I still like McCain.  He is the only Republican that I would even consider voting for.  " Mr. McCain immediately called on the group to cease its activities when its existence was first reported, by The Associated Press, on Friday. Mr. McCain said on Fox News Sunday that he had not spoken to Mr. Reed to ask him to do so directly. “I have not called Rick Reed because I don’t know what his involvement is,” Mr. McCain said. “I have condemned those ads.”"

Well, good. This was not reported in the NYTs, or if it was, I missed it. I've always like McCain, for reasons noted in my discussion. Thanks for this update.

Kerry wasn't harpooned by the Swift Vote vets... Kerry was harpooned by the truth.

As for McCain, he is the victim of the law of unintended consequences. He and Feingold wrote a bill that would supposedly take the money out of politics. The thing is, the bill itself was poorly written and only passed because no one who voted for it seemed to have actually read it. The other problem with it, it assumed that you can take the money out of politics, but still require politicians to raise money to fund their campaigns.

It's pretty hard to make law based on an illusion. It's even harder to hold yourself to that illusion long after it has been proven impossible.

Kerry was not harpooned by the truth. The truth is, that like McCain, Kerry is a decorated war veteran and a genuine war hero. Kerry was a victim of not coming out and lamblasting the Swift boat allegations stronger and sooner than his tepid response. It was his own response to those ads that did him in.

Yes, Kerry is a decorated war hero... but he also chose to lie about his service, which takes the honor out of it. In fact, every day we are hearing about vets who lie about their service, and it is costing them... as it should.

The fact is, while the Swift Boat vets were opportunistic about their expose of Kerry, they didn't lie... but Kerry did.

Please be specific.

This is debating ancient history, but here goes...

Kerry DID NOT celebrate Christmas with a bunch of Budhists in Cambodia
Kerry DID NOT do 2 tours in Vietnam
Kerry lied about war crimes committed by other (then based an entire political career on his own war crimes).

The picture the Kerry campaign constantly showed of Kerry and his crew who support him was a misrepresentation, only a few of the men in the picture actually served on Kerry's Swiftboat with him.

The worst of what Kerry did though was after Vietnam, while still holding a Commission in the Naval Reserves, he met with leaders of the North Vietnamese Military in Paris. This is TREASON and is a Capital Offense!

I take it you didn't vote for him. Peace, dude. I appreciate your spin on things.

LOL Nope. Thanks for the opportunity ;~D

I will use your own words, "please be specific about what Ted said that is "spin" or is spin Liberalspeak for truth?

touchy touchy. Spin in this case simply meant "opinion" or "take". And, I am right down the middle in my political beliefs. For the record, I tend to be very liberal w/ reference to social doctrine and quite conservative regarding business and the economy. I run my own business. I think it's pretty clear I have a respect for John McCain, a Republican (though I admit a liberal one), I also support Kennedy because of his families founding of the Special Olympics. I cover health care, so believe dollars are well spent on research -- I also understand (at least the thought process) "Reagan Economics." I listen to conservative talk radio; I also listen to CSPAN. I hate CNN. I hate FOX. I've covered Alan Greenspan, and think he is far wiser than anyone I've ever heard speak. He also was partially responsible for the current mortgage crisis, by his own admission.

So please watch your pidgeon holing here. I form my opinions on a wide variety of sources -- and am very skeptical of them all.

oh, and by the way, it's time now for me to go to my abs. Peace!

I take it you didn't vote for him. Peace, dude. I appreciate your spin on things.

It is not spin.  You asked for specific instances, and he supplied them.  many do not agree with the Swift Boat veterans.  But so far, no one has refuted their facts.  They just did not like how the facts were presented.

please don't use the word retarded, especially in the context. It's offensive. Obviously, I do support the special olypics. I'm not sure you got my bigger point, so let's try again: I cherry-pick ideas from both camps and form my own broad based opinion. Not everything Bush does is awful. Not everything John Kerry does is awful. Not everything Kennedy does is awful. Not everything Rush Limbaugh says is awful. Somewhere, each of those referenced has ideas I like -- and ideas or actions I don't.

As far as my political sfeltness -- dude -- why start a blog if you don't think you have something to ad to the conversation? Ain't that the idea? I read your comments because I assume there might be a thought in there I'd overlooked. Something that I can say, hmmm, that's a good point. Maybe I'll adjust my thinking on this subject. I readily admit when someone brings a new tidbit to my attention. I've done it in this very forum.

That's how I learn.

Or, I can just assume I know everything about every subject and never pick up a newspaper or read an contrary viewpoint. Hmmmm....that has a ring to it and reminds me of someone in office, who is that? Geeze, my idiot brain escapes me.

again, spin simply meant "opinion" or "thoughts" . I appreciate your opinion.