TV and Elections and Kerry

One great advantage of leaving the TV off, especially in a swing state like Wisconsin, is that I miss the campaign ads. I can read about them in the paper later if I really want to know about them. I haven't seen the Swift Boat ads--though I have heard about them in detail. And curiously enough, despite the universal assumption that the ads were refuted, I've never seen any actual evidence offered to dispute them. But the Zeitgeist says they were wrong . . .

Not that I care particularly. Kerry picked a safe branch of the service, wound up where he didn't expect, and got his ticket punched as fast as he could. Dunno if he deserved a silver star--I've heard complaints ever since I started paying attention (when the war was still on) that the higher ups were handing out medals like candy. Not my call. I've never been shot at. He was, and had to ride up and down a river exposed to anybody hiding in the bushes. Sounds to me like he did his job at least adequately, and maybe indulged in little customary inflation of the action.

It's what he indulged in when he came back that doesn't sit well. I read his testimony. His statements were very lawyerlike: make statements that are hard to disprove but which hint at huge horrors. Emphasize those huge horrors, but never really back them up--except by testimony of bogus soldiers.

OK, that was a long time ago, and he's since said he now would not say things the same way. Which dodges the question of whether he stands by his insinuations.

I missed most of the first debate: I was running the sound system for the church band. I got back in time to hear Kerry pontificating on North Korea--claiming that the US should engage in bilateral talks with them about the nukes. Eh? Why give up the great diplomatic victory of persuading the Chinese to get involved? The Chinese supply their oil, for crying out loud. And Kerry thinks Bush is ignorant? Hint to Kerry: If you don't know what you're talking about on some subject, don't try to bring the subject up and parade your incompetence.

I missed the second debate also. Busy again. But I've been reading the pronouncements of John the trial lawyer and Kerry about the WMD report. I'm starting to seriously dislike the pair of them. Is Kerry still ignoring the national security briefings, or is he deliberately distorting the issues involved for personal advantage? And calling Allawi a puppet was way over the line. I thought a multilateralist was supposed to respect other heads of state.

Bottom line: I have never trusted Kerry's competence to manage the war. (And I certainly don't trust his Dan Quayle light.) But now I've started to actively dislike the man.