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Posted on 09/05/2004 11:57:35 PM PDT by Utah Girl
AKRON, Ohio - It is the cardinal rule of modern American politics, and one John Kerry should know well, because he served with its namesake in Massachusetts - don't pull a Dukakis. Let no political charge sit unanswered, lest it take root.
Michael Dukakis was slow to respond to Republican attacks in 1988 and got crushed by George Bush the father. Some Democrats fret John Kerry now has made the same mistake against Bush the son - letting attacks on his Vietnam record and fitness to serve go unanswered too long - and fear that Kerry is slipping badly in the face of new polls showing a Bush lead.
"Time is running out . . . to turn this around," said Tony Coelho, a former manager for Al Gore's campaign, who believes Kerry didn't respond forcefully enough. "It's not hard, and he did not do a good job on that."
After a month of withering attacks, Kerry now finds himself on the defensive and scrambling to gain the initiative heading into the fall campaign, still battling the Republican charges while trying to wrest the debate onto his terms, with an ever-dwindling number of days to do it.
Kerry's response to last week's Republican convention, and the road map to the days ahead, was on display in recent days as he returned to the campaign trail with a one-two punch. He showed a willingness to challenge Bush's and Vice President Dick Cheney's fitness to serve in highly personal terms while accusing Bush of failing the nation on the issues that affect people's lives - the economy, jobs, health care, Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Same old same old with Kerry. They just don't get how out-of-touch they are.
Then let them hire Susan Estrich to run Kerry's Campaign :-), After all, she did such a great Job running the Dukakis Campaign :-)
Never mentioned in all this is the possibility that Kerry didn't refute the charges because they are all true.
By now everyone who is not a die-hard DemonCRAP partisan (and probably most of them, secretly) is convinced the reason he hasn't released his 180 is because he knows that his records contain a skeleton that would utterly destroy his chances of getting elected dog-catcher, let alone President.
I was like 12 back then and I knew full well that Dudkakis didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. They were taking too many puffs on the peace pipe over there at the DNC. They're doing it again...someone spiked the kool aid with acid or something...
Bull. He responded by threatening legal action. His surrogates ran around shouting LIARS! He had the MSM hide the story.
Perhaps they should say he didn't respond appropriately.
The Bush I commercials simply highlighted the fact Dukakis WAS a card-carrying ACLU liberal. At his Convention, the Democrat told the country the election was about "competence, not ideology." That had people wondering what he had to hide. A lot, it turned out. Especially his LIBERAL out of the mainstream philosophy, which among other things, embraced furlough for murderers and opposing the Pledge Of Allegiance. Its mean and dirty to liberals because it was the TRUTH. They didn't like being unmasked for who they were and they can't stand being unmasked for who they are now.
Is this his reaction? A surrender?!
>>>Never mentioned in all this is the possibility that Kerry didn't refute the charges because they are all true.
More like one of sKerry's handlers said the media was in the bag, and this was a noon-story.
If its all a lie, why hasn't he sued the Swifties? The mainstream media insists the Swifties are liars and Kerry's accounts have discredited their charges but if that's true, why hasn't Kerry sued John O'Neill for libel and slander?? Its the dog that hasn't barked the partisan media doesn't mention. Very telling.
It should read: A SUCK-UP AMERICA BEGINS IN FRANCE. There, that's fixed now.
Makes no difference how fast they would have responded. The truth HURTS sometimes. And thanks to all the DONATIONS (keep them coming) to the Swift Boat Vets their ads have been devastating and are being seen and heard.
Kerry is a self-promoting, pompous, pretentios fraud. The only thing different now is that a greater segment of Americans are becoming aware of that harsh reality! Kerry's ship is sinking, please keep donating to The Swift Boat Vets!
Time for another caption contest! :>)
;-)
I don't know about Kerry pulling a Dukakis but Bill Clinton won eventhough he frequently pulled a boner.
Kerry began to tank the very day he DID respond. Everyone in the campaign told him to keep his mouth shut. MSM was going to ignore it all the way to November.
"Citizen Kerry"
Kerry has replied to some of the charges. His biographer no longer makes any Cambodia claim. His spokesman HURLY and his journal say the 1st PH was without enemy fire. With the 1st PH bogus, then leaving early was desertion. The truth will be known cause there's at least one official investigation of his medals going on by the Navy IG and Judicial Watch has started an investigation of his medals, warcrimes, and the rest. This election will be a repudiation of liberalism, MSMism, communism, and Hanoi Boy himself.
Perhaps they should say he didn't respond appropriately.
Right Kerry and his people are trying to rewrite history here. Kerry campaign didn't ignore this at first. Kerry's main problem here is that he is sending out paid political assassins to deal with a issue that he should have dealt with himself. The American people are seeing first hand how Kerry deals with problems and they don't like it. It doesn't matter who Kerry hires or fires. Till he gets a set and either signs the 180 form or admits to the allegations he will continue to be in trouble in close states.
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