The main reason the "Kerry has no platform" meme died

President Is Still Mum on Agenda For Second Term
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 18, 2004; Page A01

As he campaigned around the country last week, President Bush asked voters to give him another four years to make the nation "safer and stronger and better." But with the election less than four months away, one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the president's campaign is what he would actually do if he wins a second term.

Bush's failure to detail a second-term agenda -- beyond his pledge to keep waging an aggressive war on terrorism -- represents a stark contrast to his previous campaigns, in which he set out a handful of priorities almost from the opening day and rarely deviated from them.

Posted by Prometheus 6 on July 18, 2004 - 11:08am :: Politics
 
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Yes, but it's quite normal for President's running for reelection to have generic campaigns that essentially promise " more of the same ". Even FDR and Reagan did that in their 2nd term campaigns. Bush passed his tax cuts, his NCLB and his war resolutions - like it or not he delivered so he has less to prove than Kerry. The reason is an ambitious plate of ideas raises the question " well, why didn't you do this the first time around ?"

Challengers, especially those to an incumbent party, are supposed to promise action, new direction " to get the country moving again ". JFK in 1960, Nixon in 1968, Reagan in 1980, Clinton in 1992 - all campaigned as men with plans.

Kerry's campaign theme seems to be " Don't quote me on this...but I'm not Bush ". Very weird or very inept. The anybody but Bush thing doesn't work with swing voters much less moderate Republicans, they need to hear what Kerry will do.

Posted by  mark safranski (not verified) on July 18, 2004 - 12:14pm.

You check Kerry's web site for his positions? Bush's?

See, it still explains why that meme didn't fly. I can see the debate:

Mr. Bush, what's your plan for your next administration?

Stay the course! Another four years!

Ah, so we can expect less that 1 million net jobs over the next four years if you're elected...and an invasion or two...

Posted by  P6 (not verified) on July 18, 2004 - 4:54pm.

Earl,

If Kerry was a good campaigner we wouldn't * have* to look on his website to find out what he wants to do - we'd already know. The average voter, and our interest here is far, far out of the mainstream, is not going to do any research whatsoever.

At this point in time in 1992 Clinton's team had everyone saying " It's the economy, stupid ". Bush is a known quantity - for good and ill he's firmly defined in the public mind. Kerry isn't and if the GOP has it's act together this year they will do the defining.

Posted by  mark safranski (not verified) on July 18, 2004 - 8:11pm.

Well, you have to admit he's responded to White House attacks. That alone puts his positions out there if you want to know it.

Posted by  P6 (not verified) on July 18, 2004 - 10:37pm.