If you were John Kerry's campaign manager what would you have done different?

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Frankly I think Edwards handled the Gay issue better than Kerry did.

1. Message: Bush is bad for the economy - outsourcing, tax breaks. Republicans do not hold a monopoly on patriotism.
- Much better ads.
Issues
- The economy
- Domestic security
- healthcare
- education

2. Vietnam is important, but because it forced front and centre to compare w/Bush - it opened Kerry up to the swiftboaters. In response Kerry should have come down like a ton of bricks.

3. VP Choice. I still think Edwards was a MUCH more effective campaigner than Kerry overall - Bayh would have been a safer choice.

4. Forget WV and the South.

5. Priority states. With special campaigners
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
Iowa
Michigan
-------------
Colorado
New Mexico
Nevada
New Hampshire

Make token efforts in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee and Missouri.

Have Richardson, Napolitano and Hart as Kerry's SW Taskforce.

- Establish a WarRoom.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

What I mean is, Edwards was not popular in NC - he was good at connecting with people one on one. But Bayh might have made IN competitive for the first time since the Johnson landslide or Perot sucking away the conservative vote in 92 and 96.

Edwards is a better campaigner.... but his dowry so to speak is not as useful. Bayh would bring a fatter cow? Probably would have helped with OH also.