President Bush staked a claim on America’s optimism in his first TV ads – with the underlying theme that the nation is still a land of hope and confidence after 9/11.
There’s not a single word about Democratic rival John Kerry but the upbeat mood offers a stark contrast with the anti-Bush anger that echoes through Kerry’s speeches.
“The ads are particularly good for Bush because they show his temperament and optimism – John Kerry couldn’t have done those ads because he’s too brittle. Bush seems so much more comfortable in his own skin,” said presidential scholar Stephen Hess.
Hess, who’s at the Brookings Institution, scoffed at Democratic complaints that Bush is exploiting the 9/11 tragedy by using imagery of a flag flying defiantly at Ground Zero. “It’s perfectly appropriate,” Hess said.
What’s crucial is that Ground Zero becomes an image of hope rather than defeat in Bush’s ads since it’s optimism that usually wins the White House – whether it’s Ronald Reagan’s “Morning in America” or Bill Clinton’s “Man from Hope.”
Kerry is in the uncomfortable position of standing to gain if anything goes wrong.
“Kerry looks like he’s been sucking on a lemon most of the time,” said Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway. “Anger alone doesn’t get you across the finish line.”
Or so Republicans hope.