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Dumb strategy!

He's rattled and responding without really thinking it through.

Look at this quote, he can't even answer the allegations without dredging up Vietnam again:

"But Kerry had settled upon a strategy that he says he firest learned in Vietnam.

"When you're under attack," Kerry said in his speech yesterday, "the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attack."

"There were a number of us who were following it closely and trying to measure it and you don't want to react and give a story more legs than it is entitled to. But when it became clear the story did have legs -- once I reached the conclusion it wasn't going to blow over -- I did express the opinion that we have to respond."

Modern presidential campaigns do not make life or death tactical about faces because a story has "legs." Nor is such a decision normally made on whim, even the whim of the candidate himself unless it is spontaneous. I believe Kerry and his staff have thoroughly thought the dangers of this counter attack through. This about face could only have come as a result of internal polling numbers.

The New York Times, the parent paper, which no doubt shares the same sources within the Kerry campaign, said this:

Senior Democrats, including some inside the presidential campaign, have urged Kerry to respond forcefully to the criticism, fearing that if left unanswered, it could hamper his quest for the White House

This is an extremely risky strategy for Kerry. He would not embark upon it unless he had to and he knows he has to because he has seen polling data. I do not credit the explanation that he is reacting emotionally to the disrespect he caught at the VFW convention. It is conceivable that he is laying a trap for either Bush or the Vets. It is probable that he has made a calculation that he will get sufficient cover from the MSM to finesse the risks.

Bush himself should not attempt to exploit this opening. But surrogates can and should. Kerry has invited debate, Bush should not take the bait but O'Neill can demand a debate and when Kerry declines, as he will, the attack can continue that now Kerry is hiding himself as well as his records. This is not to say that O'Neill is a surrogate. He has a good bio, by the way and presents himself quite well.

""When you're under attack," Kerry said in his speech yesterday, "the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attack.""

Based on what really happened that should read, "When you think you're under attack, the best thing to do is run like a little girl."