First of all, allow me to provide a little background. Kerry, skiing in Idaho, apparently fell down and cussed out his secret service agent (calling him a "son of a bitch") who he felt was to blame. It's hard to say more about this story because most of the references I find to it are from conservative bloggists and commentators (like Kathleen Parker), and I suspect their interpretation may be biased.
Here's how the New York Times Reported it (and, remember dear readers, I had to spend $2.95 to get access to this article so you'd better appreciate it!)
"His next trip down, a reporter and a camera crew were allowed to follow along on skis -- just in time to see Mr. Kerry taken out by one of the Secret Service men, who had inadvertently moved into his path, sending him into the snow.
When asked about the mishap a moment later, he said sharply, ''I don't fall down,'' then used an expletive to describe the agent who ''knocked me over.''
This is the defining moment of the Kerry Campaign, according to many right wing columnists (like Kathleen Parker). In her latest column, she compares Senator Kerry to a 7-year old. Of course she leaves out most of the context (even the little bit of context provided by the New York times). For example, she leaves out the bit where the secret service agent actually knocked him down. She also didn't spend a lot of time contemplating what it's like to fall down in the snow while skiing and have reporters immediately running over to ask for a comment.
She then goes on to fault his choice of leisure activity. "Then you catch Kerry, who shouldn't need to prove his manhood - he served in Vietnam, you know - engaging in preppy sports that require resorts and expensive equipment: skiing, snowboarding, windsurfing. Not exactly the populist sports of choice.
Can't the man shoot hoops? Or toss a football while, say, not skiing in Aspen? Catch much?"
There are a lot of skiers in America; all they all preppy wimps? Particularly in northern states like, say, Massachusetts, skiing is a popular activity. And the man was on vacation, wasn't he? After a grueling primary season, he was taking a couple of days off. President Bush, as we all know, understands the value of a vacation; why don't you, Ms. Parker?
Tony Blankely comments on this issue as well, but uses it to springboard into his request, nay, requirement, that Senator Kerry release his medical files.
"In the murky background, national tabloid papers speculate that he may be a victim of more embarrassing diseases. Such nasty rumors are commonplace in American politics (and inevitably have their effects), but they are fueled by candidates who refuse to release all their medical records -- as Mr. Kerry refuses. The limited, general, uncorroborated statements by his personal physician, Dr. Gerald J. Doyle of Boston, only keep the controversy on a slow simmer. The doctor said that "there was no evidence of metastic disease" and that Mr. Kerry's heart function "was above average for a man his age." Is that really the best his helpful doctor could offer up?"
Kind of a tricky technique there, isn't it? Without asserting anything specific, Blankley says a lot. In case you don't get it he's accusing President Kerry of having a Sexually Transmitted Disease while maintaining plausible deniability. Let me give you a parallel version.
"Well it's obviously unfortunate that tabloid papers could write speculative pieces on Mr. Blankley's continual private and ritualistic worship of Pan, the Goat God, despite his professed Christianity. Really the only way to put these rumors to rest is for Mr. Blankley to install security cameras and connect them to the web so that we can watch his house 24 hours a day."
See? Simple. And it works on anybody, because as we all know, tabloid papers will print anything.
Still slamming into Kerry on Health Issues may not earn Blankley any gold stars from the White House. David Talbot of Salon interviewed former Watergate Alumnus John Dean on the Bush Administration's need for secrecy. Among other things, Mr. Dean states, "I would add to the list Cheney's outrageous stonewalling about his health, which we know is bad, notwithstanding his effort to keep the details secret. The Congress lets Cheney do anything he wants because Republicans control it, and Cheney is their heavy in the White House for getting things done. Cheney, so long as Republicans control, will not have to answer, but should we return to divided government in 2004 or 2006 and Cheney is still in the White House, that will end.
There has never been a vice president -- ever (and even including Spiro Agnew who was Nixon's) -- who needed to be investigated more than Cheney. Nor has there ever been such a secretive vice president. Dick Cheney is the power behind the Bush throne. Frankly, I am baffled why the mainstream news media has given Cheney (not to mention Bush) a free ride. I don't know if it is generational, or corporate ownership, or political bias, but it is clear that Cheney has been given a pass by the major news organizations."
The interview is quite good, although you do need to watch an ad to read it.
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