All in good fun

The New York Times (to me by way of Josh Marshall), reports that the Bush campaign will try to defeat Kerry by making him a figure of fun:

"Mr. Bush's advisers plan to cap the month at the Republican convention in New York, which they said would feature Mr. Kerry as an object of humor and calculated derision."

A few thoughts:

1. This speaks to the bankruptcy of ideas in the BC04 camp.
2. It may very well work.
3. It's sad -- very, very sad -- that the Republicans can get away with openly mocking Kerry, but the Democrats feel they must tiptoe very lightly around openly mocking Bush.
4. That being the political reality, it's up to the 527s to turn up the heat. Bush is easily mocked, and somebody needs to be on the air and in print mocking him every day between now and the election.
5. Fortunately, Michael Moore, David Letterman, Jay Leno and others are already doing a good bit of Bush-mocking. That may not be enough, though.