Dear Donors;
They said it couldn’t be done! Back in 2000, a lot of naysayers wouldn’t have believed we could cut your taxes, make environmental regulations “optional,” cut your taxes again, emasculate the looming campaign finance reforms, and open up the largest oil fields in the world to American business. And then cut your taxes some more. But we did it! And there’s more great stuff in the works.
Of course, in order to get it done, we’ll need the help of you, our loyal donors. So we thought we’d just let you in our plans so that you could get out the ol’ checkbooks. As you know, it’ll be worth your while [Hey, Bechtel, ya think you could spare a few pennies out of that $680 million!? lol! ].
So here’s the game plan: We’re going to go in at the last minute, guns a-blazin’, with overwhelmingly superior firepower. Call it “Shock and Awe II.” The enemy won’t know what hit ‘em as we remove the guesswork, bickering, and messiness from democracy.
And we’re fixing to embed you with our frontline forces.
Some rules might have to be bent, others will have to be broken. But with our planning and your bucks, we can wage a truly transformational campaign. Here’s a breakdown of the anticipated schedule:
Spring, 2004 - The Democrats yell a lot, hold primaries, yell some more. Whatever. They’re Democrats. We raise money. The President stays out of it.
July, 2004 - The Democrats hold their convention. Yell a lot. We raise more money. The President’s too busy being President to get involved.
August, 2004 - We’re raisin’ money! Meanwhile, whatever blowhard the Democrats have chosen starts whining about “engaging” us and “debates.” Whatever. The President’s too busy. He hasn’t even started his campaign, so how could he get involved? Hell, he hasn’t even been nominated yet!
September 2, 2004 - We’re in New York, nominating our President. What? He’s right near Ground Zero just before the anniversary of 9/11? Weird! Maybe he should talk about National Security of something… [rotfl!]
Week of September 11, 2004 - President declares period of remembrance and mourning. Implies that the Democrats are being tasteless talking about “debates” and “campaigns” and “issues” at this solemn time.
October, 2004 - Advertising blitz! This is where your money really comes into play. All $200 million gets spent in a few weeks. Democrat’s ads: The economy, health care, the environment, education, blah blah blah blah blah… Our ads: Flags! Songs! Support out troops! Shock and Awe, boys, Shock and Awe.
Meanwhile, we find that the “unfortunate” late start to the campaign means we only have time for one debate. We force through a “Hollywood Squares” format and include the Greens, the Socialists, the Libertarians, and the American Alien Abductees Party. Fair is fair!
Election Day, 2004 - Major party and ball locations T.B.A.
Pretty amazing, huh? Trust me, you don’t want to be left out of this one. Get those donations in now.
Yours,
Ken Mehlman
Campaign Manager (sshhh!)





10 comments
Chicory
April 23, 2003 at 4:15 pm
1Hey, Ken.
Why go to so much trouble? Just make sure those new “electronic” voting machines are in place. You know, the ones that the votes can’t be traced or varified from? That way you can go straight to Election Day, 2004 without Dub doing *any* work.
Don
April 23, 2003 at 9:19 pm
2That may not be a bad idea. The fewer opportunities some people have to make public statements, the fewer dumb things get said.
Sara
April 23, 2003 at 11:22 pm
3Adam, your entries have begun to sink me into a depressed fog. I have to stop reading you until my exams are done or I won’t study. Can you swing three weeks of fox news jokes, then go back to the weighty political analysis when I am home and working for the mighty news media (and thus am immune to information)?
Georgette
April 24, 2003 at 10:06 am
4“American Alien Abductees party”?
Woo hoo! I finally get a chance to debate!
(Unless you mean that ratty party composed of those that have been abducted, instead of those of us aliens who see it as our inalienable right TO abduct… But that’s a whole ‘nother debate.)
Rana
April 24, 2003 at 12:44 pm
5All too plausible. Yikes.
Though you forgot to include the “send naval forces around North Korea to rally the troops, then decide post-election that international diplomacy will work better now that NK has been successfully intimidated” strategy. Covers failing economies and a host of other ills, plus who would unseat the Commander in Chief while he’s “commanding”?
(Someone other than me dreamt this up — but it seems all too believable…)
tj
April 24, 2003 at 3:15 pm
6The people tend to get government they deserve.
sj
April 24, 2003 at 3:20 pm
7Patriotism, is the last refuge of the scoundrel.
Mike Z
April 24, 2003 at 9:32 pm
8Nobody can claim that the Bushians are not excellent war and pseudowar strategists. Rove is an evil genius in these matters: he knows that elections are always won or lost in the last few weeks of the campaign anyway so he’s saving it up ’til then. Despite the obvious dirty tricks involved, I must say that I kinda like the idea of no campaigning until the last minute. The 16 month campaign season drives me nuts, so hopefully this will start a trend.
Raya
April 25, 2003 at 11:56 am
9Oh God, I’m depressed.
Paul
April 30, 2003 at 4:06 pm
10tj -
I don’t mind the people getting the goverment they deserve, but why do *I* have to get it as well?