One of the common, recurring themes in polls and discussions of swing voters is that these voters apparently "aren't sure about John Kerry". Most of them want Bush gone already, outside of his 40% base of support, but they're not sure yet if John Kerry is the man they want to replace him. If Kerry can't convince these people of this by November 2nd, they might well stay home or, even worse, vote for the devil they know.
What can we do to help make people comfortable with John Kerry?
First, an up-front admission. I was a rabid Dean supporter in the Primaries. But unlike a lot of people here, who seem to have come to the conclusion that Kerry's campaign is incompetent, I think he's proven himself a very shrewed opponent for the pResident. Yes, it does seem kind of frustrating for those of us that follow politics religiously, but there's a number of things Kerry's done right. From not attacking Bush overly much to not relying on the SCLM to spread his message, Kerry's run a very smart campaign and made a lot of good moves.
But few of these things will help make the ever-elusive swing voter comfortable with Kerry. Things like the beer-drinking story might, but it won't get enough play. Rallies and local appearances might, but Kerry can't be everywhere all the time, not even with Edwards and his loyal surrogates. So, leaving aside Kerry's opportunity during the debates, it falls to the grassroots to bring the man to the people across the land.
The simplest thing is to know Kerry's record and platform inside-out. When people say they're worried about Kerry being a pacifist, or cutting military funding, or taking more money from them, make sure you've got a counterexample to show that he's consistantly done the opposite. Remind people that Kerry's served in a war very much like Iraq, and that he knows what the troops need - so while he might not raise funding, he'll put it to better use. Remind people that Kerry's pledged to roll back tax cuts on those making more than $500,000 a year. (Don't say the upper X% or the upper class, as too many people like to consider themselves higher than they are)
If its more a personality issue, the dreaded high-and-mighty liberal argument, remind people that Kerry stops off in bars and has a drink with the locals. Remind them that he actually spends time talking with people. Remind them that he not only volunteered to go to Vietnam, but requested a transfer to extremely dangerous Swift Boat duty from the relative safety of an American warship. And if you run into the dreaded flip-flopper meme, don't try to "prove" that Kerry's been consistent. Instead, remind the swing voter that staying the course isn't a good idea if you're driving off a cliff.
And if you can't tell what resonates with a swing voter, don't be afraid to out-and-out ask them why Kerry makes them uncomfortable. Don't push them, but if they know, you might be able to help them get over it. The first step is, after all, admitting you have a problem.
What other ideas do people have for making Kerry seem more "human" when trying to woo swing voters? Have I hit on some good ideas here, or am I totally off-base? Inquiring minds want to know!