"Bush will eat your babies!"

At the time of this writing, the above hasn't been a headline in the New York Times yet, but we've still got a couple weeks to go.

Has anyone else noticed the fundamental difference between Bush & Kerry's attacks on each other?

Bush attacks the real Kerry, but Kerry attacks a completely imaginary Bush. Bush spends his time (in his speeches, in his ads, in the debates, etc.) attacking the genuine John Kerry, as revealed by his 20 years in the Senate, his anti-Vietnam activities, his actual speeches, etc. Bush isn't saying, "Here's what I think John Kerry is ... take my word for it." Everything is carefully backed up by facts and reality.

When Bush says that Kerry is pro-taxes, it isn't because Bush hopes he is or wants to paint him as a tax-and-spend liberal; it's because over 20 years in the Sentate Kerry has consistently voted for raising taxes and against lowering them. When Bush says that Kerry keeps changing his mind on Iraq, it isn't because Bush is making it up; it's because, well, Kerry keeps changing his mind on Iraq. When Bush says that Kerry is weak on defense, it isn't because he's trying to misrepresent him; it's because Kerry has voted against almost every new weapons system and every increase in military spending that has ever crossed his path. There are so many attrocious things in Kerry's record that Bush doesn't have time to deal with many of them (for instance, everything related to Vietnam).

Those are the facts. The reality. The truth.

But when Kerry attacks Bush we leave the land of facts, reality, and truth, and fly away to Neverland. Kerry's attacks on Bush ... especially in recent weeks ... are not on anything Bush has done. They're all attacks on what Kerry says Bush will do. Honest. Take his word for it!

Note some of the most prominent of Kerry's recent attacks on Bush:

"Bush will reinstate the draft." And the evidence is ... ? Well, nothing. Has Bush ever said he would? Hinted at it? In fact, Bush has explicitly stated he wouldn't. There are bills before the Senate to reinstate the draft. But those bills are from and supported by Democrats.

"Bush will privatize social security." This time Kerry has "evidence": a hearsay report in the ... get ready for it ... New York Times Magazine. Again, nothing Bush has actually said. Just something some pro-Kerry hack claims and that's good enough for Kerry.

It's all imaginary. Nothing real.

And the reason for all of this is clear: John Kerry has to make stuff up because the real George Bush gives him very little to attack. But George Bush doesn't have to make anything up because the real John Kerry provides Bush with more than enough attack fodder for any number of elections.