Kerry campaign should embrace Bush "repudiation" of Swift boat vets ad

[digno dave]

I know Bush was speaking generally about 527s, but he did single out the SBV ad when pressed. The Kerry campaign should jump all over this and spin it to make it appear that Bush specifically repudiated the ad. This does two things...it gets the message out that Bush doesn't in fact support these guys, which is what they want to hear after all. And, it will force the press to follow up with a ? to Bush like "So you do in fact condemn this ad", to which Bush will be caught in a trap. He either does or doesn't. If he says he does condemn it, good for us. If he says he doesn't, then he can be called on flip-flopping over the issue, since he already more or less repudiate it.

[Child_Of_Isis]

1. For some reason

the term flip flopping doesn't apply to shrub, only Kerry:shrug:

[Old and In the Way]

10. Kerry could say, "W flip-flopped, but I thank him for reconsidering his

position. Sometimes flip-flopping is a good thing when you get new facts that help change your mind. Misleading and slanderous ads like those made by the so-called Swift Boat Vterans for Truth have no place in our politics and I am glad that George Bush agrees with me on this."

[Hobarticus]

2. I agree, but...

As long as Kerry doesn't have to repudiate the MoveOn ads.

I know that's like having it both ways, but I think he can go the route you discussed, without having to mention MoveOn's ads at all.

Good call!

[troublemaker]

4. The MoveOn ads are NOT 527's (They are from the MoveOn PAC)

[troublemaker]

3. Yes.

"I want to extend my thanks to President Bush for coming on board and agreeing that these ads are collections of partisan lies."

[digno dave]

7. The only problem is that I believe I read where Edwards is pushing for a

specific repudiation from Bush. This after what Bush said today.I'm sorry guys, BUT TAKE WHAT THEY HAVE GIVEN and go with it. I think Bush said more than his advisors wanted him to say today.

[David__77]

5. Agreed. But be prepared for this...

...when pressed, Bush may again say "I condemn ALL 527 ads." This, of course, is not a condemnation of the ad as such. But he did condemn it today and say he thought Kerry should be "proud." That was a strategic error on his part!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. No he did not single them out when pressed

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A26648-2004Aug23?language=printer

Please point out where in the transcript he did that.

[digno dave]

8. Here's where he specifies about the SBV ad.

QUESTION: When you say that you want to stop all...

BUSH: All of them.

QUESTION: So, I mean...

BUSH: That means that ad, every other ad.

[Guaranteed]

9. Nuh uh.

That's not a *condemnation* of that specific ad, based on the content. All he's saying is that he's against 527's in general.

I partially agree with the original point, though. If we could spin this as a condemnation, it might be good for us in a number of ways.

On the other hand, that would end the issue. We also might want to drag this out for awhile, let them show Kerry walking around with his helmet and machine gun a few thousand more times. Really ram home the WAR HERO meme.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

12. According to Orwell, 'All of them, That means that ad, every other ad'

counts as singling out.

:eyes:

[snippy]

11. I think the campaign needs to continue to press Bush to denounce the ads.

The campaign also should press Bush to say how the current 527 ads are different from what his campaign did to McCain in South Carolina and New York in 2000. Kerry also should emphasize to the press that using a newly formed group funded by one of Bush's old drinking and doping pals is a trademark signature of how Bush campaigns in a close election. Finally, Kerry should make the point that Bush is going to continue using the Swift Boat Liars all the way up to the election.

[Cocoa]

13. that's what they're doing

:toast:

[snippy]

14. I know. They need to keep it up, especially given Bush's plans for

additional Swift Boat ads.

[digno dave]

15. I seriously think this issue is about to reach the oversaturation level

and most independent voters will get tired of hearing about it. Especially since the SBV claims have been refuted.

[snippy]

17. I hope so. But I keep hearing about the ad planned for October. n/t

[Feanorcurufinwe]

16. SIMPLY UNTRUE

to state or imply that Bush 'repudiated' or 'singled out' the SmearVet ad.

Transcript: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A26648-2004Aug23?language=printer