Novak: Bush's credibility problem (mentions *'s AWOL Alabama time)

[RamboLiberal]

Whoa, even Traitor Count Dracula is worried about Bushie and even kinda mentions *s AWOL time in Alabama.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak02.html

The Republican high command ought to be ecstatic over John Kerry's ascent toward the Democratic presidential nomination. His political profile should reassure George W. Bush's supporters: Massachusetts upper class, Vietnam war protester, Mike Dukakis' lieutenant governor, Teddy Kennedy's protege, 95 percent liberal voter. Yet, ever since Kerry won in New Hampshire, Republican concern about President Bush's re-election has grown.

''I can see the pucker factor,'' said one GOP operative, using the military slang term for an attack of gut-clenching fear. What he implies is that he and his colleagues are confronting the possibility of another Bush becoming a one-term president. Predictably, Republicans reacted to Kerry's success by pasting the liberal label on him. Why, then, the pucker factor?

First, because Kerry is an elusive target. Dukakis' old running mate showed in the hours after he was declared the New Hampshire winner that he is no Dukakis. Second, because Bush may be facing the bane of incumbents: lack of credibility. That caused Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson not to seek another term and helped defeat Jimmy Carter and the senior George Bush for re-election.

<snip>

Most worrisome to Republicans is Kerry's war hero image while, in the words of one prominent Bush supporter, ''our guy was drinking beer in Alabama'' (where actually he was working on a losing Senate Republican campaign in 1972). Republicans are trying to negate Kerry's heroism with his postwar peace activism, but that approach is not working. In an interview with Kerry in New Hampshire, I asked if he ever regretted throwing away his medals (Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart). There was no regret, but he hastened to add: ''I threw away my ribbons, not my medals.''

[trotsky]

1. HAHAHAHA what a whore.

Notice it's not that Bush was AWOL that's the issue. The issue is, he was NOT drinking beer so stop saying that! He was working on a campaign, alright?