This is a response to a comment on an earlier thread. I got to thinking it was important enough to make another Diary Entry. So I pasted it in here and then thought of some more things to add.
I have posted quite a bit asking about 'Recipes for CHICKEN-hawk' as a snappy 'headline' for something that each campaign has to have to win the general election. If you go back through my Diary... you can find a lot about the Dean 'Recipe for CHICKEN-hawk'.
I warn you, I have a large Diary... last night I went back several months and thought -- Oh, my God, I wrote all this and never made the main page with any of it. :o) But then I am a Red Meat Dem and I don't really write for the main page of a high class blog like KOS.
But, basically, a 'Recipe for CHICKEN-hawk' is an outline of what your organization must do to beat Bush (this year).
How many supporters, at year-end, in the caucuses and primaries, how many in the field in what states. What level of contributions... things like that. I think that if you OPT-IN or OPT-OUT your strategy needs to lay out a bit about how you feel you are going to accomodate that in your strategy.
What issues do you have with Bush? What are your strengths in comparison? How are you going to say it? When? Where?
There is a strategy for every engagement and smart generals keep some things for a surprise. That's smart, keep them guessing, but it would not hurt for Clark to estimate some percentage of the states he thinks he will do well in. We all expect that to be the South... so what's the harm? And if we see it working, that just boosts 'the troops' morale and they go you 'one better'. Let's face it, Wes Clark knows how to motivate and get that little extra, so showing it happen now will make 'the troops' last during a Bush counter-attack.
Just to make a point for my Clarkie compadres...
Wes did a great job of raising an issue in his Tax Reform Plan. It was something that Dean had not addressed, Bush is disgustingly weak on it. And it was just great to see it... and I was really suprised! And I like a pleasant suprise! I especially liked the 'calling Rove out' portion of Wes Clark's speech.
So you don't have to give up the element of suprise to have a good strategic plan.
The one thing that Trippi stated was that he expected the Bushiters to lead the dirtest campaign in modern history. I don't think he expected as many 'professed' Dems to do Bush's dirty work for him, though. And that says BAD things about the bashers...
One thing I do not remember in the video was any discussion of bashing anybody but Bush, who richly deserves any amount of bashing bestowed upon the Cretin from Crawford.
There is a Trippi video out there that went over the goals of Dean's campaign in (around) November of last year. It talked about the Trippi/Dean internet strategy and it has worked very well.
I even offered to give the website address to anyone who would take the trouble to write me... because I did not want to 'KOSdot' the individual's server. I checked tonight and the video is still there.
So my offer still stands... if you write me at my harvest-resistant email address on KOS, I will send you the web address.
Everybody in America will be screaming when the bus goes over the cliff that Bush is heading us for. Today the IMF for god's sake put out a warning in heavy economist talk. I am screaming now, trying to replace the drunk driver. So far, my two favorite replacement choices are Dean and Clark.
Hell, I am going to make a Diary Post on this...
Two strong campaigns -- Dean and Clark -- are good for the Democratic Party. May the best candidate take the top slot.
Then the Dem Nom will, no, MUST, hold out his hand to the others who ran in the race. We will have a 'First among Equals' who MUST unite the Dem Party.
We, the grassroots 'Red Meat Dems', who have stood for our candidates, campaigned for them, hustled, and contributed, must be ready to accept as brothers and sisters the very people who stood for, campaigned, hustled and contributed FOR THE OTHER CANDIDATE. And we will have to turn and go after the Rove Orcs together...
Everything that strengthens the Democratic Nominee will help to put Bush into the 'bad memory' pages of American History... Take the Oath, NO MORE divisive bashing...
Let's help each other send Bush and his Cronies into 'What a nightmare' portion of the history books.
Our America the Beautiful deserves the best from all of us. We can do no less!