Cheney on Kerry
Reported by Eleanor - August 12, 2004 -
Fox News Live (Aug. 12, 10:20 a.m.) covered a live broadcast of Dick Cheney talking to vets. Fox introduced the speech with, "Cheney is expected to make some harsh remarks about Kerry. Let's listen." (Surprise! They were absolutely correct about the "harsh" remarks.) Fox stayed with the speech at least 15 minutes, and repeated part of the video concerning a "sensitive war" to introduce a talk segment.
Cheney discussed Kerry's point that America needs more allies with "Kerry says America does not have allies." He interpreted Kerry's focus on the use of force as a last resort, as "Kerry says that by using our strength, we place ourselves in greater danger." Then Cheney presented the preemptive war on Iraq as "the use of strength to act against gathering danger, and not wait to be attacked." Cheney also ridiculed Kerry's use of the word "sensitive" when referring to war.
Cheney went through a long list of items about Kerry's "record" - with a republican slant. Then he talked about the Bush record with a discussion of mortgage and inflation rates and unemployment, with job growth being a challenge. Most of the focus was on tax cuts, saying if Bush is elected, they'll be permanent. Also, Bush will work on "lawsuit abuse." (That seems to be the Bush record - nothing about the lack of a way to end the war, the environment, health care, education, minimum wage, overtime pay, energy prices, the stock market - unless he covered these later without media attention - which would be the smart thing to do.)
Brigitte Quinn gave a "Kerry camp reaction" to the Cheney comment about a "sensitive war" with the Kerry camp saying that Cheney took Kerry's words out of context, distorting the message. Also, the president said "we must be sensitive about expressing our power and influence" himself. (I think it was in the "mission accomplished" speech. So the word "sensitive" when it comes to war is not unique to Kerry within the context of what the word was meant to convey.)
When Chris Henich and Richard Shenkman discussed this, Shenkman said that the war in Iraq can work against an incumbent. Brigitte stated that "some argue the war on terror and the war on Iraq are the same." Shenkman continued with "Americans want to see victory - they're hostile if victory is not delivered." Brigitte interrupted and went back to Henich who emphasized that Bush took the war abroad and not here. Also, the two wars are not "mutually exclusive." (Not anymore. The Iraq war brought terrorists to Iraq.)
Shenkman got 15 seconds at the end that started with "Kerry wants to be tougher and cleaner" but ended with "democrats are perceived as weaker on war than republicans." (Bingo! Republicans got the last word after all!)
Comment: I wonder when we'll see 15 minutes of Kerry or Edwards on the campaign trail on Fox, or any other network?
