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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
there is an old rule in politics - when your oponent is self-destructing, you stay out of the way.
Someone should have made a movie of Rambo Kerry blasting away at the kids in the friendly villages, or sinking the picturesque fleeing sanpans on the Mekong river. Maybe some skilled producer can put together a quick Unkerry ad - or would that be dirty pool? I'd donate!
Even if all of Jean Fraude's medals were legitimate, the fact that he authored all or most of the recommendations is damning. A typical story I hear from colleagues who were in The Nam is turning down an offer for a Purple Heart for injuries sustained, even under enemy fire, that are no worse than those one can expect to encounter at home or on the job.
Can a man's service record be obtained by submitting an FOIA? If so, on what basis would such a request be complied with?
I don't think there is any way Kerry is ever going to release his full service record. And that, IMO, is what needs to be repeated over and over until election day.
Click the logo to donate to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Led by a registered demorat.
Guess we now know what that "something he had to do" was when John O'Neill excused himself from Hannity's radio show earlier...
It's so interesting that the Democrats can spend tens of millions of dollars in ads and books and movies against Bush. He doesn't whine or complain.
Some guys in Texas, Republicans, decide to help the Swift Boat guys get their stories out and give them a couple of hundred thousand dollars and Kerry and the DNC are whining like the faux war hero and metrosexuals that they are.
No they won't. They never stopped covering Clinton's lying hide and they won't turn on Kerry either. These people are true believers.
It's funny how we haven't heard much from Hitlery Rotten lately.
No thanks to ABC.
From the MRC : ABC, CBS & NBC Gave 75 Stories to Bush “AWOL” Charge, 9 to Claims Kerry Embellished War Record
a VERY good idea!
Every time I heard the clip of Kerry today I realize he is LIVID that anyone is daring to not only question him---after all, tentative steps toward that have been done before but as soon as the dems went "boo", the critics hushed---but they are not intimidated and not backing down.
Good.
How is that? The CryptKeeper will be there, won't he?
ROFLLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Very good.)
Kerry had EVERY opportunity today to tell us how/why the Swift Boat guys are wrong and lying. He didn't take it.
Instead he did what Democrats across the country do every time they are caught in a lie. They attack the accuser. They question the timing. They never can address the substance of the charge.
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