I’m beginning to worry that the Republicans might be behind this smear-job on Kerry. So does a reader:
“Well, this may be it. As a life-long Republican, I have defended my party and its leaders through thick and thin over the years, but I don’t know if I can do it any longer. I voted for Reagan in 1984 (my first Presidential election), despite my misgivings about the rising influence of the Religious Right and my displeasure at the ludicrous budget deficits, because of his moral clarity on the issue of Communism. I voted for Bush Sr. in ’88 and ’92, and for Dole in ’96. Both were serious men, deserving of respect. Nevertheless, I was disgusted by the conduct of my party in the 1990s, vis-a-vis the Clinton scandals. That man has no moral compass, in my opinion, but the debased and lurid tone of the Republican attacks was reprehensible. The further intrusion of the Religious Right into the private lives of the American people, including the President, was not what I signed on for when I joined the Republican party.
When 2000 rolled around, and the “Clinton Wars” finally seemed to be behind us, I breathed an enormous sigh of relief. I was not overly impressed with George W. Bush (I voted for McCain in the primaries), but I was confident that the “grown ups” in the party would steer a responsible course for the ship of state. That has obviously not happened. The budget deficits are nigh unforgivable, and though I agree entirely with the vision of the President’s foreign policy, the diplomatic execution has been, shall we say, somewhat less impressive than his father’s. Further, the proposal to reverse the course of history and once again enshrine discrimination in our Constitution via the Gay Marriage Amendment, about which you have spoken quite eloquently, almost makes me embarassed to admit I’m a Republican. This is what the party of Lincoln has come to?
Now, after all this, it appears that the conservative/Republican diaspora is preparing yet another round of peeping-tom character assassination rather than a substantive debate on the very important issues our country actually faces, using Drudge as its point-man. I just can’t take it anymore. I realize the feelings of one person are irrelevant in political calculations at this level, but if the Republicans really do take us back down the Lewinsky path, this is one vote they will most assuredly be losing in November.”
I agree. If the Republicans are behind this, they deserve to be trashed. This is absolutely not something that deserves to be a factor in our current debate.
The Dish 