RE: Kerry being bit on defesive, and Bush gaining his composure a bit post spain attack, and Bush's latest attack ad in WV.
I think there are only two issues of importance:
1. the attack ad is nothing but reptition of what was done to Cleland in GA. His line item objections were used as his objections to national security bills (phrased as voting as many times against national security and Bush). I think this, as Josh Marshall points out, it's additionally brazen considering Bush himself was the true culprit in cutting combat pay, and not paying for body armor protective gear.
Yet, the only thing of consequence is whether Kerry, Democratic Party, and its leaders will rise in quick response and respond to these misleading charges and outright lies with facts. And do so with far greater brazenness then these people have shown, and will show in dishing their lies. This is only the beginning of how this campaign will be run from their end. Kerry's campaign can either get used to expecting these and devising effective ways to counter these (lot more quickly then i have witnessed in last one week), or let these misleading charges define you, slowly but steadily (however small in measure that difference might be, or for however small number of people; considering small is the sliver of population anywhere that both parties are fighting for).
I have to say, I have been bit disappointed with the response to these misleading charges and ads in our blog-sphere as well. We have done a good job of countering them with facts and analysis. I think we need to do a better job adding revulsion to it, and let it be expressed in our language, posture and positioning.
2. secondly, i think Kerry, Democratic Party, other Democratic leaders, in unison and with consistency (taking a lesson from Bush, Cheney, Powell - how they responded to the made up comment from Kerry re: 'foreign leaders') use these misleading ads and charges to exhibit the true character of Bush and this White House. We need to pounce on these ads+charges to show how low this cabal will stoop to protect, retain their power.
These made up and misleading charges are only the beginning of the campaign. This White House plans on using these tactics to make inch by inch progress on redefining Kerry. They purport to use this tactic, even if it works for only few hours, before their message is shot down by the facts to the contrary. But, I can assure you it will not stop them from infiltrating the media, even if for few hours with these kind of completely unfounded charges, trying. And be assured, the media will not fact check these, or offer any counter argument before running these for days, or even few hours, before they are shot down by Kerry's campaign. We are going to have to devise a far better strategy in countering these. Portray them as OUTRIGHT LIES, as they are, and make on making that idea stick and be associated with this President. Otherwise, expect more of these.
On our end, we need to be more quicker in our draw, blog sphere that is. and describe them as they are.