Left Jabs 7.23.04
By Lou Franklin


My name is Lou and I swing from the left. Careful, or you might just get hit with the truth. Any questions? Let’s get down to business.

Unless you have spent the past week or so under a rock, you know about the controversy involving Sandy Berger, a chief Kerry aide who recently stepped down from the campaign. For those of you living with snails, Berger voluntarily left the Kerry team after admitting he had mixed up personal documents and classified documents in the National Archives. Many claim he has left a black eye on the Kerry campaign. Others say that Kerry may have an unfair advantage in the race if he had access to classified documents. Allow me to clear up a few misconceptions in regards to Mr. Berger. .

First of all, Berger committed no crime whatsoever. He violated National Archive policy. Under no circumstances did he break any laws, nor did he do anything immoral. Berger formerly served as National Security Advisor and so he is allowed a certain amount of leeway regarding classified documents. His party may not be in power (at least for now), but that should not mean he is forbidden from looking at important documents in the event that any administration should need his services. I will throw out a CRAZY idea for you – maybe, just maybe, he can use his years of expertise and reputation of honesty to help President Bush out of this quagmire he has managed to steer America into? Nevertheless, Berger is no criminal. .

Secondly, those who think this will be a black eye for the Kerry campaign may be right. This is certainly not a shining moment in Kerry’s march to The White House, but things could be worse. How you ask? Berger publicly admitted his mistake. He stood up in front of the nation and owned up to his mistakes by stepping down. He understands that whether accidental or not, he must take responsibility for his actions and did so with class and dignity. We juxtapose this with the Bush administration who still contend that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Berger’s acceptance and confession exemplify the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans have pride. Democrats have humility. .

Thirdly, those who think that now the Kerry campaign has an unfair advantage are simply out of their minds. The only unfair advantage Kerry has is the one Bush created for him. A war torn country where terrorists take more foreign hostages every day and the American death toll is over nine hundred is Kerry’s advantage. An economy that is only now beginning to recover from a conservative Congress induced recession is Kerry’s advantage. A disapproving 9/11 commission where Bush refuses to appear without Uncle Dick Cheney to spoon feed him lines is Kerry’s advantage. This leads me to my next point. .

Has anyone else noticed that the timing of all this is awfully convenient for the Republicans? The story breaks only two days before the 9/11 commission declares that "The United States government was simply not active enough in combating the terrorist threat before 9/11." Could the Bush Team have gotten wind of this before the fact? Also the Democratic National Convention where the Democrats will elect Kerry president (the national election is a mere formality) is also very soon. Could this be a ploy by the Bush administration to distract America from the matters at hand? No, of course not, that would be like starting a war to distract America from a pitiful economy. Pay your respects to the honorable liberal who did the right thing, but pay attention to the findings of the 9/11 commission, otherwise known as the real news.

My name is Lou Franklin and you have been jabbed.

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