August 5, 2004

KARL ROVE, SUPERGENIUS:

McCain condemns anti-Kerry ads, calls on White House to follow suit (RON FOURNIER, August 5, 2004, AP)

Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry's military service "dishonest and dishonorable" and urged the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well.

The White House declined.

"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said in an interview with The Associated Press, comparing the anti-Kerry ad to tactics in his bitter Republican primary fight with President Bush.

The 60-second ad features Vietnam veterans who accuse the Democratic presidential nominee of lying about his decorated Vietnam War record and betraying his fellow veterans by later opposing the conflict.

"When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry," one of the veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad. Thurlow didn't serve on Kerry's swiftboat, but says he witnessed the events that led to Kerry winning a Bronze Star and the last of his three Purple Hearts. Kerry's crewmates support the candidate and call him a hero.

The ad, scheduled to air in a few markets in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, was produced by Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potham, the same team that produced McCain's ads in 2000.


Mr. McCain has not only gotten this little ad wide exposure on his own, but has now given the White House leeway to discuss it publicly and make sure everyone sees it.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 5, 2004 1:40 PM
Comments

That's one interpretation. Certainly having the main media cover the ad will give it more exposure. But given McCain's penchant for disagreeing with Bush it could simply be he is attacking Bush, not trying to help him.

Posted by: AWW at August 5, 2004 1:56 PM

In his own way, McCain is just as bitter as Al Gore (for having lost to that punk, Bush).

However, McCain would go a long way towards burnishing his credentials as a Republican if he just stated the obvious: Kerry's actions upon coming home were injurious to American servicemen everywhere (especially the POWs).

Posted by: jim hamlen at August 5, 2004 2:13 PM

AWW:

There is mo bad publicity when you want folks to discuss Kerry in Vietnam, which the Bushies very much do.

Posted by: oj at August 5, 2004 2:14 PM

McCain is no Machiavelli.He is the Republicans' John Kerry. A bit less dangerous yet even more sanctimonious. One can only hope that his goal was further noteriety for the ad. BTW, Mcain also served in Viet Nam and as we all know, if one served in Viet Nam, one is particularly qualified to, uh...constantly bring it up?

Posted by: Tom C, Stamford,Ct. at August 5, 2004 2:15 PM

You assume that liberal media would fall into the trap. If I'm the Clinton News Network, I play McCain's criticsm of Bush, but only mention that it was over a negative ad, criticizing Kerry's service. No need to replay such a slanderous add. The seriousness of the charge bit only applies when its Republicans who are charged.

Bush gets tagged by McCain,
Bush gets tagged as negative
No increased airplay for SwiftBoatVets

Posted by: AML at August 5, 2004 2:17 PM

"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said

What exactly is he talking about? I don't remember anyone claiming that McCain lied about his Vietnam service, or got undeserved medals.

Posted by: PapayaSF at August 5, 2004 2:47 PM

There were ads saying that McCain had been brain-washed in Nam which called him the Manchurian Canddidate.

Posted by: M Ali Choudhury at August 5, 2004 3:53 PM

Darn't it, a few weeks ago I was pushing McCain to replace Cheney (if it was necessary to replace Cheney, which it is not).

Well forget that plan, I think I will go with plan B, if I can figure one out.

Posted by: h-man at August 5, 2004 4:46 PM

How come when McCain bucks his fellow republicans by pushing CFR or insisting Kerry isn't really soft on defense, he gets all kinds of praise, but when he tries to stop Kerry's 527s from evading the CFR rules, or campaigns for Bush or tells Jimmy Carter to "shut up" he never gets the same praise for his candor?? For the same reason McCain keeps making statements like this, he only gets attention for "straight talk" from the leftist media when it's against republicans

Posted by: MarkD at August 5, 2004 6:36 PM
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