Edwards statement: it's time to do the right thing, you hateful monkey

[Cocoa]

Note: this is after Bush's non-denunciation of the ad, which all media outlets are reporting as his denounciation of it. Edwards sees through that dishonest reporting as well as we do...


http://blog.johnkerry.com/blog/archives/002546.html

"President Bush, It's Time to Do the Right Thing"

President Bush had an opportunity today to denounce the dishonest and dishonorable attacks coming from the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," but he failed to do so. John Edwards issued the following statement on Bush's response:

“The moment of truth came and went, and the President still couldn't bring himself to do the right thing. We need a president with the strength and integrity to say when something is wrong. Instead of hiding behind a front group, George Bush needs to take responsibility and demand that the ad come off the air. It’s funded by his own supporters, and casts one of his own campaign officials. President Bush, it's time to do the right thing.”

[Cha]

1. Before I got on du just now..I saw my roadrunner

headline that said.."bush denounces soft money ads"...with this real old lookin' picture of him pointing his finger in the air.

I thought..wow ..he caved! ..the pressure was too much. But I see he hasn't really according to Edwards and I believe him..I just haven't seen what bush said, yet. I can imagine, though..I've got his number after four years.

[AP]

2. I think Edwards is doing something really effective here. He's framing

this issue as this: if you see these Smear Vet Liars on TV and if you see their commercials it's because Bush didn't have the COURAGE and the LEADERSHIP ABILITIES to get his followers to stop lying and smearing. Of course, the RW media whores will make it sound like the Smear Vet Liars are just telling the truth and they're being silenced. But Edwards is really working this right. He's really making the ads a liability for Bush, and he's making it so that the aspersions they cast on Bush are very similar to the ones at the core of this issue, which have to do with courage and leadership.

[spooky3]

5. I think it's important that he is using the word "lies", which the media

are so unwilling to use. Lies are lies. Refusal to confront them honestly means "the terrorists win."

[AP]

6. Yeah. I sense that media is presenting it as "opinion," as if they're

entitled to their opinions about Kerry. It's like, so they can't prove it's true, so what? Nobody can prove it isn't true.

[volosong]

3. Great Edwards Move. Now I think Kerry Should

Hand that "football" over to his Dogs of War (Dean, Sharpton, the Clinton's if they are still alive?)

[Lex]

4. It's the LIES, not the 527 organizational entities.

Condemn the LIES, not the organizational entity of the LIARS.

Bush is again trying to muddy the issue when it comes to LYING.

[mzmolly]

7. We should turn this into "Bush is an ineffective leader" moment.

After all, he is wishy washy and flip floppy on this whole ad ordeal. :eyes:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Won't happen.

For Bush* to denounce the Garbage Scow Veterans' ads specifically would require he acknowledge that someone on his side had (at a minimum) made a mistake. And we all know his regime never makes mistakes. So all he will do is what he did -- utter some mealy-mouthed crap about 527s. I hope K & E just pound on this.

[AP]

9. If Edwards gets mantra out there that everytime you hear about these guys

it means Bush is weak, it might actually not be a terrible thing for them to get publicity.

The trick is for this discussion not to push other Dem STRENGTHS off the table.

We really should be talking about the new overtime rules and about how Bush wants to tax the middle class to death with that national sales tax bo-jive.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. So, Bush didn't say anything that they haven't already have Scotty

McLellan saying? Basically didn't mention the Swifties specifically but denouncing the "shadowy 527 entities" or some such?