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Originally Posted by Redress  I am not arguing the point there. It is over the top. With that horrid horror music playing, it's almost a parody of itself. I also think that if this is the worst it gets, this will be a pretty mild election. This is nothing compared to the swiftboat adds as an example. |
Even some of the Swiftboat ads were on target, however, and it was fair game for people who were actually there to point out the discrepancies in Kerry's stories. For instance take Kerry's line on how sitting in his boat in a hostile Cambodia on Christmas Eve was seared seared SEARED into his memory. Those who were there felt it appropriate to point out that this story was in fact a lie as Kerry was never in Cambodia anytime in that decade. Likewise it was fair game to take Hillary to task for a manufactured story about ducking sniper fire when she arrived in Afghanistan. Those who were there knew better and it was appropriate for them to tell it like it was. It was made appropriate because Kerry himself made it a big deal part of why we should elect him President. He put the issue into play, not the Swift Boaters.
Politicians have to realize that the most minute aspects of their lives are going to be closely scrutinized. Personally I think their private lives, family, etc. should be off limits UNLESS it is pertinent to their overall record and how they might be expected to govern. And it is always pertinent when the candidate himself makes those things pertinent.
There is absolutely wrong with scrutiny of McCain's or Obama's associations. It is dishonst to link those to nonexistent relationships, however, or distort the implications of those associations.