Posted on 03/10/2004 3:14:26 PM PST by Steven W.
The difference between wrong and rotten: John Kerry crossed a line today. Working a line of supporters, one of whom encouraged him to "keep smiling," Kerry, obviously thinking the microphones were off, said "Don't worry man. We're going to keep pounding. We're just beginning to fight here. These guys, er, these guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group of people I've ever seen." The tape aired on CNN, and I will be replaying it dozens of times on air for the country to hear this afternoon and evening.
Kerry obviously meant the president, the vice president, Karl Rove and the president's re-election campaign. Given the sweeping nature of the insult, throw in the entire White House staff, Rumsfeld and the Joint Chiefs, George Tenet, and Paul Bremer. Throw in everyone working to bring freedom to Afghanistan and Iraq, and demilitarization to Libya (successfully) and North Korea, Syria and Iran. It is a massive slander, and the tone of his voice brooks no doubt about his sincerity. Kerry really believes what he whispers in a moment he believes to be unrecorded. Kerry's sheep-dipped in paranoia.
Now the media needs to call him on it. What's the evidence for "crooked," for "lying?" What's he mean, and in detail. You don't get to walk away from such outrageous charges with a laugh and a wave. Kerry was a defender of Clinton, recall, a president demonstrated to be a liar and crooked. (Not just the impeachment, wither, but Marc Rich etc.) But Bush-Cheney are worse than Clinton in Kerry's world. The president let slip once in 2000 what he thought of New York Times' reporter Adam Clymer, and the world collapsed on him. Kerry's charge is so much more serious that it defies comparison.
You can disagree with Bush on any number of issues, including the decision to go to war in Iraq. But no one candidate of the opposition party has to my knowledge ever uttered such a hate-infused polemic against the sitting president. This outburst is one with the MoveOn.org crowd's Bush-as-Hitler ads. It is bizarre. It is disturbing. It is disqualifying. Imagine a rage filled Kerry in the White House. And you thought Nixon had his demons.
At a minimum I hope the president responds by ruling out any debates with this jerk --any debates, period-- until a full apology is issued by Kerry to a full bank of cameras, a detailed and complete apology that includes everyone about whom the public might now think a liar or corrupt because of this recklessness. Seriously, the Democrats need to rethink their choice. Kerry's way off the cliff, and we have just begun to glimpse the inner Kerry: A mean-spirited, arrogant, angst-riden elitist with nothing but contempt for President Bush and the Americans who support him. And he has now given every nut in America more fuel for their inner demons.
No doubt Terry McAuliffe will be blaming the president for the low tone of the campaign that has now seen Kerry brand the president as a corrupt liar, McAuliffe brand the president as AWOL, Gore scream out his charge that the president "betrayed" the country, Wes Clark challenge the president's patriotism, and Howard Dean speculate that Bush had warning of 9/11. Don't hold your breath for CNN to report on who drove the campaign into the ditch, but there's no mistaking the party diving for the bottom.
"And he has now given every nut in America more fuel for their inner demons."
Very true, and very scary. If such hateful expression becomes the norm, violence should surprise no one.
Propaganda 101.. accuse the enemy of your errors.. and hopefully of your agenda..
They just need those slips of paper so they can see if they are telling voters to punch the wrong hole.
You know that the "objective" news stories will all say, "Looking as presidential as ever, Senator Kerry denounced the lies of the Republicans..." Then the story will dutifully repeat all of Kerry's talking points, that Bush lied about the danger of terrorism, Iraq, etc. There will also be a hit piece on on how conservative "hate radio" is spying on Kerry and quoting him out of context (playing back exactly what he said in a public forum will be construed as quoting him out of context). The media are so predictable.
First he wants to be the 2nd "Black President"--then he brags that Kim Il Jong and Castro are "routing" for him, now this.
Not slowly enough for me. If he keeps it up at this pace, I think it is going to turn into a "Toricelli" moment for She who Must Not Be Named. There's still plenty of time for her to step in and "save" the party.
If someone did, I guarantee it will start a Civil War. And the Rats are literally outgunned. Most normal working folks would not stand by and allow the Rats to get off the hook for something like this, much less the "less than sane."
I would propose a small financial reward be presented to any Citizen who, upon hearing an elected official or political slime like Alex Baldwin utter a scurrilous remark about any public figure, immediately flattens the nose or otherwise bring like trauma to the face of the mordacious offender.
We could amend the meaning of a 'point of personal privilege', as contained in Robert's Rules of Order, to include this justifiable action.
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