Allegation after allegation are rolling out this week against Bush, focusing on his National Guard Service. There are also allegations of cocaine use at Camp David from the ex-wife of the president's brother.
Of these attacks, the one that is the most potentially damaging is the cocaine allegation. Democrats and their buddies in the Vast Left Wing Conspiracy - from George Soros to Michael Moore to Terry McAuliffe to John Kerry himself - have thrown the unfulfilled-committment-to-the-National-Guard story at the wall so many times to see if it would stick, that it is unlikely to finally take now. This might have some relevance if this were 2000 and the voters were not familiar with Bush. Then they'd look at such things to determine his fitness to be Commander-in-Chief. But Bush has a 4 year record and polls indicate that the majority of Americans are comfortable with his performance in that role. There's little need to look back 30 years when you have solid, on-point evidence from last month or last year. Kerry, on the other hand, has made as his prime qualification for Commander-in-Chief his actions in the Mekong Delta in 1969 and has offered no other evidence of his qualifications. Thus, attacks on Kerry's past have more traction on this issue than attacks on Bush's, despite the best efforts of the Boston Globe and 60 Minutes, who are treating a rehash of allegations as "news".
But the cocaine issue, if it gets legs, could hurt Bush, because it would undermine the voters' views of Bush as a good guy they'd like to have a beer with - they certainly wouldn't want to do a line with him. People like Bush because he's direct and appears to be a straight-talker. And they've already dismissed his youthful indiscretions. But Kitty Kelley alleges that Bush used cocaine at Camp David while his Dad was president - when in his 40s. Will this get legs? I don't know. NBC is pretty much alone out there in hawking the Kelley book. And it appears the lone source of the allegations is riddled with conflicts of interest. And the publisher, Doubleday, is trying to prevent independent examination of Kelley's allegations - a sign of their fear they won't hold up. Read Captain's Quarters for an excellent analysis and to get up to speed on Kelley, her book and Sharon Bush. (And please read it before going off half-cocked on the comments board).
We'll know in about 2 weeks if any of this has softened Bush's support in the polls.
