Another good point. I am finding a ton of good stuff tonight. Polipundit
Return Of The Clinton Attack Machine
Sometimes I feel like Betsy Newmark and I are sharing a brain. (She has the smarter half.) I have had the same thoughts as her about the Swift Boat Vet story being similar to the Clinton/Monica scandal. They have even dragged Clinton scandal veteran, Lanny Davis, out to defend the lies. They are using many of the same arguments, too: those making the accusations have an agenda; this is all part of a vast right wing conspiracy; if Kerry did lie it was only about minor things 30 years ago -- after all, Bush lied, people died, don'tcha know? The media is predictably following the Democrats' playbook and spouting their talking points, too, just like in the Monica days.
Some really big differences though are that 1) now there is a new media to counter the mainstream one; 2) the SBVT ads have nothing to do with sex so they can't be dismissed as easily; and 3) Kerry made Vietnam the centerpiece of his campaign, and although everyone knew Bill Clinton had bimbo problems, he did not run on them as a reason he should be elected. (Speaking of Clinton, Hillary sure is keeping quiet these days, isn't she?) Those differences lead me to believe that, even though the mainstream media is behaving much the same as they did during the Monica scandals, the result will not be to let Kerry off the hook like Bill Clinton was. |
