Laughable Defenses

Just a quick question before I get to the thrust of this post:

Is the first Swift Boat veterans for Truth commercial even airing anymore?

I live in WV, and other than cable news and the internet, I never saw the commercial. At any rate, back to my point.

One of the most maddening things about this whole Swift Vets bit has been the Democrat’s reaction. Rather than simply address the charges head on, having Kerry fill out Form 180 and letting the public decide, the Democrats have tried every strategy but a straight forward approach.

First they dispatched lawyers to threaten the television stations. Then they tried to shut down the publication of the book. Then they tried to intimidate wholesalers. All the while, they were launching ad hominem after ad hominem at the Swift Vets. When all of these failed, they unleashed the attack dogs so we could have another round of ‘Bush AWOL’ accusations. Needless to say, I remain unimpressed.

Now, it appears, the main thrust of the attempts to end this issue is to tar the Swift Vets as nothing more than a front group for the Bush campaign. The evidence? One member of the Swift Vets was also a low level advisor of sorts for the Bush campaign’s Veterans Steering committee and a flyer for a ProUSA rally. You heard that right- George Bush, President, Commander-in-Chief, Leader of the Free World, and events planner for the Alucha County Republicans.

There was also the NY Times shocker, complete with flowchart, that showed that it was Republicans, not Democrats, who were contributing to the Swift Boats 527. No Screaming Eagle shit.

All these silly attempts at proving Bush is behind the Swift Vets ad is provide kerry with another reason not to answer questions, while motivating the entire world (with the exception of the mainstream media) to focus on the numerous connections between the Bash Bush 527’s and the Kerry campaign. In fact, the efforts were so absurd that the FEC chairman laughed in Kerry’s face:

Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley Smith defended the right of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, an independent political group, to run commercials against Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, who complained to the commission about the ads.

Kerry, 60, a four-term Massachusetts senator, alleged last week that the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth illegally coordinated its activities with President George W. Bush’s re-election campaign. Smith, a Republican, said members of the group are exercising their constitutional right to free speech.

“I think it’s great we live in a country where 260 average guys can go out and put their point of view out there before the public and influence a major presidential race,'” Smith said in an interview with Bloomberg television. “I am not one who agrees it is illegitimate for citizens to take a stand on these kind of issues and only the politicians should be able to say what they want about the issues they want to talk about.”

It is unlikely the FEC will rule on Kerry’s complaint before the Nov. 2 election, Smith said.

Now, the most ludicrous bit of ‘damning’ information to date (by, of course, citizen-hero Dana Milbank) , once again peddled by the usual suspects:

A top lawyer in President Bush’s reelection campaign acknowledged Tuesday that he has been advising the veterans group seeking to discredit Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry’s military record, an admission the Kerry campaign said is evidence the president’s campaign is orchestrating a “smear” by the private group.

Benjamin L. Ginsberg, the chief outside counsel to the Bush campaign who also has advised Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, said: “I’ve done some work for them. . . . The law lets lawyers do that . . . and does not include lawyers among the coordinated political activities” that are prohibited by federal election law.

The revelation that a lawyer may work for two clients will come as a surprise to many of you. Ok, maybe it won’t. At any rate, perhaps the Kerry campaign need a refresher course in Hypocrisy 101:

Well, guess what. Mr. Ginsberg isn’t the only lawyer who is working for a 527 with another job on the side.

Neil Reiff is listed as the contact person for MoveOn.org’s 527 organization, as can be seen on the actual form submitted by MoveOn.org to the IRS here (PDF).

But Mr. Reiff seems to have another job. According to his firm’s website, he’s also the Deputy General Counsel for the Democratic National Committee.

Yawn. Clearly, this explains why Soviet dissident Anatoly Shcharansky, Leona Helmsly, John DeLorean, O.J. Simpson, and Claus von Bulow are all buddy-buddy. What? You see no connection? Impossible! All of them used attorney Alan Dershowitz. They must be in cahoots.

I guess this also explains the close personal relationship between Bill Clinton, Caspar Weinberger, Marge Schott, and Clark Clifford. After all, they all used Bob Bennett as a lawyer, so they must be attached at the hip.

Idiots