Project Fortunate Son

[Shuck and Jive]

Sludge reporting....

Dems are set to take to the airwaves anew with questions about President Bush's National Guard duty, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Candidate Kerry apparently has rejected former President Clinton's advice not to get further locked in a 2004 Vietnam quagmire.

"George W. Bush's campaign literature claimed that he 'served in the U.S. Air Force.' The only problem? He didn't," slams a new DNC press release set for distribution.

Dems will attempt to increase the heat on Bush ahead of his planned Tuesday address before The National Guard Association gathering in Las Vegas.



The coordinated nationwide effort this week by the DNC has been code-named "Project Fortunate Son."

"George Bush has a clear pattern of lying about his military service," DNC Communications Director Jano Cabrera blasts in the new release. "From 1978 to the present day, George Bush has refused to tell voters the truth about his service. It's time for the President to come clean."

"Flyers distributed to Texas voters during Bush's failed Congressional race say 'he served in the U.S. Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard.' But according to Air Force officials, Air National Guardsmen are not counted as members of the active-duty Air Force."

[Shuck and Jive]

1. I think this is a bad move.

I think Clinton's advice to move away from Vietnam to current issues was wise.

[liberal_in_GA]

2. This is only a good idea if

he uses *'s dishonesty about TANG to segue into his dishonesty about how he's running his administration. You know, the "character issue." I hope that's what they have in mind, instead of just striking a one-dimensional note about the Vietnam war.

[Shuck and Jive]

5. I'm concerned that this is becoming a fixation

for team Kerry when there are SO MANY OTHER ISSUES that the undecideds care about!

[liveoaktx]

10. Get over it and pay attention-Kerry constantly talks about other issues

and to imply otherwise is either disingenuous or a result of shallow reading.

[TheWebHead]

13. unfortunately the media doesn't cover issues that really effect people

health care, outsourcing (except Dobbs), avg wages dropping, environment, etc. The candidates are competing with the Scott Petersonization of the media and the Vietnam issue has the personal conflict drama and intrigue that policy talk can't break through with on television. It's sad, but it is the modern day reality of profit-driven media.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Yep

Liar then, liar now.

[Kahuna]

16. I agree. And I still don't know what they're waiting for.

nt

[shraby]

3. Kerry and Edwards ARE talking

current events and issues. This is a sideline attacking Bush where the hair grows short.

[TankLV]

19. Wrong! Hit them hard on their record of lies and hit them hard and hit

them again!

A bully will ALWAYS cry when you hit him back, no matter how long and how unfair the bully has been.

We should expect this.

They've had MONTHS of attacking Kerry on his honerable record and accomplishments, and now that he is finally defending himself - it's all supposed to be OLD NEWS!

Get real!

No matter what we do, they will try to minimize it and marginialize it.

We've got the TRUTH - THEY know it!

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO STOP - it is the time to TURN UP THE VOLUME!

Oh, and in case crybabies like you don't realize, and crybabies who have low posts and whose posts JUST HAPPEN TO DOVETAIL NICELY WITH REPUKE TALKING POINTS, Kerry IS talking about his programs and a whole host of other IMPORTANT things - but the whore media just doesn't seem to want to discuss any of this! Why is that?!

No, this goes to the meat of the matter - the pattern of lies and corruption of bunkerboy's entire life:

Where are the WMD?
Where is his service records?
Lied to us ABOUT EVERYTHING - here's MORE proof he's lied all his fucking life!

Awwww Shucks! my ass!

[annxburns]

4. Is Drudge attacking DU?

And trying to link it to the DNC? And then to Kerry?

Funny how he doesnt equate the Free Republic with the RNC.

Hey Drudge, if your watching. Go F**k yourself. You have blood on your hands dickhead. Not that a paid operative like you cares.

[KittyWampus]

18. Exactly... And The DNC Is NOT The Kerry Campaign.

[Doosh]

7. it's all in a name

"project fortunate son"

get it in the media, repeat repeat repeat.

beat it into the sheeple's head, bush is a fortunate son. And nobody likes voting for one of those.

[LunaC]

8. A Media Nudge

I sent the folloowing email to:

Keith Olberman - MSNBC [e-mail]
James Carville?Paul Begala - CNN [e-mail]
Bill Maher - HBO http://www.hbo.com/billmaher/ - Ask Bill
Jon Stewart - Comedy Central http://www.comedycentral.com/help/questionsCC.jhtml
Anderson Cooper - CNN http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?10

Let me know who else might be willing to cover this angle (and add your own emails to pique their interest.)

=========================================
This is a news angle/tidbit you may want to consider:

The recent expose' of Bush's military records begs the questions "WHY did he disregard a direct order.......WHY didn't he report for his physical?

What's yet to be revealed about the missed physical and the "missing months" in his military records is his participation in a communitty service program for an alleged cocaine arrest.

According to J.H. Hatfield's book "Fortunate Son", "Bush was arrested for cocaine possession in Houston in 1972" and he later "got off with a little community service at a minority youth center" known as Project P.U.L.L

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/10/18/cocaine/

Note that an AP timeline of Bush's ANG service reveals that in May-July 1973 he participated in non-flying drills at Ellington and worked at AN INNER-CITY POVERTY PROGRAM earlier in the year.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/consumer_news/9620322.htm?1c

So to answer the brand new burning questions of "WHAT did he REALLY do and WHEN did he do it?", The World's Shortest Blog offers this "One Simple Question" challenge: If you find your way into a public forum and ask Bush "How many times have you been arrested, Mr. President?" you can claim a bounty currently worth $1800 and growing as contributions are added through PayPal.

http://onesimplequestion.blogspot.com/

This would make for a great "running gag" as you track the Bounty's growth on a daily or weekly basis!

===============

Maybe the levity of "One Simple Question" will entice them to cover it.

[Machiavelli05]

9. I understand the strategy but wonder if it will be effective...

I think that IF the DNC can effectively make this a "sideshow" to attack Bush then GO FOR IT... but if it will be the primary focus, which like someone said it does seem to be a "fixation" this needs to STOP. The polling shows no one gives a damn about vietnam service - especially the VETS!

However, if they can blitz the airwaves right now and run ads on the economy, NCLB, security AND also one about his service I think that would be an effective campaign. And the advertisement MUST have CCR's song, Fortunate Son playing as the soundtrack.

[mfritz]

15. U2 and Pearl Jam have covered the song

The dems have a lot of musical talent on their side. They should get a star to cover the song and release it, with lots of publicity.

I know Pearl Jam and U2 have done the song already. But why not BRUCE!

[newyawker99]

17. Hi Machiavelli05!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[RoyalWickedness]

20. As has been stated previously

and far more eloquently, this is NOT about Vietnam service. It is about LIES, COVER-UPS, DECEPTION, and a privileged brat weaseling out of his responsibilities via favors from his rich and well-connected Daddy's friends. It goes to a pattern of behavior, a lack of character, and a failure of leadership that persists to this day. He lied about it then, he's lying about it now, and as far as I'm concerned, the Kerry campaign, the DNC, and whomever else wants to pitch in can't do enough to hammer the ever-loving shit out of this issue and FORCE the truth out of the ratbastardsonofabitch.

[Machiavelli05]

21. you may see it that way...

but, the majority of swing voters will not. Only the base of the Democratic party gives a damn... polling data backs that up

[LoZoccolo]

11. They're dogging us for having a coordinated strategy...

...just like they have when Grover Norquist holds a meeting every wednesday and saturday to dole out talking points and strategy.

[LoZoccolo]

12. More information here.

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Grover_Norquist

[mfritz]

14. Lyrics to "Fortunate Son" by Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR)

Right on the money, don't you think:

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
ooh, they're red, white and blue.
And when the band plays "Hail To The Chief",
oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no senator's son,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no,

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh.
But when the taxman come to the door,
Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no millionaire's son.
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no.

Yeh, some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
ooh, they send you down to war, Lord,
And when you ask them, how much should we give,
oh, they only answer, more, more, more, yoh,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no military son,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one,

It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate one, no no no,
It ain't me, it ain't me,
I ain't no fortunate son, no no no,

- John C, Fogerty