Posted on 08/28/2004 3:41:10 PM PDT by Dustin Hawkins
With all the swagger of a triple amputee, former Senator Max Cleland rolled to President Bush’s Texas ranch to hand deliver a personal letter. The letter, signed by nine Senate Democrats, demanded that Bush condemn the vicious attacks on John Kerry by the Swift Boat Vets for Truth.
On an August 13th taping of Larry King Live, President Bush said that "Senator Kerry is justifiably proud of his record in Vietnam and he should be,” and called Kerry’s service “noble.” In the same interview he denounced all 527’s against both him and Kerry and stated all of the ads should be taken off the air. This caused Reuters to run a headline stating: “Bush Declines to Condemn Attack ads on Kerry.”
Two weeks later Bush repeated his sentiments again, saying: "I think Senator Kerry served admirably, and he ought to be proud of his record.” When a reporter asked what ads he was condemning, and if he meant the Swift Boat ads, Bush replied: "that ad and every other ad. I'm denouncing all the stuff." Upon the astonishing announcement that Bush was “denouncing … that ad” the Washington Post ran a sub-headline stating, “Bush Again Declines to Condemn Attack Ad.”
Meanwhile, an anti-Bush 527 runs an ad attacking Bush’s National Guard service. Standing firm is John McCain who switches from telling Bush to condemn all of the anti-Kerry ads to telling Kerry to condemn all of the anti-Bush ads. In response to the ad and the pleads from Maverick, Kerry stated in a release: “I agree with Senator McCain that the ad is inappropriate… this should be a campaign about issues, not insults." This was good enough for the LA Times who issued the headline “Kerry Condemns Anti-Bush Ad.”
John McCain, the Democrats’ useful idiot, continued on his quest to condemn the ads from the Vets for Truth after having received a suitable response from Kerry. He still claims that what is happening to Kerry was done to him back in the 2000 Republican primaries, despite my earlier column finding no such evidence. And trust me, I looked. Rich Lowry writing for National Review Online may have uncovered the truth. (Not that it should be said of course, McCain served in Vietnam.)
Ironically, it was McCain and his crusade against free-speech with the McCain-Feingold legislation that was supposed to “get the money out of politics.” Accordingly, both Bush and Kerry have shattered respective party fund raising records. On the side, individuals have poured millions of dollars into 527s. 14 of the top 15 donors are pro-Kerry. Two individuals, Peter Lewis and George Soros, have donated over $10 million each. I guess this is what they meant when they talked about buying an election. The only Bush-friendly contributor comes in at a tie for tenth place on the list, barely scratching the surface at $1 million.
Despite a 9 to 1 spending and ad-buying advantage by 527s, the media appears to be concerned with only one group. There are a total of two ads by the Swift Boat Vets for Truth, and both have been badgered and called unfair since their release. This compares to 19 attack ads by Moveon.org and 16 attack ads by Media Fund, organizations that Kerry and the media has yet to condemn.
Among the list of veterans who the DNC has given permission to speak about Vietnam are John Kerry, who is still suffering from his rice wound to the butt, Max Cleland, who blew himself up, and John McCain, who was being tortured while the entire war was going on. Once we throw in the dozen or so vets he paraded on stage during the convention we have roughly 20 veterans who are allowed to speak about Vietnam. This leaves out 254 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a former Navy Secretary, a retired rear admiral, anyone who votes Republican, and President Bush, who has constantly praised Kerry’s service.
Max Cleland, one of the Vietnam Veterans who is allowed to speak out, claimed that the “scurrilous attacks on John Kerry's credibility in war, courage and valor are false and George Bush is behind it… he's behind it, and his campaign is behind it." He is allowed to say anything he wants, no matter how unsubstantiated, because he is a Vietnam War Veteran who supports Kerry. If he said that Bush is behind it, it must be true.
What the Democrats don’t want is Bush to condemn the ads. He has done that. They want him to start campaigning for Kerry.
Stumpy sure has gone off the deep end since Georgia booted him and his wheelchair out in 2002.
*snrk*
I'll bet you can't count many liberals in your circle of friends.
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