Okay, I'm going to try on a new hat here on dKos: partisan bomb-thrower. If you're a Kerry person, you might want to skip this diary.
In all the Dean vs Clark skirmishes here, while I stuck up for my guy, I've pretty much steered clear of gratuitous Dean-bashing (I've always admired Dean and still do). But there's just something about f**ing John Kerry that gets my goat.
I probably would have let this slide and kept my mouth shut, though, if it weren't for three things: 1) the crap Clark is taking for the fairly innocuous comments he made to an insulting Bob Dole on Larry King about his and Kerry's different military ranks, 2) Kerry's shamelessly hypocritical remarks about how he's running a positive campaign that avoids personal attacks, and 3) this stupid article, set to appear in papers tomorrow, about how a vet, whose introduction of Clark at a NH rally included some harsh criticism of Kerry, "May Embarrass Clark". What's notable about the latter event (as those who saw it on C-Span can attest) is that Clark actually rejected those remarks, saying: "I consider (Kerry) a patriot, I consider him a distinguished senator, and I consider him a fine presidential candidate. It's up to the people of New Hampshire to draw a distinction between us."
Compare that to this charming--and, as far as I have seen, unreported--incident on Sunday night at Kerry's final pre-caucus rally in Iowa. After a rousing, Howard-Dean-fired-up introduction by a bellowing Ted Kennedy, Kerry launches into his customary campaign drone, before interrupting to introduce to the cheering crowd Jim Rassman, the ex-Green Beret whom Kerry had rescued back in Vietnam and with whom he'd had a very public and media-friendly reunion the day before. Rassman gives a little speech about what a good man Kerry is and then recedes back into the throng. Kerry, milking the moment further, then introduces another old shipmate from Vietnam, and he and Rassman stand together in testimony to Kerry's virtues. Here's a verbatim transcription of what is said:
Jim Rassman: "It's also important that people recognize how John's men felt about him, the people that he worked with, including myself, but for a much shorter time, think enough about him that we're here supporting him. And John's probably going to slap me silly for saying this, but we have a candidate who served in the military and I heard some interviews some time ago, General Schwarzkopf and General Shelton, telling the interviewer that they would not vote for that man because there was a crisis of character there and he did not have their support. Well I know that Del [the other Vietnam vet] supports John, I certainly do, and the rest of his crew do and that says an awful lot about the man."
Kerry (picking up the microphone and nodding gravely, amid applause): Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you, sir."
Now one might argue that this was an unscripted and impromptu moment, and that Kerry had no idea that Rassman (who is apparently a Republican) would say this on national television at the final, crucial rally of his Iowa campaign. But does Kerry "smack Rassman silly"? Does he do anything at all to distance himself from this egregious deployment of the most noxious of RNC talking points against one of his chief rivals? You bet he doesn't. He thanks the guy three times. Has he since apologized for allowing his campaign to be a vehicle for such sleazy attacks? Nope. The more charitable among you may be inclined to give Kerry the benefit of the doubt on this one. But after the Shaheen crap and Kerry's notorious use of surrogates to do his dirty work, I'm not feeling very forgiving. I want to nail the bastard to the wall.
Here's the link to the C-Span video archive for the skeptical or morbidly curious. The exchange in question happens around the 18:55 mark.