The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Who's in Charge?

9.8.04 @ 12:01AM

KERRY GOES UNDER
Re: The Washington Prowler's Emergency Operation:

Once again, The Prowler has done an excellent job of getting the story behind the story with his Sept. 7, 2004 "Emergency Operation" piece on the John F. Kerry campaign apparatus. But it cannot amaze only me that Kerry is mentally challenged enough to hand over core operations and the tactics to the Clinton crowd.

Consider the scenarios: if the Clinton crowd gets Kerry elected he stands a good chance of benefiting from the "incumbent" principle and holding office for eight years, on his own steam. That makes the first shot for Hillary for the White House at 2012, and she would be 65 (born October 26th, 1947). Considering her recent photos I expect by then she could need a bit more than Botox and pancake make-up for the campaign trail.

But the alternative strategy is for the Clinton crowd to keep Kerry like Tantalus, with true political firepower always just out of reach, closing the gap with Bush, but never quite overtaking him. Kerry loses the election, and the Clintons don't get the blame: Kerry does.

The result? Kerry becomes the Dukakis of the 20th century and goes back to his role as Ted Kennedy's sidekick, and Hillary can run for the Democrats in 2008 on the Joan of Arc-zeitgeist of both rescue and restoration, even though the Clintons have been in charge of the party apparatus the whole time.

In 2008 Hillary Rodham Clinton will be 61 and a seasoned U.S. Senator. Daily Stairmaster sessions, long weekends in Palm Beach, and Botox can improve on her photos for that campaign trail.

By taking in the whole Clinton apparatus, the Kerry campaign has downloaded a Trojan Horse. Kerry doesn't know it, but it is so brazen it astonishes me he has missed the implications.
-- James N. Ward
Breux-Jouy, France

They can bring in a three-ring circus of aides to rehabilitate Kerry's campaign but it won't help. The problem is Kerry. If you notice, unlike the President's ads the Kerry ads never use his voice in the body of his commercials or in the voiceovers. The man is too ponderous. Someone described his delivery as if he was reading from a lease. I wouldn't even give him that much credit. At least a lease has a point.
-- Al Hassinger
Little Silver, New Jersey

I suppose the get well calls were dictated by protocol -- but suggesting as David Frum does that President Bush should utilize Clinton's political skills in some diplomacy post is uncalled for. After all, there is not an honest bone or organ in his body or his wife's. Haven't they garnered enough ill-gotten gain from the American taxpayer without being further rewarded by the Republicans? If President Bush gathers these two snakes to his bosom, following their nature, they'll bite.
-- James Wheatley

Finally, John Kerry has a campaign manager and communications director for both sides of every issue.
-- Bill Attinger
Del Mar, California

TWIN KILLING
Re: Paul Beston's Remember Me to Herald Square:

What do you mean "floozy"? [Jenna and Barbara] came across as very young, unsophisticated, well-protected kids. Maybe they "should" have a little more gravitas having made it through college into adulthood, but that is a very small sin and obviously the result of a concerted effort not to make them grow up too fast as a sacrifice to their father's ambition. I can't believe the cattiness of the responses to their speech. Their very ordinariness is a tribute to their parents, particularly in juxtaposition to the Clintons' shameless and ruthless subordinating the needs of their pathetic daughter to political expedience.
-- Ann Blumenthal

CAPTAIN BLIGH
Re: The Washington Prowler's Listless Kerry:

Just by the way, the recent famous images of Mr. Kerry windsurfing off Nantucket reveal a bit more about the man to the expert eye. Kerry was sailing on what we call "light air" gear, that is, a gigantic sail ( I would estimate something in the 11 square meter range) and a huge board with much, much flotation.

No hard-core windsurfer would be caught dead on a rig like that. If you need a sail that big and a board the size of the Titanic, then guess what ? IT ISN'T WINDY ENOUGH TO GO SAILING !

Letter to the Editor

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