Posted on 08/19/2004 2:23:36 PM PDT by ArcLight
Nightline Daily E-Mail August 19, 2004
TONIGHT'S FOCUS: It sounds like John Kerry has decided that the pushing and criticism have just gone too far. Today he sounded angry as he took President Bush on. He was referring to the campaign ad funded by a Republican group that attacks the veracity of John Kerry's war record. Kerry accused the President of letting others do "his dirty work" and invoked the President's own words "bring it on" to challenge him to a one on one debate on their respective war records. The President has not responded. So what happened to make Kerry so mad? And why did he do it now?
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A Republican-funded campaign ad disputing John Kerry's war record has been airing in a few battle ground states since the beginning of the month. The ad consists of interviews with Vietnam veterans, some who served with Kerry and have supported him in the past. They all say he's lying about his record. Today, the Washington Post broke news with documents that directly contradict one of those veteran's assertions against Kerry in one of the ads. Meanwhile, the President is being accused of not being willing to condemn these specific ads while continuing to say that he won't criticize John Kerry's war service for this country.
But the story has continued to grow and it seems to have reached a peak level. It's the lead topic on talk radio and the cable stations and is taking on a life of its own. This has led some senior members of the Democratic Party to push John Kerry to hit back, saying that his strategy of just letting the attacks happen was not working. So today, in front of a room full of firefighters, John Kerry switched tactics and turned to his own wartime service and experience to announce his next move. "More than 30 years ago I learned an important lesson. When you're under attack the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attack. That's what I intend to do today." Anchor Chris Bury bring us an anatomy of a story fueled by the media. How did it get so big so quickly?
So why did he do it? Did he take a lesson from Michael Dukakis who didn't counter attack in his bid for the Presidency? Why now, at this point in the campaign? Has it really reached a point where not responding would harm his candidacy? And what's the effect on the voter? Chris Bury talks to campaign reporters about how we got here and what might happen next.
I hope you'll join us.
Gerry Holmes and the Nightline Staff
Nightline Offices
ABC News Washington Bureau
Bush needs to get out there and say: "There are a number of ads out there targeted at me which I feel distort my record, but they are being broadcast by 527s. I'm not holding Senator Kerry responsible for the ads, even though they are funded by Senator's Kerry's contributors. There is no reason for Senator Kerry to blame me for ads that I have nothing to do with. He should address the people who are criticizing his war record. I'm not criticizing him on his wartime service, but on his record in Congress."
ROFLOL. I think he means, "How did it get so big when we did everything we could to suppress it?"
Bad journalists use nuance and slant, disguised as information, to dissiminate their perspectives, strategists study the issues and act accordingly. These are blatant partisan questions in defense of Kerry trying to determine an appropriate response.
So far, the Kerry Campaign has proven itself to be the most incompetent major party Presidential campaign since Mondale.
The whole thing reminds me of Mondale: the weakness, the sniveling, the strident leftism, the generally 'crackpot' quality of the message, almost daily gaffes, etc.
It's nostalgic.
Anyone else remember the "Teach Your Children Well" defeatism of 1984?
Kerry forumula:= When attacked by one group, run and attack another. Bush isn't the guy firing the guns, the vets are but Kerry evidently doesn't want to fight them.
Oh yeah, this has been out there since May and the big media is still ignoring it. Bury and Kopel must live on Bizarro World.
And Ted, it's not a Republican group.
No thanks to the mainline media.
We had another Liberal LIAR '92-2000
We are not going to get another Liberal LIAR '04-08
And the Swiftees say, BRING ... IT .... ON!!!!!
nope. And suddenly its important who funds these things, when Soros has been dumping money into moveon.org for a while now.
I once again challenge Thurston John Forbes Kerry III to simply debate John O'Neill. Like he did 30 years ago. Maybe we can get Dick Cavett to moderate? So? What do you say Mr. BRING IT ON???
KERRY: Buc buc buc! Bucc -- cAAAAWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!
"Consider buying a copy of "Unfit for Command". Give it to the significant women in your life. While they might not vote for Bush, maybe they'll vote for Nader or stay home.
"
My missus told me to get the book before I had gotten around to telling her that I was going to get it. ;)
Still waiting for it to arrive...
Bush just needs to say this whole thing is a matter between Vietnam vets that is best left up to them.
They really wished this had just gone away. Wow. Exactly how powerful is the internet? This never would have happened eight years ago!
Of course not! But it is offensive to them if you call them on it.
Success! The first round of organized MSM hits didn't take. Score SBV's. The SBV's pass ahead into round Two, we'll see more panic from the Kerry/DNC team if successful. My bets on the SBV's.
a tarpit
Nightline (when it didn't have the seeming Thurlow ammo to use against the Swifties) had a freakishly unfair, slanted towards Kerry show on this already. I can only assume that it will be even more so tonight.
I suspect they'll have weak GOPers on to get beat the Hell of by some Carville type Lefty.
Whomever goes on needs to make much of the Cambodia lie and subsequent Kerry admission that the story he told 50 times wasn't true. That's huge!!!! I would also reiterate that he only served 4 months and 11 days of a 12 month tour. I hope O'Neil is on for the anti-Kerry position.
It's also important to show how Kerry can't get away with declaring his fellow Vietnam Vets war criminals, but reserving the title of "war hero" for himself.
I accept Nightline to run a Corsi-is-a-racist-Thurlow-has-been-discredited-the-ad-is-funded-by-Texas-friends-of-Bush's-brain-Karl-Rove-and-Bush-had-spotty-attendance-in-the-NG-in-Alabama game plan to perfection tonight.
I'm funding the SwiftVets with multiple small donations.
And I'm proud of it.
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