WP: Kerry on Defensive About Iraq (Attacks Reflect Bush's Problems )

[kskiska]

Saturday, August 14, 2004; Page A01

Over the past week, President Bush and Vice President Cheney have thrown Sen. John F. Kerry on the defensive with a daily assault designed to tarnish his credentials as a possible commander in chief. But the orchestrated attacks also revealed the president's vulnerabilities on the issue that continues to shape the presidential campaign as much as any other.

The volleys over terrorism came after Kerry and his advisers believed they had put behind them most questions about his capacity to lead the country in a war on terrorism. Instead, Kerry and his advisers allowed themselves to be drawn into a new debate about Iraq and terrorism and were forced to rebut daily charges that Kerry has equivocated and sent conflicting signals on national security.

Kerry advisers see the criticisms as both wrong and distorted. But the exchanges were a reminder of how the issue of Iraq has bedeviled Kerry's candidacy first in the Democratic primaries and now the general election as he has navigated between the demands of the antiwar faction in his own party and a desire to project strong leadership to a general-election audience.

The attacks also underscored the urgency within Bush's campaign to deny Kerry a sustained post-convention bounce. With some polls showing Kerry made clear gains against Bush on terrorism and national security, the president's weakness on the issues that once were his great strengths was on clear display.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63875-2004Aug13.html

[librechik]

1. Geez, who woke up Dan Balz

and pulled his nose out of Rove's er pocket...

[Robin Hood]

2. Are you sure that was his pocket that his nose was in?

ny

[Voltaire99]

3. Kerry's campaign's recent remarks on Iraq...

...discounting the importance of WMDs are just further signs of the narrowing between his position and Bush's on Iraq.

We don't want a fucking technocrat who will fight the war better.

We want an end to this accursed war, John Kerry. Wake up!

[Born Free]

4. Kerry needs to jump out of the "MR Nice GUY boat"

Kerry needs to get tough! Kerry needs to show Americans he is willing to stand up for America again, much like he did in Vietnam - Kerry jumped out of the boat and chased the enemy down - he did not turn the other cheek and hope the enemy would not harm him or other Americans. Kerry needs to show he still has that willingness to fight for America. Kerry needs to jump out of the "Mr Nice Guy boat" and chase down these liars and show them what being tough is. Kerry needs to show Americans he is fighting the good fight.

Like it or not, most Americans are looking for a strong leader. The more Kerry allows these attacks go on without fighting back the weaker he looks. If he is going to be like other democrats that refuse to fight back + if he is going to be too afraid of being called names to stand up for what he believes and insist the media get it straight the less chances of him winning. Al Gore tried the high road, refusing to engage in counter attacks, we saw what happened. On the other hand Clinton took every attack as an open door to attack back, and that is what he did, it was not called an "attack" because he was only responding to their attacks. Clinton wanted the attacks, that way he could get tough without looking like the individual that gets negative.