[12 Gauge Mossberg]

I hope the Bush camp ignores this stuff.

No, the Bush campaign needs to get this front-and-center in front of the public. People have a right to know what Kerry did or didn't do. These people trashed Bush's Air Guard service, for God's sake.

If the vets want to make a big deal out of it, let them.

They are. The Bush campaign has nothing to do with this, this is all on O'Neill's doing.

But if the Bush campaign makes a big deal out of this then they run the risk of looking like they are piling on.

Good! Let them pile on.

This happened with Clinton and created a backlash with the public.

Because the media was running interference for Clinton. Had FR and Fox News existed in 1992, Clinton wouldn't be president.

[section9]

The Bush folks have to keep their distance from this ad, as well as from the group. Why? Every Dem will scream "Karl Rove" at the top of his lungs. This is a seperate group of pissed off Swifties, and we need to make sure that they are as seperate from the Pub Party as the 527's are from Kerry's outfit, at least.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[ProudGOP]

Because the media was running interference for Clinton. Had FR and Fox News existed in 1992, Clinton wouldn't be president.

The media will still run interference. Kerry will line up Vietnam vets for him. Others vets will line up against him. All of this will do is distract the voter from the fact that Kerry is a snobbish, liberal, candidate of very little accomplishment.

[AMDG]

I hope there are no Bush fingerprints on this - that would be devastating.

The Bush campaign should make the following announcement:

"We are disappointed that in these dangerous times the focus of the news is on occurrences from 30 years ago. We are focused on fighting today's war and we are confident that when the voters focus on the present records of the candidates they will see that the President is the obvious choice.

If questioned about it the President should say that Kerry should be honored for serving but that does not make him the better man for the job.

Let the Swift Boat Vets do what they must but it would be good politics for the Bush campaign to distance themselves from it.

[Reagan Man]

>>>Had FR and Fox News existed in 1992, Clinton wouldn't be president.

You can't be serious? LOL

I remember 1992 very well. Immediately after Clinton was elected I predicted he would win reelection in 1996. Free Republic or no FreeRepublic! Fox News or no Fox News!

You're making the same mistakes that many people made in 1992 with Clinton and Bush in 2000. In politics, don't underestimate anyone.