14 Years Later -- What should John Kerry have done differently to win?

[I Can Now Die Happy]

Topic

bonus question: if he did win, what would he needed to do to get re-elected in 2008?

[Sumner 1868]

Vote "nay" on the Iraq War. And not release video of himself windsurfing.

[Comrade Funk]

Hit back harder on swift boat and choose a better running mate.

Bill Richardson
Ed Rendell
Jeanne Shaheen

Winning in 2008 would be hard. Go all in against Republican corruption in 2006 after the Foley scandal, somehow keep the peace between Sunni/Shia in Iraq, and kill Osama bin Laden. Hope the Republicans pick a bad candidate like Brownback who is totally out of touch with the economy in 2008.

[TML]

He didn’t have a clear enough message, which was also a factor in Hillary’s loss.

He should have hit back harder at the attacks against him, especially the swift-boat attacks.

He should have picked a more charismatic running mate to compensate for his own lack of charisma.

[President Johnson]

He didn’t have a clear enough message, which was also a factor in Hillary’s loss.

He should have hit back harder at the attacks against him, especially the swift-boat attacks.

He should have picked a more charismatic running mate to compensate for his own lack of charisma.

This pretty much nails it. His main problem was the lack of a clear message. He came over as a technocrat, while Doubya sold "freedom for the world".

[NCJeff]

Hit back harder on swift boat and choose a better running mate.

Bill Richardson
Ed Rendell
Jeanne Shaheen

Yeah.  Any of these would have been a safer running mate.  I'd add Biden to the list.  Edwards wasn't someone you could imagine assuming office during a crisis.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Target CO from the beginning, Salazar's solid win showed it was a possibility. That, along with NV (was only a 2 point loss and he had the Yucca issue) and NM (which was definitely winnable) would have put him over the top.