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Kerry's final mistake
Althouse ^ | September 24, 2004 | Ann Althouse

Posted on 09/25/2004 4:52:06 PM PDT by billorites

Here's what I'd like to read about the 2004 election: an analysis of what happened written ten years from now. Anything written today is part of the events themselves. Writing today, you're caught up in the event of the moment. I feel I've been remiss in not yet posting a condemnation of the Republican's ban-the-Bible letter. Writing today, you're influenced by a hope or fear of affecting the events. And you also don't know how things will turn out. You don't know who will win the election, whether some dramatic event will occur in October, and how the war in Iraq will play out.

I try to imagine how someone looking back on the election will analyze it. If Kerry loses, one question will be, what was the turning point? Did the Swift Boat ads set the campaign on a track that led to defeat, was it Kerry's own choice to make his Vietnam service the central argument that he should be President, or was it a mass delusion--Kerry is electable--that overtook voters back in the primaries? Another question will be: When could Kerry have done something to salvage his candidacy? And: What was the final, fatal mistake?

I'm writing today, so I have all the deficiencies of a person writing today, but I have a prediction of the answer to that last question. The final, fatal mistake was criticizing and contradicting Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi when he was visiting the U.S. Kerry is in a very difficult position needing to criticize Bush's handling of the war, because the criticism itself seems damaging to the war effort. Bringing Allawi to the U.S. and linking him to the Bush campaign message was a powerful political move by Bush, but it was not a checkmate. Yet it forced Kerry into a terrible blunder. The grisly takedown has begun:
BUSH: This brave man came to our country to talk about how he's risking his life for a free Iraq, which helps America. And Sen. Kerry held a press conference and questioned Mr. Allawi's credibility. You can't lead this country if your ally in Iraq feels like you question his credibility.

CHENEY: I must say I was appalled at the complete lack of respect Sen. Kerry showed for this man of courage. Ayad Allawi is our ally. He stands beside us in the war against terror. John Kerry is trying to tear him down and to trash all the good that has been accomplished, and his words are destructive."
And the Kerry campaign is now wasting a lot of breath pointing out that it is an election year and the President's conduct of the war must be open to criticism, but what can be said of the attack on Allawi? Kerry will never dig himself out of this one, I think. And any time he makes his old favorite argument that he is much better suited for interaction with our allies, his Allawi blunder will be thrown in his face.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: kerry; kerryiraq
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Wow.
1 posted on 09/25/2004 4:52:07 PM PDT by billorites
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To: billorites

I agree.

Rove will make sure Kerry doesn't get away with this.


2 posted on 09/25/2004 4:52:38 PM PDT by USA_Soccer (Try a better (free + open source) browser -> Mozilla Firefox @ mozilla.org)
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To: billorites
If Kerry loses, one question will be, what was the turning point? Did the Swift Boat ads set the campaign on a track that led to defeat, was it Kerry's own choice to make his Vietnam service the central argument that he should be President, or was it a mass delusion--Kerry is electable--that overtook voters back in the primaries?

Answer: Yes.

3 posted on 09/25/2004 4:56:02 PM PDT by Rubber Duck
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To: billorites

Please post ban the bible letter.


4 posted on 09/25/2004 4:57:35 PM PDT by pipecorp ("never know where you're going till you get there." the philosopher Insectus Harem)
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To: billorites

indeed: WOW


5 posted on 09/25/2004 4:59:14 PM PDT by King Prout (yo! sKerry: "Live by the flip, die by the flop." - Frank_Discussion)
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To: Rubber Duck; billorites
If Kerry loses, one question will be, what was the turning point? Did the Swift Boat ads set the campaign on a track that led to defeat, was it Kerry's own choice to make his Vietnam service the central argument that he should be President, or was it a mass delusion--Kerry is electable--that overtook voters back in the primaries?

Terry McCauliffe's decision to get the primaries front loaded this year. Kerry one the Iowa caucuses, because Dean was in free fall. No other candidate could catch up to Kerry after that.

6 posted on 09/25/2004 4:59:37 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Dan Rather's got to go!)
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To: Rubber Duck

The SwiftBoat Veterans for Truth hurt, but I think that Senator Kerry's response to Allawi's visit is more telling and damning.


7 posted on 09/25/2004 4:59:58 PM PDT by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: Rubber Duck

Note how the writer poses "IF kerry looses" he does not write "Bush wins."


8 posted on 09/25/2004 5:03:30 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! NOV 2, 2004 is VETERANS DAY! VOTE!)
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To: pipecorp

Link is in the original article.


Republicans Admit Mailing Campaign Literature Saying Liberals Will Ban the Bible
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

Published: September 24, 2004



The Republican Party acknowledged yesterday sending mass mailings to residents of two states warning that "liberals" seek to ban the Bible. It said the mailings were part of its effort to mobilize religious voters for President Bush.

The mailings include images of the Bible labeled "banned" and of a gay marriage proposal labeled "allowed." A mailing to Arkansas residents warns: "This will be Arkansas if you don't vote." A similar mailing was sent to West Virginians.

A liberal religious group, the Interfaith Alliance, circulated a copy of the Arkansas mailing to reporters yesterday to publicize it. "What they are doing is despicable,'' said Don Parker, a spokesman for the alliance. "They are playing on people's fears and emotions."

In an e-mail message, Christine Iverson, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, confirmed that the party had sent the mailings.

"When the Massachusetts Supreme Court sanctioned same-sex marriage and people in other states realized they could be compelled to recognize those laws, same-sex marriage became an issue,'' Ms. Iverson said. "These same activist judges also want to remove the words 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance."


9 posted on 09/25/2004 5:04:26 PM PDT by zeebee (John Kerry- whichever way the wind blows)
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To: zeebee
Republicans Admit Mailing Campaign Literature Saying Liberals Will Ban the Bible

Well it's already happening in other countries.

10 posted on 09/25/2004 5:07:22 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Dan Rather's got to go!)
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To: billorites
I think the final dagger to Kerry's heart ( assuming he has one) Would be SBV or another 527 putting something together about sKerry being in defiance ( insert Kerry / Noriega photo) of Ronnie R. putting the commies out of business in central America.
11 posted on 09/25/2004 5:07:33 PM PDT by DAC22
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To: billorites
A similar mistake was made by Kerry when he sent his sister to Australia to interfere with the reelection of PM John Howard. In his desperation, he's burning bridges almost on a daily basis.
12 posted on 09/25/2004 5:08:15 PM PDT by RedWireNut
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To: zeebee

What is the alarm? They have been baning the Bible for decades.


13 posted on 09/25/2004 5:11:01 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! NOV 2, 2004 is VETERANS DAY! VOTE!)
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To: billorites

In the 60's and 70's Kerry attacked the credibility of our South Vietnames allies and urged us to abandon them.

In the 80's he attacked the credibilty of our El Salvadorian allies and the Nicaraguan contras, and voted to abandon them.

Last year he attacked the credibilty of our coalition allies calling them the "bribed and coereced".

Now he is attacking the credibility of the new Iraqi government and suggests we abandon them.

Old dog, same trick.


14 posted on 09/25/2004 5:11:07 PM PDT by Hugin
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To: Paleo Conservative
Terry McCauliffe's decision to get the primaries front loaded this year. Kerry one the Iowa caucuses, because Dean was in free fall. No other candidate could catch up to Kerry after that.

I think that contributed, yes. It turned out the Democrat voters chose a man without a message running a campaign without direction.

But even if they hadn't been front-loaded, the primaries would still have been Democrat voters chosing the candidate.

There's no way they would nominate a pro-war candidate.
15 posted on 09/25/2004 5:12:48 PM PDT by Mike Fieschko ("How dare you question my [.*$]. Did you know I served in the Clone Wars?")
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To: Hugin

Allawi KO’s Kerry
Doug Giles

September 25, 2004

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/douggiles/dg20040925.shtml

It must have been tough for Kerry to watch his Democratic buddies give Iraq's Prime Minister Allawi standing ovations as he spoke to a joint session of Congress, Wednesday. Think of the anguish JFK, too, must have gone through seeing his liberal colleagues indirectly congratulate George Bush.


16 posted on 09/25/2004 5:12:52 PM PDT by USA_Soccer (Try a better (free + open source) browser -> Mozilla Firefox @ mozilla.org)
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To: billorites
I feel I've been remiss in not yet posting a condemnation of the Republican's ban-the-Bible letter. Writing today, you're influenced by a hope or fear of affecting the events. And you also don't know how things will turn out. You don't know who will win the election, whether some dramatic event will occur in October, and how the war in Iraq will play out.

Left wingers are a lot more likely to BAN THE BIBLE than the scare tactic results the democrats use against blacks and seniors
17 posted on 09/25/2004 5:13:58 PM PDT by uncbob
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To: Paleo Conservative
No other candidate could catch up to Kerry after that.

Errm, that's "ketchup."

18 posted on 09/25/2004 5:14:35 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew
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To: USA_Soccer

Would anyone have pictures of Dems applauding Allawi while the Lurch looks on?


19 posted on 09/25/2004 5:14:39 PM PDT by USA_Soccer (Try a better (free + open source) browser -> Mozilla Firefox @ mozilla.org)
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To: RedWireNut

Here is the irony, Kerry is burning bridges so he can go and ask the French for help and the french have already burned that bridge in front of him.


BTW all Dr. Strange love on TCM.


20 posted on 09/25/2004 5:16:16 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! NOV 2, 2004 is VETERANS DAY! VOTE!)
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