The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Link via Unfair Witness. Bush's use of the Iraqi soccer team in campaign advertisements is lacking the endorsement of key people, namely, the Iraqi soccer team:

"Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign," Sadir told SI.com through a translator, speaking calmly and directly. "He can find another way to advertise himself."

Ahmed Manajid, who played as a midfielder on Wednesday, had an even stronger response when asked about Bush's TV advertisement. "How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women?" Manajid told me. "He has committed so many crimes."

The Bush campaign was contacted about the Iraqi soccer player's statements, but has yet to respond.

To a man, members of the Iraqi Olympic delegation say they are glad that former Olympic committee head Uday Hussein, who was responsible for the serial torture of Iraqi athletes and was killed four months after the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq in March 2003, is no longer in power.

But they also find it offensive that Bush is using their team for his own gain when they do not support his administration's actions in Iraq. "My problems are not with the American people," says Iraqi soccer coach Adnan Hamad. "They are with what America has done in Iraq: destroy everything. The American army has killed so many people in Iraq. What is freedom when I go to the [national] stadium and there are shootings on the road?"

This follows on the heels of the latest pro-Bush attack ad, concocted by Lying Swiftboat Veterans who further their lies by claiming to be Swiftboat veterans for truth. John Kerry took the time today to slam Bush's refusal to denounce the ad (Kerry also denounced a MoveOn spot that questions pResident Bush's service record--or lack thereof).

The level to which the incumbent has sunk is unbelievable, and clearly a sign of desperation. With Iraq literally blowing up all around, an economy that's still in the hole, and no real plan for anything, is it any wonder that they've resorted to not just slinging mud, but blasting it from a howitzer?

I'd like to think that, even if Bush managed to pull off another "win," he'd be pretty much rendered ineffective after engaging in such sleazy tactics. However, I also figured four years ago that he'd be a caretaker, based on hollow "victory" one would expect from an election decided not by the public, but by the Supreme Court. I guess I was proven wrong.

Last year (and I just don't feel like plowing through the archives, so you'll have to take my word) I wrote that negative campaigning works in a "lesser of evils" election. It's a lot easier to build up a dislike for a candidate than vice versa--especially if you time your negative ads just right. But I believe that Bush is blasting away with mud a little too early--it's one thing to go negative late in the race, but quite another when you're still three months out. Kerry has plenty of time to respond, AND the backlash that comes from negative ads will build.

If that happens, don't look for Kerry to win in a close election, but to romp. And, while I keep saying that I'm not a big fan of his, I'll definitely be raising a glass should he wipe that goddamned smirk off Dubya's face...