Republican Messages of the Day
Reported by Eleanor - August 18, 2004 -
Fox & Friends (Aug. 18, 7:00 a.m.) discussed three talking points today - al Sadr must surrender, the ad wars are working against Kerry, and a terror director too close to the president might not be a good idea.
Najaf - Al Sadr has a few hours to surrender or else. (We aren't quite clear as to what the "or else" is.) E.D. makes the astute observation that some people in the Middle East might not want our kind of democracy, or any democracy at all. Countries around Iraq that might not want democracy are cited. (As if this is a new idea? Or maybe preparation for things not going as planned?)
Intelligence Hearings - This discussion focused on Rumsfeld and his budget loss of $8 billion if the new Terror Director is given budget control. We don't want to make a "major change for political reasons." Competition creates additional bureaucracy. Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska said that bureaucracy always has an agenda, and he is "open minded" about whether or not the new director should be in the White House, but for now he feels he should be there. E.D. Hill, rather than asking the question, said that she feels if the director is "too close to the President, he will be under undue influence." (She got in her talking point for the day with that one.) Nelson indicated that we can't make the position freestanding, and how the position relates to the White House is a key issue. The report focuses on the needs following 9/11, "not on what we need today." 9/11 families say three-five years is too long for implementation. It's already been three years.
Political Ads - Ads saying, "We don't want John Kerry as commander-in-chief are very successful. Independent voters are questioning his purple heart." Kerry says to stop airing the ads, but the president can't stop them. "The ad might move 10-15% of independents into the Bush camp." The MoveOn ad calls the president a deserter .... under his Dad's influence. "Kerry started it by making Viet Nam the centerpiece of his campaign. Neither has control."
Comment: The "centerpiece of his campaign" phrase has been repeated on Fox for the last few days. The message is that Kerry invited this vitriolic character assassination by publicizing his medals and injuries in Viet Nam. He's proud of his service and put it forward as demonstrating leadership ability. Therefore, the opposition has a right to say whatever they want since Kerry's military history threatens Bush's image as the stronger leader. Also, they're speaking of Bush's lack of service in Alabama and Kerry's service in Viet Nam as comparable targets for attack, as if they're equal. The entire point is to negate any perception of a Kerry leadership advantage over Bush due to Kerry's commendable service versus Bush's escape from service in Alabama, or wherever he might have been, since some of the records are missing. Bush certainly wasn't in Viet Nam with bullets flying around him, while saving people's lives.
