The L-Word

During the debate, John Kerry was careful not to call President Bush a "liar." In fact, he came right out and said that "I've never, ever used the harshest word...and I try not to." Weren't we rooting for him to though? Since the debate, George Bush has raised his distortions of Kerry's positions to a new level apparently making the L-word fair game. And I say it's about time.

In the latest Kerry ad, the campaign calls George Bush out on saying that John Kerry has a global test that must be met before we defend ourselves. Yes, John Kerry used the term "global test" but not in the way the president and his surrogates are claiming he did. See my previous post for a rundown of exactly what John Kerry did say and the way in which George Bush is lying about its meaning.

The new ad, called "He's Lost, He's Desperate," can be seen HERE. It opens with this great line:

George Bush lost the debate. Now he's lying about it.

It goes on to reveal exactly what John Kerry said he would do as president:

The president always has the right for preemptive strike.

And...

I will hunt and kill the terrorists wherever they are.

Now today, Paul Krugman, in his New York Times column, reiterates the point and, again, uses the L-word:

Trying to undo the damage, Mr. Bush is now telling those loyalty-tested audiences that Senator John Kerry's use of the phrase "global test" means that he "would give foreign governments veto power over our national security decisions." He's lying, of course, as anyone can confirm by looking at what Mr. Kerry actually said. But it may still work - Mr. Bush's pre-debate rise in the polls is testimony to the effectiveness of smear tactics.

Nice to see there's less fear on the part of the Democrats. It will be called inappropriate, of course, to call a sitting president a liar, but hopefully the American people will see that it's nothing compared to the innapropriateness of George Bush's campaign tactics of lies and distortions.