Medicare Misleadership

Friday afternoon, the day after President Bush boasted about his Medicare reform, the administration quietly released the bombshell that Medicare premiums will rise 17.5% in 2005, the greatest increase in 40 years. Oops.

This will give fuel to John Kerry whose campaign is looking to focus on domestic issues from here on out, which are the issues he generally beats Bush on in polls anyway. It also plays on people's distrust of this administration, which is one narrative that seems to have stuck in favor of Kerry. We just have to remind people who seem to have forgotten about this in the heat of the convention.

Kerry has released a new ad that takes the president to task, using his own words from the convention against him. This is serious rapid response. The Democrats know what they've done wrong of late and they know what they have to do right. Looks like they've learned their lesson. Yes there has been a bounce, anywhere from 4 points (Rasmussen, Zogby) to 11 points (Newsweek, Time), but it is based on smoke and mirrors. Kerry gained people's confidence before, he has plenty of time to win it again.

Check out the ad HERE.