Nobody Likes John Kerry
April 15, 2004
The AFL-CIO convened a bunch of focus groups of "undecided union voters," and they asked some questions about John F. Kerry and President Bush. The results are so bad for Kerry, that I found six places to say, "See, I Told You So" on my assessment of what most people's reactions, particularly Democrats, to Kerry will be. AP reports that Kerry "doesn't warm anybody up," while Bush "is seen as likable and strong."
Note this: "Organized labor must help Kerry create an emotional bond." Again, this guy cannot do this on his own, proving he's not great or a man of stature because such things don't need to be defined. More: "Results show that Kerry's reputation for aloofness remains a hurdle for him even among his party's core constituencies and despite the acidity that labor leaders direct toward Bush and his policies. The president still appeals to a segment of union members, namely the Reagan Democrats."
The union heads are reportedly focusing on "battleground" states, but among them they list states like New Jersey. Would you say that's a battleground state, since Gore won it handily in 2000 and it hasn't gone Republican in 16 years? Well, it is – with Bush up by eight points! I know it's very early, but that's key. It's reported that there's been "constant communication from the union" to members. That means: "Do you like your kneecaps? Do you like your health care package?" Union household voters make up 26% of the electorate. Gore won them 59-37 in 2000.
Here's the line that must've devastated the Democrats: "The focus groups found that Bush mostly escapes blame for the economic downturn and the subsequent unemployment." They feel the need to say "most knew about Kerry's Vietnam record," which is obvious since that's the only thing he talks about. Their favorability ratings are about even, but an AP poll found Bush picked over Kerry as a strong leader (read: national security) by 2-to-1. So Kerry doesn't warm anybody up, and will have to rely on intimidation from union leadership to members to get votes. |
