Posted on 08/06/2004 12:58:40 PM PDT by TBP
The White House yesterday distanced itself from a political ad that questions John Kerry's Vietnam service and called on the Democratic presidential nominee to join President Bush in demanding an "immediate cessation" of all advertisements by outside groups.
"We have not and will not question Senator Kerry's service in Vietnam," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters aboard Air Force One. "The president is calling for an immediate cessation to all the unregulated soft money activity."
He added: "We hope the Kerry campaign will join us."
The TV ad features 13 Vietnam veterans who say Mr. Kerry, a Navy lieutenant who earned three Purple Hearts and was awarded a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in four months of action, lied to obtain his medals.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Don't silence Americans, compete and defeat their 527's.
Exactly. This is simple STRATEGERY.
No way sKerry will agree to this.
.
The President has no choice in this matter - he must be removed from it.
That being said, Kerry's filmed,taped,archived testimony againts our Vietnam Veterans needs to find it's way OUT of the closet and IN to the news. Since the Swift Boat Vets already have a following, maybe the money for a new ad can be donated to them for this project.
Kerrys testimoney is damning and it is public record as well, why are we overlooking this? Let them question what the Kerry Traitor did AFTER his Vietnam Service.
Paging Senator McCain....paging Senator McCain.
Your silence is deafening.
I know what you are saying and understand to a degree, but I don't agree with it. Best to say nothing at all than to make statements that violate the very spirit of the 1st amendment.
That's "misunderestimating him", isn't it? ;^)
If so, bad strategy. It was often said on this forum that Bush signing the Campaign Finance Reform bill was just strategy, that he knew the Supreme Court would rule it unconstitutional. Trying to have your cake and eat it too is not wise.
But, nonetheless, I hope it is strategy. Otherwise Bush really believes in squashing political free speech.
Totally disagree with you. This is a smart and nuanced move by Bush. Leaves kerry these choices: call for cessation of the soros/moveon effort (not gonna happen); shut the F up about it (not gonnna happen ) or continue to expose himself as a lying hypocrite (bet on it!).
Absolutely correct!
You got it.
The President has no choice in this matter - he must be removed from it.
Anything to protect W, eh? This is what I mean by professional Republicans. If a guy with an R after his name does it, whatever it is, you'll justify it.
How could the President of the United States "have no choice"?
It's a clear violation of the Constitution he took an oath to uphold. It unconstitutionally suppresses free speech.
And as I also pointed out, it vests vast power over the political process in the hands of the partisan, corrupt liberal media.
This support of McCain-Feingold and other so-called "campaign reforms" by Bush and the Republicans is mystifying to me. Is the GOP suicidal?
No it doesn't. He can urge anything he wants. The vets will still run their ad. Their free speech is not being hampered at all by the president. The president merely made it known that he's not behind the ad.
If Bush really believes that this is a good idea, why would I want to vote for him? If the swift boat veterans commercial was the result of an end-run around campaign finance law, then the law is unconstitutional and unjust to begin with. If it isn't, then why not address the real issue to start with? This posturing isn't clever, it's just another example of Republicans being the "stupid party".
Until they stop with the 527s and the utterly naked partisan all-media onslaught (network TV news, radio, movies, books, etc.) then we should continue to hammer them whenever and wherever we can--twice as much if possible. Bush can have the high ground. We'll do the dirty work.
Since when do Kerry and Bush think they can deprive American citizens of their right to political speech? Election finance reform was bad enough. The swift boat vets will not cease and desist no matter what kind of deal may be struck.
Perfect response.
They had better be aware that McCain-Feingold, which President Bush signed into law, prohibits independent ads that mention a candidate's name within 60 days of the general election.
Their free speech is not being hampered at all by the president.
So you think that banning all ads from independent groups, which is what the President endorsed, woudl not threaten anyone's free speech? Of course it would.
That's not what I said.
That bastard should have choked on those words.
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