President Bush's strategists have decided to sharpen their attacks on John Kerry in order to stimulate the Republican base – a resurgence of the political plan that White House counselor Karl Rove developed two years ago, but which was somewhat downplayed in recent weeks in an effort to have Bush appeal to swing voters. Republican insiders tell US News Bulletin that the Bush campaign has decided the best course now is to return to the get-out-the-base strategy as its best chance for victory on November 2. This is the reason behind Bush's new tough attacks on Kerry. The new-old plan is designed to cement Bush's GOP following and drive them to the polls. Look for Bush to continue his "rally of the base" strategy in tonight's second presidential debate, insiders tell US News Bulletin.
Bush Criticism Of Kerry Seen As Pushing Limits Of Truth.
Bush ratcheted up his rhetoric against Kerry, starting in a speech Wednesday. The New York Times reports Bush's "scathing indictment" of Kerry has taken his "attacks to a blistering new level. In the process, several analysts say, Mr. Bush pushed the limits of subjective interpretation and offered exaggerated or what some Democrats said were distorted accounts of Mr. Kerry's positions on health care, tax cuts, the Iraq war and foreign policy." And in a Newsweek online exclusive commentary, Howard Fineman says Bush is "desperately trying to tear down Kerry as the news tears down the president. Good things are happening in the war on terrorism – the voting in Afghanistan, for example – but they are all but unnoticed in the rising flood of stories from and about Iraq."
