The stage was set last week when Kerry accused the Swiftvets of being liars. The big Media had their que and was starting to run with it.
The big problem for Bush is that he can't run "ANY" negative ads about Kerry without being accused of being in with another nasty Republican attack machine.
I think the Swiftvets have valid questions which should be answered. The media isn't cooperating with them but their message is starting to get accross. Bush, denouncing them doesn't help their cause but the issue isn't going away as long as you have a bunch of guys saying ... Hey I was there and he's not fit to be President!
Make that was, past tense, Bush just cut the legs out from under this story. You can now forget the swiftboat vets. Then can now be safely ignored by all major media, just a bunch of right wings nut jobs. Move on folks, nothing to see here.
the Bush campaign never planned on running any negative ads about Kerry's vietnam era antics. I can't see how this restricts them from doing something they weren't going to do anyway. its like me being restricted from skydiving.
I still say the key now is to shift the focus to the message of the second ad. the first ad is becoming a "we said/he said".