Posted on 08/23/2004 12:28:53 PM PDT by KQQL
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - Under pressure from Democrats and Republican Sen. John McCain, President Bush on Monday called for ads attacking John Kerry's record in Vietnam to be stopped along with others run by independent groups, and said Kerry should be proud of his war service.
"That means that ad and every other ad," Bush said when asked if he wanted to bring a stop to commercials by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which accuse Sen. Kerry of lying about his war record in Vietnam.
Bush said Kerry "served admirably" in Vietnam, adding: "He ought to be proud of his record." But Bush stopped short of directly condemning the charge that Kerry lied about his actions.
Unlike previous statements by the White House, Bush this time referred specifically to the ad attacking Kerry's Vietnam service record, though he did not mention the Swift Boat group by name.
Bush did not specify what actions might be taken to stop the advertisements run by independent groups, except to renew his call on Kerry to join him in condemning all unregulated soft money ads.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
If Bush called the SwiftVets and asked them to stop, or even publically called on them to stop, that could be considered collaboration. Bush did not ask any specific group to do anything - he just stated that he thinks all ads by 527's should stop, including Moveon, etc. He also called on Kerry to join him. Kerry won't, so he will be the one who looks like he is supporting the 527's.
What crap.
A.N.S.W.E.R., MOVEON.ORG, ACT, F911, etc., etc., etc., are not going to stop running their ads and playing their concerts and showing their movies. Go into any major bookseller in the country and look at the new release shelves -- every 3rd book is a Bush-bashing screed. Turn on any of the major networks and get dizzy from the spin. The 'mainstream' media, Hollywood, and every left-wing organization in the world are doing everything they can to distort, lie, and propagandize this election in favor of Kerry.
One group goes against the tide. The Swift Boat veterans have every right to run their ad. They were there. They have their story. They have the courage and conviction to tell it.
Bush needs to shut up about it, or if he says anything at all, it should be that they are an independent group that is entitled to speak their minds.
My thoughts exactly. Ain't it grand?
"Will the Swifties see it that way or will they feel W has turned on them? If it's all part of the master plan then my hat is off to W. bigtime'
The swiftees are "big boys" and they know the score.
Sometimes I get the impression that John McCain and Vicente Fox run this country.
Kerry will have to take on Swift Vets himself and not hide behind W.
KQQL is spot on.....Ball is back in Kerry's court.
Swifties vs Kerry....
You must be joking... He's said the same thing the whole time. Stop all 527's, which he knows Kerry won't do.
No, no, no. Take a breath and admire the strategery. He knows darn well he can't stop the ads, nor does he want them to stop. He just threw the ball back in Kerry's court.
You know what I'd love to see next is this scenario: Kerry gets desperate to eliminate the Swift Vets ads, then takes a gamble and asks Michael Moore to also pull "Farenheit 9/11" out of the theatres. Then the fat slob Moore thinks about it for a couple days but is controlled by his own bloated ego and tells Kerry "No...it's my film and I'm keeping it in the theatres." Now that would make Kerry look dumb and powerless.
smart politics = THEN YOU DO WHAT W DID.
if yOU ARE stupid THEN hE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU.
It isn't any of the President's business what independent, free (we still are free right?) groups purchase on the air... I'm so sick of this "campaign-finance reform" garbage. What is political speech anyway?
Isn't the right to petition our most sacred right? President Bush should just campaign and leave independent groups alone. And of course he should have never signed that pathetic legislation (the McCain Protection from Criticism act...)
Not to mention this gives the RNC and the Presidents campaign a big opening to call on Kerry to stop hateful and viscious ads and denounce all 527's in a commercial, painting Kerry rather than Bush the bad guy.
Then why didn't he do the same before?
I respectfully disagree. He didn't cave, but took the high road. And he knows very well the ads are not going to stop until Nov. 2. I think this is a win for the President.
Bush is being shrewd, ... if not simply dishonest here. I support W, but sometimes he bends so far one way to seem fair that I suspect he's gone beyond bending the truth.
Still, he's probably more honest than 90% of our politicians.
-- Joe
The swifties understand the fact the President cannot be associated with them in any manner.
Nonsense. He said "that ad, and EVERY OTHER ad". He is being consistent with their message, knowing full well that the RATs will never give up THEIR 527s, which will funnel $250 million into this election.
The rats will use this against the swift boat vets.
Why do we always cave?
Get some GUTS GOP
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