Ignoring the Elephant
Reported by Eleanor - September 14, 2004 -
On Studio B with Shep Smith, both campaigns were covered, with reference to the National Guard issue. Kerry was in Ohio talking about outsourcing, and Bush at a National Guard Conference in Las Vegas praising the Guard, and stating that he is proud of his service.
For about two minutes, Mike Emanuel discussed the doubts surrounding the CBS documents, citing a couple of experts who question their authenticity. Emanuel's bottom line: CBS stands by the story, and the experts believe the documents are 100% fake.
Carl Cameron said that both candidates are ignoring the "elephant in the middle of the room." The polls show Bush with a "solid" lead. There is no word from Kerry about Bush's National Guard service. Comments are lacking, or not explained, over the Guard being over-taxed and spread too thin. There is no reference by either candidate to the questions about the documents. The controversy threatens the credibility of both men, but it relates to the kind of commander-in-chief they would make.
Comment: Bush's appearance at the National Guard Conference is his statement about the issue, which Cameron chose to ignore. Kerry is talking about health and outsourcing, while Bush is talking to Guardsmen, and not ignoring that pesky elephant. A lesson Kerry could take to heart the next time the elephants sit in the middle of his campaign as they did with the swift boat story. Ignoring the elephant causes considerable damage.
