He's Back in Town!

Like a Deus ex machina, Hesiod has re-appeared, ready to come to our aid. He reminds us that, once upon a time, George H W Bush was attacked as John Kerry is being attacked now:

Compare, for example, the way George W. Bush refuses to do the right thing and denounce these liars with the way Michael Dukakis, in 1988, responded to a very similar attack on the President's father.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, a tailgunner from then Vice President Bush's old Naval Air Squadron was an eye witness of the infamous occasion when Bush was shot down by the Japanese. Accord to this witness, Chester Mierzejewski, Pilot Bush prematurely bailed out, thus dooming the two crewmen in the rear part of his plane. Ironically, the allegation is detailed by none other than the despicable POW/MIA exploiter Ted Sampley in a widely quoted article circulating on the internet.
...

In 1988, however, other than the New York Post article and an Associated Press report, the whole controversy quickly died. The reason it died, despite the credibility of the accuser, was partly because the media were gutless. But mostly because Michael Dukakis, honorable to a fault, refused to make it an issue.

As reported by the New York Times:

"Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, questioned about a World War II gunner's challenge to Vice President Bush's account of being shot down over the Pacific, said, 'I don't think that kind of thing has any place in the campaign.' The Democratic Presidential nominee said the challenge to Mr. Bush's war record was 'unfair' and 'unfortunate.' Mr. Bush 'served this country,' Mr. Dukakis said. 'He served it well and with tremendous courage, and you don't fly 58 missions without enormous courage and tremendous patriotism.' The New York Times, August 14, 1988

A pretty stark difference. Not just with George W. Bush, but also between Dukakis and Bill Clinton who fought back.

And he also reminds us of an old speech of Zell Miller's - his speech to the 1992 Democratic Convention. In addition to the part he reprints, in the whole speech (via the link he provided) there's a portion which could well be part of a 2004 Democratic speech.

Americans cannot understand why the rich can buy the best health care in the world, but all the rest of us get is rising costs and cuts in coverage, or no health insurance at all.

And George Bush doesn't get it?

Americans cannot walk our streets in safety, because our "tough-on-crime" president has waged a phony war on drugs, posing for pictures while cutting police, prosecutors and prisons.

And George Bush doesn't get it?

Americans have seen plants closed down, jobs shipped overseas and our hopes fade away as our economic position collapses right before our very eyes.

And George Bush does not get it!

It's really good to see Hesiod back and better than ever.

(Edited to add) I checked back, and with some trimming Hesiod has turned it into a terrific 2004 Democratic campaign speech.