Regards, Ivan
Posted on 08/06/2004 1:45:00 AM PDT by MadIvan
No bounce for Kerry. The Democrats and their pollsters will tell you this is because the electorate has already made up its mind. But if that is the case, why campaign? Why have a convention? In reality, at least 10% of the population is undecided, and Kerry's convention appears to have gotten none of them.
The other explanation is stylistic. Kerry rushed his speech, stepping on his applause lines. Then there was the sweat on brow and chin, not quite Nixonian lip sweat, but enough to distract.
Hardly. The explanation that respects the intelligence of the American people is that Kerry had nothing to say. Well, one thing: Vietnam. His entire speech, the entire convention, was a celebration of his military service. The band of brothers. The attribution of everything from religious values to foreign policy wisdom, to his four-month stint 35 years ago.
The association of fitness for the presidency with military experience does not withstand five minutes of reflection. If that were so, Lincoln would have failed as Civil War commander-in-chief, and FDR would have failed as commander-in-chief in World War II. By that logic, Ulysses S. Grant should have been, as Douglas MacArthur would have been, a great President.
The convention's most cynical moment was provided, naturally, by Bill Clinton, who reproached himself for having sat out the Vietnam War, a smug way of attacking President Bush and Dick Cheney for sharing his dishonor. In the 1992 campaign, Clinton denied dodging the draft. According to what he says now about the centrality of military service, the 1996 election should have logically gone to Bob Dole, the Max Cleland of his time.
Yes, Vietnam service gives Kerry a credential for high office. But beyond that, what is there? His biography, as presented to the world, was this: He was born, went to Vietnam, and is now running for President.
The convention consisted of but two elements: Vietnam, plus attacks on the President. The press swallowed the claim that the convention was not negative. But the themes were transparently negative: We are not the party that misleads you into war. We are not the party that trashes the Constitution. We are not the party that divides the country, as opposed to those lying, Constitution-trashing, unilateralist Republican cowboys.
This is politically stupid, because the political market has, as they say on Wall Street, already discounted these negatives. The people have already registered the bad news of the last six months that has sent Bush's approval ratings plummeting.
Four days wasted, on redundant attacks on a President who has already paid politically for his sins, real and imagined. And the rest of the time spent on a selective biography, which, while centered on one honorable episode, tells us nothing about how President Kerry would deal with Al Qaeda casing buildings in Manhattan or with the bad guys now congregated in Fallujah.
In other words, nothing about the future. Which is what elections are about. Hence, no bounce.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
If the Republican convention is about the future and how to best maintain security, Bush will get the bounce Kerry didn't get.
Thanks for posting this.
Krauthammer certainly has a way with words ;^)
I saw Susan Estrogen on Fox News last night and she kept repeating the mantra "it's a 50-50 country".
Since the liberals are wrong 100% of the time, I can't help thinking they're wrong about this 50-50 business, too.
I look forward to a 55-45 re-election.
Krauthammer is the best of the best, both as an analyist and
speaker/writer.
Since the first day he decided to run for president, I have only read one thing that he would have done different than President Bush. He has based his entire campaign on this one issue. That issue is that he would have spent two minutes reading to the children rather than the seven minutes that the President did on 9/11. Not a very awe inspiring campaign issue.
If this is really a 50-50 country why couldn't John F*ckin' say he is a liberal and why couldn't the Democrats be their Bush-hating and anti-America selves. There would be no downside to it if the country is truly split down the middle. I'm sure Susan Estrich knows the country is more conservative than the polls let on and that's why the Democrats pretended to be Republicans.
The press didn't swallow the claim - they dutifully reported the lie as dictated by the DNC.
I understand from other posts that Charles has criticized the Swift Boat ads. There's a real danger here, in confusing strategy with truth, Mr. Krauthammer.
Although it may be politically dangerous to associate President Bush with any of the debates questioning John Kerry's service in Vietnam, it is profound folly to suppress this debate or dismiss these characterizations of John Kerry for reasons of strategery.
The statements of these veterans have the ring of truth, they have sworn affadavits, they have details of the incidents, descriptions, names and the credibility of a non-partisan organization, consisting of both Republicans and Democrats, backing them up. Plus, they served with John Kerry, they knew him well and Charles Krauthammer and John McCain did not.
I would expect a man of your grasp of objective facts, and a nose for the truth, to perhaps acknowledge the credibility of their charges, but advise against the debate - due to reasons of strategery. But to characterize John Kerry's service as "honorable" - based on his say-so - and in the face of all the countering data, does a disservice to your reputation.
bump to read later
That's exactly what I was thinking during Kerry's speech. Where is the part about the future? Way, way too much dwelling on Viet Nam. Which I really don't understand since it was so divisive and the wounds still hurt.
That's all I got out of it.
Did you see Chris Horner? He actually shut SE up. Never saw anybody do that before. Shut her up. Shut her down. Left her stammering.
Hope he's on the Bush campaign staff.
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