Tests
This episode is a great test of how politics work in our country.
It is, first, a test of George W. Bush.
Bush claims that his highest priority is uniting the country in the war against terrorism. A president who would be a uniter and not a divider knows that cheap-shot politics can only further rend our nation and weaken his own ability to lead.
This is also a test for the media.
We see here a fascinating and ugly development in the politics of annihilation. A supposedly outside group raises money from close Bush supporters, staffs itself with political operatives close to Bush and the Republicans, and then puts up several hundred thousand dollars worth of television ads. This is, as one operative with years of experience in Republican campaigns put it, "a professional hit." Suddenly, questions about Kerry's service that were asked and answered months ago become big news again.
This is also a test of John McCain.
When he ran against Bush four years ago, McCain was smeared mercilessly. When McCain protested to Bush about the attacks at one of their debates during the 2000 primaries, Bush brushed him off. "John," Bush said, "it's politics."
McCain snapped back, "George, everything isn't politics."
McCain was right, and when he returns to the United States from a trip to Europe this week, he should stand up for that principle by suspending his campaigning for Bush's reelection until the smears against Kerry's Vietnam record stop. More than anyone, McCain is the person to make the case that slaughterhouse politics is particularly ill-suited to this moment in our history.
It is, first, a test of George W. Bush.
Bush claims that his highest priority is uniting the country in the war against terrorism. A president who would be a uniter and not a divider knows that cheap-shot politics can only further rend our nation and weaken his own ability to lead.
This is also a test for the media.
We see here a fascinating and ugly development in the politics of annihilation. A supposedly outside group raises money from close Bush supporters, staffs itself with political operatives close to Bush and the Republicans, and then puts up several hundred thousand dollars worth of television ads. This is, as one operative with years of experience in Republican campaigns put it, "a professional hit." Suddenly, questions about Kerry's service that were asked and answered months ago become big news again.
This is also a test of John McCain.
When he ran against Bush four years ago, McCain was smeared mercilessly. When McCain protested to Bush about the attacks at one of their debates during the 2000 primaries, Bush brushed him off. "John," Bush said, "it's politics."
McCain snapped back, "George, everything isn't politics."
McCain was right, and when he returns to the United States from a trip to Europe this week, he should stand up for that principle by suspending his campaigning for Bush's reelection until the smears against Kerry's Vietnam record stop. More than anyone, McCain is the person to make the case that slaughterhouse politics is particularly ill-suited to this moment in our history.
posted by Pamela J. Leavey at 10:50 PM
1 Comments:
interesting it was McCain who asked KERRY to take down the smear add about Bush that used only a part of that debate highlight. What you don't hear is that McCain was attacking Bush even after they had both decided to stop the attacks. It is always relevent to get the entire story. I do believe the honorable Republican senator from Arizona will be speaking at the RNC convention...not with his Vietnam buddy Mr. Kerry.
It strikes me as rather comical to hear all of the sudden protestations about the Swiftees. It seems to me that for the better part of two years some of the best "Professionals" have launched hit after hit aimed at the President. Does the name Geore Soros, or Michael Moore, Jesse Jackson, Jimmy Carter, Howard Dean, Al Gore, Moveon.org, not in our name, etc...ring a bell? It seems to me that when you spend 63 million dollars to slander, accuse, berate, belittle...and generally paint as a monster...The President who sits in office during a REAL( not like Bosnia) WAR...and he just takes it in stride, as he protects the very attacks that you launch at him. Then a little commercial gets some play...and people start to wonder about Mr. Kerry. Now it is time to stop the attacks?
Finally, The President of The United States of America is doing as much as he can to keep all of us safe in our country. We have brave young men and women who volunteered to do that job...and they are succeeding. Back here in the states you can choose to ignore the war if you want to...and your life won't end. George Bush was for the soldiers and for the very lofty and some say too idealistic idea of freedom for Iraq and maybe some day the whole Middle East. But as you protestors descend on New York at least you won't be in cages like the "dangerous" Republicans. No, you will be wandering the streets mingling with anarchists, and haters of all stripes, hindering the very law enforcement that is there to protect you from the terrorists that want to kill you because of who you are....enjoy, whoopie it up...but watch yor back!
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