You’ve gotta love Paul Hackett. The Democratic candidate for the Ohio-2 Congressional spot has unleashed a refreshing verbal offensive against the Republicans spearheading a smear campaign against his service in Iraq. Supporters of Hackett’s opponent, Jean Schmidt, have resorted to “vilify the veteran” tactics, perfected by swiftboaters last year. The stench of desperation is not lost on Hackett: as his opponent’s poll lead continues to dwindle (in a heavily conservative district), he has grabbed an increasing number of headlines, thanks to some remarkable candor (and some fun new vocab words). From “Hardball” (transcript from Bob Geiger):

MATTHEWS: What is a “chicken hawk”?

HACKETT: Chicken hawk is somebody who is not willing to fight the fight of their age, their generation, and speaks brashly and with unnecessary bravado when they‘re sending other kids and other sons and daughters, other folks‘ sons and daughters, off to war.

It is—encompasses language like, bring it on. It encompasses language like, you‘re with us or you‘re against us and we‘re going to take it to you. And I think that‘s dangerous. And I‘ve got to tell you, you know, when we‘re over there fighting in Iraq, Marines and soldiers, and we hear language like, bring it on coming from the Oval Office, that‘s a danger. We don‘t need that. That‘s encouraging an…

MATTHEWS: Paul, why did you call the president—why did you call the president of the United States, whose office you respect, a chicken hawk?

HACKETT: I respect the office of the president of the United States. I said those words. I meant them. I stand by them. I would say them again.

And Republicans were surely taken with the way Hackett recently described his attitude toward the President, as printed in USA Today:

“I’ve said that I don’t like the son-of-a-b—— that lives in the White House but I’d put my life on the line for him,” he says…

Hackett had even more pointed criticism of Bush for saying of Iraqi insurgents attacking U.S. troops in July 2003: “Bring them on.”

“That’s the most incredibly stupid comment I’ve ever heard a president of the United States make,” Hackett says. “He cheered on the enemy.”

One wonders if the DNC– so accustomed to defensive equivocation-speak on the campaign trail– truly realizes what it has here. For info on contributing to the Hackett campaign, check out Daily Kos.

Nate Titman– Clamor Intern

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