The Bush camp was surprised when Kerry and his surrogates sounded this theme for four full days, eliminating the candidate?s planned ?closing arguments.? After two days, Republican activists grumbled the president had not responded. The reason was astonishment by Bush strategists that the Kerry campaign would continue on this path through the campaign?s last week.
Except for a small bounce on Monday, many polls indicated the explosives issue had no effect on Kerry?s fortunes. Surveys concluded Friday showed Kerry no stronger than he was a week earlier or perhaps a little weaker. As much as journalists (and particularly cable television news) loved the story, it was passing over the heads of voters.
Republican pollster Ed Goeas at the end of last week showed that the 37 percent of voters who regard terrorism and Iraq as the most important issues support Bush over Kerry, 62 percent to 33 percent. But among the 33 percent who see jobs and the economy as most important, Kerry is favored over Bush by 64 percent to 30 percent. Kerry may have been trying to convert the unconverted in concentrating on missing explosives, or it may just be a matter of personal preference of what the senator likes to talk about.
In any event, what John Kerry says seems removed from the Democratic master plan to send George W. Bush back to Texas. Few Democratic politicians think Kerry has proved a good campaigner, and obsessing for four days over missing explosives supports that judgment. What counts for Democrats is fulfillment of the ground game to bring previous non-voters to polling places Tuesday.