“In playing it safe, the Kerry campaign is suggesting its approach to Nov. 2 isn’t to inspire and motivate supporters. The game plan is to not lose. The problem with that strategy, though, is that if you aren’t on offense in the rough and tumble of a political race, you’re on defense—and defense doesn’t have the best track record.” (emphasis added)
Disagreed then? Disagree now? Then answer the following. With a couple of months to go before the Nov. 2 vote is the country talking about: a) the War in Iraq, b) the War on Terror or c) John Kerry's record in the Vietnam War?
The correct answer is “c” as of this writing on Aug. 27 and has been for the past few weeks. The Kerry campaign is on defense and any political consultant worth their salt could have made that prediction as the lackluster, risk-averse mush of the Fleet Center fiesta unfolded back in late July.
And since it's Kerry's Vietnam record we're talking about almost exclusively these days, it's Kerry taking the hit in the polls, especially among veterans. Blame those mean “Swift Boat Veterans” all you want. Call them a “Band of Botherers.” But the fault, dear Brutus, lies not with the 527s ('cause both sides have 'em) but with the crap campaign being run by the donkeys.
Finally, a reminder of a prediction made in the Aug. 12-18 edition of “Payne's World.” “And look for Bush/Cheney to leave [the Republican Convention in] New York with a solid bounce in the polls approaching the double-digits.” Bet on it.
Another Dubious Battle with Louisiana for First Place
The revelation that 13- and 15-year-olds were signed up to vote (without signing up themselves) is just the latest example of the not-so-good government approach we have in New Mexico when it comes to ballot integrity. In fact, it could be argued the only truly laissez faire policy in New Mexico is the one we have for the voting booth. Oh, and asking someone to show the I.D. they used at the local Blockbuster before voting is “discrimination” according to the election fraud enablers.
Of course, that's small potatoes compared to some of the bogus “limited liability corporations”—or LLCs—that have been set up in the state to hide where campaign contributions come from or how they're spent. Don't know what an “LLC” is? You might start by asking an attorney—maybe a trial lawyer active in the Democrat Party. Someone like that might be able to help you cross that old bridge when you come to it.
Enough with the Plane Wars Already!
First, it was international man of mystery Richard Copp and Journal publisher Tom Lang squaring-off over Copp's plane ride to the World Trade Center following 9-11 in Lang's private “humanitarian relief” jet. Now, Attorney General Patricia Madrid and Gov. Bill Richardson are going toe to toe over Big Bill's plans to use $4 million in state highway bonds for a new state “Guv-1” plane.
Are there important matters of principle at stake here? In the Madrid vs. Richardson imbroglio, sure. But there's got to be a disconnect for the 99 percent of state residents who will never fly in a private plane ever. Can't we find private VIPs and elected officials who will get this worked up over SunTran?
Spying Through the Backdoor
Just in case Tom Ridge asks, I don't usually spend a lot of time at www.aljazeera.com. But a reference in the Weekly Standard to Al Jazeera's behind the scenes theory on the resignation of New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey was just too interesting to pass up.
Al Jazeera's website has a section titled “Conspiracy Theories.” Some of the latest topics: “Israel's Passport factory might be another arm of terrorism” and “How often, if ever, has the U.S. opposed the Israeli government?!” There's something of a theme here, obviously.
But their take on the downfall of McGreevy ranks in the Conspiracy Theory Hall of Fame. Under the headline “Was McGreevey sex scandal an Israeli Intelligence operation?!,” freelance “Foreign Policy/Intelligence Columnist Andy Martin” argues McGreevey's dilemma wasn't a gay sex scandal—it was an Israeli intelligence operation gone sour.
Martin asserts McGreevey was lured into a relationship with Golan Cipel (a junior Mossad agent according to Martin) that was intended to, um … “penetrate New Jersey’s homeland defenses.” The state homeland security position McGreevey placed Cipel in was seen as a “back door way of spying on anti-terror preparations in the New York-New Jersey area, and possibly nationally.”
And we give Geraldine Amato a hard time!
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author. Payne, a former city councilor, can be reached at greg@alibi.com.
