Gergen, CNN Int., 12:30 ET Mon.- JK war record attacks "playing with fire"

[DeepModem Mom]

David Gergen was just interviewed live by a CNN International anchorwoman -- He said the Bush attacks on Kerry's war record were "playing with fire." He said this tactic could easily backfire on the Bush campaign. He said that never in the history of American Presidential politics has a candidate's record of courage as a young man in war been attacked. He said that usually when a man has come back from war with "a fistful of medals," as Kerry did, that that war record stands. He said that not only could the attacks backfire politically in general terms, but they could serve to further activate Bush's opposition.


ON EDIT: I emphasize this interview was conducted on CNN INTERNATIONAL, not domestic.

[LuminousX]

1. Good word uses

we need to stop saying this is Swiftliars attacks, this is Bush campaign attacks against Kerry.

[The Magistrate]

10. Indeed, Mr. X

That is the line taken by Sen. Kerry's campaign, and is the line all ought to pursue in this matter. Every discussion of this should commence with "Bush supporters claim..." and continue with no further identification of the smear artists. The thing should be attached firmly to the coward in the Oval Office, and great wonder expressed at what in Hell a man who dodged the draft is doing smearing a man decorated for heroism and wounds....

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[quaoar]

2. So true

But if I was any "further activated" I'd explode.

[Clinton Crusader]

4. quaoar, I agree

my blood pressure is about to spurt through every orifice in my skull...
:kick:

[Itchinjim]

6. Absolutly,

This Bush backed attack on JK has made me more determined then ever to send these GOP SOB's back to the ratholes they crawled out of. November 2 can't get here soon enough.(No offense intended to rats)

[molly]

3. I saw it

he said attack ads like this seem to work in the shorterm, but not in the longterm. Let's really think what would hurt * and wait.....timing is everything.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

13. Rove has lost his sense of political timing.

If these attacks were launched in late October, with no time to refute them, they might have actually hurt.

[jacksonian]

15. desperation is the mother of chaos

they were out of ideas but had to move some polls before the RNC.

Their campaign's also compromised any bashing sessions they had planned for the convention quite nicely AND as an added bonus probably hardened a lot of swingable voters against them.

Next up: the convention turns moderate and the wheels fall off their fundie base...

[Lex]

5. I don't always like what Gergen has to say, but he's usually right.

He's been around a long time, and has worked in both (D) and (R) Administrations.

He usually calls 'em like he sees 'em.

I think an awful lot of Veterans are mad as hell about how Bush has played this. There are some Vets who have drunk the kool-aid and they are beyond help anyway (meaning, they will vote Bush no matter what happens).

There is a seething anger out there locally, I believe. Those "inside the beltway" in DC just aren't picking up on that.

[gasperc]

7. especially since Bush's own medals are lacking

and Bush was pictured with an award he didn't receive. And, and a medal is awarded when three years of continuous service is completed. BUSH NEVER GOT THIS AWARD, WHY??? HE WAS IN THE GUARD FOR FIVE YEARS.

see dailykos.com for more info

[Stephanie]

16. Wasn't Bush transferred to some disciplinary unit?

Remember that? Why are his discharge records out of Colorado?

[A_Possum]

8. Does CNN Int. show on US cable?

I'm clueless about TV.

[Lex]

9. Yes, we have CNN and CNN International on separate channels

on my cable TV provider--Time Warner.

[DeepModem Mom]

11. self delete

[Hamlette]

12. he said the same thing on a talking head show late last week

Sorry, can't remember which one. Gergen could be right, this could backfire especially because it was done so early in the campaign. If they had started running these ads October 20th, we wouldn't have had time to "out" them as the liars they are.

Makes you wonder what they are planning for October. Ugh.

[alarcojon]

14. He made similar points on Hardball last Thursday

DAVID GERGEN, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: It would be better to take responsibility, but I think everybody knows these are Republicans who are funding this. And John Kerry is getting the best of this argument. When he says, it‘s fronting for the Bush people, the money does come from Republicans and everybody connects the dots. The conclusion is that they are doing the dirty work. The president ought to denounce this ad and move on. It‘s a losing proposition for the president.

...snip...

GERGEN: That‘s the point, Chris. More than whether Kerry gains or Bush gains is the fact that it‘s not good for the country. To have an argument about the past when we should talk about the future is trivializing what we face as a nation. How will we come up with a strategy to win this war on terrorism?

Where will the next president go over the next four years? To divert attention from that issue is harmful to the process. I will tell you—the Republicans do not help themselves. Over time when you have a pattern from—when they went after John McCain in South Carolina when they went after his war record and then went after Max Cleland in 2002 and one of the Republican leaders Ann Coulter said maybe it‘s his own fault that he lost three limbs in Vietnam.

Now they‘re going after Kerry on his war record. This is really a mistaken, terribly wrong-heading pattern for the Republicans. It only drives people away. These things can work in the short term, but in the long term McCain was helped. His stature grew after the South Carolina primary and the president‘s stature, while he helped himself in the short-term, he was hurt in the long-term.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5765243/

[Chili]

17. Gergen has integrity

...I don't remember him ever making a purely partisan comment in all the years he's been discussing politics. And I especially appreciated his defense of Sandy Berger. He's one of the most straight-talking pundits on the air. He doesn't like dirty tricks and says so. I always pay attention to what he says, he's usually right on the money.