Tom Finch – 4/13/08

This page was last updated on April 13, 2008.

Smear attacks starting early; Thomas M. Finch; Beaver County Times; April 13, 2008.

Mr. Finch’s letters never disappoint. As usual, his letter is little more than a string of liberal talking points. It’s at least the 19^th anti-Bush and/or anti-Republican letter from Mr. Finch since December 2004 and the 14^th since August 2006. Here is one example. I wish he could get a regular column in the Times. I also wish he could get at least five minutes per day on a local radio and/or TV station.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“With seven months remaining before the November election, I’m treated to an insulting display of Limbaughesque, neo-con, smear attack, directed at Democratic candidates (‘Two empty suits,’ Wednesday).”

[RWC] Read Mr. Barr’s letter and you find that although tough (I could have done w/o the “empty suits” comment.), everything in the letter is true. I always thought a smear involved lying or at least implying a lie. Apparently it’s also a “smear” to tell the truth about Democrat candidates.

I wish one of these guys who uses the term “neo-con” would give us their definition of it.

If he believes Mr. Barr is getting involved “early,” Mr. Finch has been ignoring what his fellow leftists have been saying about the candidates. Over a year ago, a leftist (and black) LA Times columnist wrote a piece entitled “Obama the ‘Magic Negro’.”

“Four years ago, they used the ‘Swift-Boat’ campaign to sink John Kerry —- and they’re still taking shots at him today, although I fail to see what purpose it serves.”

[RWC] “Swift Boat”: To tell the truth about a Democrat candidate. You’re only vulnerable to “Swift Boating” when you lie or try to hide your beliefs. Here are two “Swift Boating” examples from the current campaign.

CBS “Swift Boated” Mrs. Clinton when it showed video demonstrating she lied repeatedly about being under sniper fire when she visited Tuzla in 1996.

The media “Swift Boated” Barack Obama when it became obvious Mr. Obama lied repeatedly about knowing the beliefs of his mentor and spiritual advisor.

“Wait. Maybe I do.

“The spirit of Karl Rove lives on — you have to use whatever works. If you cannot make a legitimate argument in support of your Republican candidate, you might as well unleash venomous innuendo attacking the opposition.”

[RWC] Hmm, Mr. Finch didn’t provide any examples of Mr. Rove doing what Mr. Finch claims. I wonder why.

I have some examples of Democrats, though. Remember earlier in the campaign when Bob Kerrey (a Clinton supporter) mentioned Obama’s drug experience and wondered if there was dealing involved?

And let’s not forget Obama supporter Randi Rhodes (Air America) referring to Mrs. Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro as “f*****g whore[s].”

Since Mr. Finch is still stuck in 2004 to a degree, who was it that tried to use forged documents to wipe out the opposing candidate?

“Just like WMDs, Republican ‘truth’ is manifested in whatever lies and half-truths you can con the public into believing. I’m hoping that this time around, America has wised up to their underhanded tactics and will no longer be deceived by this nonsense.”

[RWC] Oops, Mr. Finch appears to forget his idols John Kerry and Hillary Clinton also told us about WMD in Iraq.

“Go ahead and rant. Try to convince us that U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton is a hysterical woman, and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama is a secret Muslim who hates America. No sane person believes that McCain — with his 100 more years of war in Iraq, and an economic package that ignores the lower and middle classes — is a better choice.”

[RWC] I don’t buy into the “Hillary Clinton is a hysterical woman” stuff, but Mrs. Clinton can’t turn on the waterworks when answering innocuous questions at campaign stops and then expect us to view her as someone who would be a strong commander-in-chief.

Mr. Finch needs to write to Bob Kerrey as well. In addition to the drug dealing comment, Mr. Kerrey also made sure he used Mr. Obama’s middle name (Hussein) routinely and reminded people that Islam was the religion on the paternal side of Mr. Obama’s family.

Regarding Iraq, here’s how CNN reported Mr. McCain’s comment: “Last month, at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire, a crowd member asked McCain about a Bush statement that troops could stay in Iraq for 50 years. ‘Maybe 100,’ McCain replied. ‘As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, it’s fine with me and I hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al Qaeda is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day.’” As we all know, this is exactly the same strategy we followed at the end of World War II and the Korean War and we still have troops stationed in Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

Regarding the “economic package …” comment, Mr. Finch didn’t specify exactly what he’s talking about so I can’t comment. In any case, “economic package[s]” that don’t cut government spending and give tax rate cuts to everyone are doomed to failure, just like all leftist economic programs.