Neither Vietnam nor Bush's adventures in TANG are relevant issues today!

[IndianaGreen]

The real issue is what Bush has done, or failed to do, since January 20, 2001. Everything else, from Vietnam to TANG, are totally irrelevant to the issues our country is facing today.

Now, if you guys want to consume all of your spare time talking about a criminal war that ended 35 years ago, Bush's adventures in the TANG, and Kitty Kelley's latest muckraking masterpiece, then be my guest. I will caution you that none of that will gain you one vote in November, and may in fact lose you some because of the distraction it entails.

Now, let's discuss our exit strategy for Iraq vis-a-vis Bush/Cheney...

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. Impossible to separate ANY past actions from a judgement on someone

the past is prologue, and besides, it's all about "character".
Sorry.

[no name no slogan]

8. True, but...

why did Kerry spend more time at the DNC talking about those four months he was a swift boat skipper than he did talking about his nearly 20 year career as a US SENATOR?

These smear issues do NOTHING to get voters out-- in fact they repress voter turnout, which is always a bad thing for Democrats.

I'm in a swing state, and I have yet to see a Kerry or 527 commercial that touts his Senate career. By focusing on who's better on the "war on terra", he's playing right into Rove's hands.

By not talking about his Senate record, it's as if he's ashamed of what he's done for the last 20 years. Why doesn't he talk about THAT experience, rather than what he did 35 years ago?

[Mr_Spock]

2. If he hadn't avoided the Vietnam war, he might understand why the

aweful killing he is doing now is SO wrong.

I hate his guts.

[girl gone mad]

3. What is relevant..

is the cover up, the fact that he still has not told the truth.

He proclaims himself to be a born again Christian, yet he never owned up to his sins.

It is relevant, because it is a pattern of behavior that continues to this day. He behaves recklessly, but he never admits mistakes and others cover for him.

[TankLV]

4. It's already started to work - bunkerboy's numbers are tanking fast.

Didn't begin to happen until we started proclaiming all these new FACTS that are EXTREMELY RELEVANT that CONFIRM a pattern of LYING, and nicely illustrate how this lying scumbag, who did everything he could to avoid service, is perfectly EAGER to send others to die and sacrifice for things HE WAS UNWILLING TO DO!

THAT IS A VERY PERTINENT POINT!

THAT IS WHY THIS STORY GOES TO THE "HEART" OF THE ISSUES!

[LisaL]

5. It may be true

but I also think it goes to his character or lack thereof from way way back.

[xray s]

6. Kerry had no choice but to bring it up

Bush was going to bring up Kerry's congressional testimony about Vietnam. No doubt about it.

Kerry's Vietnam service strenghtens his hand as a Vietnam war critic and puts it in context. If Kerry didn't bring it up first, Bush would have waited until late September to launch the SBVFT ads, which would have caused Kerry to scramble into a defense just before the debates. Game, set, match.

So its all been an excercise in flushing out the enemy early. Taking your hits and mounting the counter attack on safer ground.

But it is time to turn our sites to the real issues. And I think the campaign is doing just that. Just before the debates. Which is good timing. Perfect, actually.


Oh, and I think it is getting obvious that active duty military families are being targeted by the Kerry campaign. And I think that is a good strategy too.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. I keep saying they launched it too early

and it becomes more apparent they did.

[AuntPatsy]

9. I believe there was really no right or wrong time to bring nam

up, I believe anyone with a lick of sense would realize that after the McCain tragedy, they loved to play that particular card, Kerry had not choice and frankly, no right time, the attacks would have come sooner or later...

[xray s]

11. That's why they had to attack Kerry's service first

Rove really wanted to just bring up the antiwar testimony, and bring it up later in the campaign. But after the DNC, he first had to knock out Kerry's war record, to discredit the context from which he made his testimony.

Now, the SBVFT ends up looking like a smear job full of liars. It's still red meat to the party faithful, but doesn't get traction with the middle.

Situation neutralized, heading up river for the final show down.

[AuntPatsy]

12. A great line, I loved it......Needed repeatin'

"Situation neutralized, heading up river for the final show down."

[dumpster_baby]

10. Kerry probably saving thaf for the final lap kick

don't worry