Kristol: The Last Refuge

The Weekly Standard ^ | August 9, 2004 | William Kristol

[mass55th]

Leopards don't change their spots, and hopefully the people will realize that about Kerry.

[RightWingMama]

What Bush needs to do is simple: make the positive case for his reelection--for his stewardship of the country since September 11, for the war in Iraq, for his overall success in the global war on terror. He should spend August making this positive argument, and mostly ignoring Kerry.

Exactly! He did that today in Springfield. Excellent speech.

[gilliam]

Bill makes sense.

[goldstategop]

I agree. At the end of the day, President Bush will be defined by the record he must run on. And its his best weapon against John F*ckin's resort to cliched sophmorisms and platitudes. The most powerful defense against liberalism is the sunlight of truth.

[ambrose]

Bush gave a speech today? Funny, but you wouldn't know by looking to the liberal media.

[gilliam]

Exactly! He did that today in Springfield. Excellent speech.

Speech is here:

http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,

[ambrose]

I think Bush should hammer Kerry in August, then go to his convention and demand that Kerry run a clean campaign and THEN go positive...

[gilliam]

I think Bush should hammer Kerry in August, then go to his convention and demand that Kerry run a clean campaign and THEN go positive...

Not sure how much he will need to do this. I have a feeling the Vietnam Vets will do it for him.

[skeeter]

Kristol's got a good point... being a patriotic guy I used to take offense at the phrase, but after last night I have to admit I finally understand its meaning.

[dawn53]

Exactly! He did that today in Springfield. Excellent speech

Yes it was.

And he will do that in the debates.

[OldFriend]

Nice to see that I was not alone in being angered by the speech.

And I thought the Klinton's were shameless. Seems it's an epidemic of epic proportions in the demon party.

[hershey]

Kerry can't admit he plans to raise taxes on the middle class, so economic pie in the sky plans can't be discussed. At some point reporters will notice this hole in his four year plan and start talking about it, so either Kerry finds a way to sell tax hikes to voters (unlikely), or TerAYsa buys him the presidency -- something she's already threatened to do.

[thoughtomator]

When Kerry was telling that "I was born in the west wing" story, I could have sworn he was going to say "I was born in the left wing."

[GailA]

How did he vote on Bosnia and Kosovo? We are still there...come to think of it slick willie said it would just be a SHORT term thing.

[southernnorthcarolina]

The title, and opening sentence, of the article refer, of course, to Samuel Johnson's aphorism: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Ambrose Bierce replied, over a century later: "With all due respect to the enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit that it is the first."

Whichever (if either) definition you like, I think most would agree that the use of patriotism by the likes of John Kerry is particularly stomach-churning.

[GailA]

Made me want to puke to see the people who hate our Flag, hate America and hate GW wrap themselves in that Flag they want to burn and trample under foot.

[Rokke]

I don't like Kristol. But after reading this, maybe I should just avoid listening to him, and stick to reading him.

[goldstategop]

Now patriotism is the last refuge of liberal cowards.

[OldFriend]

Kerry made a vicious speech on the senate floor AGAINST the amendment to protect the flag.

Said it put us in the company of Sudan, etc.........

Suddenly, he loves Old Glory.......I DON'T THINK SO.