If Rove planted the documents, he knows WHERE he planted them...

[Junkdrawer]

THAT'S why the Republican congress is spoiling for a Watergate-style investigation.

Rush and Hannity have been saying for a week now it was the Kerry campaign that gave the documents to CBS. I'll bet it was:

Rove -> "disgruntled" Bill Burkett -> Kerry Campaign -> 60 Minutes

Republicans want to make a scandal from "Kerry Campaign -> 60 Minutes"

We need to prove:
"Rove -> "disgruntled" Bill Burkett"

Tonight was a good start.

[David Dunham]

1. Move beyond AWOL now. It is hurting Kerry in the polls.

Kerry is unable to get his substantive message out with AWOL in the news.

[lancdem]

5. I'm not sure there's any evidence it is

but eventually it could.

[eaprez]

2. I think the plan is to keep people focused on this nonesense rather

than Bush's record. It's working.

[lancdem]

3. I don't think the Kerry campaign is involved directly or indirectly

They wouldn't be dumb enough to take questionable documents to CBS knowing this could blow up in their faces. I think the Repukes are saying this to get the public to believe it, not because there's any actual evidence.

[blm]

7. Kerry has NO HISTORY of dirty campaigning.

He didn't pull any dirty tricks when he was 7 points behind Weld a month before that election.

There is an incident when Kerry first ran for Congress in 72 that involved his younger brother and his friend and some cut phone lines, but, it's more likely they were even set up by Donald Segretti because Nixon dispatched operatives to Boston to make sure Kerry lost.

[Junkdrawer]

9. I don't think this is a Kerry "dirty trick"...

Imagine you're on the Kerry campaign and a disgruntled former National Guard guy comes to you waving documents. What would you do?

I would advise him to go to the press so that people who check out facts for a living could do their job. Hell, I'd give him an intro.

[Protected]

4. I don't think the Kerry campaign was involved at all

Why do you think it was?

[Junkdrawer]

6. Because Republicans wouldn't press this hard unless...

they were certain of the result.

If Rove planted them, he knows WHERE he planted them.

[gordianot]

8. Maybe not Rove

I think it is obvious the Whitehouse knew about the documents, they got rid of them when someone ran for Governor. I doubt even if these were faked Rove would want the stories about Bush on the front burner.

The Bush family has made it's share of enemies over the years, many of whom had the opportunity and motive to collect evidence for a rainy day. What I do not doubt is that the current occupants of the Whitehouse have worked out contingency plans for the day this might be disclosed. As always they get the hired help to do the dirty work.

[Murky Waters]

10. There is no way

I could believe that Rove would plant the forgeries. But there is NO WAY that the DNC or the Kerry campaign would get anywhere near this.

They are far too savvy to fall for some second rate set-up.

Think back to the Gore debate team's reaction to getting the Bush practice debate tape in the mail. They didn't squirrel it away to the basement and analyze it. They called in the authorities.

[Cha]

11. Tom Downey still had to resign from Gore's

debate team and paul begala was brought in and I read that "paul advised Gore to roll his eyes and sigh heavily"!

I'm waiting for rove to Overplay his hand someday.

[gordianot]

12. I agree

They could have been planted by either side. It may have been a Democrat but I doubt it was the DNC. (Remember: Democrat does not = DNC and the Kerry campaign, the same way Republican = RNC*) Any hint of negative coverage is not good for a candidate.

Today how many take the Swift Boat nuts seriously? Kerry's damage control was direct and he has moved on. Notice Bush is not addressing this issue directly. This keeps the questions going which is not to Bush's advantage. That speaks volumes.


*If Zell Miller was a Republican and the roles were reversed at the Convention, how long would he have been allowed to call himself a Republican?