Kerry did strike back, but not hard enough. He tried to avoid getting into the mud with the pigs, but it was really the mainstream media's fault. All the networks interviewed smearvets and that was all free advertising for them to repeat their outrageous lies.
The mainstream media started giving the Smearvets equal time on all the talkshows, plus the rightwing media pushed them like heros, repeating the lies again and again until they seemed "true", so Kerry's moves could not stop it.
At the same time, Rove orchestrated a huge TV ad campaign falsely accusing Kerry of being "weak on defense". It was all very coordinated. So the message was "don't trust Kerry to be commander in chief" even though he'd be a much better one than Bush.
A few things to remember:
- Kerry immediately said these "vets" have nothing to do with the truth
- Kerry refused to stop talking about real issues (being knocked off message, one goal of a smear campaign) and sent Max Cleland to rebut the smearvets instead.
- McCain called the smearvets dishonorable and dishonest, b ut still endorsed Bush
- Dole however did not come to Kerry's defense and lied, saying some of the charges must be true.
- The airwaves were bombarded with footage of angry war protesters in 1971 who looked like dangerous radicals, then Kerry talking about soldiers frying genitals, etc.
- The smearvet leaders bald-faced lied non-stop, including with their libelous book, daring Kerry to sue them, calling him "unfit" for duty and denying they had anything to do with the Bush-Cheney campaign. Basically everything they said was a lie and they enjoying making up outrageous BS.
By the time the evidence was gathered proving the smearvets were a big fat hoax, just enough damage was done.
The question remains, how does any politician fight off a smear campaign this dishonest? It's like a political suicide bomber. If the liars are willing to lie and commit fraud, and if the media makes it a story, then the smear campaign has already worked, just to get the target to deny. Voters don't like politicians who have to deny things.
So do you still beat your wife? (no good answer, same deal)
The good news is these smears can never be used again. |
