NO, not shooting himself in the foot but is disassoiciating himself from the SBTVs with this move. I think it is a good one. The swiftees can keep on making their ads and not be accused of being a front for the Bush Campaign.
I agree...he has just taken the wind out of Kerry's sails. Brilliant move. Bush basically just re-stated what he has been saying since this thing broke...that ALL of the ads from ALL of the 527s (of which there are many many more with leftist leanings) should be denounced. If Kerry continues to accuse Bush of being behind the Swift Boat Vet ads it will blow up in his face more than it already has.
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