Hitler Ads
[via Scripting] Some people are offended by the new Bush ad, which shows a montage of attacks on Bush, including some attack ads which compare Bush to Hitler. The clips are offensive, apparently deliberately to say ?look at the offensive, wild-eyed hyperbole that our opponents are propagating?. With the exception of the Howard Dean clip (?I want my country back!?), all of the clips are over-the-top, and represent violations of decorum on the part of Bush opponents.
These clips are fair game. If these people don’t like having their wild-eyed statements used against them, they shouldbe more civil.It is not Bush’s fault that the Hitler ads make Kerry look bad, and blaming Bush for Kerry’s failure to control the rhetoric of his own supporters just makes him look ineffective.
This is a perfect opportunity forKerry to show some bold leadership and encourage his supporters to be more civil. The Hitler clip isa great example. Soros (himself a holocaust survivor) has compared Bush to Hitler, paid for the Hitler ads, and is one of Kerry’s largest contributors. Kerry has had plenty of opportunities to denounce the Hitler ads and resolve that ?never again will mybiggest supporterssay such things?. People are free to say what they want, but politicians are free to choose their supporters. And a statement that ?people who engage in divisive, wild-eyed rhetoric are no friends of mine? would go a long way toward restoring civility.
When Kerry’s biggest supporters says things that make him look bad, it raises questions about Kerry’s ability to control the message of his own party. And the continued focus on blaming the opponent raises additional questions about his leadership. Go with the wild-eyed rhetoric, then pretend it never happened, andblame otherswhen it’s brought to light –trying tohave it both ways just looks dishonest and indecisive. It’s the leader’s job to set the standards for how the campaign will be conducted, and lead by example.
A good example right now is Bill Clinton, who refuses to get sucked into the bitter and divisive rhetoric. If the same ad were run today, with Clinton’s face at the end, it wouldn’t be nearly as effective, because Clinton has done a much better job of keeping the kooks at arms length. Kerry should learn from Clinton’s example. Kerry should be a better example.