In Bush's War Room, 'It's the Hypocrisy, Stupid'

New York Times ^ | 07/14/04 | JIM RUTENBERG

[NYCVirago]

Several journalists who cover Mr. Kerry later said they were too embarrassed to say publicly that it took the Bush operatives to spot what was notable in Mr. Kerry's remarks.

Kerry doesn't really need a War Room the way the Bush campaign does. The media does all Kerry's handiwork in trying to tear Bush apart for him.

[Michael121]

Kerry's people would not let the NYT in to see their "WAR ROOM" simply because the secret is:

ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, AP, and all the famous TV types are at their tables doing all Kerry's "fact checking"

Can't let that out.

It is as it always was and will be, Dems talk about conspiracies while engaged in the shadows. Just like the "Hannity Memo" They can have their secret meeting while blasting the REP's for private meetings.

"IT's THE HYPOCRISY STUPID" is SOOOOOO Profound and true.

[NYCVirago]

Kerry's people would not let the NYT in to see their "WAR ROOM" simply because the secret is: ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, AP, and all the famous TV types are at their tables doing all Kerry's "fact checking" Can't let that out.

The media seems to have a collective memory of a gnat when it comes to comparing the libs' past statements with the present, that's for sure. They have access to Lexis-Nexis and Google, but they never seem to actually do such work, unless it's a Republican we're talking about.

[Miss Marple]

There is another reason that the NYT was shown this: it will make Kerry paranoid.

They had an operative at the fundraiser who got them the audio! That means in a select group of invited donors, someone was wearing a wire! Kerry is going to freak out when he reads this article! HA!

In addition, Kerry is now aware that there is an army of people checking everything he says! That will keep him sweating about his speeches. Double HA!

I will bet cash money that they have the audio of the Hollywood fundraiser. They are asking for it to be released because they know how damaging it is to Kerry.

[conservative in nyc]

True. And it doesn't seem to take much to make Kerry paranoid.

Showing off the war room also helps answer the fears of those on the right who think the President is not doing enough in his reelection bid. It shows he is at least doing something.

[reformedliberal]

In February, I had a chance to speak to the regional political director for Western Wisconsin. I took the opportunity to mention concerns of the base: spending/immigration are two I recall, as it was not a long discussion. In the course of the conversation, I mentioned FR. She brightened considerably and said:"I know Free Republic!".

Within a week, various statements and actions took place in the House on controlling spending and, while I know it wasn't as much as the immigration issue folks wanted, there was a noticeable increase in administration people responding to the issue. (Please, let's not hijack the thread to the single issues...I just wanted to point out that the campaign tries to coordinate w/all our resources and acts quickly).

A *War Room* thread would be great, IMO. On a busy news day, it could save time for the campaign and otherwise, it could highlight quotes/actions and our responses that the staffers may miss.

My one quibble w/the staffing is that I am not totally confident that students or most anyone under 45 or so would pick up on items that the older conservatives would see in a nanosecond. Those of us who had personal experience on the Left could also provide valuable recollections from the 60s/70s that even history or polisci majors may not be aware of, given the revisionism that is rampant in the universities and the plethora of leftwing books vs those written by the right. Tactics could also be reviewed and suggestions made.

I, too, hope this sort of story puts to rest the canard I see here daily that the campaign and the administration aren't fighting back or playing hardball or that the POTUS doesn't want to win. In fact, I suspect that may have been the reason they gave the media access.

For my contribution today, the concern I hear the most from women is that *people died* in Iraq and Afghanistan and these women feel badly for the soldiers' families as well as frightened by the deaths. Women are also believing that there are plans for a draft and these are women who do not have computer skills and are unable to access the SS website. To that point, the left has succeeded in making people distrust any government information, so I am not certain the people most frightened are going to be comforted by government press releases.

[Congressman Billybob]

Thank you for your post about immigration.

Your point about the Repub War Room needing "wiser heads" is very well taken. You're quite right that there are points bout politics that us "elder statespersons" would see in a second, that the eager youngsters who are (largely) history deprived, would miss.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "To the Supreme Court: I Quit"

[Congressman Billybob]

Thanks, my friend. Look forward to seeing you a third time, at a FR event in DC or whenever.

John / Billybob

[Michael121]

What is worse (EXPECTED) is the media says GW or any REP said something they did not.

It would be better if treated like the Rats, something said just ignored.

But what ya expect from DEmEDIA

[A Citizen Reporter]

Thanks for posting this article. Extremely enlightening look at the way our guys are playing, even thru the NYTimes filter. And I think I've found a new tagline!