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Edited on Thu Sep-09-04 11:15 PM by Bozita
comes on after the football game:
Nightline Daily E-Mail
September 9, 2004
TONIGHT'S FOCUS: New allegations about President Bush's service in the National Guard. Vice-President Cheney makes a statement that many in his own party consider over-the-top. Looking for the truth, but in politics these days, does the truth really matter?
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Negative attacks work. No matter how much voters say they only want to hear about the issues and all, the reason that campaigns put so much effort into defining their opponents in negative terms is that it works. You have only to look at the impact of the attacks on John Kerry's record in Vietnam. A rebuttal, even when it has the advantage of being accurate, never seems to have the same power as the original attack. And if you repeat something often enough, it takes on a life of its own.
Tonight we're going to look at two issues, separate but related. The first centers on new questions about whether or not President Bush really did complete his service in the National Guard. Our friends over at CBS News were the first to report on new documents that raise new questions about President's service. One of his former superiors, who is now deceased, wrote a memo to his file saying that then-Lt.Bush apparently disobeyed a direct order in not undergoing a required physical. The White House fired back of course. Chris Bury will report on the new documents, coming out at the same time as a new ad campaign by a group calling itself Texans for Truth. Sound familiar? Of course. Does this issue resonate with the voters?
Also tonight, Dave Marash will report on a statement made by Vice-President Cheney earlier this week. In essence, the Vice-President said that the election of John Kerry could make it more likely that terrorists would attack the U.S. This is, as many Republicans were quick to point out along with Democrats, over the top. The campaign, as campaigns are designed to do, immediately began explaining what he really meant. But does that matter, does anyone really pay attention to what comes after a charge like that? The Democrats are, of course, guilty of similar attacks. And these will certainly not be the last ones we see in the next two months or so.
Ted will anchor tonight, we'll look at the truth, or lack thereof behind these two stories. There is a football game tonight, so we'll be delayed on the East Coast. I hope you'll join us.
Leroy Sievers and the Nightline Staff
Nightline Offices
ABC News Washington Bureau
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