bad politics

The Bush re-election team shows, once again, how those Republicans rise above the normal, dirty fraw of negative campaigning. From the Times:

Mr. Bush's advisers plan to cap the month at the Republican convention in New York, which they said would feature Mr. Kerry as an object of humor and calculated derision.

...

Mr. Bush's aides said they were determined to use the weeks ahead to highlight Mr. Kerry's 20-year record in the Senate, using votes he has cast and what they described as his lack of accomplishments to portray him as ineffective, ideologically out of step, and a slacker for missing crucial votes while campaigning.

"He has 20 lost years," Mr. Dowd said. "It's amazing." Mr. Kerry's voting record - he has cast more than 6,000 votes in all - has long been considered vulnerable by Democrats and Republicans, not just because it can be characterized as liberal, but also because it is so vast and touches on so many complicated and politically fraught issues over so many years. The decision by Mr. Bush to turn on Mr. Kerry's voting record, while hardly a surprise, underlines why members of Congress are sometimes viewed as less than ideal candidates for president.

The decision by Mr. Bush's aides to continue the attacks on Mr. Kerry up to and including the convention is in keeping with the aggressive tone the White House has struck against Mr. Kerry from the moment he effectively won his nomination in March.

Yes yes. Let us focus on the past, and on making the opponent the butt of jokes. This is truly the way forward.
The decision to have Kerry as the laughing stock of the GOP convention, rather than taking on his ideas head on, is simply shrugg-able. I could really give a durn if the Repubs can't talk straight on the issues. What gets my goat is their gleeful use of Kerry's voting records. I'm not sure the extent to which Kerry has changed his mind--thoughtfully--about something. Nor am I sure the quantity of Bush mind-changes. I am sure, though, that I prefer the politician with a sense of vulnerability as opposed to the log of wood. And if voting record negative-campaigning is a tool that prevents Congress from voting with their minds and hearts- than I believe such campaigning ruins a whole big deal.
In any event, it is my belief this Bush campaign is much more comfortable with the tried and true politics of nagative campaigning than is Kerry/Edwards. The funny thing: Bush Co. will convince Americans that Kerry/Edwards are the negat-os.