No Way To Run a Campaign - October Timeline

Keeping the tradition alive (can something that's only two months old be considered a tradition?). Here is the running diary of the Kerry campaign's ups and downs (mostly downs so far). The links for the complete August and September Timelines are below

Full September Timeline

Full August Timeline

Oct. 1st - Terry MacAuliffe's email spam campaign may have sounded like a good idea at the time but in hindsight no so much.

Oct. 2nd - If I was in charge of the Kerry campaign - the first thing I would do is ban any footballs from getting within 100 yards of the candidate. In addition to footballs - I would also try to keep Theresa out of the public eye as well - it seems like the real managers may have the same idea.

Oct. 3rd - The Lowell Sun (of Massachusetts) endorses President Bush. Kerry still has the Boston Globe in his back pocket though. "Global Test" is turning into this year's "where's the beef" punchline. Oh and about that nuclear fuel for Iran - the mullahs (or in Bush-speak "Moo-lahs") say no thanks.

Oct. 4th - The Kerry campaign's plans to keep Theresa under wraps go awry. Theresa claims that the Taliban is back in power in Afghanistan and that Iraq was a simple matter of "blood for oil".

Oct. 5th - Cheney and Edwards square off at the VP debate. We want Cheney on that wall. We need Cheney on that wall. John Edwards, "Do I seem soft to you?" Babs from Animal House, "Honey is it supposed to be this soft?" Oh and just for good measure:

In 2002, John Edwards told CNN’s Late Edition:

“I think Iraq is the most serious and imminent threat to our country. And I think Iraq and Saddam Hussein present the most serious and most imminent threat.”

His story has seemed to have flip-flopped.

Oct. 6th - Kerry takes the day off and admits that there's no way France or Germany will be sending troops to Iraq even if Kerry is elected. Both things are good news for the Kerry campaign because most Americans really don't want French or German soldiers in Iraq (we are already busy training the Iraqi soldiers and we don't have time to train others) and Kerry's numbers go up whenever he's out of the public's sight. On another front - the House overwhelmingly votes down Rangel's (D-NY) Draft proposal - hopefully this puts to bed the rumors / smears of a secret draft plan.

Oct. 7th - Kerry's foreign policy plan falling apart. Kerry's plan for mandatory service for high school age students is "disappeared" from the Kerry website coincidently just before the second debate and right after a proposal to reinstate the draft is soundly defeated in the House. When John Kerry says he has a plan and that it is on his web site - check it quick before the campaign deletes it (thank heaven for web archiving).

Oct. 8th - The second debate is viewed as either a draw or a Bush win by most commentators (I had it as a Bush win)

Oct. 9th - ABC tries to give Kerry an assist but instead just joins CBS among those not to be trusted to tell the truth. Rassmussen puts Bush at 50% - not good news for the Kerry campaign.

Oct. 10th - The elections in Afghanistan go smoothly with the first voter being a 19-year old woman. Good news for the United States - bad news for the Kerry campaign. This is probably why Kerry stopped doing interviews: In an interview with the NY Times Kerry calls terrorism a nuisance and compares it to gambling and prostituion. A nuisance? Are you friggin' kidding me?

Oct. 11th - The "nuisance" comment has legs and Rudy Giuliani hammers Kerry for not understanding the threat of terrorism.Meanwhile, after a rash of office break-ins and a seemingly co-ordinated strategy of intimidation and disruption - the Bush Cheney Campaign complains to the AFL-CIO. The public image of union members has certainly taken a big hit in this campaign. Busy day, General Tommy Franks (who was in charge of both the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq) sums up Kerry thusly:

“If his voting record ruled the day, Saddam Hussein would not only be running Iraq but Kuwait,” Franks told about 200 people Sunday at a Reno rally.

Oct. 12th - Sinclair Broadcasting decides to run the documentary Stolen Honor. The DNC threatens to sue to stop the broadcast. The Kerry campaign just threatens:

Kerry Senior Advisor Chad Clanton to SINCLAIR Broadcasting: 'They better hope we don't win' [said on FOX NEWS DAYSIDE]..

Oct. 13th - Unfortunately for Kerry - the only thing that people will remember from the third Presidential debate is the fact that he tried to use Dick Cheney's daughter for political gain. Whatever campaign advisor suggested that as a strategy should be fired on the spot.

Oct. 14th - What does Dick Cheney think of John Kerry using Cheney's daughter as a campaign prop?

You saw a man who will say and do anything in order to get elected. And I am not speaking just as a father here, though I am a pretty angry father, but as a citizen.

Oct. 15th - Kerry continues to use the myth of a draft on the campaign trail. Maybe Kerry wants a draft because the volunteer armed forces overwhelming don't like him? Meanwhile Teresa uses a home remedy (i.e. gin and white raisins) to deal with the aches and pains of the campaign trail. Teresa's snake oil is probabbly better than what Edwards and Kerry are offering - at least in the eyes of Charles Krauthammer.

Oct. 16th - Cops who want nothing to do with Kerry:

"As the elected leader of the largest organization representing America's Federal, State and local law enforcement officers, I believe it's important to point out yet again that we do not support his candidacy for President," [Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck] Canterbury said. "And to be perfectly frank, the groups which do support him actually share the same membership rolls and, taken together, probably comprise less than one-quarter of our nation's police officers."

Remember Kerry claiming 56 pieces of legislation during the debate? (In my best Maxwell Smart voice) "Would you believe 11? How about 5?"

Oct. 17th - Gallup poll has Bush up by touchdown and two point conversion.

Oct. 18th - Terrorist Yasser Arafat endorses Kerry. The Kerry campaign tries to deflect the news with more silly sports photo ops. Meanwhile, the idea to mention Mary Cheney was not a good one. The Kerry campaign heads to its logical conclusion.

Oct. 19th - The Kerry campaign will have to deal with a very emotional commercial on behalf of President Bush. The Ashey ad debuts today. Meanwhile Kerry speaks French on the campaign trail (maybe he was telling people that he served in Vietnam in a different language just for a change?). Kerry also has to deal with General Tommy Franks taking the hammer to him in a frank comparison between Bush and Kerry.

Oct. 20th - Hmmm...another relatively quiet day. Is there irony in the fact that Kerry spent this relatively quiet day in Waterloo, IA?

Oct. 21st - The "youth" vote choses Bush by a 55% to 40% margin. A Kerry aid is rumored to respond "Don't they know that Bush has a secret plan to draft them?" Meanwhile Al Gore goes on the stump for Kerry in Florida (and Oliver Stone goes on record as saying this is a Karl Rove conspiracy by the Republicans aimed at annoying independent voters).

Oct. 22nd - The new Bush ad "Wolves" debuts today. The Kerry campaign says they will counter with their own animal ad - one showing an ostrich with his head in the sand and a soaring eagle. Problem is - most people associate Kerry with the ostrich.

Oct. 23rd - The election in a nutshell - Kerry thinks of Osama bin Laden as the world's "number one criminal" while Bush thinks of him as vermin to be exterminated.

Oct. 24th - The New York Times reports that Bush has a higher IQ then Kerry. Questions abound in regard to who is to blame for the failure to get out the "over the hill Diva" and "lesbian talk-show host" vote. Rosie blames Tom Selleck and the NRA. Maybe the October surprise is that Democratic Hawaii is in play?

Oct. 25th - Ouch! This has to hurt Kerry in Wisconsin. Meanwhile Elizabeth Edwards promises / threatens "no riots if we win". In related news - John Edwards sues all you can eat buffet on behalf of wife (sorry cheap shot - I know - but my road to hell is already paved). Oh and those members of the UN Security Council that Kerry claimed to have met with - seems like that meeting most likely occurred in Kerry's Swift boat in Cambodia maybe even over Christmas vacation. Meanwhile Kerry hammers Bush over "disappearance" of explosives from a place that is phonetically called AL - Caa - Caa (later reveiled that US Army removed and destroyed munitions - oops Kerry's bad!).

Oct. 26th - Bad news for Kerry - will he be terminated in Ohio on Friday? More bad news from Hollywood - and the rumor surfaces that Kerry /Edwards enjoy gladiator movies.

Oct. 27th - Won't you think of the children! (As free get out the vote labor.)

Oct. 28th - Ouch - the German paper BILD (the largest paper in Europe) endorses Bush - at least Kerry still has the French. Double ouch - the Cape Cod Times also endorses Bush.

Oct. 29th - Is "Wake Up!" the new Kerry campaign slogan? Did it beat out "time for school" or "don't forget to bring a jacket"? Oh and about those munitions at Al Qaqaa - the US Army has them. Meanwhile Osama bin Laden sends election greetings (appearently the words - "I'm John Kerry and I approved this message" were edited out at the last minute).

Oct. 30th - The latest poll numbers are all pretty much bad news for Kerry.

Oct. 31st - John Kerry's stepson Chris Heinze bemoans the "Israel lobby" and call Bush a "cokehead". Yup - the Kerry campaign - all class right till the very end. Jack Welsh - former CEO of GE - has five questions you should ask before casting your vote. The New York Daily News endorses Bush.