Slow reflexes?

This Reuters story has a number of interesting aspects to it.
First off, the headline underscores an embarrassing thing about the president. Bush refuses to condemn the malignant ads by the Swift Boat Liars, ads that characterize Kerry as variously a coward, a traitor, and a monster. There are certain political expressions that cross a line, that are "beyond the pale." These ads cross that line, and many figures including Senator McCain have denounced them.
I saw David Brooks mischaracterize Bush's approach to these smears on television, saying that he had denounced them. If you're David Brooks and your worldview depends on seeing Republicans as something other than opportunists with blood under their fingernails, it's probably best to imagine your man is upright and decent. The elephant in the corner for the punditry during this Bush presidency is the president and his men are not decent. That, as John DiIulio recounted, these people are Mayberry Machiavellis whose decisions are made political calculation or emotion or grudges. These people will countenance these slanders because they know that the only fight they can win is a dirty one.
I shouldn't even go into how cheap it is for Bush to complain that 527s should be outlawed because they are used in political smearing. But I will. Campaign finance reform, which gave rise to the 527s, was, although it was supported more by Dems than Republicans, thought to weaken the Democrats by removing a fundraising avenue that benefitted Democrats (namely soft money) and leaving in place avenues that benefitted Republicans (hard money donations). However, the Democratic base was charged by the fact that Bush is such an awful and unloved president, and that comparative disadvantage disappeared in favor growth in grass roots donations and in liberal 527 groups. Bush's problem with 527s has nothing to do with the fact that some of them get a little nasty and some of them are a little loose with the facts. Bush's problem with them is that they counteract some of Bush's money strengths in this race. Pure and simple.
Theo other thing in this Reuters piece that caught my attention was this paragrapgh dedicated to the "Pet Goat" situation:

"Well, I had just been told by (White House Chief of Staff) Andrew Card that America was under attack. And I was collecting my thoughts," Bush said. "I think what's important is how I reacted when I realized America was under attack. It didn't take me long to figure out we were at war."

Hey Buddy. It took me about two seconds. You sat there for seven minutes with sweat pouring down you. What people have been (fairly, in my opinion) criticizing you for is that you did not respond quickly. No one is impressed by your response. Anyone who claims to be is just an apologist. Our next president, John Kerry, chased down a grenade-launcher bearing Viet Cong soldier who threatened his men and killed him at great personal risk to himself. In 1988, Kerry saved a Senate colleague from choking to death, employing both quick thinking and the Heimlich maneuver. John Kerry has demonstrated capacity for thoughful and decisive action. You sat in a classroom twiddling your thumbs for seven minutes with the full knowledge that this country was under attack. With this country facing such terrible threats, why would we want someone like you at the helm?