THE KERRY CAMPAIGN IS IN DANGER OF STALLING UNLESS

[volosong]

we refocus national attention and get off this God Damn Vietnam crap. You all know this is true.


So why not devote energies into giving one more blitz for "our Gipper" ? Remember some of us have been giving Tweedy a good spanking.



http://congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/


I whipped off the following in 30 minutes. Just a first draft. Anyone is welcome to use any/all of it for a letter. I live in MASS so I can take care of that state and I leave the remainder to you good folks...
--------------------------------------------

Triple amputee and Vietnam hero Max Cleland sat in his wheelchair in the broiling Texas sun waiting for George W. Bush to do this right thing. In his hand was a letter signed by 9 US Senators, all war heroes, entreating the President to specifically ask the swift (sieve) boat vets to cease their campaign of lies and character assassination.

This was no “stunt,” but an valid appeal against an unprecedented campaign of political poison and smoke designed to distract the American people. George W. Bush hid, as always, whether from military duty in Vietnam or from discussing his record of a dismal economy, environmental desecration, social unrest, and of course IraqNam.

A transcript of Kerry’s 1971 testimony proves that the attack ads are totally misleading: Kerry relates only hearsay recollections; he blames the nature of war and the country and not the soldiers for any atrocities; he decries search and destroy tactics and free fire zones; and he opposes continuation of an unwinnable and morally questionable war...Conclusions later adopted by a majority of Americans.

If there had been more people with John Kerry’s insight and courage, there would be fewer names on the Vietnam Wall. And if attempting to staunch the needless hemorrhage of American blood is “treason,” then cowardice and hypocrisy are virtues and George W. Bush really is a “strong leader.”

Tragically, many Vietnam veterans were treated despicably after returning to America. Those shameful events rather than John Kerry are the likely cause of their pain. America owes them an apology. And, one hopes that they will reconsider before committing a political “self-inflicted wound” by voting for Schwartznegger’s true “girlie-man,” George W. Bush.

[swag]

1. delete

[DoBotherMe]

2. You are giving me permission

to use all or part of your piece over my signature? D ; )

[Ghetto_Boy]

3. If I had gone to a Catholic school I would read your post..but.."BUSH SUCK

[Nicholas_J]

4. To be honest

THe Swift Boat thing is going away, and it is actually Bush now who is trying to keep it in the public eye by thratening to sue Move On and other liberal 527 organizations (0ut of ten of the nations majot newspapers, 6 have said that there is no substance to the swift boat veterans claims, three have said they have a real argument, and one has said, lets get over it).It is disappearing, as only a very small portion of the total electorate actually beleive it. Republicans are evenly divided on it, and most democrats dont beleive it at all. Bush's only chance to attack Kerry comes from keeping the Swift Boat Veterans in the Public eye, even if it is by indirect means,like suing liberal organizations, so that the Swift Boat side of this argument will keep cropping up.

It is already pretty much of a dead issue. THose who are going to beleive it are going to, those who are not already dont. Recent polls of independents indicate that most of them do not beleive the Swift Boat Veterans:

"During the Viet Nam War, John Kerry was awarded purple hearts, a bronze star and a silver star. Do you believe that Kerry earned all of these medals or do you think he did not earn them?"

.

Did Earn
Them Did Not
Earn
Them
% %
ALL 59 21
Republicans 39 38
Democrats 78 8
Independents 59 20


http://www.pollingreport.com/wh04misc.htm

This is not significantly differnt from the percentages of the people in eahc group who supported Kerry prior to the Swift Boat ads.

The figures for the Democrats is the exact percentage of democrats polled who say they are going to vote for BUsh, and this has been roughly the percentage since March.

Republicans are equally split on it, and Indepents come largely down in favor of Kerry (again in the same ratio as they have supported either Bush or Kerry)

So if anything, Bush can only attack Kerry by somehow keeping the issue of 527 organizations alive, so that in the process, the Swift Boat messge gets repeated on TV a for a few more months.

[Meshuga]

5. They should have brought this SBVFT up later...

The Repugs are desperate because no matter what Bush's approval rating is below 50% and they needed this. But the problem is that it would be more beneficial to Bush if they brought the smear vets later in the game.

The smear vets appeared in August and it would be better for the Bush gang to have this story come up in October three weeks before election. They are using their lifeline too soon so they are not going to get the grand prize.

They are not going to last until November with this story and the focus will go back to Bush's record right after the RNC. TV stations are not stupid to play this garbage over and over since people lose eventually interest and that will be bad for ratings.

[Pepperbelly]

6. My view of the matter differs from yours ...

I bet that the internal polling is showing Kerry's folk that this is backlashing against Bush and the funniest part is that with just a little finesse, this could be THE topic for discussion by the newsies at the gopcon, steal George's thunder as well as make him look like a fool, a coward, a liar, and a cheat during what is supposed to be Bush's week.

I am hearing the gops echo the very sentiment you just delineated although I suspect for far different reasons. They are beginning to understand the story of Pandora's Box.

That's how I see it as of now, anyway.

[Warpy]

7. They'd understand it even more

if Kerry would get off his duff and hire a team of rabid lawyers to take Regenery on in a big fat libel suit. He's got a great case, he could do it completely outside his campaign, and you can believe those lawyers would subpoena every bit of paper those scumbuckets have ever seen regarding this stuff. With a team of rabid libel lawyers on the case, Kerry could move on to ISSUES, and hammer the little bullyboy in the White House.

[Pepperbelly]

9. public figure ... it would take too much of Kerry's time when he has none

to spare.

Just my opinion but I think the standard is higher for public figuers. Malice as well as falseness has to be proven and I think the way they look at "malice" is whether or not Regenery knew the lies were lies and published them anyway.

[bobbyboucher]

8. Wrong.

It is just now getting good.