August 6, 2004: McCain Criticizes Ad Attacking Kerry on Vietnam War Record

[bluestateguy]

What's the point here? Not the substance of the Swift Boat ads: they were despicable and false. The point is that the Bush people blew off McCain's handwringing, and forged ahead anyway. And it worked too.

Indeed, by all early accounts the Obama people are not going to be sidetracked by this "even" Democrat*, Cory Booker.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42740-2004Aug5.html

By Jim VandeHei and Mary Fitzgerald
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, August 6, 2004; Page A01

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 5 -- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) rushed to John F. Kerry's defense Thursday, condemning a new ad claiming the Democratic presidential nominee lied about his military record and betrayed his Vietnam comrades by protesting the war.

McCain, who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, called on President Bush to condemn the ad, which was financed in part by a major Republican Party donor in Texas.

cut

In an interview with the Associated Press, McCain called the ad "dishonest and dishonorable." Asked if the White House was behind it, McCain said: "I hope not, but I don't know. But I think the Bush campaign should specifically condemn the ad."

*An "even" Democrat is a Democrat whose name frequently appears in the news in a sentence like "Even some Democrats expressed concern/outrage/opposition" to their own party and progressive objectives.

[bluestateguy]

1. kick

:kick:

[karynnj]

2. Interesting, but not really as good an analogy as seems on the surface

But the surface requires accepting the media story line. Mitt Romney is REALLY running with his Bain Capital experience as his main credential. Not attacking Romney's vague and ever changing claims for Bain's job creation under his leadership would have been like not attacking Kerry's 25 years of public service - with seats on both the SFRC and the Finance committee - which were the basis of his exceptional competence in the debates.

Note that Romney himself is trying to equate the attacks by saying they are actually attacks on his character - saying he is not a nice guy. The SBVT attacks were just that - attacks on Kerry's character, which his actions in Vietnam defined as exceptionally brave, caring and compassionate. Kerry's service is a big part of who he is, but - in and of itself - was not why he was qualified to be President.

Anything that equates the SBVT attacks to the Bain Capital attacks is very dangerous for us. Most of the public see the SBVT attacks as despicable lies. The Bain Capital claims - though not balanced by either side - are not false. They happened. A difference that makes it even more important NOT to allow this equivalence is that the Bain Capital ads are directly from the Obama campaign.

This is not to criticize the OP - in fact, I wish the 2004 Democrats would have ignored McCain's complaints - as the Republicans are ignoring the Booker complaints.