THE COMING GOP SMEAR CAMPAIGN (You Smear, And We'll Smear Back)

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | February 21, 2004 | CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

[Scenic Sounds]

As the Democrats enter the final stages of their primary race, the emerging story is how the Republicans are preparing to go negative in the general election with a campaign of singular viciousness against John Kerry.

Kerry's spokespeople have already sounded the alarm, warning darkly that "the right-wing smear machine" is gearing up, and declaring amusingly that "it's time for George W. Bush to call off his right-wing slime machine."

[Scenic Sounds]

Can the "truth" be a smear??

[tarawa]

I guess if it's not the Demos version of the "truth", it's a smear.

[mystery-ak]

The rats can dish it out, but by God, you better not reply....

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They own the media...

[SwinneySwitch]

Shouldn't that be "the VAST right-wing smear machine"?

[samtheman]

They are afraid of what we are going to say about them. And we've got a lot of damaging stuff to say about them. So they are cowering in fear. As they should. Given their record. Given Kerry's record. Given the facts of the matter.

[Enterprise]

To echo your thoughts, Republicans don't need to smear the Democrats, they need only to tell the truth.

[MegaSilver]

To echo your thoughts, Republicans don't need to smear the Democrats, they need only to tell the truth.

Yup.

[cake_crumb]

"Can the 'truth' be a smear??"

Depends on their definition of "smear". We all know they'll re-define the truth as a smear, just as they re-define lies as the "truth". And the free market as "stifling their freedom of speech".

[cake_crumb]

"They are afraid of what we are going to say about them. And we've got a lot of damaging stuff to say about them. So they are cowering in fear. As they should. Given their record. Given Kerry's record. Given the facts of the matter"

No. What they're doing is trying to put us on the defensive by placing the burdon of proof on us, rather than themselves, while they continue the campaign of baseless accusation via their DNC media propaganda machine.

[cake_crumb]

Oh yeah: forgot the Krauthammer BUMP!

[cubreporter]

Yes, we say it like it is and they call it a smear. They say it like it is not and call it the truth. Simpleton little nothings aren't they?

By the way, isn't Charles the best? So eloquent.

[Smartass]

Kerry has admitted to committing war crimes. No person should be qualified to hold public office, yet alone Commander In Chief that has done what he claims to have committed in Viet Nam. Case closed!!!

[sergeantdave]

The Marxist hate machine is trying to inoculate Kerry from the hurricane coming his way. They hope to smear Republicans as "slime" to raise doubts in voters minds about the well-earned criticism Kerry will get.

As other posters have commented, we don't need to "slime" Kerry. Kerry drips with self-created slime. All we need do is tell the truth.

[MEG33]

From: The New Dem Dictionary


slime,smear

1.Tell the truth
2.depict accurately
3.give the facts

[1066AD]

right-wing slime machine
Calling Marvin Zindler !
</local joke

[beckysueb]

The DUmmies say they are going to release in early spring a "Watergate" like scandal that will rock the GOP. Something about criminal activity in some GOP staffers. They said the coverage should continue over the summer. I don't know what they are going to pull but it scares me when they start scheming.

[CedarDave]

And no matter how flimsy a charge, anything the press feels may have a shred of validity to it they will pick it up like the AWOL charge and run with it. Why do they do this? Because they are leftwing liberals and they hate Bush as much as the Democrats do.

On a thread a couple of days ago, the consensus was that the president's campaign team should keep silent until one candidate (likely Kerry) emerges with the enough delegate votes to win at the convention this summer. The problem is that the RATS keep coming up with new half-baked charges that take the focus off their well known position changes and overall hypocrisy. Without return fire from the Republicans, the Democrats control the agenda and the timing. By the time the Bush campaign wakes up to this, the big lie will have been in operation for so long a time that the truth will have difficulty in just being heard let along persevering.