Kerry invokes ghost of bitter Bush-McCain race

[wyethwire]

The State
Kerry invokes ghost of bitter Bush-McCain race

By AARON GOULD SHEININ
Staff Writer

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is using the legacy of South Carolina’s 2000 Republican primary to fight attacks on his military record.

The ghost of that 2000 campaign — which has been called the nastiest in state history — has been repeatedly raised as Kerry and President Bush clash over third-party ads that claim Kerry did not earn his Vietnam War medals.

Kerry’s campaign has accused Bush of using the same tactics employed in 2000 to malign U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona in a bitter S.C. primary that saved the GOP nomination for Bush.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/9478474.htm

[Supersedeas]

1. Tactics reflecting integrity not to be forgotten (eom)

[hansolsen]

2. Kerry should go on the offensive and stay on it.

He should say something to the following effect about 10 times a day, every day, until the election. He should deliver the lines in a tone of voice he would use when hanging out with his Swift boat comrades and about half drunk, talking about what they think of George Bush:



"When I was fighting for my country, George Bush was getting drunk in Alabama and avoiding his National guard duty, about as safe as an old dog on the front porch. So I have a message for George Bush -- take your lies about my war medals and stick em up your ass."


In this battle, tone is everything.

[Child_Of_Isis]

4. only shrub

is allowed to use the good ole boy approach. Kerry would catch major hell by the pundits.

[hansolsen]

6. If Kerry can't get mad about this, he can't get mad about anything. The

people might conclude that he won't get mad about the next 9/11 either. I don't think that is a conclusion Kerry wants the people to reach right now.

And the choice may come down to being seen as whining if Kerry is too civil and calculating in his response.

In the Dole / Bush Repub primary election Dole famously said right to Bush's face, "stop lying about my record". That comment was roundly seen as backfiring on Dole, who never mentioned it again. Dole lost.

Dole would have been better served to let his legitimate anger flow in stronger words -- He should have told Bush to stick his lies up his ass, and kept on saying it every day until the election, and Dole would have won, IMO.

[UpInArms]

3. and the Max Cleland smear campaign

should be brought into the fray also -

who made those ads comparing Cleland to Osama?

[Supersedeas]

8. Definately a pattern (Veterans beware of these people)

[snippy]

5. It was not limited to South Carolina.

The Wyly brothers from Texas did Bush's dirty work in New York, Ohio, California and Vermont also with the organization and funding of "the seemingly spontaneously created Republicans for Clean Air Committee." http://archive.salon.com/politics2000/feature/2000/03/06/fec/

Using a newly created group funded by his old drinking and doping pals to smear his opponent with lies is a trademark signature of a George W. Bush campaign.

[truthisfreedom]

7. i think bush looks cute in that commercial.

cute! without a thought in his head! like a little kid! like the worthless idiot he is!

[Raster]

9. Have I fallen into a parallel universe or what? The ONLY military...

...record that should be examined with a fine-tooth comb should be gee-dubya's. This entire pile of crap should be laid at the doorstep of gee-dubya and his dirty tricks gang. Kerry served, gee-dubya did not. Kerry went to Viet Nam. gee-dubya did not. Kerry was wounded. gee-dubya was not. Kerry spoke his mind about the horror that was Viet Nam, and worked to rectify the situation. gee-dubya did what, another line? Had another cocktail in the "Champagne Unit"? Kerry was present and accounted for during his entire tenure of service. gee-dubya was not.

I could go on and on and on. The REAL STORY is how the American media has seemingly given gee-dubya and $hrubco a free pass. Perhaps they all feel a bit sheepish about helping this band of miscreants subvert the democratic process and STEAL THE PRESIDENCY. Instead of taking the high road and admitting their mistake and working to correct it, they are in the "cover it up" mode. Yep, if we don't talk about it, it didn't happen. <fingers in ears>la la la, I can't hear you!