Posted on 09/06/2004 11:00:55 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Record in Senate not fair game?
By David Limbaugh
Democrats are afraid the American people will find out about John Kerry's Senate record. That's the only way you can explain their incessant accusations Republicans are mean and angry for merely discussing his record.
The idea Democrats have been selling is a factual airing of their default presidential candidate's record is dirty politics.
Following Sen. Zell Miller's convention speech, the cable shows were flooded with handwringing liberals beside themselves over the "meanness" of Mr. Miller's remarks. Newspapers followed with "news" stories and editorials making the same complaint.
The Associated Press reported, "Republicans are satisfying their convention delegates with an angry vision of the presidential race and attacks on Democratic nominee John Kerry, but it won't play well with voters in the closing weeks of the campaign, Democrats said Thursday."
Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. John Edwards told "Today" show anchor Matt Lauer, "What we heard from the Republicans in that hall last night was an enormous amount of anger." Mr. Edwards called the Republican criticisms of Mr. Kerry "completely over the top" and said they made him mad. Watch that anger there, senator.
I don't deny Zell Miller delivered his remarks with a healthy flavor of righteous indignation at a party that has left him and other conservative Democrats, a party whose presidential candidate is the most liberal senator in America with an abominable record on defense.
Mr. Miller has a right to be upset. We're in the middle of a war, and his party has selected a man who has made a career of emasculating our intelligence services and our military readiness. We are not playing games here.
That's why I was incredulous when Chris Matthews asked Mr. Miller how his speech would further the promotion of harmony among the parties and the people (my crude paraphrase). These conventions are not about promoting national harmony, but the business of selecting candidates who can lead the nation in these exceedingly dangerous times.
But Mr. Matthews' question reveals the liberal mindset. They act more interested in advancing the Rodney King credo: "Why can't we all just get along?" than in adopting proactive policies to safeguard our national security. That explains why John Kerry is always so preoccupied with currying the favor of French and German leaders.
But the dirty little secret is that Democrats just pay empty lip service to promoting harmony. They've been sniping at President Bush for four years now, and it has been petty, nasty, mean-spirited and, yes, angry.
Their real gambit was to keep the public's eye off John Kerry's Senate record. Their bizarre premise has been that Mr. Kerry's allegedly distinguished combat record alone qualifies him to be commander in chief — no matter what he has done since.
Putting aside damning questions about Mr. Kerry's Vietnam service and his antiwar crusade thereafter, it is simply ridiculous to say one's ostensible heroism of 35 years ago justifies a gag order on his record ever since.
Yet that's what Chris Matthews implied when he said, "The idea that [Mr. Kerry] is going to shoot spitballs in defense of a country that he risked his life to defend some years ago is a personal attack on the guy." Then he asked Mr. Miller: "Do you believe, Senator, truthfully, that John Kerry wants to defend the country with spitballs? Do you believe that?"
Of course he believes that, Chris, which is why he said it. And he cited Mr. Kerry's Senate record to prove it. And it is not a personal attack, unless you consider the accurate depiction of Mr. Kerry's anti-defense record to be a personal attack.
Real personal attacks were when Mr. Kerry, in his Democratic Convention speech, said he will not mislead the nation into war and will restore trust to the office. And it's a personal attack for Mr. Matthews to suggest Mr. Miller is lying — saying something he doesn't believe to pander to the Republican audience. But he does believe it, Chris, or he wouldn't even be speaking at the Republican Convention.
People should be very suspicious Mr. Kerry put all his presidential eggs in his Vietnam basket, especially since that basket is so full of holes. We have a right to know what Mr. Kerry is hiding. I'm talking about his Senate career here. Why is he trying to cover it up?
Nothing could be more preposterous than for Democrats to cry foul when the Republicans merely try to publicize the truth about the. Kerry voting record. If that's dirty politics, then Democrats must think Mr. Kerry's Senate record is shameful. And they're right.
David Limbaugh is a nationally syndicated columnist.
I guess Edwards is going to sue if he gets mad enough.
This is what I've been talking about. This is why the Swift boat guys have had run of the field. The dems in their hatred for GWB went out and nominated anyone but bush. Now they have a cadidate that served 4 mos. in Vietnam, betrayed his fellow servicemen to gain a political position, and has been an empty suit ever since.
The swift boaters have come calling to set the record straight and kerry brings nothing to the table that can knock them out of the news. He's got no clear plan for the future. He's done nothing of worth in the past.
The last days of this election are going to be the nastiest ever. The dems cannot afford to have kerry go down in flames like it now appears he will. The next few weeks are going to make the recount adnauneum look like a cake walk.
What on earth is fair game in their minds?
Check out the John F. Kerry Timeline. Email it to your friends.
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I have heard so many people say "anyone but Bush" that I am sick of hearing it. These same people better take a good look at that "anybody" and wonder what condition America would be in, if he were president & we were attacked again!!!!
PING
That's the thing. You'd have a really hard time convincing me that they care about anything but gaining back the presidency.
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