Kerry's Pulling the McCain ad was STUPID

[volosong]

He should have responded to McCain's request like Bush did (didn't)

[trumad]

1. I disagree

Now let's see what Dubya does....

[Warpy]

19. They're still playing the smear boat ad at least twice an hour

here in New Mexico. Since Perry's money only paid for producing the ads, that begs the question of where the funding to get them on the air is coming from. We'd better find that out pretty quickly, IMO.

These are Bush ads, and a slim majority realizes they're Bush ads, despite the protestations to the contrary. Kerry was beyond stupid pulling the McCain ad, unless he had been requested to do so by McCain, himself.

As Clinton should have used NAFTA as a bargaining chip to get universal healthcare, Kerry needed to use the McCain ad to get an admission from Bush that these ads are untruthful and despicable.

If Kerry doesn't stop wimping out on this, and soon, he's going to lose any sympathy votes he might have gotten from this fiasco.

[AlCzervik]

2. I think it was a good move

it got alot of play in the media and then Kerry did the right thing by McCain for taking it down, now lets see if McCain can do the right thing by Kerry.

[Cocoa]

3. maybe he'll get something for it

from McCain.

He better, it was his strongest ad.

[CityDem]

16. I doubt it

McCain is busy whoring for Bush and will be speaking at the convention. McCain realizes he has to play ball in 2004 in order to be the nominee in 2008.

[mbali]

20. It was only going to run in three states -

This was a fakeout by Kerry - and well done.

His campaign made a $250,000 ad buy, then pulled the ad, prompting WAY more than $250,000 of airtime across the country and made himself look honorable and consistent, to boot.

[Jon8503]

4. I Agree

That is the problem with this campaign. Afraid of fighting. You have to take stands and you have to stick to them.

Why pull the ad, all you have to do is wait and there will be no postive results from pulling the ad. Why the hell do you think Bush won't pull the Swift Boat ads. Because as they keep telling us they have been taking a toll on Kerry's numbers.

[Malva Zebrina]

14. Exactly

there is nothing to be gained from this. It looks like pandering to Republicans and not even a moderate Repuglican and it seems to me it is--to do this out of respect for McCain is just plain a slap in the face to Kerry supporters. It is belt way politics that belongs in the woe begone Senate--and I am sick of that yellow bellied contingent there who call themselve Democrats. It could have been the standout at the OK corral,mano mano and if that did not work to Kerry's favor, it could have just faded away without much ado . Now Bush has taken the leader role away from Kerry by ordering or by complaint, a cessation of all 527 as if he is outraged. I will bet he will use it at the convention in front of all the TV cameras in some way. By the tinme anything gets done on his complaint, the election will be over. It is just plain posturing for effect.

[Julien Sorel]

5. Bush is stupid, a moron, an idiot, a buffoon.

But everything he does, Kerry should do.

[iwantmycountryback]

6. No it wasn't

He has to respect McCain's opinion. He doesn't have to treat him like a doormat along with Bush.

[PaDem]

7. I think it was stupid to run it in the first place............

what on earth did the Kerry camp think McCain would do? Just too easy. McCain is and will be working hard for Bush. He is not going to let Kerry use his name in any way.

[mbali]

21. They thought that McCain would ask him not to run it . . .

And McCain did just that, thereby enabling Kerry to show more decency and honor toward McCain than Bush has - making Bush look like a cad and McCain look like a sellout.

[jayfish]

8. I Agree.

Because with a little wince here and look of astonishment there, the media reports it as if Kerry did something wrong, realized he did and removed the ad. Then they kindly add, at the end of the story, that he took down the ad to honor McCain's wishes. Not a good move.

Jay

[David Dunham]

9. McCain would have blasted Kerry if he kept running the ad.

[lancdem]

13. Exactly

[Malva Zebrina]

15. then let him

it was his own words there--there could be little to criticize

[John_H]

24. which would have gotten the ad more free air time, put McCain on

the hot seat having to explain why it was OK for him to blast chimp for being a slimeball and not OK for Kerry to fo it, and sent a message to the GOP that if you hit us with a vicious ad, we're going to hit you back hard, not pull the ad while yours still runs (which we have now done twice).

That said, I'm not sure pulling this ad is an example of the Kerry Campaign's risk-aversness as it is Kerry practicing senatorial courtesy.

[volosong]

25. No He Wouldn't..McCain is an Ass kisser

[imax2268]

10. I think it was a great move...

it shows that Kerry is willing to drop it and move on...it puts pressure on BushCo to do the same...let's see if he flinches...!

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. It was a good move... a measured and thoughtful response

None of which one can honestly say about Bush and the Swiftboat Veterans for Bush.

Swiftboat Veterans for Bush - TRUTH!!!

JFK - Drop Bush Not Bombs! - FUCK BUSH
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[mzmolly]

12. So you think he should ask Bush to disown an ad, and dis McCain in the

same week?

Sorry, I don't think we could have pulled that off.

[mondo joe]

17. I agree. Kerry has let Busho determine the issues.

You've got a bona fide war HERO running asgainst two guys who didn't serve and Kerry has ALLOWED them to make his service a NEGATIVE.

This is appalling.

[Thrill]

18. They keep trying to play nice guy

and that doesn't win shit in politics. I would of kept the ad running at least 2 weeks

[dolstein]

22. Get a clue! The ad was never expected to air.

Why do you think the Kerry campaign widely disseminated the 30 second spot by e-mail? Because they knew that McCain, who is actively supporting Bush, would raise hell if that video clip was used in a televised ad. So the Kerry campaign found a way to make sure that a lot of people so the ad, either on the internet or in the press, without provoking a huge fight with McCain.

The fact is, anyone who is paying attention knows about the ad. They've been reminded about the fact that Bush trashed McCain back in 2000. The Kerry campaign has made its point. Time to move on.

[AmerDem]

23. I was already on this!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=672589&mesg_id=672589

[Still_Loves_John]

26. What?

The ad had already been seen and was only running in a few markets, and by pulling the ad when McCain asks Kerry gets to create a contrast with Bush. Plus, by pulling the ad he gets it in the news again--I had never seen it until they played in on CNN while talking about Kerry pulling it. You have to trust them, they know what they're doing.

[West Coast Democrat]

27. McCain asked Kerry to pull the ad, so he did.........

end of discussion.