Kerry goes nuclear

Clearly Kerry's response to these horrible Swift Boat ads was appropriate in its forcefulness - click here for Kerry's full remarks - but some seem to wish Kerry had acted earlier.

However, it seems the timing of Kerry's remarks couldn't have been better. When the ad first appeared, Kerry was content to let his campaign and its surrogates rip it apart. The TV ad buy was relatively small and Kerry was in the middle of wrapping up his multi-state post-convention tour. However, instead of fading out, more and more discussion has built up around these ads - what with Bush's failure to deny the ads and Moveon.org's response, not to mention McCain's condemnation of both the Moveon.org and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads and the recent newspaper articles that cast doubt upon the claims of some of the anti-Kerry swifties. Plus, the group behind the original SWVFT ad is coming out with another one tomorrow.

The Kerry campaign clearly hoped to pre-but what will be even more sensational charges brought up in this new ad and waited until now so as not to overshadow the upbeat nature of the final days of his post-convention tour. Also, the venue Kerry chose - a speech in front of the International Association of Firefighters, a union that has been with him since before his upset win in Iowa - to attack this "front for the Bush campaign" was perfect in that it symbolizes the strength and loyalty Kerry engenders among his strongest supporters (not to mention his own swift boat crew mates) who will no doubt be called upon again and again to vouch for John Kerry in the face of these hideous attacks.