The Hiller Instinct: Pardon the Interruption

In an effort to change the campaign, Kerry tried today to change places with the president and make him play defense by putting an economic price tag on the war in Iraq.

Sen. John Kerry (D) Presidential Nominee
"I would not have made the wrong choices that are forcing us to pay nearly the entire cost of the war -- $200 billion -- that we're not investing in education, health care, and job creation here at home."

Political Ad
"George Bush's wrong choices have weakened us here at home."

A new Kerry ad out today makes the same point…

Political Ad
"Two hundred billion dollars for Iraq. In America, lost jobs and rising health care costs."

But, in the White House, Bush -- literally -- stayed on offense…

President Bush
"We're still at war. We've got to find the enemy before they hurt us. We've got to do everything we can to protect the homeland. We’re still on offense here in this country."

Kerry is desperate to move the focus of the campaign off his service in Vietnam and back on Bush. He got some help today from several articles questioning the president's service during Vietnam, and in another new ad from a group directly challenging it…

Political Ad
"I heard George Bush get up and say I served in the 187th Air National Guard in Montgomery, Alabama. Really? That was my unit and I don't remember seeing you there."

Sen. John Kerry (D) Presidential Nominee
"Our best days are still to come..."

In fact, Kerry's best days have come and gone since the democratic convention. Statistically tied with bush after Boston, Kerry is now clearly behind and his candidacy has become the butt of late night jokes…

Jay Leno, NBC "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno"
"Bush is ahead in a lot of key issues like Iraq, terrorism and the economy. But Kerry is ahead on grammar and pronunciation, and overall nuance (laughter)."

Unless you're still on vacation, you know that Kerry is in trouble... deep enough so that some reporters are already writing his election obituary. You also know he has been there before and snatched victories from defeat. But never before has he run against anything resembling the republican presidential campaign machine, which is trying to turn him into Mike Dukakis.