The
New York Times Opinion Page has two sets of Op-Eds that are well worth reading:
How the Democrats Can Win and
How the Republicans Can Win Sadly missing is a set for
How America Can Win. There's a mix of familiar names from both current and past party power circles and a few sideline observers.
One thing that would have been useful is knowing when the pieces were submitted.
Kevin Drum submitted his two months ago, before Woodward, the NIE, and Foley Follies; some of the others are more recent going by internal evidence. Did the TIMES let the GOP'ers get a last-minute chance to re-write theirs? I also wonder if the Times was making a subtle editorial comment by putting Rahm Emanuel's piece at the top and Howard Dean's at the bottom.... (more)
Here's links to the individual pieces, Democratic first, then GOP:
Competence Sells By Rahm Emanuel; Try Truth By Stanley B. Greenberg; Iraq, Iraq, Iraq By Jody Powell; Take a Risk By Joe Trippi; Health Care First By Phil Bredesen; Start Making Sense By Kevin Drum; A Spinal Transplant By Michael Eric Dyson; What Women Want By Ellen R. Malcolm; Fight on All Fronts By Howard Dean
Face the Wave By Jennifer Grossman; Hang Tough By Mark Salter; All Due Respect By Ari Fleishcher; Cry 'Pelosi' By Lisa Schiffren; Back to Basics By Dick Armey; Matchbook Strategy By Rich Bond; Wake the Speaker By Jay Heiler; Safe at Home By Tom Campbell; Out With the Old R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.
The obvious problem for the GOP side is that they have to run away from their record; fear & smear and outright lying is what much of their advice comes down to. Things are going badly wrong on their watch, but to call for anything different is to call attention to how badly they are doing.
The Democratic side is more upbeat (no surprise) - and much more honest; several pieces are admonitions as much as advice. Further, the Democrats have the advantage in that they don't have to make up stuff about what the GOP might do - although that's scary enough - they just have to talk about what the GOP has done and continues to do.
All in all, some interesting reading for a Sunday.