It seems as if the media is getting alot of mileage for Bush's AWOL...

[Bread and Circus]

and actually turning it into a negative for a Democrat.

I mean seriously, it has somehow become a liability for
Clark because Mike Moore reminded us what a coward Bush is.

What country do I live in?

Land of the Free? Home of the Brave?

More like land of the complacent. Home of the ill-informed.
Ruled by cowards and professional liars.

Bush's AWOL status should be his Monica.

But where are the liberals and the Democrats on this? Only
Mike Moore has come out and said it. No one (even Clark)
is really backing him.

You can have this election if you want but if we can't stand
up to them on something like this then we are hopeless.

[patricia92243]

1. It didn't work for the Dems last time and it will not work this time -

move on.

[Bread and Circus]

6. No, why don't you "move on"....

That's the problem...we "move on" when we should be sticking
and fighting. It's a serious issue when the CIC is an AWOL
coward.

I don't care who wins the nomination...if we can't present a
real vulnerability about chickenhawk Bush, how can we regain ground?

[Warren Stuart]

2. Negative for Dems?

The fact that it is being discussed at all is a HUGE plus for the Democrats, the republicans are losing their grip. This issue was supposed to evaporate days ago, and it will shortly. But the damage will have been done. Drip, Drip and Drip.

[MoonRiver]

4. Yes, let the media keep bringing it up. * is the one who has to answer

the charges.

[Bread and Circus]

7. That's not at all how it is playing....

Why are we so complacent with being so passive?

[MoonRiver]

10. I'm not complacent. I think whoever goes after * on this one

has to bring out all the records and verify, verify, verify. Otherwise, you can imagine the resulting political damage. Confronting this issue should be through a concerted effort by Dem leadership. Also, it would be great if a liberal interest group could start running ads airing documentation proving *'s AWOL status. Believe me, nobody wants * out more than me. I also want that sorry %#@& held accountable for all his crimes against this country and the world.

[placton]

3. I disagree - a bit.

GOP stalwarts will not believe Bush is a deserter, evidence to the contrary be damned! Intelligent Dems like us are energized to vote for our candidate, no matter whether the Chimp is a deserter, AWOL, or simply an asshole (pick 2 of 3).

The key is this: MORON AMERICANS. These folks do not look at nuanced arguments - they only get "impressions" about the news.

Thus, when they hear "Bush is a deserter" that's ALL they hear. And the more they hear that, the better.

[cprise]

11. I agree with you

We can create an echo chamber of our own, and call the media's bluff every time they become incredulous over the AWOL assertion.

We need to keep drawing the media out, baiting them with the TRUTH. If we keep doing that and they keep having an allergic reaction, then people will learn not to trust them!

[papau]

5. Debate should be IS DESERTER OR AWOL RIGHT WORD - and media

wants to turn discussion itself into "kiss of death"

My read is that media will lose on this - and the best they can do is fall back on "we don't really know because of lack of paper" and then push the ignore button for the next 9 months.

However, some major media has broke ranks and will be running with this in the fall (or so I hear). It could be an interesting fall.

[MoonRiver]

8. I heard yesterday, on MTP I believe, that being missing from

one's military assignment for more than 30 days is considered desertion. If true, * IS a deserter because he was missing for more than a year.

[eileen from OH]

9. It wouldn't be a negative

If they wouldn't keep backing away from it. They DON'T have to say they believe it. But they SHOULD bring up the Boston Globe article and say something like "I don't know what's true, but this sure brings up a lot of questions that, to my knowledge, have never been answered. I would think that the President would want this cleared up."

In other words, they don't have to "own" it, but keep the question alive and put the onus on Bush and the media (ha!) to "clear it up."

As it is, they act bloody apologetic about it, which is what ticks me off.

eileen from OH

[Bread and Circus]

12. Exactly, excellent point Eileen, I am glad you get it....

obviously our party leaders don't