Posted on 08/26/2004 9:08:22 AM PDT by yonif
Las Cruces, N.M. -- Senator John McCain says he's "very appreciative" of a White House offer to help pursue court action against outside political ad groups.
The Arizona Republican has prodded President Bush to condemn ads from a group calling itself "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." The group has attacked John Kerry's Vietnam record, saying he doesn't deserve his medals and shouldn't be commander-in-chief.
McCain tells The Associated Press he doesn't want the independent political groups "abolished." He says they should just "live under the same campaign finance restrictions" as other groups.
Bush called McCain from aboard Air Force One today while on his way to New Mexico. A Bush spokesman says the men spoke about the issue.
The spokesman says Bush will support McCain in court action against the ads or if that fails, work toward a legislative solution.
Easy, tiger. This smells like Bush three-level-chess "strategery" to me. If Bush and McCain pursue legal action to shut down the 527s, that puts pressure on Kerry to join in, too. That means Kerry has to sign on to legal action to stop MoveOn.org, the Media Fund, Americans Coming Together. I refer you to the Washington Times article linked below: "Among the top 50 fund-raising 527s, which CRP determined based on Internal Revenue Service records as of Monday, just a handful are working against Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry."
If Kerry doesn't join in, his double standard is exposed in terms even undecided independents can grasp: 527s that run ads comparing Bush to Hitler is okay, but ads criticizing Kerry shouldn't be allowed.
If Bush and McCain win, the biggest guns in Kerry's arsenal get silenced, and the GOP can enjoy its huge hard-money advantage (Of course, then the issue of just how much the government can regulate political speech before an election is front and center.)
If Bush and McCain lose, the First Amendment is safe for another day, and Bush and McCain have done their part to stop "soft money."
Jujitsu strategery!
-- From KerrySpot
Bears repeating
Translation: The Swift Boat Veterans' ads go; the Moveon.org ads stay.
Be wary of McCain. He has it in for Bush. He'll never get over the 2000 primary.
"This is nuts!
WTF is Bush doing!?!?!?"
He's calling Kerry's bluff and taking the high road. If Kerry doesn't call an end to the ads and crap from moveon.org he is going to alienate more and more voters who haven't made up their minds. It is going to become clear as crystal that Kerry is a b.s. artist.
They aren't,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,YET. Bush wants them to be. Kerry agrees.
I am in 100% agreement with you. CFR passed and gave 527s this right, and now they want to limit free speech even more? Give me a frickin break. I blame Kerry and his crying for this, but I also blame Bush for not simply saying these ads are within the law.
Does it bother you at all that you are talking about shutting down political speech (formerly known as free speech) or is that besides the point?
This smells like something else to me. It's brown.
PING!
Yeesh! SEVEN times I counted, they tried to nail him to condemn the SBVT by name! Gotta hand it to McC, for holding the line like that.
Then he should have written it that way, eh?
Heads up ping. This could get nasty.
That is what they are trying to do, limit free speech, unless they approve of the "Free speech".
But I see Bush taking the right path on this issue.
1. A court challange will not prevail. IMHO
2. The 527's were inserted into the law so they could do just what they are doing.
3. It seems the real issue and I think Rush has spoke about this before is to limit free speech.
4. Bush says all must stop and the press keeps wanting that quote for just the SBVT
THE TIME, it is to be hoped, is gone by, when any defence would be necessary of the "liberty of the press" as one of the securities against corrupt or tyrannical government. No argument, we may suppose, can now be needed, against permitting a legislature or an executive, not identified in interest with the people, to prescribe opinions to them, and determine what doctrines or what arguments they shall be allowed to hear.
John Stuart Mill (1806–1873). On Liberty. 1869.
Checkmate. Kerry and the DNC complained so bitterly about the Swift Boat Vets that they must now, to save face, must support legislation and/or court action against the 527's. I'm sure the Moveon.org folks must be thrilled that their guy now must support eliminating them.
Yes, they do; now that it's about him and Kerry.
Once and for all, John McCain needs to decide where his loyalties lie.
Check the #27 reply by kerrybotox - troll alert?????
I could swear I've heard that somewhere before.
And where will that be?
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