After spending a few paragraphs making fun of the significance of last night’s revelation that lied about meeting with the entire U.N. Security council on Iraq, Daily Kos had this to say:
But there is a punchline — The story is wrong. Kerry did meet with everyone…
Update: I know I haven’t sourced the assertion that Kerry met with everyone. When we see the story, with the names of the ambassadors who claim not to have met with Kerry, then it’ll be easy enough to refute the allegations.
As I pointed out late last night, the story is now out, as are the names of several Amabassadors who state they didn’t meet with Kerry:
Andres Franco, Columbia
Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, Mexico
Stefan Tafrov, Bulgaria
Kos is now on the record quite flatly declaring that he can debunk the heart of this story (and it will “be easy”, in fact!). I’m waiting to see his followthrough.
Folks, I can’t say for sure if lefty activists like Kos really don’t think this story is a big deal (they are quite self-deluded enough to believe that), or if they’re spinning. I’m inclined to think the latter.
This story is a major threat to Kerry, and I think the left knows it. Here’s why:
– It is recent: this isn’t a case of differing recollections about something that happened in the jungle 30 years ago.
– It is relevant: This isn’t a case about lying about sex (as Bill pointed out): it was a lie right at the heart of Kerry’s key foreign policy argument: that Bush failed to involve allies adequately in the war, and that Kerry would do better.
– It is simple. There’s no confusing details; you don’t have to learn the specifications of a Swift Boat or the precise qualifications required to receive a Purple Heart . He said he met with the entire Security Council. The representatives of the Security Council say he didn’t. Period. Easy.
All these factors add up to a straightforward and clear story that most definitely could damage Kerry — and should damage Kerry — in the critical last week before the election.
Again, I’d ask my colleagues on the right side of the blogosphere — yes, I’m talking to you — to keep this in mind. Don’t let Kerry off the hook on this one, or we might end up with nobody but ourselves to blame next week.
More from:
Michelle Malkin: “I don’t agree with critics of the story who sniff that there’s “nothing new” in exposing Kerry’s lies and that therefore the story is a dud.”
Hugh Hewitt: “There is clear Bush momentum that is going to accelerate as the non-meeting with the Security Council story gets legs and reminds voters of Kerry’s magic hat, his never falling down on the ski slopes, and his gun running to the anti-communists of Cambodia…”
Red State, where it all started, rounds up historical Kerry quotes…
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