I am sick and tired every night of flipping on the cable talk shows and hearing the following exchange:
"Kerry Spokesperson: Iraq is going badly. Its Bush's fault.
Bush Spokesperson: Iraq is going well. You're being pessimistic. President Bush believes in freedom and hope and democracy.
Mediator: Looks like the jury is still out on Iraq and will be a "hot-button" issue in the weeks ahead.
Cut to commercial."
This makes me sick to my stomack and yet it plays out every night, on the same channels, with basically the same cast.
This has to stop, the media is being lazy, framing these exchanges as "their spin vs. the other guy's spin."
Its time for the Kerry camp to change this dynamic and here's a simple phrase that will go a long way:
"Iraq is in chaos, our policy there is a disaster. The only people in the world who know the facts and claim differently are the same people who's electoral hopes hinge on good news from Iraq. When someone in the Bush administration tries to pretend things are going well in Iraq, consider the source. Our policy is a disaster and will stay a disaster until we elect a new leader with a new vision."