Playing politics at the presidential level is a lot like playing chess at the grandmaster level. It's what's happening with the SBVFT nonsense.
Today when I saw the latest commercials the Kerry campaign has released--"Old Tricks" and "Issues"--I cheered. It's end game, baby. Bush is running out of moves.
In case you haven't seen the spots, "Old Tricks" features a segment from a 2000 Republican presidential primary debate. John McCain is confronting Bush about the smear tactics his people used in the SC primary. McCain nails Bush and says "you should be ashamed." The spot concludes with the line, "America can do better." The second spot, "Issues," hammers at what's real and important in the campaign: the Iraq war, the economy, jobs, health care and not smears, and ends by saying "America deserves better."
These spots are strategic gold. They put the focus on Bush's slimeball tactics, where it needs to be, not the specific charges of whatever the anti-Kerry vets are pushing. They take Kerry off defense and put him on the attack. They put McCain on the spot as a Bush endorser. They put the public's attention on the shadowy Texas Republicans (and friends of the Bush family) who are financing the SBVFT smear, just like they did in 2000 against McCain and then later in 2002 against Max Cleland.
Getting back to the chess analogy, the tactics the Kerry campaign is following are classic: a) If you know your opponent's style, take advantage of it; b) Plan and execute double attacks whenever possible; c) Look to create 'zugzwang' (i.e., put your opponent at a disadvantage by having to make moves that will hurt him).
Lawrence O'Donnell, political analyst and contributor to NBC News, did an excellent job dissecting the game that's going on here during an appearance last week on Countdown with Keith Olbermann. O'Donnell said Kerry was wise to hold fire on the SBVFT attacks until a number of elements had fallen into place:
- The SBVFT claims were out there and it was clear they needed to be responded to.
- There was mounting evidence the claims were false.
- That Bush had not disowned the SBVFT ad.
- That McCain had.
- There was a 527 ad faulting Bush on his service and that Kerry had disowned it.
- There was credible evidence Texas Republicans were funding the smear.
- That Bush could be tied to these Texas Republican supporters.
- That Bush had done it all before.
With all the pieces in place, Kerry's counterattack became possible and overwhelming. In chess, it's like when you double, triple or quadruple your attacking pieces by building batteries (two or more pieces of like power attacking along the same line). Nothing can stand against it.
Look for Bush now to duck and run for cover. The smears are being refuted almost daily by non-Kerry sources including official records; Bush and his cronies have been made a focus of the story which takes focus off the lies themselves and puts it on the liars; McCain's earlier blast against Bush over similar tactics has now been outed for all America to see.
As Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry's campaign manager, said today, "This Bush backed smear is a case of déjà vu for those who follow Rove and the president, but it is not what the American people deserve. John Kerry knows America can do better than lies and smear. That is why he and John Edwards have released a detailed plan to make America stronger at home and respected in the world. Their plan will strengthen the economy for middle-class families, create and keep good paying jobs in America, cut health care costs and make America stronger and more secure. That is what voters want to hear, not lies and smears, and it's time the president realized that."
Your move, Mr President.