Dumb question about Swift Boat attack timing.

[Killarney]

Did they time the release of the book (and all the expected media coverage, interviews, etc.) during the time in which Kerry's response would be limited by law?

What can Kerry do and not do right now? He can't spend money or run ads right now, right? When does this ban lift? At the end of the RNC?

[trumad]

1. Yes on the first question and yes on the last

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. They timed it to discredit Kerry

before the Repug convention.

Since Bu$h can't run on his record for the last four years, they needed something else for the media to focus on.

[cmd]

3. It was timed to hurt

and use up Kerry's funds. That's one of the reasons Kerry did not respond like everyone wanted him to. The other reason has to do with pig wrestling - both parties come up looking dirty.

[demwing]

4. The Only 'Ban' Kerry Faces On Spending

is self imposed, but Kerry does have a cap.

After each party's convention--actually, after the candidate accepts the party nomination--he/she is limited to spending a maximum of $75 million.

Since Kerry accepted his party nod well before Bush, he was at a a decided disadvantage. Kerry had about 1 more month in which he had to make that 75 Million last. Therefore, Kerry set up a self-imposed "ban" on spending, waiting for Bush to accept his own nomination and his own 75 million dollar cap.

Kerry could begin digging into that 75 Million, but by the end of the race, Kerry would be out of $$$, and Bush would not.

[Paradise]

5. You're correct. It's obvious. n/t

[MallRat]

6. Kerry can spend money, but he has to be judicious about it.

Starting with the end of the Democratic National Convention, Kerry received about $75M to last him through the end of the election. He can spend this money (and now he has, a least a little of it), but he cannot exceed the $75M limit.

The DNC can put up rebuttal commercials on Kerry's behalf, but there are some restraints on what content can be in those ads. And progressive 527 groups, like MoveOn.org, can continue to advertise until 60 days before the election, so long as they do not coordinate with a Presidential candidate's campaign.

That last little part is where Bush may have violated Federal election law.

-MR

[wurzel]

7. Yes! Otherwise they would have run them during primary.

If the target was really "Kerry" this would have happened during the primaries. The target is "Bush's opponent", no matter who he is. We have a totally corrupt media that clearly colluded with this. The conduct of the media should be the real focus.

[gollygee]

8. Yeah . . . it almost looks like they've had some top-level campaign help

rofl