My opinion about the Kerry "affair"

[DannyRed]

First and foremost, my own personal preference for nominee is Howard Dean -- just to make sure that people know where I am coming from on that score.

Second, I have been and will continue to be highly critical of John Kerry for his political choices in the past few years. I recognize and salute John Kerry's stance on many issues, and his personal past history. John Kerry has been a good man and a good Senator, BUT I strongly disagree and criticize his votes for PATRIOT, IWR, NCLB, and some other issues that have been hashed out here on DU and elsewhere.

Third, I am still not satisfied witht the results of my attempts to clear the air on the whole "Osama = Dean" ad campaign that aired in Iowa, NH, and South Carolina...there were a lot of Kerry supporters and former Kerry aids and advisors involved in that, and it was dirty, dirty, dirty politics. I am not accusing John Kerry, I am just saying I am not satisfied yet.

Finally, about this whole Drudge, Intern, AP reporter, Affair, Africa business:

1) IF it turns out to be true, Kerry should drop out, now. Damaged goods.

2) IF it is false (which I think it is) then whoever spearheaded this smear should be drummed out of political public life, and should be sued for libel for all they're worth.

My personal opinion is that Kerry is innocent, that this charge is ginned up for two reasons: to weaken the presumptive frontrunner in the primaries, to smear Kerry in preparation for the General Election, and to take attention away from the burgeoning AWOL/ANG fiasco facing Bush....that hunt is leading in directions that are highly unsavory to the GOP and to all Americans. My suspicion is that Bush got busted for Coke and got his records scrubbed through the political connections of his father...there may even be some REAL skeletons in the closet...

HOWEVER, people are people, and people make dumb mistakes...Kerry may have done that. If he did, then he should not submit himself and the Democratic Party to a slimefest.

Let me repeat, if these charges are false, then DRUDGE needs to be put out of business, and the people that fed him this story need to be exposed and pilloried.

It may be that Chris Lehane is involved, that is one rumor...if so, he should be DONE.

It may ALSO be that other Democratic campaigns are involved...I have not seen it here yet, but I am sure that someone will accuse the Dean campaign of orchestrating this in an attempt to revive the campaign or to get revenge for the Osama ads. If THAT turns out to be the case, then Dean should be done.

As I said, I am highly critical of Kerry for political reasons....however, should he be the nominee, I will vote for him, much as I would prefer that Dean be the nominee.

If the charges are false, then the accusers and leakers and slimers should be destroyed.

If the charges are true, then Kerry should be ashamed of himself for being so politically stupid as to play those kind of games in this political climate.

Finally, for those who are freaking out about how we should "just ignore it because it is Drudge" -- I think you need to take a step back from simply defending your candidate, and remember that Drudge, for all his idiocy, and blatant political slimebag bullshit, has (unfortunately) INFLUENCE. Drudge is a major component of the RW slime machine.

That machine WORKS, regardless of how unclean, dishonest, or hypocritical it is.

We need to confront the reality of American politics - Ads with Osama were used to destroy Max Cleland and Howard Dean. Allegations of sexual impropriety were used to hamstring Bill Clinton, savage the Democratic Party, and kill Al Gore's candidacy in the cradle...if you refuse to recognize this and respond to it, it will get you again.

This may be an incredible opportunity, and here is how:

Drudge puts out a rumor floated by political operatives (probably in the White House or in the RNC). That rumor is false, and egregiously libellous. This is a chance to both DESTROY drudge, to set that bomb off in the face of those who planted it (like so: "They are afraid of Kerry and afraid of the AWOL/ANG issue, and they planted this slime to distract people...they lied, drudge lied, and now we all know it")...the result is that this may be "a bridge too far" for the RW slime machine.

That all depends on whether or not these claims have any merit.

I think they do not.

All the best to Kerry, who, while I disagree with his recent votes and actions, is a decent man who, while he did not get my vote this time around, and will not get my support in the primaries, WILL get my vote come November, should he be the nominee.