NYT: Bush Campaigns Amid a Furor Over Ads

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush Campaigns Amid a Furor Over Ads
By RICHARD W. STEVENSONand JIM RUTENBERG

Published: March 5, 2004


SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 4 — President Bush completed the second day of a campaign swing through California on Thursday, with pointed emphasis on his credentials as commander in chief and a robust defense of his tax cuts.

But throughout the day his aides were scrambling to counter criticism that his first television commercials crassly politicized the tragedy of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The criticism — from a firefighters union, relatives of victims and allies of Senator John Kerry — put the Bush campaign in an uncomfortable position at a time when it had hoped to begin defining the incumbent in contrast to his challenger. Mr. Bush's father had followed a similar strategy, flying into Bill Clinton territory in Arkansas in March 1992, before Mr. Clinton had nailed down the nomination.

On Thursday, the Republican counteroffensive began with Mr. Bush's former communications director, Karen P. Hughes, who appeared on all the major morning news programs and defended the commercials that were first broadcast that day. Two of them show the charred shell of the World Trade Center, and one also shows firefighters removing shrouded remains from ground zero.


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/politics/campaign/05BUSH.html

[JNelson6563]

1. Keep them on the defense

That is the way to seize control of this election season and frame the debate. We have the advantage and we deserve to lose if we don't make good use of it now and here on out.

It'd be nice to see a coordinated effort starting today.

Julie

[onehandle]

2. Good. The death monger in chief deserves no less. nt

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. What I like

is the fact it isn't just one group attacking these ads. It is several groups and individuals. Somehow hearing from a WTC widow or widower saying that Bush is desecrating a grave hits home-and it is true. Wonder when they will pull the ads? Or will they be so arrogant and insensitive that they'll keep airing them?

[Malva Zebrina]

4. "Pointed emphasis on his credentials as Commander in Chief"

sounds to me like he is on the defensive there also.

President Bush has not treated the people of NY kindly--in fact, it seems to me he has been rather disdainful and arrogant toward them--but that's not new--

[kutastha]

5. Bummer for them

If he can't sensationalize 9/11 to try tomake himself look good, what the hell else is he going to do?

They've got nothing else. The furor over this will be nothing compared to his stunt at the convention.

[PATRICK]

6. IF we can give them credit

for something besides arrogant incompetence perhaps this is an aggressive attempt to see what they CAN hijack outrageously without getting so much reaction it backfires. How much can they get away with before the ad becomes less effective than whatever protest ekes out through the slanted the media?

Maybe they can even try to roil the firefighters among whom there may be at least one avid Bush supporter.

These are testing shots after all, testing our strength. We can't force retractions after all, and such retractions easily compare to the unsatisfying corrections that appear at the back of the paper.

[July]

7. I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday's NYT analysis of the ad

There was a box with description, assessment of accuracy, and short analysis. Under "Accuracy" the comment was, if I remember correctly, "No verifiable claims are made in this ad."

Says it all. Just a bunch of supposedly feel-good posturing. All the verifiable claims Bush might make would make him look bad, so he's stuck with the BS. Which also makes him look bad.

[jmatthan]

8. The Democrats should use the image of Bush

hiding in the classroom when AMERICA WAS UNDER ATTACK!!

As Bush has used these images of 9/11 in his campaign there can be no limit to what the Democrats can use about 9/11 and Bush.

That would nail him properly to the correct board.

Jacob Matthan
http://www.findians.com/educated.html
Oulu, Finland

[kanrok]

9. First point out that he took the WHOLE month of August 2001 off

on the "ranch" clearing brush, at Camp David golfing with his father, and otherwise "protecting" us from an imminent attack. What a tool.

[catmandu57]

10. A map with a timeline

showing crusader bunnypants and airfarce one's destinations on 11 sept. 2001 would make a good commercial. While America suffered it's worst attack ever, g.w. bush hid in a hole.

[boobooday]

11. I'm so glad

That his usual exploitation tricks are finally backfiring!!!

We have seen the Wizard's naked butt, and it ain't pretty.

http://www.wgoeshome.com