KRUGMAN: "wishful thinking, cronyism and epic incompetence"

[nostamj]

<snip>

To win, the Kerry campaign has to convince a significant number of voters that the self-proclaimed "war president" isn't an effective war leader - he only plays one on TV.

This charge has the virtue of being true. It's hard to find a nonpartisan national security analyst with a good word for the Bush administration's foreign policy. Iraq, in particular, is a slow-motion disaster brought on by wishful thinking, cronyism and epic incompetence.

If I were running the Kerry campaign, I'd remind people frequently about Mr. Bush's flight-suit photo-op, when he declared the end of major combat. In fact, the war goes on unabated. News coverage of Iraq dropped off sharply after the supposed transfer of sovereignty on June 28, but as many American soldiers have died since the transfer as in the original invasion.

And I'd point out that while Mr. Bush spared no effort preparing for his carrier landing - he even received underwater survival training in the White House pool - he didn't prepare for things that actually mattered, like securing and rebuilding Iraq after Baghdad fell.

Will it work? I don't know. But to win, Mr. Kerry must try to puncture the myth that Mr. Bush's handlers have so assiduously created.


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/07/opinion/07krugman.html

[nostamj]

1. not one reply for Krugman?

:wtf:

[Blue_Tires]

2. he's spot-on n/t

maybe this needs to be posted in op-eds or campaign 04

[robbedvoter]

3. He's so good at pointing out the obvious that mysteriously others miss

Why don't we hear about the 911 pic sold for $300 for fundraiser - together with the flight suit? What about the Shpwtime movie made with Rove&comp blessing? Where's the Thanksgiving plastic turkey? Why aren't these things repeated in speaches every day? Economy, healthcare may be important, but no one changes allegiances on that - just not emotional enough. War, 911 - lies , incompetence -that's the ticket.