Kerry's Doctrine of Preemption

Robert Musil has comments on John Kerry's jumping the gun on his reactions to President Bush's attacking his service in Vietnam, (Kerry served in Vietnam? Who knew?) when Bush hasn't done anything of the sort. Kerry will use this dodge whenever anybody mentions his radical anti-war activities after he came back from Vietnam.

Not that he would listen, but I wouldn't discourage him from starting this ploy too early. He's about the most boring politician since before Al Gore started channeling Hitler. On about the fifth time through this bit, people will stop listening.

Of course, Kerry has a Democrat brain trust to help him. He doesn't need advice from us.

Backdate: Josh Marshall already used the Preemption Doctrine trope, which makes it all the more ironic, since it consists of attacks against the straw men that Democrats are building. The seem to be thinking, "If Republicans attack us on lack of support for national defense, we're ready to blast their own lack of service in the military. Yeah, that's the ticket!"