Unpopular Speech

Why Kerry would attempt to get Bush's campaign sanctioned for the Swifties speech instead of responding to their accusations honestly escapes me. Maybe he feels it's too personal to talk about, maybe he thinks it's something that shouldn't be brought up now, thirty years after the fact. Some people say that it's because he can't respond to the substance of the accusations.
Personally, I don't know. If what the Swifties are saying is true, and it's not being paid for by Bush, then I think they should be allowed to continue.

I also hesitate to make the assumption that the Swifties are pro-Bush so much as they are anti-Kerry. I've heard some people imply that "one call from Bush, or Karl Rove, and this would end". Maybe, maybe not. I've also heard in interviews some of the Swifties say that they aren't necessarily crazy about Bush - they just feel that what they perceive as Kerry's lies need to be brought to light. The fact that it's helping Bush is a side effect.

And according to Hugh Hewitt today, the Swifties are really hurting the Kerry campaign amongst veterans - with a more than ten percent drop in veterans support according to CBS (as Hugh is saying over the air). No wonder he's trying to shut them up.