Kennedy on Iraq

Posted at 3:35 PM on October 26, 2006 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)

Support him or oppose him, a reasonable person has to admit: Rep. Mark Kennedy's new strategy of running on Iraq is pretty darned interesting.

Now there's an argument, I suppose, on whether this strategy is an act of desperation -- he did wait until a three weeks before Election Day to hammer the issue -- or guts (there's not many people pinning an Election Day win on the Iraq issue), but there isn't a better storyline in American politics right now than this one.

Here's the audio of today's news conference he had with Rep. John Kline.

The next poll in this race can't come fast enough.

Comments (3)

I'm confused. Are you calling it interesting, because he is in such favor of the current course/Bush when over 70% oppose the war now? And you think by his strategy, he is trying to convert those that oppose this war in MN, which has never been a state to favor military involvement over diplomacy. At least by what I have witnessed and read.

What do you find interesting exactly?

I realize it is just semantics, but think what I find in poor choice of words, is when Kennedy, in his ad, comes out and says diplomacy won't work, and thinks his opponent or democrates think it is about talking to terrorists. NOT, it is all about diplomacy with other countries (even including those countries that sometimes don't like us to much) to support us to help bring down Al Queda, not diplomacy with the terrorists. In other words, diplomacy with nation states as Al Queda, which is not a State. Even military officers and politicians always want diplomacy before lives our lost. Basically, I think saying that diplomacy doesn't work was definitely bad, bad, bad semantics on the part of the ad writer, but I have found that to be the case with alot of his talking points. I also think there could have been a better way to phrase his conclusion rather than say, "even though it is not want you may want to hear." There is so many more ways to say why he is in support. Never say a negative about yourself or your supporters.

For all I heard how well his ads did against Wetterling, I have found his ads not to help him very much this season. He needed to hit out of the ballpark, not just barely keep him in the game. I think his media firm/advisors do not serve him well.

Posted by Mollie | October 26, 2006 5:09 PM

I find it interesting for the reason I outlined in the second paragraph.

Posted by Bob Collins | October 26, 2006 5:47 PM

Desperation? Guts? How about just plain stupidity?

Posted by Karl | October 26, 2006 6:58 PM

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