Postive, But Proactive, Mr. Kerry...

I will preface these thoughts with the statement that I am a simple homemaker and mom with a mild to moderate physical disability. I choose to spend my time trying to do little things to make my community better. I am a huge nobody, and I am not a Poly-Sci Major, but I have been volunteering in campaigns since I was a Brownie scout knocking on doors for McGovern. I saw you solicit opinions this evening and decided to offer mine.

Mr. Kerry, you are bright, charming and principled. My number one, must-do suggestion is that you show your smile more! There is the same infectious smile that John Kennedy had when you let your guard down with the crowds. Please allow us to see the joy of the election "ride" a little more often. I appreciate that serious challenges and policy decisions hinge on the winner of this election, but you have "it" when you are in the moment enjoying the crowd, appreciative of the support, energized by the concensus and momentum building around your candidacy.

I agree in principle that running a positive campaign is essential. The voters too lazy or too discouraged to vote use the negative attack ads to tune out on the entire process. I applaud your patience and desire to stay positive, but sir, with all due respect, despite what Americans tell pollsters they want candidates to answer personal attacks, preferrably with positive statements.

HOWEVER... in the past 12 hours I have heard nothing but attacks from the right wing when the media posed a question regarding Bush's failed policies otr past misdeeds. Already they are mocking your positions and for the time being I agree it is best to refuse to respond in specifics. Yet, ignoring the attacks doesn't resonate with voters. Analyze several failed Democratic campaigns and invariably that inherent "fairness" and unwillingness to "go negative" gets us every time.

It IS possible to go positive while still responding forcefully and smartly to Bush and his team. It's the classic "compare and contrast" model I used in about a dozen essays in high school.

Hold off on this tactic over the summer. Let Bush's team expose all of the smears they have waiting in the wing and give them all the rope they can carry. THEN, when August comes, begin to respond by comparing and contrasting your behavior and mindset.

When the Republicans show the public a picture of you in the crowd with "Hanoi Jane" simply speak about the gift of the courage of your convictions. Remind people that when you returned from the war you volunteered to participate in you became disillusioned with the reasons for it, mourned the 53,000 innocent American lives lost and had a disregard for keeping up appearances. Remind voters that you have a consistent record of working to make government accountable, beginning with your political stance after your distinguished service in Vietnam. And if that doesn't seem to turn the tide, remind voters that you have held a dying man on a battlefield while our current commander in chief has sent 500 or more soldiers to their deaths and maimed another 3000.

If the Republicans keep up with the "he never sponsored legislation" talking points, contrast your work in government oversight and in committee. You have spent 18 years trying to make govermenment accountable -- unlike this administration who blames its' intelligence agencies on its' premature and errant rush to war.

If Bush hits you with charges of soft money, contrast your leagal contributions with the Vice President still on on the payroll at Halliburton even though he sits in the V.P. office these past few years! Most people I speak to have no idea he recieves a yearly check from them. I think he is the first Veep to moonlight, isn't he?

On the subject of "raising taxes" (repealing the tax cut) and your ability to manage the economy (which the administration insists is recovering well), you can slam-dunk with the unpunished Enron energy market manipulation which resulted in skyrocketing rates and nearly bankrupted California. You can contrast your record of working for justice and oversight while Mr Bush handed Halliburton a contract without even the suggestion of a competitive bid process. You can talk about the Alternative Minimum tax, and a host of other anti-middle-class tax and economic policies. You might even want to mention that the minimum wage is supposed to be just that - a wage that provides the minimum amount of money to clothe, feed and house a family of four and NOT the minimum an employer can pay a worker. You can talk about your committment to working Americans and contrast your contributor pool with that of the President.

You can contrast your open approach to your campaign finances and willingness to vote your conscience, even when the position is unfavorable to a contributor while contrasting the ethics of this administration and its' unwillingness to hold Ken Lay and other corporate scofflaws accountable. You might even want to consider taking a position which would impose financial penalties for executives and Board members who allow pensions to bankrupt or displace or gut workforce members.

When the subject of the war on terror comes up, remind folks around mid-August that Bin Laden and the rest of Al-Quaida has not been our main focus. Speak to the merits of a focused military campaign with adequate supplies and clear objectives. Talk about the devastating effects of a military spread too thin and the toll it takes on the troops. Demand more of a presence if and when we engage an enemy on the battlefield. Remind the country that New York still has not seen any of the money Bush promised us, and does not plan on helping pay the costs of staying on high alert in perpetuity. And please. PLEASE speak about the war profiteering going on in Iraq, with gouging by charging inflated oil prices to the military. paid for not only with my tax dollars but American lives.

Mr. Kerry, please use the inexperience and "boyish" persona of our sitting president to your advantage. As unfair as it is, looks matter, and if you can be at ease and speak plainly but passionately your New England grin (faintly Kennedyesqe) will win points in simple demeanor for you. Last time the "aw shucks", devil-may-care attitude resonated with just enough Americans that Bush ended up inthe White House when compared to Gore who was unfairly perceived as lecturing the voters. (I'm past the Supreme Court decision, and it would be a mistake to bring it back up UNLESS you want to read a section of dissenting opinions in the Florida recount and then speak to the need for a majority of fairminded justices on the bench when it comes time to replace the retirees.) I don't think the president came off well on Meet the Press, in part because he tried to be disarming with his chuckles and wry smiles while speaking of serious lapses in his judgement and his administration. Contrast that with your cheerful, smiling charisma that becomes dead serious when a question is raised that deals with policy and then charms the audience with an upbeat tone and enigmatic smile.

You can win this election easily if you remember to contrast your experience and positions with the administration. Remind people that you are a man willing to take on a vital job seriously, willing to spend your days working in the Oval Office and not delegating national policy so you can dedicate a law library in Minnesota. (Not that Minnesota is not a fantastic, progressive, lovely state, but that should be the job of the V. P. and NOT the president.) I think the Gore campaign suffered from the way the message was imparted. He didn't know how to make people feel like he connected with them. Many thought him too intelligent and resented his "superior attitude" - projections, yes, but fatal ones for his campaign.

Your intellect may pose a challenge for you as well, but you can turn it into a positive if you simply ascribe your wisdom to others. Give colleagues in the Senate and other prominent Americans credit for shaping your ideals -- by inference you are linking both Republican and Democrat to your campaign and positioning yourself as a centrist and a consensus by mere virtue of your open and tolerant outlook.

I want you to know that I was leaning toward General Clark, but after hearing you speak the during the week leading up to the Iowa caucus I had to entertain your candidacy. Now I'm convinced that you have the unique good looks, charm, ability to be self-deprecating, and plain spoken kind of charisma that voters respond to. If you can use those talents to convince the middle class in real numbers that they truly have lost ground economically you will win this by at least 12%. I know that sounds nuts, but I have a lot of time on my hands and I usually predict the races pretty accurately. I am convinced that volunteering to help in any way with your campaign is not merely a matter of principle -- I'm actually going to be helping a winning team. You have a much greater chance than the pundits are willing to concede, so keep it that way!! Bide your time until late summer and then contrast, contrast, and compare!!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my suggestions with your campaign staff. I consider it an honor to work for your election effort. I hope there is something I can do to help you win the nomination and go forward to take the White House.

J. Harsen, New York