September 2, 2004
WHENEVER THE SENATOR ADDRESSES VETS WE BEAT THE DOG:
Kerry Gets Mixed Reception From Veterans: American Legion members' enthusiasm wanes when Democrat criticizes Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and its aftermath. (Matea Gold, September 2, 2004, LA Times)
Although many of the American Legion delegates enthusiastically applauded remarks Kerry made earlier in his speech about the need for better veterans benefits, his criticism of the administration's foreign policy was received coolly and the audience was silent as he detailed his view of what has gone wrong in Iraq.
So he violated the tradition about not campaigning during the other party's convention in order to embarrass himself in front of another group of vets? Is anyone else starting to feel personally offended by how badly this campaign for our presidency is being run?
MORE:
Kerry's war stance turns off audience: Speaking to an audience of war veterans, John Kerry sought to differentiate his position on Iraq from President Bush's, but faced a chilly reception. (THOMAS FITZGERALD, 9/02/04, Knight Ridder News Service)
While the Democratic presidential candidate was greeted with a standing ovation when he arrived, and the crowd applauded as he spoke of the need to increase funding for veterans' benefits, the room was silent when he criticized the president. Many in the audience folded their arms across their chests.Posted by Orrin Judd at September 2, 2004 8:59 AMKerry was seeking to regain political momentum after a miserable month. His approval ratings have dropped amid harsh attacks on his Vietnam service record by a veterans group that he says has ties to the White House.
He went to the American Legion to criticize the Commander in Chief's handling of a war during the effin war?! He really is the perfect Democratic candidate this year. No one, me included, will think he lost because of his policies.
Posted by: David Cohen at September 2, 2004 9:24 AMWhat policies, David?
If Kerry had actually articulated some coherent policies (other than "me too" or "I'll do it better, although I can't tell you how or why") he might have had a shot.
The fact that he's still polling so close to the President, despite being one of the lamest candidates in modern history, suggests Bush's weakness.
But you can't take down a sitting president with "spitballs". (To paraphrase what will soon be one of the most famous lines in political history.)
Posted by: H.D. Miller at September 2, 2004 11:10 AM
>Although many of the American Legion delegates
>enthusiastically applauded remarks Kerry made
>earlier in his speech about the need for better
>veterans benefits...
Is this anything like "Vote for me and you get more goodies in your welfare checks?"
Posted by: Ken at September 2, 2004 12:14 PMKen, your tone is inappropriate. If one were to make a list of all the people who receive government largesse, in order of who should be lopped off first, the veterans are near the bottom.
Bush is not a great candidate, by any means. He seems tongue-tied and ill-informed from time to time. However, the Brahmin gigolo, Kerry, is tailor-made for him. The frozen tundra of Lambert Field?
Posted by: Bart at September 2, 2004 12:45 PMOJ:
Okay, I have to ask the question, however far-out: Could we possibly have a Manchurian Candidate on our hands here? After reading Rick Perlstein's book I thought there was no way anybody could outdo Goldwater in the bad campaign department -- although some comparatively recent Democratic candidates have certainly come close -- but Kerry really seems to be blowing the lid off the awful jar in every category.
The Manchurian thesis would also explain why Kerry has searing, vivid memories of nonexistent events -- Karl Rove simply dropped a microchip in his head.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at September 2, 2004 1:04 PMBart:
They're at the top. The VA system is a disgrace both functionally and as a democratic proposition.
Posted by: oj at September 2, 2004 1:18 PMMatt:
Except Manchuria, Pyongyang and Hanoi want him to beat Bush.
Posted by: oj at September 2, 2004 1:19 PMMatt: Isn't it "Frenchurian"?
Posted by: John Resnick at September 2, 2004 3:04 PM