MoveOn.org, in response to the SBVfT’s scurrilous ads, launched a new spot of its own this week, noting that Bush pulled strings to get into the National Guard and then never fulfilled his duties. The same ad calls on Bush to denounce the Swiftboat Hacks once and for all.
The ad invites a comparison, which as luck would have it, is welcome. The Swiftboat gang lies in its ad, presenting obvious falsehoods about Kerry that have been thoroughly debunked. Despite its slanderous charges, Bush refuses to condemn the attack.
The MoveOn ad, on the other hand, levies an attack that is plainly true.
“George Bush used his father to get into the National Guard, was grounded and then went missing. Now he’s allowing false advertising that attacks John Kerry, a man who asked to go to Vietnam and who served with dignity and heroism.”
One could quibble over whether Bush is “allowing” the SBVfT ads, but other than that, this ad happens to be fully accurate.
Nevertheless, Kerry denounced MoveOn’s spot insisting the campaign should about “issues, not insults.”
On balance, I think this is the right move.
Sen. John F. Kerry took a cue from Sen. John McCain on Tuesday and denounced a television ad by one of his allies attacking President Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard.
In the latest twist in an ongoing debate about military credentials, Kerry condemned the new ad by the MoveOn political action committee, even though it was produced in response to an ad questioning Kerry’s Vietnam War record.
“This should be a campaign of issues, not insults,” Kerry said in a written statement.
Kerry called the ad “inappropriate” after McCain (R-Ariz.), a former Vietnam prisoner of war, criticized the MoveOn commercial. The 30-second ad accuses Bush of using family connections to avoid the Vietnam War.
I suspect there’ll be some on the left (though I haven’t actually seen any such examples) who are disappointed to see Kerry distance himself from a truthful ad that is coming to his defense. But I think that misses the bigger picture. From a purely political perspective, Kerry is getting the best of four worlds.
One, MoveOn isn’t pulling its ad so viewers (in relevant states) will still see a positive Kerry message without the campaign having to pay for it. Two, Kerry gets to appear “above the fray” by criticizing a negative attack, even one against Bush. Three, it reminds voters again that Bush dodged military service and failed to fulfill his responsibilities to the Guard. And four, it makes Bush look worse — Kerry isn’t afraid to denounce his allies, but Bush is.
The MoveOn ad isn’t the group’s best work, but on the whole, I’d say it’s a net positive for Kerry.