Michael Barone’s commentary on Zell’s speech is worth reading.
It strikes me that this speech marks a turning point in the campaign. Maybe it’s just the beginning of an examination of Kerry’s Senate record, and maybe it’s more than that, so we’ll see.
Hollywood Matt Welch was scared by it, and the Democratic Party’s response ranges from smearing Miller as everything from a racist to a flip-flopper. The racist charge doesn’t hold water and isn’t supported by anything more than Miller’s age and place of origin, and the flip-flopper charge by Miller’s former support of Bill Clinton and some nice words he said about John Kerry’s love for puppies:
As many of you know, I have great affection ? some might say an obsession ? for my two Labrador retrievers, Gus and Woodrow. It turns out John is a fellow dog lover, too, and he better be. His German Shepherd, Kim, is about to have puppies. And I just want him to know ? Gus and Woodrow had nothing to do with that.
I’m pro-puppy myself, so maybe I should re-evaluate Kerry.
Actually there’s good precedent for the racist charge- both historically and recent.
Yeah, it’s a turning point- kinda like that Pat Budhanan speech in ’92.
Democrats for Kerry everywhere are e-mailing huge thank-yous to Miller because he’s alienated so many independents.
Time shows Bush with a commanding 11-point lead right now; that’s what we mean when we use the term “turning point” in politics.