Columbus Dispatch: "Bush Re-election Machine Busy Tearing Down...

[farmbo]

...Another War Hero"

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2004/08/22/20040822-C1-00.html

Score one for Kerry, I thought, standing amid the cheering Iowa Democrats. With questions lingering about Bush’s stateside service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, military records weren’t likely to top Bush’s discussion agenda during the campaign.

And it didn’t help that influential hawks in his administration — Vice President Dick Cheney, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Defense Department Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz — found ways to avoid military service during the war.
<snip>

Kerry’s postwar protest activities and his Senate voting record on defense issues are fair game for critics. But twisting his valorous war record for political purposes is shameful.
<snip>

This is Large Folks.

The Columbus Dispatch is a stalwart Republican paper which is the sole daily in Columbus: the battleground city of the battleground state. Joe Hallett, their chief political reporter, has been running evenhanded columns--some critical of Kerry-- but has not whipped out the poison pen on either candidate...until now.

If you're someone like myself who believes that the entire election will come down to 100,000 votes in Ohio, this is a welcome Sunday (front page OP/Ed section) eye- opener.

Could the Dispatch actually endorse John Kerry?

It could happen.

[mom cat]

1. Thanks for this very good news and your commentary.

:yourock:

[goodboy]

2. Woah, I'm in Columbus, and you're right. This is a big deal

Although I don't admit this very much, I know the Wolf's personally, and I do know them to be staunch Repugs...why Mr. Wolf allowed this in the paper certainly does raise some questions. And you hit the big one on the head: Will the Dispatch endorse John Kerry?

[comradebillyboy]

4. do keep us up to date on the race in ohio

i hope that bush has screwed the pooch on this one. the pukes have gone so far over the top that it may (if there is any justice in this world) blow up in their draft dodging faces.

good to see you at du, hope to see more of your comments

[farmbo]

6. This ain't your father's "Dispatch"

They've started to be more evenhanded in their political reporting, and they've even taken stands in support of gay unions, etc.

I think this Hallett story is an indication of how the main stream press, upon reflection, now sees the utter audaciousness the Bush/Rove machine "stealth" Smearboat campaign.

And they're just calling a spade a spade.

[Maeve]

10. It makes up for yesterday's editorial page somewhat

Yesterday had a side-by-side "Is Kerry Fit to be Commander-in-chief?" forum with Chuck Green (former ed, Denver Post) calling the Swifties' slanders "healthy debate". :puke:

That's the kind of "balance" that gives Flat-Earthers the same weight as scientists.

[Cha]

13. Right! It's Not a "healthy debate" if they're making

shit up! And smearing the US military to boot. Get a clue, chuckie green.

[Occulus]

14. Why did he do it?

Because what the Bush* team is doing is shameful, no matter how you slice it, and yes, there really are Republicans with integrity and conscience out there.

That, and it's just so obvious what the Bushies* are doing this time around.

[wryter2000]

15. Thanks!

This is really good to hear. When decent Republicans see the light we'll be able to turn this country around.

[Frances]

3. Where is Bush's Band of Brothers?

Maybe there's a picture of Bush with some campaign workers in Alabama?

Or a picture of Bush drinking with his buddies in Texas?

But where or where is a picture of Bush in combat?

[farmbo]

12. Breaking: 1971 Bush "Band of Brothers"photo discovered in ANG archive:

[pocoloco]

5. disregard

[LittleWoman]

7. The Columbus Dispatch has been becoming more liberal

according to a recent article in Columbus Monthly. When I read that article (sorry no link-their web page only shows the current month with no archive) I realized that I had observed the same thing. The current mamaging editor does not seem to be of the Bush persuasion. I think most of editorial staff of the Dispatch may be of the moderate conservative/Republican branch who are starting to see the disaster that is the current Bush administration. Also keep in mind that the city of Columbus is in the Democratic column and I would not be surprised to see Franklin county go for Kerry as well. All in all I rather expect the Dispatch to endorse Kerry.

[Bush was AWOL]

9. They are becoming much more liberal in recent years

Freeper types are constantly writing in to the editorial page whining about it, too.

[NoBorders]

8. wow - very good news

thanks for sharing it. Here's at least one instance of sbvt backfiring, imo!

[Cha]

11. This is Wonderful! And we so need big coup like

this and others, to at least counter all the crap on the cabal shows with the smut peddlers!


Thank the Columbus Dispatch for telling the truth which is a freakin' rarity in these Orwellian days.