Kerry calls No Joy in ad war

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Kerry appeals for end to election advertising war

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1506&u=/afp/20040927/ts_alt_afp/us_vote_kerry_040927200607&printer=1

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LOL!

[ATFFL]

No mention of the MoveOn ads and such.

This issue was a loser for Kerry a month ago and it still is unless he joins Bush in calling for an end to all of the 527 groups.

[J. J.]

Has he struck his Tricolor and raised a white flag?

[Sam Spade]

[Lunar]

Remember to be respectful SamSpade, pictures like that kind of make discourse fall apart.

Anyway, yes, it is pretty absurd of Kerry

[A18]

I'm going to become a Democrat just so I can propose that as our official seal at the 2008 convention.

[Sam Spade]

Normally, I will always be fair and balanced; it's my nature.

I just think a response from Kerry about that issue deserves a response like this.

[King]

lol

[MODU]

It's the old "Do as I say...".  It was ok for Kerry to slam Bush, even during the primaries, for almost a year, yet when the anti-Kerry crew comes out, it's "This isn't fair."

Baby.

[J. J.]

How long has Moveon.org been running anti-Bush ads?

[J-Mann]

I wonder if Republican toleration of attack ads and negative campaigning doesn't stem from all the years we spent in the minority.  Could it be that Republicans got used to having the short end of the stick; being attacked, mischaracterized and whatnot?  I think this is a relatively new ballgame for Democrats to be attacked so harshly and to have the public so receptive to such criticisms.  Naturally, they don't like it.

It boggles my mind that Kerry persistently called for Bush to tell the Swift Boat Vets to stop their advertising...but MoveOn.org was alright.  He never made any mention of it.  The most ironic part of the whole back-and-forth about advertising that took place in August was that Bush managed to turn the tables on Kerry; though it was Kerry who was getting beat up by the Swifties, a headline read "BUSH URGES KERRY TO CALL FOR AN END TO ATTACK ADS".  

This just lends credence to the old maxim: I'm all for freedom of speech as long as you say what I want you to.  Too many Democrats are characterizing this election as "negative" because they don't like what's being said.  Welcome to the world of politics; it's a mean, nasty, low-down and dirty place.

[ATFFL]

J-Mann, that is part of why I cannot believe Kerry is doing it again.  He tried this a month ago and Bush turned it around on him like a judo master.  Why would Kerry try the exact some thing a month later?

[J-Mann]

J-Mann, that is part of why I cannot believe Kerry is doing it again.  He tried this a month ago and Bush turned it around on him like a judo master.  Why would Kerry try the exact some thing a month later?

He was also quite persistent in bringing up Vietnam, even though it consistently burned him.  This is getting into a little bit of political science theory, but, here goes:

I think Kerry has an active-negative personality.  The personality traits of presidents and aspiring presidents (in four categories variable on their passive/active and negative/positive traits) are open to interpretation, but Kerry is consistent with an active-negative type.  Richard Nixon is said to have been one, as was Woodrow Wilson.  James Barber classified presidents up till Reagan, and Wilson and Nixon were A-N because they were both very hard working and active, but their work was never enough.  It was as if they had something to overcome.  Wilson, perhaps trying to live up to his father's ideals; Nixon, trying to compete with the Ivy Leaguers in DC.  A-N types also cling to something desperately despite its failure.  This was the League of Nations with Wilson; Nixon insisted that he had no involvement in Watergate.  The A-N type, Barber says, is highly dangerous.

Now John Kerry can't give up on the simplest of things.  The Swifties attacked his service, then Bush trounced him on the issue of attack ads.  But Kerry insisted on continuing to talk about his service.  Now he's back on the issue of advertising.  It's as if he refuses to give up the issues until everyone sees things his way.  Even though harping on the same-old, same-old is not good for Kerry, he just can't give it up.