I can’t wait to hear how this is an “unfair” smear

Via California Yankee: “President Bush calls Kerry to task for failing to support troops”

"Few votes in Congress are as important as funding our troops at war. Though John Kerry voted in October 2002 for military action in Iraq, he later voted against funding our soldiers," the ad says.

Here’s Mort Kondracke back in October 2003 when the $87 billion supplemental bill was being debated:

It's true that a poll conducted by Republican Bill McInturff and Democrat Stan Greenberg last week for National Public Radio showed that, by 55 percent to 42 percent, likely voters oppose the $87 billion.

But that's a feeble political reed on which to hang such a momentous decision as the abandonment of U.S. forces in the field and a people who have become America's responsibility.

Likely as not, it will prove a disastrous stance politically, too, especially if conditions improve in Iraq and Bush finally succeeds in convincing voters that his policies in Iraq are working.

In what might have been seen as low-blow politics, Republicans probably were going to accuse a Democratic nominee who criticized Bush's Iraq policy of somehow aiding Hussein and international terrorism.

But now, if the nominee is Dean or Edwards - or Kerry, if he sides with them - Bush can make that charge openly. And, it won't be a low blow. It will be totally true.

Watching Senator Splunge try to explain his vote now that things are improving in Iraq will be delicious. It’ll be more of that tortuous rationalization combined with that thick-tongued drone of a bad Shakespearean actor which has been the hallmark of his campaign.