Why Bush Must Smear Kerry

This guy William Rivers Pitt is a best-selling author and also writes for the New York Times. He seems to have a pretty good grasp of what's going on with the Bush campaign.

''In other words, nauseating activities like the Swift Boat smears and the Purple Heart Band-Aid-wearing cretins do not bubble up from the slime of their own accord. This is standard-issue East Texas political assassination, and the smell of it trails all the way from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to the doorstep of this Republican convention. This is leadership from the top down, Bush-style.

Why?

When your war is a disaster, when your economy is a mess, when your people are out of work by the millions, when the environment is under total assault because of your policies, and when your best pals are pocketing billions of dollars in taxpayer money on the sneak, you’d do well to avoid discussing the issues. Unfortunately for Bush, the manner in which he and his campaign are attempting to change the subject is becoming an issue in and of itself.''