Actually, surveys are showing that the TV ads are causing a negative response in the swing states. Sometimes people who are involved in the inside baseball of politics take too much for granted. In this case, an average person comes away from the ad with an impression the Bush campaign put it out. Somehow the Smear Boat Veterans figured that they could splatter this mud without it getting on Bushie. The end result is someone not that involved with politics comes away with the impression the Bushies are wacking out over 40 year old $hit.

Kerry may have embellished some of his military exploits. WGAS, so did my uncle. "No $hit, there I was, 40 japs and only my messkit........"

But this little snippet from last night's Hardball interview of this O'neill slimeball shows why the whole thing is a loser for the right:


From the August 12 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

Pushed by Matthews, O'Neill admitted that "Kerry, in being shot at, showed courage," but O'Neill emphasized that Kerry only exhibited an "ordinary degree of courage." O'Neill then claimed that, despite his courage, Kerry is "millions of steps behind ... everybody," appearing to include President George W. Bush.

MATTHEWS: [I]f a man shows any courage in the battlefield, he's done more than most people do in this country. He's gone out and fought for his country and risked his life for his country and shot one of the enemy for his country. That puts him a step above most people, doesn't it?

O'NEILL: I think he is millions of steps behind, because he went over ...

MATTHEWS: Behind whom?

O'NEILL: Behind everybody.

MATTHEWS: Behind Bush? President Bush?

O'NEILL: Yes. I'm not going to speak to President Bush.

After listening to all of O'Neill's claims, Matthews concluded the program by stating: "Well, I've already heard enough that he's [Kerry] done more than I ever did for my country and a lot more than anybody else ... and more than the president."