Gasp : Joan Vennoachi gets it

[Mass]

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/11/04/on_kerry_bush_gets_assist_from_democrats/

On Kerry, Bush gets assist from Democrats

By Joan Vennochi | November 4, 2006

GEORGE W. BUSH still has the power to make Democrats quake.


The president earns dismal marks for job performance, according to recent polls. His unpopular Iraq war policy stands to turn voters against Republican candidates across the country.

Yet even with the presidential juice at low octane, some Democrats swiftly echoed the White House talking points after John Kerry bungled a bad joke. Kerry, a decorated combat veteran, insulted the US military, they insisted; he must apologize.

...

ll the outrage was aimed at Kerry, making it "mission accomplished" for the White House. In this case, the GOP got an assist from Democrats such as Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, who has an eye on 2008; Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut; Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana; Representative Harold Ford Jr., a candidate for US Senate in Tennessee; Claire McCaskill, a candidate for US Senate in Missouri; and Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago. Deval Patrick, the Democrat running for governor of Massachusetts, said of Kerry's remark, "I think he knows it was a dumb comment and has said so."

Some Democrats defended Kerry, including Bob Casey Jr., who is running for US Senate in Pennsylvania. Naturally, Casey's opponent, incumbent Senator Rick Santorum, blasted him for displaying the kind of loyalty Republicans reserve for politicians who botch wars, not jokes.

The more timid Democrats were afraid the White House-stirred Kerry controversy would dash the party's hopes for Tuesday's congressional elections. Yet a Democracy Corps survey of 1,200 likely voters, released Nov. 2 by Washington-based Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, indicates the fears are groundless. Four-hundred interviews were conducted after two news cycles of Kerry stories and "the story has not helped Republicans," the pollsters said. Voters are focused on Iraq as a reason to vote for a Democrat. "The trends on Iraq promise disaster for the Republicans," the pollsters conclude.

...
But Kerry's fellow Democrats are even sadder than he in their willingness to cut and run from their presidential nominee of just two years ago. Democrats are supposedly on the cusp of regaining power in Washington. If it happens, it will be because the public lost faith in Bush and one-party control. Democrats did not lead the way; they followed the people and the polls. Even today, they seem terrified of standing up to an unpopular president and much-diminished GOP.
...

Sure, it is a mixed bag when she speaks of Kerry, but she gets what was fundemmentally wrong with the Democrats' answer.

[MBS]

1. Miracles do happen! n/t

[karynnj]

2. Hard to believe that she wrote this -

She is on target that Democratic strategists and politicians who opted to run away from this were lame. Senator Kerry's record on whether he cares for veterans is strong.

They are either stupid or they were more concerned with strengthening Kerry than either furthuring Iraq policy or 2006. If it's the former, it's not just the Republicans waiting out the election who are immoral. I hope others follow Vennochi.

[MBS]

3. I just read the whole article

As Mass said, she's pretty much her old self when she talks about Kerry, even as she's, for once, right on target about the cowardly Dems.
I just sent a LTE to the Globe to straighten her out a little. Will be interesting to see if they publish it.

[karynnj]

7. Her Kerry comments were mixed

The first part - the summary of what happened was fair and decent. The later part misses that Kerry was out working on 2006 and speaking about Iraq now. Apparently she missed his Iraq plan and the Real Security speech which was given in the far away city of Boston.

I don't know if he looks like he needs a hug - or if it's that enough people connected personally enough that his being out there makes them want to hug him. I think that means he connected.

editted to add: after her comments of Kerry looking back to 2004, look who steals and fails to attribute an analogy:

"The GOP huffs and puffs like the Wizard of Oz. Even after the curtain is pulled back to reveal Karl Rove feverishly revisting Lee Atwater's playbook, Democrats are still the cowardly lion."

[ProSense]

4. Exactly!

Their timidity allowed the GOP to become empowered (albeit gloating) by a stupid smear, which could have been easily debunked. The fact that the American Legion invited only Repubs (Rice and Rumsfeld) to their convention should have been an indication that this was all about politics and the war! Kerry came out with a strong statement with plenty of info that they could have used to push back, but instead of repeating his words, they chose to repeat the RW meme.

[karynnj]

5. But, Prosense, Wasn't it Bill Clinton who taught us how to fight back?

After all, he was able to push Chris Wallace around. He only had the protection of being an ex-President which certainly would constrain even a Fox journalist in person. Where has that world class fighter who just a month ago lectured the party on this been?

This was a real attack - not a made for TV one. Kerry fought back beautifully although now his party has tied both his hands behind is back.

[ProSense]

6. Excellent point! n/t

[sandnsea]

8. Every freakin' body gets it

Except our stupid Hillary Democrats who sent the message to Republicans that we're STILL willing to let our own be swiftboated.