Escaping the Kill Zone (New dirty work at the crossroads by the DNC, CBS et al)

The Belmont Club ^ | September 10, 2004 | TC Wretchard

[quidnunc]

Dan Rather's defense (courtesy of Glenn Reynolds) of his 60 Minutes accusations against the Bush National Guard record, coupled with this CBS Press Release (hat tip: Roger Simon) may indicate the direction in which story is developing. When caught in an ambush the first two rules are to exit the kill zone and lay down a curtain of return fire so you can make your getaway. Both the Rather interview and the CBS Press Release suggest that the network is trying to move the controversy onto broader grounds. They will refocus the question onto George Bush's National Guard record and will support it with evidence — interviews, collateral research etc — that their opponents have had little access to — and therefore be unable to criticize. In particular, Dan Rather listed out four questions which are probably going to be the strongpoints of the new redoubt: the most important are whether GWB disobeyed a direct order, whether he performed to standard, whether he made his physical.

By leaving the kill zone of fonts, kerning and proportional spacing and rallying on their new position CBS achieves two things. The near effective fire raining down on them will be transformed into far ineffective fire, simply because its Internet critics will need a whole 12 hours to start raising new questions about the additional CBS allegations. By covering their repositioning with intensified attacks on GWB they will with any luck, restart a stalled story and reclaim the offensive.

-snip-

[Centaur]

Even more than that. Whatever happened 35 years ago, whatever mistakes, missteps or indiscretions occurred on either side only become relevant as they relate to evidence of continued character flaws. Even if everything they say about W is true (which of course I don't believe), there is no connection to his clear, decisive and noble service to our country since 911...hell, since he was governor of Texas. His modern record is impeccable.

That being said, there isn't the same sort of transformation of Kerry in the modern times. He continues his radical ideas and indecisiveness in his current career, hence a pattern of conduct and/or character flaws that continue into the present. THAT'S where the swifties become relevant and the national guard service does not.

[TADSLOS]

"Nothing concentrates the military mind so much as the discovery that you have walked into an ambush" - Thomas Packenham

[MeekOneGOP]

CBS: Not Sinking!

[Travis McGee]

LOL! Down with the ship!

[Cboldt]

My hunch is that there a lot of letters and emails sent to CBS and their advertisers already expressing extreme contempt for the story. Business heads at the network will work quickly to kill the whole subject on that basis.

The documents can conclusively be proven to be forgeries. No "maybe" about it.

Call your local CBS affiliate and ask them how one goes about filing a letter in their relicensing file. Broadcasting "Facts" from forged documents, with the objective of affecting a presidential election, is AGAINST the public interest. Get your local broadcast affiliate onboard to scream at CBS news. Your local affiliate has a broadcast license at risk, and can therefore become highly motivated.

[MeekOneGOP]

:^D

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A little perspective on Dan Blather:

Media Research Center:
Dan Rather on Bill Clinton:
"I think he’s an honest man."

   O’Reilly: "I want to ask you flat out, do you think President Clinton’s an honest man?"
    Rather: "Yes, I think he’s an honest man."
    O’Reilly: "Do you, really?"
    Rather: "I do."
    O’Reilly: "Even though he lied to Jim Lehrer’s face about the Lewinsky case?"
    Rather: "Who among us has not lied about something?"
    O’Reilly: "Well, I didn’t lie to anybody’s face on national television. I don’t think you have, have you?"
    Rather: "I don’t think I ever have. I hope I never have. But, look, it’s one thing-"
    O’Reilly, jumping in: "How can you say he’s an honest guy then?"
    Rather: "Well, because I think he is. I think at core he’s an honest person. I know that you have a different view. I know that you consider it sort of astonishing anybody would say so, but I think you can be an honest person and lie about any number of things."
    O’Reilly: "Really?!?"
    Rather: "Yeah, I do."
    O’Reilly: "See, I can’t. I want my government to be honest across-the-board. I don’t want people lying."

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[potlatch]

telekinesis.

Wow, we never know what is going to pop out of your pictures next!!

[Ann Archy]

Robert Reiiiiicccch is a Nasty little creep.

Bush did the ultimate stategery by saying nice things about Kerry's service and everyone on the right repeats what he said t the leftists inquisitors. BRILLIANT! Makes Kerry and the dems look VILE!