Posted on 08/20/2004 4:39:35 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
Edited on 08/20/2004 4:45:50 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
So long as the Kerry campaign chose to largely ignore the charges of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT), the morning shows dutifully imposed their own blackout on the story.
But when Kerry broke his silence on the campaign trail yesterday, dusting off his hackneyed "bring it on" boast, it was clear that the honchos at the morning shows got the word from the DNC: start covering the story - using our talking points, of course.
And so each of the morning shows, for the first time to my recollection, had extended pieces on SBVT. Flipping madly among the channels, it is difficult to distinguish which network said what, but the basic approach was - predictably - consistent throughout.
Rather than focus on the substance of the charges, the emphasis was to suggest that this was effectively a Bush campaign plot.
One of the shows began its coverage by describing the SBVT TV commercials as "Republican-funded." Another breathlessly reported that John O'Neill, in forming his organization, had sought legal advice from a lawyer with Republican connections.
The one thing that was lacking in the network coverage: any serious attempt to refute the *substance* of the SBVT's charges. The closest to an attempted refutation were on-air statements from two members of Kerry's "band of brothers" that some VC (OK, I was flipping wildly by this time and am not sure if it was perhaps the teenager that Kerry ultimately killed) had lifted a grenade launcher, and if Kerry had not acted, "we would all have been history."
But that is a total strawman. O'Neill has explicitly and often said that no one is criticizing Kerry's decision to kill the VC.
What I did NOT see was anyone denying the SBVT claim that one of Kerry's Purple Hearts derived from a self-inflicted wound that needed nothing more than a band-aid. Nor was there refutation of the allegations that there was no firing from the shore that night. Nor that there was no firing at the time Kerry retrieved Rassman from the water. Rassman was shown on one of the shows saying something about the incident, but being in the water he was not in much of a position to know about firing and I do not recall him claiming there was any.
Good Morning America brought "analyst" George Stephanopolous in and Robin Roberts sagely inquired whether Kerry's demand that W call for ads to stop had not put the President "in a corner." Steph gravely agreed that indeed W was somewhat cornered. He concluded by stating that the Bush campaign would not ask the SBVT to stop because . . . "the ads appear to be working."
As lopsided as was the coverage, we should actually take heart. It is obvious that the networks are starting to cover the story for the same reason that the Kerry campaign is starting to respond - the ads, in revealing Kerry's fabrications and embellishments of his war record - are taking a toll. Indeed one of the shows displayed polling data indicating that, and one of the anchors nervously quoted "Democratic party leaders" as criticizing the Kerry campaign for not having forcefully responded earlier.
So for all the liberal media bias, every minute of coverage they devote to the issue is one minute not spent glorifying some new Kerry spending proposal, bashing W over the 'jobless' recovery, condemning the troop redeployment as 'pure politics,' etc.
We are winning this issue.
O'Neill is VERY sober and believable. As long as he is given air time, he will acquit himself well.
I'm concerned that this focus on Kerry's service is actually playing into his hands. As long as the truth is somewhat murky (and truth always is when revisited 30 years later), Kerry might at least play this to a draw.
In the meantime, the focus remains on Kerry's service, not on his anti-Vietnam, anti-patriotic actions after the war (although a bit of this is coming into play) and his ultra liberal senate record.
The upside is watching liberals and the MSM squawk about the 527 groups and see them tied in knots condemning the Swiftees, yet giving moveon.org and Soros a pass. It's a great thing to such hypocrisy on display.
Or more to the point, they suggest there is more to be suspected by a GOP Texan(Perry) funding a 507 group than is to be feared from a Socialist Greek(Soros) funding one. Oh, and btw there is no mention, ever, of the millions given to Kerry 507's vs the 200 thousand given by that mean-spirited Texas Republican.
Pathetic
One would think they have an agenda, huh?
On the same line of reasoning, I noticed on a Washington comPost story yesterday where some jackass by the name of Dobbs was trying to trash the Swift Boaters by showing the documents that one of their medals also said there was "hostile" fire when Lurch plucked the guy from the river . . . that he managed to write in three "digs" like "funded by a large Republican booster" and other such nonsense.
The mainstreamers are blind as hell . . . the citizenry are starting to see through their BS. A devout Democrat lives next door to me. DEVOUT! One of those whose family has ALWAYS VOTED DEMOCRAT and ALWAYS WILL VOTE DEMOCRAT. I was helping him set up a computer he bought for his granddaughter when a news story came on the tube about the Swifties. I was pounding on his keyboard working out the installation crapola but I noticed him out of the corner of my eye watching and listening to the TV. It sounded like Dan Blather but it might not have been. Anyway, I saw him reach up and slap the OFF button. I asked him what the problem was. I'm not making this up . . . his quote was . . . "Ain't no way 250 veterans would lie. G*ddammit! They gave their names, ranks, every-damn-thing else so the vultures could check them out. They've opened all their records. Kerry won't do that. Ain't no way that many veterans would step forward and lie!"
Believe me . . . that's pretty harsh stuff for this guy. We made a pact a few months ago when our political discussions started getting a mite heated. We don't talk politics. But I couldn't help it. I asked him . . . "Does that mean you're not voting for Lurch?"
His reply? "Nope. But I ain't voting for a lying sumbitch either."
He served eight years in the Navy. From 1943 to 1951.
Lurch is going down.
LOL. I noticed that glaringly obvious point also. Like, moveon.org is supported by (gasp!) democrats!
This tact of "yeah but, look who's behind it" is ineffective with real people when they don't refute the actual charges.
O'Neill was on FOX and Friends. Not exactly "mainstream" media, just media that is driving "mainstream" media mad.
O'Neill said on Fox and Friends, when asked if there was republican money backing, that the Swiftvets would take money from George Soros if he offered it.
It is more than that. The American people don't want or need this controversy over a 30 year old war when we have immediate lives at stake. The best case scenario for Kerry in this is that the American people throw their collective arms up and say "Who cares about Vietnam". When that happens, Kerry's reason for being is destroyed.
They're in full-time Kerry Ass Cover Mode. KACM. It fits.
I watched each of the stories this morning on CBS, ABC, and NBC. The very worst was ABC - Stepanopolous, who claimed taht the Kerry people are continued to be happy that the Senator's war record is contrasted with the President's.
Nice try, Georgie, won't wash.
The biggest lie peddled on each of the networks is that the commercial is "funded by a Republican group."
I was relieved that the NYT piece overnite had no bombshells.
Ooooh. Good one.
I've heard a couple of times on Hannity's radio show. Hannity, to his credit, was pushing him to expose any weakness and O'Neill was totally amazing. In control of his emotions and in control of the facts and he didn't back down on anything. I would love to see him on Meet the Press and just take it to Russert.
Make that "I've heard him...."
My brain is going faster than my fingers can type.
CBS is definitely on the bandwagon. The news on the local CBS radio affiliate here used those exact words. It was so blatant, it just took my breath away.
But that isn't what is happening. Kerry's record is being contrasted with the other vets.
Stephanopolis was not there; O'Neil and the others WERE there.
What a lying flip flopper
"Don't you love the smell of Dem panic in the morning?"
It smells like victory! LOL!
I wonder how the Today Show will like the next ad?
http://a1281.v125028.c12502.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1281/12502/v0001/eaglepub.download.akamai.com/12502/sellout.wmv
This could be fun.
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