Reply #67: Let Us Be Clear, Mr. Sterling [View All]

[The Magistrate]

There is nothing that could honestly be called evidence establishing Sen. Kerry is responsible for the advertisement in question, for all that this is quickly becoming an article of faith to the die-hards.

There is a good deal of evidence the group running the advertisement is a Republican front. Among its leading lights is a lawyer who has served as counsel for national Republican campaigns.

There is evidence that a very small proportion of the group's budget came from the former Sen. Torricelli. At the time these funds were transfered, this fellow was numbered among the supporters of Rep. Gephardt, not those of Sen. Kerry.

At least two figures who donated funds to Gov. Dean are also reported to have donated funds to this group. If the logic of the die-hards is applied strictly, this must be trumpeted as proof Gov. Dean is behind this advertisement. Perhaps he felt an attack of this nature would work to his favor, by demonstrating the perfidy of his foes, and gain him a sympathetic backlash? Aldermanic candidates have bricks thrown through their campaign office windows routinely on similar calculations here in my city. Or perhaps the silver-tongued devils behind this group convinced the Governor they would attack one of his Democratic rivals, not him, but proceeded then to double-cross the amatuer Machiavelli? Gov. Dean's propensity for slanging other Democratics in abusive terms, already much in evidence by that date, would indicate such a miscalculation is hardly beyond him.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"