Chimp calls Kerry "more heroic," tries to make the issue go away

[Sparkly]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) on Saturday described John Kerry (news - web sites)'s tour of duty in Vietnam as more heroic than his own service in the Air National Guard, saying his Democratic rival had been "in harm's way."

But the president told NBC's "Today" show that both sides should drop the debate over their wartime service, saying, "I think that we ought to move beyond the past. ... The real question is who best to lead us forward."

Asked if he believed that he and Kerry "served on the same level of heroism," Bush replied, "No, I don't. I think him going to Vietnam was more heroic than my flying fighter jets. He was in harm's way and I wasn't."

(snip)

The president continued to defend his own service in the Air National Guard, saying, "On the other hand, I served my country. Had my unit been called up, I would have gone."

"More heroic" implies the Chimp was also heroic on some level.
"Flying fighter jets" is debatable.
"Had my unit been called up," pigs would have been flying...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040829/us_nm/campaign_bush_heroism_dc&cid=1896&ncid=2043

[BeatleBoot]

1. Bush is trying to innoculate himself from AWOL

[Sparkly]

4. I agree completely

He wants to level the playing field in this area, neutralizing Kerry's obvious advantage.

[BeatleBoot]

8. And 527's

Repukes call SBVT 527 bad and they get McCain to help him "get rid of them"

Good strategy on his part, but his numbers are his numbers.

It all tells me that they are desperate before their convention.

But, again, I am not objective.

So, I will work harder than ever, now.

[opihimoimoi]

9. Me too.....The Swarmy Smirkful Sonofagun

[kentuck]

2. I get so sick of his bullshit....

Now that I've vilified and slimed him and got a small lead in the polls, I can be Mr Nice Guy....He thinks....

[gatorboy]

3. Fighter jets. Riiiiiigghht

They're only "fighters" if you fight in them Bushie boy!

[opihimoimoi]

5. Bush attempting to portray Truthfullness/Reality/Goodness

By Stating the obvious.....Trying hard to play the good guy role, pat the other guy thing, acknowledge Kerrys due for going to Nam.

But ony a tiny hint of Praise and no mention of heroism al all.

All the while stabbing Kerry with Neg Ads....some good guy he is...

Lower than Whale Shit Level is more like it.....

Weak attempt to con the MisLed Sheep, they being trained to swallow mighty TALL TALES.

[snyder]

6. Now We Will Find Out ...

... whether Kerry is a man or a mouse. Will he let Chimp-in-Chief wriggle off the hook or not?

[MisterGamut]

7. Bush wants this issue gone by the debates

It's done the damage he wanted, but he knows it won't hold up to scrutiny much longer. Time to squelch the scrutiny.

[DrFunkenstein]

10. Bush's Jets Were Discontinued

They never would have been called up. Gee, do ya think him and Daddy knew that at the time?

[AmerDem]

11. Right out of Rove's playbook.

When they feel their smear ads have done the damage wanted, they start heartfelt modesty game. Have a look for yourself.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/08/28/moore_rove_swift_boat/index_np.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. Pic=1000 wds.

[tuvor]

17. Karl Rove reminds me of that kid in A Christmas Story. n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

21. Peter Billingsly?

[tuvor]

26. Exactly.

[AmerDem]

19. That pic does say everything

doesn't it! Damn, I can't wait until this guy is investigated by the new Kerry administration!

[unblock]

12. had his unit been called up, bush would have been discharged

they could tolerate the joke while he was just a punk from a rich and powerful family. but when lives and equipment of the unit were to depend on him, they would have said enough is enough and given him a discharge.

[tuvor]

13. More bush hoodwinking!

"But the president told NBC's "Today" show that both sides should drop the debate over their wartime service, saying, "I think that we ought to move beyond the past. ... The real question is who best to lead us forward."

I'm positive I saw bush campaigning on CNN today saying the best way to know who was best to lead Murkah forward was precisely to look at the past.

I was gonna ask someone to corroborate, but you know what? It's just another drop in the bucket, small potatoes, whatever.

Spend the time on more constructive things, like getting people to register to VOTE!

[cmkramer]

14. The first Bush did the same thing to Dukakis in 1988

There were weeks and weeks of negative ads about Dukakis which he never seemed to respond to. Then, his campaign let it be known that he was going to go on the attack during the last debate. But Bush got to give the first opening statement, and he said that negative campaigning needed to stop and that they should just discuss the issues.

That strategy must run in the family.

[seabeyond]

15. not only more heroic, but bush there was no heroism,

he is implying that he had some heroism, kerry just had more. not only did bush not do anything heroic, we was wussy, coward and selfabsorbed and felt special and above the law

he was a drain on society

i am more herioc than bush

[JI7]

18. "more" heroic ?

as if there is anything heroic about bush.

[BootinUp]

22. well

He did say "Bring 'em on!"

I guess it wasn't too heroic, he was hiding when he said it,lol.

[snippy]

20. This makes me think that Bush is getting ready to release a new

Swift Boat ad even more sleazy than his previous ones.

[Neshanic]

23. Of course he is. His words are an innoculation for himself.

[bluedog]

24. When they Debate

I wish Kerry would pull a McCain..in front of the whole world to see..something like this.......

Kerry: Do you in front of the American public condemn the Swift Boat Ads and their Smear Campaign?...........Did you know your own campaign lawyer was helping aid this smear?.........

And now do you George W Bush regret getting our soldiers killed and many thousands(number).by invading a country that posed NO Threat to the United States!!................As you have stated it was a "Miscalculation........another word for Grave Mistake!

[ljm2002]

25. I like what another poster said...

...in another thread this morning: "It's payback time, and we'll decide when it's over." Link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x686664#686725

Read the whole thread, it's interesting.

We need to hit him and hit him hard with negatives regarding his own AWOL, missing records, wearing unearned ribbons, lies about having been to war, lies about how long he "continued to fly with his unit", &c &c -- hit him 'til it hurts. And then hit him again.

(edited to add link to the other thread)

[bluedog]

27. I know.drudge is running this bit...but look

closely at this statement from BUsh:

When asked whether there is anything in John Kerry’s Vietnam career that he thinks is relevant to this race, Bush tells TIME, “His service was honorable, as far as I’m concerned. This debate ought to be about who can lead the war on terror. And that’s where I’ll conduct it.


*********************************************************
I can understand why Senator Kerry is upset with us. I wasn’t so pleased with the ads that were run about me. And my call is get rid of them all, now.”



Upset with US!!!!!!!!!...He is just as close to admitting that his campaign is behind the swifties ads......

[snippy]

28. Very revealing slip of the tongue. Good catch. n/t

[girl gone mad]

29. Still lying.

He just can't help himself, can he?

He didn't fly fighter jets. He trained to fly them, then was grounded.