHEW CAUGHT UP IN ABSENTEE BALLOT FIASCO IN SOUTH DAKOTA
We first told you about the six resignations within the republican party over the mishandling of absentee ballots. And last week Thune's own nephew was questioned by investigators over the process in which he collected absentee ballots. . .
Full story: http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail2817.cfm?Id=22%2C35251
In Nevada,former state Republican Party Chair Dan Burdish tried to purge 17,000 democratic voters from the rolls last week, claiming they were "inactive". Thankfully, his request was denied.
Full story:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2004/oct/10/101010132.html
Also, let us not forget that the infamous Sinclair documentary---whose goal was to affect the vote in multiple states---was produced by a a man with close ties to several GOP party leaders and former consultant for Bush's Homeland Security Department.
Full story:
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2004/10/11/sherwood/
And the list goes on and on . . .
Additionally, for those of you fortunate enough to have missed him, here are Ken Mehlman's relevant comments from this morning's appearance on MTP
QUOTES FROM KEN MEHLMAN ON MTP THIS MORNING MTP . . .
MEHLMAN: "...importantly, they saw during the course of the last two weeks a Kerry-Edwards ticket was willing to do and say anything to win, including some things that I think most Americans thought was pretty cynical and pretty inappropriate."MEHLMAN THEN WENT ON TO HAMMER THE POINT OVER AND OVER AGAIN:
MEHLMAN AGAIN: "...Most of the American people understand it...it's wrong to bring up the private life of a member of the vice president or president's family to make a political point. It's that simple."
AND IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, HERE'S MEHLMAN AGAIM: "Tim, I think fundamentally it's pretty simple. Again, you don't use the private lives of the member of the family for political purposes."
MR. MEHLMAN: The campaign always talks about how they asked Bill Clinton for advice...
MR. MEHLMAN: One of the things the Clintons did very well, I thought, was keep a zone of protection around the family. And I think most Americans believe that's the right thing to do.
MR. MEHLMAN: Remember the famous Dean scream? The famous Dean scream was seen as relevant because it was a window into something that people thought was bigger. And I think what you saw when John Kerry--when he brought that inappropriate point up in the debate, it was part of a larger pattern here, a pattern of someone who is literally willing to say anything--anything--in order to win. Look at the three things in the past week. Someone who brought up for political purposes--John Edwards and John Kerry both brought up something they know not to be true, which is that this administration has cut off and put a ban on funding for stem cell research. This administration is the first administration ever to fund it. And John Edwards actually had the remarkable statement that if John Kerry is elected president, someone like Christopher Reeve could walk again, a statement that is certainly inappropriate.
MR. MEHLMAN: Tim, there's one other point. There's one other point, and that's the draft this past week.
MR. MEHLMAN: They know the draft isn't going to happen. And so this past week, he brings up a member of the family for political purposes.
MR. MEHLMAN: He brings up a draft he knows is not true for political purposes. And he raises false hope among people that are injured.