Posted on 10/21/2004 4:48:54 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
If it were a boxing match, they would have thrown in the towel. If it were a Little League game, they would have invoked the mercy rule. Unfortunately for hapless Kerry spokesman Mike McCurry, no such refuge was available, and he had to suffer a relentless, devastating, take-no-prisoners, never-back-down pounding at the hands of Liz Cheney, daughter of the Vice President. Wow! What a star was just [at least for this viewer] born. Where has she been?
Sometimes shows like Today concoct a theme for an interview and try to force their square guests into the round hole they have conceived. The topic today was the notion that both campaigns were exploiting the politics of fear.
But Liz would have none of it. "This isn't about trying to scare people. We are truly at war. This is about who has the strong leadership to win that war. Of course Kerry is forced to make tough statements now, but his words are contradicted by his record."
She continued: "Kerry has been on the wrong side of every major national policy issue over the last 20 years, from cutting $7 billion in intelligence after the WTC was bombed for the first time, to voting against the 1991 Gulf War, to opposing most of the weapons systems used to fight the war on terror."
Before describing McCurry's remarks, a few words about his looks. I don't know if he might be a baseball fan who stayed up to watch the game, or whether he was up all night putting out the fires from Teresa's "my experience is bigger than hers" gaffe, or whether it is simply the wear and tear of a long campaign, but I have never, NEVER, seen a political aide look this palpably tired on national TV.
Not only was his face haggard, but his eyes were so red-rimmed that one had to wonder if he had been on a crying jag. One thing is clear: being inside the Kerry campaign nowadays ain't a bowl of cherries.
In any case, McC claimed that "we took our eyes off the terrorists to divert to go to war in Iraq that is now causing so much pain. We can't go on with more of the same and need to change directions."
But soon it was back to Liz on the attack: "The 9/11 Commission found we're not safe, but we're safer than we were before 9/11. But with his talk of global tests and describing terrorism as a nuisance, one has to question whether Kerry really understands nature of challenge we face."
Katie tried to put Liz on the spot, quoting her father to the effect that the country could be more vulnerable to attack if Kerry were elected. If Couric thought that would put Liz on the defensive, she was badly mistaken. Liz didn't back down for a second: "Weakness invites attack. The policies Kerry/Edwards propose would take us back to 90s when we treated terrorism as a law enforcement and intellignece matter. They have sent signals of wavering."
When McCurry tried some wan retort, Liz cut him off at the knees: "The record doesn't match the rhetoric, Mike, the record doesn't match rhetoric."
Even when a defeated McCurry, on his knees, begging for mercy, tried to AGREE with Liz, she would give no quarter. By the end, McCurry was pitiably saying that when it comes to the need to pay attention to terror threats, "we agree about that."
"No, we disagree," retorted Liz!
This was the most lopsided, devastating rhetorical victory I have ever seen on Today. It made last night's sad [for this Yankees fan] shellacking look like a nail-biting cliffhanger.
Bravo, Liz, you are my new hero! Let's see more of her along the trail!
bttt
Look for Katie in her combat sweater. The way Liz handled Mike, Katie probably wished she had a helmet on.
You can read Zell Miller's ripping of Kerry, et al on the Senate Floor at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r108:8:./temp/~r108skXivR:e50414:
Just so you'll know, this was not a one time performance; she was on Paula Zahn's show last week in a "town meeting" kind of thing and she completely decimated Kiki Moore, Al Gore's own talking head from 2000!
They should put her on EVERYWHERE. I almost stood up and cheered!
Wow. She IS pretty. We might have to add her to our list of obligatory pictures. Not to knock Dick, but that's his daughter? Must have good genes somewhere in him.
"Boy, my kids are beautiful, just beautiful. I gotta tell you, it's a good thing my wife cheats on me." -- Rodney Dangerfield.
Weakness invites attack. The policies Kerry/Edwards propose would take us back to 90s when we treated terrorism as a law enforcement and intellignece matter. They have sent signals of wavering." Sounds like a chip off the old block.
Ditto for Lynne. An extraordinary 'power' couple.
I believe you're referring to Dick's wife, Lynne. It was their daughter, Liz, on Today this morning, but you're certainly correct: Lynne is a star in her own right.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks. This truly was some vindication for me and my digestive track. Even better than one of those rare days when Katie asks a snippy question of a lib, this was the real-deal - an unabashed W supporter with brains and charm - absolutely dismantling the best that the Kerry campaign could throw up against her. An absolutely epic moment.
I'd be interested to hear what you thought of it.
Thanks for the info.
Today was the first time I had seen her and I was very impressed.
A vote for Kerry is a vote for Edwards - one heartbeat away from the vanity table.
When he speaks about having "a compact with the people," now we know what he had in mind!
When he speaks about having "a compact with the people," now we know what he had in mind!
Culture - Schmulture. We's all peeple.
After watching him groom himself on video the other day, I was certain he was preparing to enter himself in a Poodle Show. I watched the doggie show, but he was a 'no-show.' They found him in one of the kennels pigging out on twinkies and his hair was all a-mess.
He's not a twinkie, his face looks like a big kukish. You know, the three-finger combination, when you put your thumb between the index and the up-yours fingers. Do it and you get a John Edwards smiley.
Meant to ping you to # 197. Yup, saw the video. And there be some who want him a heartbeat away from being Commander in Chief? Unfreepinbelievable!
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