Responding to McCain, Bush Plans Legal Action on Ads

Reuters ^ | Thu Aug 26, 2004 03:35 PM ET | By Adam Entous

[MattMa]

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Reuters) - President Bush on Thursday sought to smooth over differences with Sen. John McCain by promising to take legal action to stop political ads by outside groups, including those attacking the war record of Bush's Democratic presidential rival, John Kerry.

The White House said the president made the commitment to McCain in a telephone call from Air Force One, hoping to head off a public confrontation when the Arizona Republican and Vietnam veteran campaigns with Bush next week.

The Bush campaign said it, rather than the White House, would file a lawsuit in federal court to try to force the Federal Election Commission to crack down on the ads. But the case could bog down in the courts, and thus might have little impact before the Nov. 2 election.

McCain has called on Bush to do more to end ads by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which has accused Kerry, McCain's friend, of lying about his Vietnam War service.

Although McCain has also asked Bush to condemn the ads directly, which he has not done, the senator in a statement praised Bush's "commitment" and said he would work "with the president, both in the courts and through legislation, to force" the FEC to act.

[MattMa]

McCain ticks me off Big Time.

[My2Cents]

How believeable is a Reuters report?

[Prime Choice]

President Bush on Thursday sought to smooth over differences with Sen. John McCain by promising to take legal action to stop political ads by outside groups, including those attacking the war record of Bush's Democratic presidential rival, John Kerry.

I would advise Bush not to make so much as one move toward fulfilling this promise until John F'n Kerry denounces MoveOn.Org, the Tides Foundation, and a host of other Leftist 527s that went negative long before the Swiftboat Vets even appeared on the national scene.

[ken21]

mccain's a bitch, isn't he?

[Always Right]

It's all about McCain.

[KJacob]

McCain has called on Bush to do more to end ads by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which has accused Kerry, McCain's friend, of lying about his Vietnam War service.

Before I joined FR I did not notice these little digs.

[KansasGirl]

I wonder if McCain threatened to pull out of the Republican convention?

[Samurai_Jack]

These 527 groups are McCains fault in the first place. McCain should be the one pressing the FEC to crack down before Nov.

[MattMa]

Well, it was a two page article; to bad I only made it to the end of the first page. It got to sKerry friendly for me.

[Prime Choice]

I wonder if McCain threatened to pull out of the Republican convention?

I wouldn't be bothered if he did. The guy's practically a Democrat anyway...

[KansasGirl]

Yeah, but imagine how the press would play it.

[Howlin]

Here's an odd factoid I ran up on today:

Guess who represetned McCain in his first divorce?

She was subsequently employed in the Reagan White House, according to George "Bud" Day, McCain's attorney during the divorce. Day also was one McCain's cellmates when they were prisoners of war in Vietnam.

Day supports Bush.

Statement from Col George E. "Bud" Day, USAF, Ret., Medal of Honor Recipient, Former POW in Hanoi, North Vietnam, regarding Presidential election support:

"I am solidly in the camp for the reelection of President George W. Bush.

While opposition to my legal efforts to restore WWII/Korea era earned medical care by the Bush Administration was discouraging, the Kerry Vietnam anti-war movement directly encouraged the vicious torture I received as a POW in the Hanoi Hilton, was demoralizing for other POW's and their families, and provided aid and comfort for North Vietnam to continue the war.

I can think of no action more despicable than false public condemnation of warriors on the field of battle, as John Kerry made under oath.

Senator Kerry is unfit to become President and our Commander-in-Chief."

Col, George "Bud" Day, USAF, Ret., Medal of Honor recipient, Former POW in Hanoi, North Vietnam.

[Prime Choice]

Yeah, but imagine how the press would play it.

I don't have to imagine that. The "mainstream" media has been carrying water for Kerry since the day he cinched up the Iowa Caucus.

[My2Cents]

Clearly, McCain believes that his CFR didn't go far enough to stifle free speech.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Maybe some court will set a hearing date of November 3.

[outlawcam]

The Bush campaign said it, rather than the White House, would file a lawsuit in federal court to try to force the Federal Election Commission to crack down on the ads.

If these groups are breaking no law, then what's the point in bringing it up before the court, except to waste taxpayer money and/or tempt the judges to legislate from the bench? I know Kerry is claiming that they are breaking the law due to "coordination," but Bush isn't claiming that. Why would he do this?

[ambrose]

This is worth noting:

Bush/McCain are talking about limiting 527 SOFT money. Even McCain doesn't want to stop hard money to 527s. Apart from the $200k from the Texas developer, most of the SwiftVet contributions have come in the form of hard money - small contributions from individuals.

What McCain/Bush are talking about is the unregulated soft money contributions from the likes of Soros & Company.


That said, this entire campaign finance scheme is an affront to the First Amendment...

[marron]

It makes no sense to declare a cease-fire when your opponent has just emptied his magazine, and your side has just opened its first box of ammo.

527's are McCain's concession to the 1st Amendment. Without the 527's, there is no First Amendment. McCain Feingold is a naked attack on free speech, and the only thing that keeps it on the right side of the constitution is the 527 provision, and McCain wants to kill that.

I obviously don't like what the Dems have done with their 527 money, but thats because I don't like Dems. You don't solve the problem by cutting off the money (mainly after the Dem money has already been spent), you do it on the battlefield of ideas, and the battlefield of ideas costs money. 527 money, it seems these days, in the McCainFeingold era.

[Guillermo]

McCain? And Bush shouldn't take any of the blame? He SIGNED CFR. 98% of the responsibility for that atrocious bill is HIS.

Here is a President promising to take legal action against groups who criticize candidates for political office.

Absolutely 100% DISGUSTING.

[bigbob]

Don't you think this is cleverly crafted by the Bush campaign (aka Rove) to best optimize the effect of the ads? Ad #3 is very hard-hitting, and won't be undone by threat of a future lawsuit. This genie is out of the bottle!