Judge for Yourselves

Paul Krugman writes another brilliant article today (a phrase used so often I should have it as a macro). In it, he makes this interesting and accurate statement.

Although President Bush's campaign is based almost entirely on his self-proclaimed leadership in that war, his officials have thrown a shroud of secrecy over any information that might let voters assess his performance.

We are asked to judge President Bush based on our shallow impressions of him, and then only our positive ones. Karl Rove certainly doesn't want us judging President Bush on his pathetic performance in the first debate, for example. But we are to judge the President as resolved and determined and strong. But more and more it seems like every time we get a peek at how President Bush is actually performing, it reveals a negative impression.

I feel like I'm repeating myself (possibly because I am) but this brings us back to Kerry-hating. The Bush strategy seems three fold.

1. Put up a phony but admirable image of President Bush.
2. Keep President Bush's actual performance off the table.
3. Portray Senator Kerry as a raving yet passionless lunatic.

Will it work? A week from today we'll find out.