pan6467

I have stated this before in another thread and thought it deserving of its own thread becausethe nastiness is getting worse every day.

Smear campaigns and unproven facts or opinions of a candidates past usually mean nothing to people. It doesn't affect anyone that I know's vote. I don't think it really affects that many undecideds because they know what the smear and mud are coming.

However, how a candidate reacts to the smear, I believe says more than the smear.

Even though I truly hate Bush's policies, I respect the fact that he doesn't let the smear get to him. Clinton was much the same. Clinton would smile shake hands and just say, "that's politics and hey, I'm not perfect." then go about his policies and conducted himself extremely professional. Nor did Clinton truly run a smear campaign (unlike either candidate this year. Best campaigns I can remember were in '96 Dole and Clinton stuck to the issues and showed I believe deep respect for each other.)

Now, on the other extreme we have Kerry. He cries to the elections board about Swift. He only needs to answer once then move on. The more he acknowledges the smear the worse it gets, AND this is what causes people to rethink their vote.

Let's look at Bush, people argue that there must be some truth to the CBS papers because his campaign doesn't argue the facts. He has been accused of many things (and perhaps rightfully so), and what does he do? He may acknowledge, but then he moves on. He still doesn't really focus on issues but he doesn't put weight on the smear and thusly it doesn't stick.

People, and myself included, when truly undecided may look at some smear, but we observe how the candidate handles it.

Schwarzenegger was accused of grabbing co-star's asses, being a racist and so on. Why didn't it stick and hurt him? Because he handled it explained the facts then refused to acknowledge it again.

Now, I will say that Bush is really pushing the smear envelope though, by allowing the GOP and it's 527's to go into Kerry's Vietnam records and having Cheney say we'll get hit if Kerry is elected. Both are below the belt and both are very cheap shots.

Swift and Kerry's record, however, were made worse and worse because he continues to throw up Vietnam, he continues to whine about them and he is acting very poorly regarding them. The more he pays attention to these ads and these problems the less he gets his message out, the more he looks weak, the more that even people who back him begin to worry.

The Cheney speech, was, however, where he should have focussed. It was truly a cheapshot and Kerry very easily could have turned it around on Cheney. But he didn't and now its too late.

The smear makes good posts and allows us to debate our choices and in some ways allows us to vent. Which is ok, as far as I know none of us are running for office and as long as respect is shown we can argue about the smear. Hell, it does make for some great conversations. Especially when there isn't any flaming, trolling, personal attacks and facts are given and backed up when asked to be. It shows we have passion and that is needed to keep freedom alive.

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"