Christopher Ruddy
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2004
Were off to the races. As the presidential race has become crystal clear, it will be Bush vs. Kerry in November 2004.
All the prognosticators seem to agree on one thing: This will be a close election.
So close it is also gearing up to be a mean one.
The mud seems to be flying already, just as Kerry has emerged as the presumptive nominee.
Already rumors about Kerry abound. While it is true that most of these have clearly emanated from Democratic sources (deja vu of Gary Hart and Bill Clinton during their Democratic primaries as well), Republicans and conservatives have been tarred with spreading the Kerry rumors.
Let it be noted that NewsMax is not in the business of spreading rumors or even reporting stories that deny them. Supporters of George Bush would be smart to stick with the issues and not meddle in the private lives of political candidates.
Clearly, such activities during the Clinton years not only backfired, they also were ultimately a diversion to the real scandals of those times.
When the Los Angeles Times tried to do a last-minute hatchet job on Arnold Schwarzenegger, the torpedo effort also backfired. Schwarzeneggers poll numbers actually rose after the Times published one nasty story after another about the Terminators Hollywood days.
With national security as the focus, Americans will ultimately decide on the man for the presidency who can do the best job in protecting them. Their voting decision will not be based on what type of whiskey the candidate drinks or what he does in his spare time.
By sticking to the issues, George Bush wins.
On the issue of national security, George Bush wins hands down. Sen. Kerry has vowed to return administration policy to the days when the U.S. government viewed Osama bin Laden as a mere criminal, not as a global terrorist. Such failed thinking led directly to Sept. 11.
In his Senate record, Kerry has demonstrated himself as a dove on national security issues and an ultra-liberal on almost all other issues. According to the American Conservative Union, Kerry is very closely ranked with Sen. Ted Kennedy in his voting record as one of the most liberal of senators. John Kerrys voting record makes Hillary Clinton look like Joe Lieberman!
George Bush, on the other hand, has governed as a hawk on national security issues and a moderate conservative on fiscal issues.
In the wake of Sept. 11, who would the American people prefer to be their commander in chief?
Clearly, on the issues Bush wins.
But the Democrats do not wish to campaign on the issues.
Some Democrats have raised what I believe are legitimate questions about President Bushs National Guard service.
And President Bush has answered those questions to my satisfaction. News reports and accounts of the men who served with Bush demonstrate that he fulfilled his Guard duty during the Vietnam conflict.
Raising questions is important and acceptable. But out-and-out smears are wrong, from Democrats or Republicans. Shamefully, leading Democrats have described George Bush as having been AWOL or having deserted his post in wartime.
Kerry, to his credit, is a certified war hero. That is his due, and critics who try to belittle his wartime service commit the same wrongs as Democrats who smear George Bush.
But Kerry has also sought to suggest that those who criticize his anti-war activities and his association with Jane Fonda are somehow playing the smear game. Sorry, Senator, your very public activities in opposition of the Vietnam War are fair game open to legitimate discussion and criticism.
But you have no need to worry, John Kerry. The American people are smart. Theyll judge you by who you are today and what you stand for. Thats why I think George Bush will win in November.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/2/18/233746.shtml
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2004
Were off to the races. As the presidential race has become crystal clear, it will be Bush vs. Kerry in November 2004.
All the prognosticators seem to agree on one thing: This will be a close election.
So close it is also gearing up to be a mean one.
The mud seems to be flying already, just as Kerry has emerged as the presumptive nominee.
Already rumors about Kerry abound. While it is true that most of these have clearly emanated from Democratic sources (deja vu of Gary Hart and Bill Clinton during their Democratic primaries as well), Republicans and conservatives have been tarred with spreading the Kerry rumors.
Let it be noted that NewsMax is not in the business of spreading rumors or even reporting stories that deny them. Supporters of George Bush would be smart to stick with the issues and not meddle in the private lives of political candidates.
Clearly, such activities during the Clinton years not only backfired, they also were ultimately a diversion to the real scandals of those times.
When the Los Angeles Times tried to do a last-minute hatchet job on Arnold Schwarzenegger, the torpedo effort also backfired. Schwarzeneggers poll numbers actually rose after the Times published one nasty story after another about the Terminators Hollywood days.
With national security as the focus, Americans will ultimately decide on the man for the presidency who can do the best job in protecting them. Their voting decision will not be based on what type of whiskey the candidate drinks or what he does in his spare time.
By sticking to the issues, George Bush wins.
On the issue of national security, George Bush wins hands down. Sen. Kerry has vowed to return administration policy to the days when the U.S. government viewed Osama bin Laden as a mere criminal, not as a global terrorist. Such failed thinking led directly to Sept. 11.
In his Senate record, Kerry has demonstrated himself as a dove on national security issues and an ultra-liberal on almost all other issues. According to the American Conservative Union, Kerry is very closely ranked with Sen. Ted Kennedy in his voting record as one of the most liberal of senators. John Kerrys voting record makes Hillary Clinton look like Joe Lieberman!
George Bush, on the other hand, has governed as a hawk on national security issues and a moderate conservative on fiscal issues.
In the wake of Sept. 11, who would the American people prefer to be their commander in chief?
Clearly, on the issues Bush wins.
But the Democrats do not wish to campaign on the issues.
Some Democrats have raised what I believe are legitimate questions about President Bushs National Guard service.
And President Bush has answered those questions to my satisfaction. News reports and accounts of the men who served with Bush demonstrate that he fulfilled his Guard duty during the Vietnam conflict.
Raising questions is important and acceptable. But out-and-out smears are wrong, from Democrats or Republicans. Shamefully, leading Democrats have described George Bush as having been AWOL or having deserted his post in wartime.
Kerry, to his credit, is a certified war hero. That is his due, and critics who try to belittle his wartime service commit the same wrongs as Democrats who smear George Bush.
But Kerry has also sought to suggest that those who criticize his anti-war activities and his association with Jane Fonda are somehow playing the smear game. Sorry, Senator, your very public activities in opposition of the Vietnam War are fair game open to legitimate discussion and criticism.
But you have no need to worry, John Kerry. The American people are smart. Theyll judge you by who you are today and what you stand for. Thats why I think George Bush will win in November.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/2/18/233746.shtml
