Morton Kondracke: Dems lead in '04 smear campaign

Naple Daily News ^ | 03/04/2004 | Morton Kondracke

[HJH207]

campaign By MORTON KONDRACKE, Newspaper Enterprise Association March 4, 2004

It's conventional wisdom now that this may be one of the nastiest presidential campaigns ever. But those keeping score should observe that, right now, the muddy epithets thrown at President Bush outweigh those thrown at Democrats by tons.

That's not the way things are being reported, though. The media seem to be uncritically accepting the Democratic charge that any criticism of Sen. John Kerry's, D-Mass., public record is "sliming" or "smearing."

But for months now, Democrats have accused Bush of being a "liar" who "misled" or "deceived" the nation into the Iraq war; a "usurper" who "stole" the 2000 election in Florida; "a right-wing extremist" on tax, social and foreign policy; and a "menace to the nation's basic liberties," owing to his employment of Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Former Vice President Al Gore said Bush had "betrayed" the country in Iraq. No major Democrat said afterward that Gore had gone too far.

Democrats claim that Republicans either have questioned or will question their patriotism in this campaign, but actually the only accusations of lacking patriotism have come from Democrats.

Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., when he was a candidate, said that Bush's Iraq policy was "anti-patriotic at the core." Last September, Kerry said that Bush "lives out a creed of greed for he and his friends" and that it was "unpatriotic" for Bush's "friends" (i.e., corporate executives) to move jobs offshore. It was a regular staple of retired Gen. Wesley Clark's campaign to say that Bush's policies were "not patriotic."

Howard Dean, when he was a candidate, charged that Ashcroft "is no patriot. He's a direct descendant of Joseph McCarthy."

After all of the Democratic attacks, I think Bush and his campaign should start devoting their energy and advertising dollars mostly to explaining his policies and re-educating Americans about basic economics and what it takes to create jobs.

When an incumbent president is up for re-election, the contest traditionally is a referendum on his performance and prospects. And, right now, many polls put Bush's public approval rating at the lowest point in his presidency.

On the other hand, the Bush campaign has every right to raise doubts about Kerry's record and programs, including on defense issues. And the media ought to cry foul when the Kerry campaign tries to put such discussion off limits.

Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter, for instance, said about criticism of Kerry's defense record: "These attacks and smears against us are just one more example of the fundamental need to change the direction of the nation from Bush's extreme agenda."

Kerry said in mid-February that "given the record of this administration and their stunning lack of vision, the Republican attack machine may well have no choice but to resort to smear and fear."

In a public letter to Bush last Saturday, Kerry implied that Bush was questioning his Vietnam service and said "it has been hard to believe that you would choose to reopen these wounds for your personal political gain."

In fact, the Bush campaign and the GOP have acknowledged time and again that Kerry was a war hero and is due honor for his service, but that his record on defense and foreign policy is open to criticism.

Indeed, it is. Kerry is on record as opposing the MX missile, the B-1 bomber, the Tomahawk missile, the Apache helicopter, the Patriot missile, the Harrier jet and the F-15 fighter aircraft and has called for deep cuts in the intelligence budget.

After Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie recited that list in a press conference last week, Kerry's campaign manager, Mary Beth Cahill, sent out an e-mail charging that "today, RNC chair Ed Gillespie made another desperate attack on the patriotism of John Kerry." It was no such thing.

Defending Kerry more substantively, Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., and former Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., claimed that Republicans were unfairly accusing Kerry of opposing such weapons systems because he voted against one Defense appropriations bill in 1991, at the end of the Cold War.

But as one of his own campaign press releases shows, Kerry favored all those cuts in 1984, long before the Cold War was over. He also supported a nuclear freeze that would have left the Soviet Union with a missile advantage in Europe.

And, in September 1995, Kerry introduced a deficit-reduction bill calling for the phasing-out of two Army divisions over a five-year period, cancellation of the Army's tank-upgrade program and five years of $300 million reductions in the intelligence budget.

Kerry has claimed that the Bush campaign's upcoming advertising campaign is code-named "Operation Carpet Bombing" and has charged this is somehow a slur on his Vietnam service.

In the first place, Bush ad guru Mark McKinnon denies ever hearing that term. In the second, the Bush campaign estimates that of the $6.7 million Kerry has spent on advertising during the primaries, 73 percent has been devoted to attacking Bush. Certainly, Kerry hasn't attacked other Democrats and they haven't attacked him, either.

Back in September, when I wrote a column lamenting that this could be the "nastiest" campaign ever, I anticipated that Republicans would help make it so by repeating their 2002 tactics against Cleland, who basically was accused in an ad of aiding Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden by voting against Bush's Homeland Security Department.

This hasn't happened — at least, not yet. Education Secretary Rod Paige referred to the National Education Association as a "terrorist organization" — clearly it was hyperbole, not a real accusation — and was carpet-bombed into an abject apology.

Besides that, no Republican of any stature has yet thrown what could even remotely be described as a low blow. If that changes, I'll scream. But so far, if anyone's "sliming," it's Democrats. And the media should call them on it.

Morton Kondracke is executive editor of Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill

[martin_fierro]

That Democrat primary was a love-fest. All they did during all those months was bash Dubya.

Kerry's in for an eye-opening.

[onyx]

Good post.

Ambrose, just like we said, "Mort will vote for GWB."

[Betaille]

I'm tired of hearing how bush is vulnerable on the jobs issue. As Jack Kemp said last night YOU CAN NOT CLAIM TO WANT TO BRING BACK JOBS, BUT BE AGAINST THE BUSINESSES THAT CREATE THEM.

[cripplecreek]

"Kerry's in for an eye-opening."

I couldnt agree more. It's looking like the 2002 season all over again. the vast wins predicted for democrats ended in massive failure instead.

Maybe its just me but it seems that democrats are still losing seats in state races across the nation. That cant be a good omen.

[anniegetyourgun]

Why would you think that? I can't ever imagine Mort abandoning his party - especially as wedded to stem cell research, abortion on demand, and homosexuality as he is?

[oyez]

With logic like that the Dems will be in a down spiral for a long time. Of course, as the country gets dumber at some point the majority of voters will not be able to recognize logic.

[Mo1]

But so far, if anyone's "sliming," it's Democrats. And the media should call them on it.

Hey Mort .. don't hold your breath on that one

[cweese]

...you got that right! i wonder when (if at all) kerry will start stating the issues (if any) that he will run on...

[HJH207]

Its time we here at Free Republic start fighting back. We need to flood CNN, ABC, CBS, the New York Times with emails about this type of biased reporting.

[jwalsh07]

Pretty honest reporting by Mort Kondracke. He's a liberal but an honest liberal.

[uncitizen]

Does anybody remember Mort way back in the early days of Fox News? He's moved quite a bit to the right since then. It's amazing what happens to a liberal when they are forced to shutup and listen to the other side of the story, as they are on Fox.

Even Alan Colmes doesn't seem convinced of his own stance anymore.

[Mo1]

We need to flood CNN, ABC, CBS, the New York Times with emails about this type of biased reporting.

We need to send emails of these types of articles to all our friends and families .. especially the dem ones

Because we can't count on CNN, ABC, CBS, the New York Times to report the truth

[GulliverSwift]

The media have been talking ad nauseum about Kerry's "remarkable" victory but in reality, the only surprise was his win in Iowa and to a lesser extent in N.H.

John Edwards never had the infrastructure to mount a serious challenge. He just stayed in the race to raise his name recognition. He never really identified any real issue that he disagreed with Kerry on other than the issue of protectionism. That was it. He never had a prayer the way he ran things. Nor did he want to.

[metoooo]

and some of the farleft claim bush murdered 20,000 women, children and old folks in iraq...

[Mo1]

Yes I've notice that .. As hard as they try .. there are times they just can't seem to follow the party line.

[metoooo]

and some on the farleft claim bush dropped 23,000 bombs on innocent people in iraq...

[twigs]

I agree with you that Kondracke is honest. And he's getting more conservative in spite of himself all the time. I think that is pretty much an inevitable consequence when you're really honest.

[onyx]

He's been disgusted with democrats for a while now. Do you not watch him on the Beltway Boys or read his columns?

Recall Mort was appalled by Madeline's statement in the green room before one of the news shows, and he's not recovered from that.

Mort is a decent democrat who's above the fray of "gotcha, down-and-dirty" politics.

Abortion and stem cell research do prohibit Mort and others from seeing the big picture: national security and a lame-ass, dangerous pol like Kerry.

If we had to depend on votes from Republicans only, GOP candidates would never win an election.

[onyx]

Does anybody remember Mort way back in the early days of Fox News? He's moved quite a bit to the right since then. It's amazing what happens to a liberal when they are forced to shutup and listen to the other side of the story, as they are on Fox.

Yes, I do. Your observation mirrors mine.

[ZULU]

So this is news, Konodracke????

The Dems are ALWAYS WAY AHEAD in smear tactics - which is why they win.

Smears are generally brief - they thus appeal to the mass of the American electorate which prefers not to be drawn away from their mindless sitcomes, ballgames, and other mundane events to read intelligent and detailed explanations and arguments.

The Repubs should take a leaf from their book - short, brief and biting.

[gov_bean_ counter]

A couple of days ago Crystal was complaining about the lack of campaign ads from the Bush camp. I believe it was Mort who told him to chill and there was plenty of time for the American public to find out "what's wrong with Kerry".

[twigs]

Abortion and stem cell research do prohibit Mort and others from seeing the big picture

I think that's more difficult with someone like Kondracke who has a wife who might have benefited from it. I know that it would be a lot more difficult for me. I think he's getting there, though. Fred Barnes seems to have taken him on as his personal project!

[twigs]

He has some problems on social and tax issues, but overall, I think he has a pretty clear picture of what is happening. He's got a good BS barometer. Honest Dems like Kondracke are probably Dems worst media headaches.

[onyx]

I agree with you about his wife, but I think Mort sees the danger in a Kerry presidency.

[Monti Cello]

SYNOPSIS: A BILL To reduce the deficit. DATE OF INTRODUCTION: SEPTEMBER 29, 1995 FULL TEXT OF BILLS 104TH CONGRESS; 1ST SESSION IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AS INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE
S. 1290
1995 S. 1290; 104 S. 1290
DATE OF VERSION: OCTOBER 3, 1995 -- VERSION: 1

SPONSOR(S): Mr. KERRY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget

excerpt (bold added):

(b) DEFENSE DISCRETIONARY.-The assumptions included in the conference report on House Concurrent Resolution 67 with respect to reductions in defense discretionary spending shall be assumed to include the following:

(1) Limit defense spending in fiscal year 1996 to $244,000,000,000, in fiscal year 1997 to $241,000,000,000, in fiscal year 1998 to $248,000,000,000, in fiscal year 1999 to $254,000,000,000, and in fiscal year 2000 to $261,000,000,000.

(2) Terminate production of Trident D5 submarine launched ballistic missiles after 1996.

(3) Phase out over five years the equivalent of two Army light divisions.

(4) Deny unemployment compensation to service members who voluntarily leave the service.

(5) Close the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, with the last class admitted in 1995 and all activities halted on that class' graduation in 1999.

(6) Rather than replacing or revitalizing existing Department of Defense Housing Stock, increase reliance on private-sector housing for military families by making service personnel eligible for a cash housing allowance regardless of whether they live in Department of Defense or private-sector units and charging market-driven rent for Department of Defense housing.

(7) Reduce the Intelligence budget by $300 million in each of fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000.

(8) Encourage private ownership of industrial assets used in defense production by granting the General Services Administration clear authority to negotiate sale of equipment to the holding contractor in situations in which continued Department of Defense ownership is not necessary, and by requiring contractors in the future to rent or lease such equipment from the Department of Defense if they demonstrate it is in the Department of Defense's interest to provide the equipment.

(9) Increase burdensharing by the Republic of Korea by requiring it to increase its contribution to include all payments of Korean won-based labor costs of local employees working for the United States military and support services contracts.

(10) Procure the most cost-effective mix of C-17's and commercial airlifters.

(11) Cancel the Army's Tank Upgrade Program and lay-away production facilities, deactivating but preserving the Government-owned tank manufacturing facilities.

(12) While retaining the number of nuclear warheads permitted by the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II (START II), reduce the strategic delivery system structure to 300 Minuteman III ICBM's, 10 Trident submarines each carrying 24 missiles with 7 warheads; 66 B-52H bombers, each carrying 16 warheads; and 20 B-2 bombers, each carrying 16 warheads.

(13) Repeal the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

(14) Terminate all funding for the Selective Service System except to terminate the program.

(15) Limit the mission of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization to Theater Missile Defense and Terminate its other projects.

(16) Terminate the National Aerospace Plane Program.

(17) Scale back weapons production and maintenance activities at the Department of Energy to support an arsenal of 4,000 warheads.

[anniegetyourgun]

Yes, I've watched his increasing ability to call it like it is. However, when push comes to shove, he'll hold his nose and vote for Kerry. We can't pick off votes from the dyed-in-the-wool Dems like Mort, who only claims to be a "moderate." Truth is, I am thankful for REAL moderates - those are the only votes that can be swayed.

[onyx]

We'll have to disagree. I am almost certain Mort wil vote for Bush.

[YaYa123]

Anytime a demo talking head says Bush is engaging in gutter politics and has "divided not united", the anchor or the republican talking head should demand an example.

But....I won't hold my breath waiting.

[anniegetyourgun]

If he does, he won't be able to admit it publicly lest he be ostracized by his media friends.

[onyx]

Unless he writes a book and wants to sell it to us ala Chris Matthews who "claimed" he voted for GWB in 2000. I happened to catch that Washington Journal appearance by Matthews and I nearly threw-up when he told the caller he had voted for Bush and not algore. Laughed my *** off over that one. I guess pandering runs in the veins of democrats.

[ghost of nixon]

I'm tired of hearing how bush is vulnerable on the jobs issue. As Jack Kemp said last night YOU CAN NOT CLAIM TO WANT TO BRING BACK JOBS, BUT BE AGAINST THE BUSINESSES THAT CREATE THEM

actually, you are wrong here - because the ultimate goal of liberals/socialists is for everyone to have a "job" working for the government or government owned "businesses".

[twigs]

I agree totally!

[ought-six]

There is nothing more intolerant, more hateful, more self-centered, more irrational, than a liberal Democrat. I am in my 50s, so I've been around for a little while. I'm a Vietnam vet, I've lived or spent time all over this country, and I've witnessed the transition of the "loony left" of the 1960s from an interesting, if unenlightened, fringe element, who were seen as an annoyance, but never taken seriously -- to the "progressives" of the modern Democratic party. Folks, even the liberals seek to hide behind their own idiocy, and now claim they are "progressives;" but no matter what they call themselves, they are leftist extremists to the core, and they now dominate the modern Democratic party. Never before in American history has a major political party been so consumed by, and enamored with, hate. The modern Democratic party is the soul mate of the radical Bolsheviks of the early 1900s; it is the twin of the Marxist-Leninists who morphed into the Stalinists of the 20th century; it is the Khmer Rouge painted with pastels; and its desired destination is the gulag of the soul. We are on the brink of a major political confontation, folks, and I'm not talking about an election. I'm talking about an all-out, bare-knuckled, violent, and bloody fight for the heart and soul of America, and it's just a matter of time before we hear the opening salvos.

[Ann Archy]

End Times for sure when even Mort Kondrake can see how awful the Dems are......End Times.

[Ann Archy]

Alan Colmes wife is Monica Crowley's sister....wonder if she is semi-conservative.

[MrConfettiMan]

A good article that can be summed up as follows: "Accuse your opponent of the very thing you are doing or are about to do." It's to the point now where any time President Bush highlights a difference with Kerry it's considered to be an attack. Nonsense.

[Bob]

Alan Colmes wife is Monica Crowley's sister....wonder if she is semi-conservative.

Now, that should make for some interesting family gatherings. :=)

[PISANO]

...epithets thrown at President Bush outweigh those thrown at Democrats by tons

You would never know it by listening to the news media or reading newspapers. To them it is just the opposite.

[Mike Darancette]

Kerry's in for an eye-opening.

MR. Kerry

Oooooo Noooo, W's Gonna Be Mean to ME

[xzins]

Kondracke is a democrat.

[BigSkyFreeper]

YOU CAN NOT CLAIM TO WANT TO BRING BACK JOBS, BUT BE AGAINST THE BUSINESSES THAT CREATE THEM.

Rather Kerry-esque. Taking two sides to every issue. LOL

[BigSkyFreeper]

But so far, if anyone's "sliming," it's Democrats. And the media should call them on it.

Fat chance that'll ever happen. The media's been piling onto it orgy-like. Witness today and the carping over a Bush re-election campaign ad that didn't even attack Kerry.

[HJH207]

That is great insight. I fear though we have seen the first shot. Howard Dean. When Kerry saw the straw in the wind he could not move fast enough to catch up. You are correct in say this is a fight for the very heart and soul of this country. And our side had better wake up!!

[uncitizen]

Alan Colmes wife is Monica Crowley's sister

WHAT! Alan Colmes has a beautiful wife then. Amazing luck. Well if she is semi-conservative she could be part of what is pulling him in that direction.