by Scott Ott
(2004-07-15) -- Taking a page from President George Bush's re-election campaign, Democrat presidential hopeful John Forbes Kerry reportedly has decided to play to his base, focusing most of his campaign efforts on voters who already strongly agree with his values and personal convictions, rather than trying to persuade the independent and undecided.
The strategic change in the Democrat's campaign spurred a new round of major fundraising to pay for TV ads to reach the Kerry base.
"We need almost twice as much money as we previously planned to spend," said an unnamed Kerry campaign spokesman, "because each element of the Kerry base requires its own commercial messages."
The source explained that the Kerry base includes those who believe, like Mr. Kerry, that life begins at conception and that abortion should be legal and cheap. The Kerry base supports and opposes the war in Iraq, just as it supports and opposes the constitutional right of the people to bear arms. The base is strong on defending the American homeland, and determined to cut the U.S. intelligence and military budgets.
"They are the kind of people who would have cheered a Republican running-mate on the Democrat presidential ticket, and they embrace John Edwards, one of the most liberal Democrats as vice president," the source said. "They're enthusiastic about Kerry speaking at the NAACP convention, and they have no qualms with the fact that blacks have no major speaking roles at the Democrat party convention in Boston."
As part of this play to the base, Kerry staffers screen potential audience members at campaign events to assure they share the values and convictions of the candidate.
"Just like Bush," the source said, "we're stage managing our TV news events to make sure the camera sees only those who love Senator Kerry and what he stands for."
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