Brass Knuckles

The Kerry campaign has a new ad. It's just a short snippet of video from the 2000 debate between John McCain and George Bush when McCain rightly attempted to shame Bush's latest smear attack.

This new ad is a step in the right direction. It's the kind of tough, right back at you message that is needed to counter the Republican dirty tricks brigade. But more ads like this are needed. And they need to hit back just as hard. If the Bushies want to take the gloves off then Kerry needs to put the brass knuckles on.

Look, I'd much rather conduct this campgain solely on the issues. God knows there are plenty of worthwhile issues to debate. But if George W. Bush wants to get down in the mud then I say drown him in it.

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, this new ad is currently only running as an Internet ad. My guess is that the Kerry campaign is husbanding their resources and counting on free media -- news organizations and what not -- to push this ad even though it may never air as a paid advert on television. Probably a good idea to save their dough because there are going to be plenty more Bush initiated slime fests.

The sad thing is that shame did not work in 2000. And, it will not likely work now. Shame does not work because George W. Bush lacks the capacity for shame.

By the way, if you haven't seen the swift boat liars ad -- and you may not have since, despite the wall to wall attention, it's only airing in two states -- you owe it to yourself to watch the ad. This is the kind of vicious, emotionally shrill attack that your president, the shameless George W. Bush, supports.

Then, if you're not already sickened enough by the shallow, callow, bitter attacks, you further owe it to yourself to actually read John Kerry's entire statement delivered before Congress in April, 1971. If you do both of those things you can't help but note that

1. John Kerry did not impugn the vets who are mounting this vicious and dirty attack;
   
2. John Kerry's testimony, which these veterans feel somehow "hurt" "tortured" "betrayed" "dishonored" and "sold them out" is demonstrably, factually, and objectively supported by the record;
   
3. John Kerry was saying over 30 years ago statements which can apply equally to our civilian military leadership today.