If you haven’t already seen it, be sure to read the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank’s piece about the frequency with which Bush tortures Kerry quotes in order to score cheap political points. It’s cynical, it’s dishonest, and it’s a genuine treat to see a reporter call Bush on it.
For example, there’s what Kerry said about troop deployment in Iraq on August 9…
“My goal, my diplomacy, my statesmanship is to get our troops reduced in number and I believe if you do the statesmanship properly, I believe if you do the kind of alliance building that is available to us, that it’s appropriate to have a goal of reducing the troops over that period of time [the first six months of a Kerry administration]. Obviously, we’d have to see how events unfold. . . . It is an appropriate goal to have and I’m going to try to achieve it.”
…and there’s what Bush said about Kerry’s remarks a week later.
“I took exception when my opponent said if he’s elected, we’ll substantially reduce the troops in six months. He shouldn’t have said that. See, it sends a mixed signal to the enemy for starters. So the enemy hangs around for six months and one day. . . . It says, maybe America isn’t going to keep its word.”
There’s what Kerry said about the growing terrorist threat on August 2…
“I believe this administration and its policies is actually encouraging the recruitment of terrorists. We haven’t done the work necessary to reach out to other countries. We haven’t done the work necessary with the Muslim world. We haven’t done the work necessary to protect our own ports, our chemical facilities, our nuclear facilities. There is a long, long list in the 9/11 recommendations that are undone.”
…and there’s what Bush said about Kerry’s remarks two weeks later.
“My opponent says . . . that going to war with the terrorists is actually improving their recruiting efforts. I think the logic — I know the logic is upside down. It shows a misunderstanding of the nature of these people. See, during the 1990s, these killers and terrorists were recruiting and training for war with us, long before we went to war with them. They don’t need an excuse for their hatred. It’s wrong to blame America for anger and the evil of these killers. We don’t create terrorists by fighting back. You defeat the terrorists by fighting back.”
There are other equally good examples, which I’d encourage you to check out, but I think this whole phenomenon is more-than-a-little annoying.
Usually in campaigns, candidates have to worry about saying something foolish and having their opponents capitalize on the remarks. Here, Kerry is offering sensible comments about important issues, so Bush is simply creating his own Kerry quotes, which he apparently likes better, and presenting them as fact.
It’s a reminder as to why I could never work in Republican politics. I’d see a quote and try and find a mistake on the merits. They see quotes and decide to add and/or subtract words, alter context, and ignore meaning so as to deceive voters. It’s a shame.