Several people interested in Lakoff's influence (or lack thereof) in the Kerry campaign have noted this quote from today's
NYT:
"This president has relieved America of the homeland security it deserves," Mr. Kerry said. "And we're going to change that on Nov. 2."
- Kerry, Oct 1, 2004, NYT
* Note, Lakovian analysis, proceed with grain of salt firmly in cheek **
Although it does destabilize one of the Right's most powerful frames, the "tax relief" frame, this technically isn't a reframing because it only hints at an alternate narrative, it doesn't propose one. The essence of the Repub "tax relief" frame is to set Bush up as a hero who will "relieve" us from the unjust burden of "taxation". Instead, although Kerry's quote does weaken Bush's frame, it still keeps Bush in the role of the "hero" who, instead of saving a victim, is ironically relieving the U.S. of something good, and is therefore, by implication, doing evil. Yes, its irony, but its not an effective reframe.
"Bush relieves" is still the noun-verb pair, the only difference is that there's an different object phrase attached.
He needs something else--something clearer and less reliant on irony, something with a different noun-verb pair altogether.
"The president has neglected America, denying it of the homeland security it deserves ... "
"The president's irresponsible tax cuts on the elite have squandered the trust of the American people, and denied us the homeland security we deserve."
or even..
"The president's irresponsible tax giveaways have robbed America of the homeland security it deserves, and we're going to change that on Nov. 2"
Although not necessarily effective, these are true reframes because they change the story being told and more clearly define Bush as a "deceiver" and a "thief".