Thanks for the warm welcome back everyone, it's good to be back on TFP among friends...
Bush came out today and denounced ad's by 527s in entirety, not just the ones that attack his opponent.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040823/D84L4DI80.html
Here are some selected quotes from the article, follow the link for the whole thing.
In Texas at his ranch, Bush said, "I don't think we ought to have 527s," a reference to the outside groups that have poured millions of dollars over the past year into attack ads. Bush himself has been a main target of ads costing some $60 million. Bush said all of the ads should be stopped.
"That means that ad," he said, referring to the anti-Kerry ad, "and every other ad."
Ok, fine w/me... sounds good so far...
Kerry's vice presidential running mate, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, said Bush's comments on Monday fell short of what was needed.
"The moment of truth came and went, and the president still couldn't bring himself to do the right thing," Edwards said. "Instead of hiding behind a front group, George Bush needs to take responsibility and demand that the ad come off the air."
that is what gets me. what exactly does edwards want? the President denounces all adds, including those that are visibly damaging his opponent... yet edwards says that is not enough and furthur spreads the false notion that the President is responsible for those ads. this tactic preys on those who aren't involved enough in the process to realize that neither Kerry or Bush has a hand in the content of the ads by any 527 group.
This is frustrating because the already dangerous issue (in the sense that it could damage our electoral process) of Kerry's Vietnam service is being taken from level of conflicting accounts from seemingly genuinely sincere soldiers on both sides to out and out falsehoods by politicians.
In all seriousness, I have considered myself a civically aware citizen for a long time... but I don't think I've ever been more disillusioned with or frustrated by politics as I am now.