Undercutting Allies?

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004, IraqLeave a Comment

JANESVILLE, Wis. – Democrat John Kerry wrongly questioned the credibility of the interim Iraqi leader [Ayad Allawi], and "you can’t lead this country" while undercutting an ally, President Bush said Friday. From here. President Bush then ate some "freedom fries", dissed "old Europe", and talked about how ineffective the U.N. is. Seriously, this is the scariest thing about Bush, in … Read More

Bush Campaign In Disarray Over Kerry Speech

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

In response to Kerry’s four-point plan on Iraq, Bush said: "Forty-three days before the election, my opponent has now suddenly settled on a proposal for what to do next, and it’s exactly what we’re currently doing." (Source) In response to Kerry’s four-point plan on Iraq, Bush-Cheney campaign spokesmen Steve Schmidt said: "John Kerry’s latest position on Iraq is to advocate … Read More

Two Veterans Support Bush

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004Leave a Comment

In the latest meme polluting a site I often contribute to, we read this: Veterans Like Bush Or, well, at least he got two endorsements from major veterans groups, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Except, well, that’s not true. Instead, if you actually come across the news story (tellingly, the prior post has no link), it … Read More

The RNC Damage Control Machine Loses a Gear

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004Leave a Comment

Despite the high and — in retrospect — undeserved praise here, the 60 Minutes bombshell wasn’t Ben Barnes (who repeated his allegation that he got Bush the cushy National Guard post). This was the part of the story that hurts Bush (Click "New Bush Service Questions" for the video). It’s about how Bush’s commander was getting pressure to give Bush … Read More

Zogby Battleground Poll

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

This can’t be good news for Bush supporters. Bush’s bounce notwithstanding, the electoral college map still favors Kerry 307-231. Now, granted — that Kerry lead is ever so slight and the usual caveats about polls and margins of error (expressed in the WSJ link, so I won’t repeat them here) apply.

Not a Satire

Ken AshfordElection 2004, RepublicansLeave a Comment

The Texans For Truth group as a new ad out . . . . Speaking of video, check out this news footage of the skirmish at the RNC, showing a Republican kicking a female protester when she was on the ground . . . and then lying about it to a reporter. By the way, notice that that "oh, shit" … Read More

Bush’s Missing Records

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

The Associated Press has conducted an analysis of Bush’s "military" records and identified "five categories of records that should have been generated after Bush skipped his pilot’s physical and missed five months of training." For example, Air National Guard regulations at the time required commanders to write an investigative report for the Air Force when Bush missed his annual medical … Read More

Swift Boat War Criminals

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

Are the Swiftees pissed at Kerry because he supposedly lied in his Senate testimony, or are they pissed because he told the TRUTH (thus breaking the unspoken code of slience among brothers-in-arms)? Well, it seems that at least ONE of the Swiftees — actually, one of the group’s organizers — had no problem ordering the execution of Vietnamese civilians. Means, … Read More

Shhweet Home Abalama . . .

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

Never mind the fact the Dubya may or may not have actually attended training at the Alabama National Guard. Let’s look at why he was in Alabama in the first place, and what he did while there. Here‘s a pretty revoltin’ development. Check out what George "Some may not like my stagger; in Texas, we call it walking" Bush was … Read More

Random Thoughts About the RNC

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

Let’s get a few preliminary obvious things out of the way first. The Republican National Convention wasn’t geared to people like me, and not being a Republican or a conservative, I’m not supposed to "get it". That said, here are some random chicken-scratchings, for what it is worth: (1) I find it very telling that McCain and Giuliani were placed … Read More

A Day I’ll Never Forget

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. I’ll never forget the day. A fellow pointed at me and said, "Do not let me down." Workers in hard-hats, and police and firefighters were shouting, "Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes." – May 7, 2004 On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins … Read More

Why They Don’t Like To Let Bush Talk

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Election 2004Leave a Comment

George Bush on the Swift Boat ads: “I can understand why Senator Kerry is upset with us. I wasn’t so pleased with the ads that were run about me. And my call is get rid of them all, now.” Upset with “us“? I thought y’all had nothing to do with those ads, George. Total credit for this catch goes to … Read More

One Swift Boat Vet Who Chose Not To Lie

Ken AshfordElection 2004Leave a Comment

This [Swift Boat Veterans] group asked for my signature on their "open letter" because I also commanded a Swift Boat in Vietnam in 1969 and served alongside many of them and John Kerry. I refused. I knew that what they were doing would only degrade the heroic actions of all Swift Boat veterans. You cannot challenge the process by which … Read More