 2004 Presidential Election
The controversy over the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads has been circulating around the blogosphere for quite a while now. Senator Kerry decided this week to fight their allegations.
Here's a post from Blogs for Bush on the subject. They write, "Kerry's campaign is unravelling because a couple hundred mostly obscure guys with only a few hundred thousand dollars at their disposal made some accusations. Normally, this shouldn't matter. In fact, I bet that there are several similar groups of people out there in the anti-Bush camp trying to do the same thing - but it doesn't work, because President Bush is somebody; he's not an empty vessel in which Republicans place whatever seems nice at the time. Kerry is going to lose this election - he will lose because he doesn't have a worldview he can present to the American people and defend in open debate. The coming Democratic debacle will be traced directly to the senior Democrat's insistence upon form over substance - their absurd belief which stems from the Reagan era that it doesn't matter what you are, but only how you market yourself."
Josh Marshall has this to say, "Amazing. President Bush isn't even man enough to answer a straight question about these Swift Boat ads. (You'll have to pardon my antiquated and gendered language. But I'm not sure English has any more presentable way to convey the same meaning.) Not only will Bush not answer them. He won't even let his press secretary do so. As we've noted, these ads are funded by the president's financial backers, put together by his political associates from Texas, and obviously meant to support his campaign."
Marshall is pointing to a Washington Post article about the controversy.
And yes, much of the public is watching the Olympics and not paying attention. From the Denver Post, "Michael Phelps doesn't mind making history while sitting in the stands. The man who dominated the attention at the Olympic pool gave up a coveted spot on the 400-meter medley relay team to Ian Crocker. Call it a gift from a teammate. Phelps equaled Mark Spitz's record of four individual swimming gold medals Friday night by holding off Crocker in a thrilling finish of the 100-meter butterfly." 
Electoral-vote.com" "Yesterday we had a University of Cincinnati poll in Ohio putting Kerry 2% ahead. Today we have a Strategic Vision poll putting Bush 4% ahead. Both polls were taken in the same time period, so they will be averaged, giving Bush a bare 1% lead in Ohio, well within the margin of error. A new American Research Group poll of New Mexico puts Kerry ahead there 49% to 42%, more in line with what we have been seeing there in recent weeks. I think the tie that Rasmussen saw was probably just an outlier. I also have my doubts about the tie in Colorado. Finally, According to a new American Research Group poll, Kerry's lead in Michigan has been reduced. The score there is Kerry 48%, Bush 45%, Nader 1%."
Rasmussen Reports: "The latest Rasmussen Reports survey of Colorado voters shows Bush and Kerry tied at 47%. Our previous survey in the state, conducted in April, found President Bush with a five-point advantage, 49% to 44%. Four years ago, Bush won Colorado by nine points over Al Gore, 51% to 42%." Thanks to Colorado Luis for the link.
Josh Marshall quotes an article from the Chicago Tribune about William Rood. From the article, "The commander of a Navy swift boat who served alongside Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry during the Vietnam War stepped forward Saturday to dispute attacks challenging Kerry's integrity and war record. William Rood, an editor on the Chicago Tribune's metropolitan desk, said he broke 35 years of silence about the Feb. 28, 1969, mission that resulted in Kerry's receiving a Silver Star because recent portrayals of Kerry's actions published in the best-selling book 'Unfit for Command' are wrong and smear the reputations of veterans who served with Kerry."
7:51:08 AM 
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