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

[Stranger in a strange land]

1.Decided where we stood on gay marriage. Either support local bans on gay marriage (as Bill Clinton advised Kerry to do) or gone after Bush for trying to write discrimination into the constitution. Either would have been fine, but you can't have it both ways.

2. Focused on iraq, but on what's going on in Iraq NOW, not what went on before we went in there. The thought of Saddam Hussein still being in power does not sit well with a lot of people.

3. Don't even try to go after Florida. As many people have remarked, Kerry came  close to winning the EV, and would have had he put a little bit more effort into Ohio. Also take the money saved by not going after Florida and invested it in CO, NV, AR, and IA, which together have as many votes as Florida, and all of which Kerry lost narrowly IIRC.

4. As others have suggested, put together an ad of Bush's worst moments and aired it nonstop

5. Don't make the campaign about Vietnam. IT'S NOT 1968 ANYMORE!!! Actually the whole Democratic party would do well to learn this.

6. Paint Bush as a spoiled rich frat boy who never had to do an honest day's work in his life

7. Run against the Saudis and emphasize Bush's close ties with them

8. Along the lines of No. 7, take the goal of energy independence seriously. It's an idea whose time has come.

9. The VP pick: Edwards was a very poor choice. Gephardt or Vilsack would have helped Kerry do better in the midwest. Wesley Clark would have been a good choice too, as he has military cred. If you want to disregard my 3rd piece of advice, pick Bob Graham. Or maybe Bill Richardson to help bring in the Latino Vote. So many good options, but he just had to go with Edwards