If, and that's a BIG IF, this story gets legs then it could prove to be worth at least 5% - 10% in the polls.
That sounds about right--5-10. The thing is, the support for Kerry is SO shallow that it's not going to take a lot to take the drive out of certain voters who sorta kinda but don't really support him.
For the sake of argument let's say there is nothing to this--OK, then, why the heck doesn't Kerry release that information? Let's say he DOES release exculpatory information--why did he let this story get so far? If he had this data, why not get it out in the primaries--why keep it secret in the first place?
No one who COULD clear up such a story would let it sit out there, waiting for a time like this.
It is a big IF indeed, but if it gets legs this will hurt him more than 5 to 10 percent. I think he would lose even Mass. It's not only about having a bad discharge while claiming he is some kind of war hero, it's about the coverup and having a Commander in Chief who had a bad discharge.
It's telling that Wade is clamming up.
I don't think anybody in Kerry's circle knows the truth about it.
You are way too gracious...1-2% in the polls MAX.
There's only one woman in the world smart enough to get this information into the right hands at the right time and she isn't Craig Livingstone.