Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP The president, center, was meeting at his Texas ranch with his defense team when he made his remarks on the ad controversy.
Posted on 08/23/2004 12:33:38 PM PDT by ppaul
CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush says a veterans’ group should stop television ads criticizing John Kerry’s war record.
The president's criticism of the ads by Swift Boat Veterans for the Truth came as Bush denounced all TV ads by outside groups attacking both Kerry and himself on Monday and called for a halt to all such political efforts.
“I think they’re bad for the system,” he said.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP The president, center, was meeting at his Texas ranch with his defense team when he made his remarks on the ad controversy.
When asked specifically whether the ads by the group "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" should be halted, Bush said: "All of them. That means that ad, every other ad. Absolutely."
"I can't be more plain about it," Bush said. "I hope my opponent joins me in condemning these activities of the 527s (political groups that sponsor to ads). I think they're bad for the system."
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Well, I guess every little bit helps. PJB's .00000005% can't hurt, I guess. I doubt it matters.
No, it actually took a little time for the 527s. My read on it, and I am guessing Bush's as well, would be that the law would be struck down as unConstitutional because it would grossly limit political free speech. The FEC, in an effort to reduce the gross unConstituionality, created the 527 exception.
In essence, this is the FEC writing election law. Bush signed a blatantly unConstitutional law, and he should be bashed for that. But I don't think this particular 527 issue can be blamed on him because it wasn't in the law, and I think the FEC is way out of bounds in 'reading' a giant loophole into the law.
The CFR that Bush signed would have stripped both the Swift Vets and Moron.org of their free speech rights. But it also would have been struck down. I think Bush got outmanuevered by the entrenched washington political class who was just not going to give up its soft money.
I disagree with CFR. But I think Bush can unhypocritically denounce all 527s.
Well, it's a pragmatic stance, anyway :-P
Thanks for the discussion. Take care.
It's true.
He demands the SBV be silenced by Bush.
He called lawyers to get their books removed from the shelf as "slander."
His lawyers sent out letters to news organizations threatening legal action if they ran the SBV ads.
Ask any one. There's lots of threads available if you'd like to read them. Go for it.
The New Soldier by John Kerry and Vietnam Veterans Against the War
FREE Download of The New Soldier by John Kerry
and and Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Print and distibute the book that John Kerry "forgets" to mention!
The one book he refuses to bring up.
"honor" John Kerry
Help America know what a "hero" he was at the Winter Soldier
scam he and Jane Fonda pulled on the USA when he came home.
Make sure Kerry "fans" get their copy!
http://nomayo.mu.nu/archives/New%20Soldier%20Inro.pdf
http://nomayo.mu.nu/archives/New%20Soldier.pdf
http://nomayo.mu.nu/archives/New%20Soldier%20Epilogue.pdf
"Phony Vietnam veterans alleged in books
Guenter Lewy's 1978 book America in Vietnam (pages 316-317) and B.G. Burkett and Glenna Whitley's Stolen Valor (Verity Press, Inc., Dallas, Texas)(pages 113, 131-137) contain similar information about alleged flaws in Lane's book. Neither book, however, refutes any of the testimony given during the Winter Soldier Investigation.
Lawyer and leftist activist Mark Lane was one of the organizers of Winter Soldier. In 1970, Lane had published a book called Conversations With Americans purporting to be interviews with Vietnam veterans about war crimes, containing Vietnam tales of atrocities. Reporter Neil Sheehan showed some interviewed in Lane's book had never served in Vietnam and others had not been in the situations they described. Lane admitted he did not check military records, as confirmation of details was not relevant. Lane later confirmed these militarty records.
The following are often falsely listed as being participants in Winter Soldier, but were actually in Lane's book instead. This confusion is probably due to Stolen Valor having an explanation of Lane's history within the section on Winter Soldier.
Chuck Onan, stock room clerk in Beaufort, S.C.
Michael Schneider, deserted in Europe and deserted again in the USA.
Terry Whitmore, was in an unpopulated area of Vietnam.
Garry Gianninoto, medical corpsman at battalion headquarters.
VVAW leader and Winter Soldier co-organizer Al Hubbard lied about being an officer, and sustaining war injuries - but he never testified at Winter Soldier .
According to the investigative work of Burkett, Lewy and others, there were many imposters, liars, and plain nutjobs who infiltrated the ranks of the anti-war movement, and, in some cases, testified to war crimes and atrocities that never occurred in order to get attention, sympathy, and, in one documented case, medals and honors."
http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/W/Winter-Soldier-Investigation.htm
Those doom and gloom people we have on FR are becoming really annoying. They are too dumb to understand that Kerry is cornered right now in all angles.
The Swiftboat vets (John O’Neill) have been saying for a week that they are not going to stop their ads and they are not going to listen to President Bush if he tell them to do so. This will further corner the flip floper because he cannot claim that this group is a front for President Bush because he furthermore shows the desperate liar that he is.
Apparently they were hoping the Supreme Court would throw out CFR. Shows you should never approve something hoping the Supremes will correct it for you.
Yep.
Seeing that 527's are allowed to broadcast ads right up until the election, precisely what are the specifics of the McCain/Feingold Campaign Finance Reform that everyone was so upset about?
Not in my book, pp.
Yep. I saw the Presidents interview, and President Bush did what he always does - condemn all 527's, but if the press wants to spin it in our favor, oh well - Thanks?
How would things have been different if Bush had not signed the CFR bill?
I can't remember what was in the bill to begin with that had everyone so upset.
- the press crows that he was forced into his statement by Kerry, and
- the usual suspects on FR scream the President caved.
LOL! The President's position hasn't changed one bit...and neither has that of his detractors.
Nope. I didn't.
That was someone else.
That makes your whole post irrelevant.
The President simply reinterated what he had already said before. Called for all 527 ads to stop, NOT just the Swifties.
They got you with that headline.
Prairie
I don't really think I understand exactly what you are getting at with the sarcasm. But I hope that you are not insinuating that the President's top political advisor has no influence on the President's political moves. That would be a tough sell.
Basically, we would still have some First Amendment rights that don't relate pronography or flag burning.
I'm going to enjoy this. The 527s will be able to say things and raise points that the RNC is too "civilized" to mention
>>Another misleading headline from the MSM. Bush said ALL 527 ads, and refused to specifically condemn the Swift Boat ads.
You're right!
Leave it to the lying stinking MSNBC to TWIST dubya's words again!
He said - "ALL OF THEM" [ALL 527 ADS].
MSNBC reported it as "the swiftvet's ADS"
Let's count and compile a list of "CESSPOOL JOURNALISTS"
who twist dubya's words for Kerry's benefit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.