More Bush Campaign Money Well Spent!

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Friendly fire in the ad war

Well, at least you have to give the Bush campaign points for aplomb. When it shoots itself in the foot, it does so with a tank, not some little pistol.

It's no secret that President Bush badly needs to win Pennsylvania for re-election. Neither is it a secret that he pretty much has the York County vote locked up.

But last week's campaign ad gaffe probably didn't help his cause here.

Workers at United Defense in West Manchester Township are feeling a little left out - hurt that the Bush campaign seems to have forgotten their contributions to the figurative war on terrorism and the literal war in Iraq.

A $10 million ad blitz in Michigan (another crucial swing state for the president) criticized presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry for votes against various weapons systems. An ad that ran in Detroit claimed Kerry voted against the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, a tank-like weapon that saw extensive action in Iraq.

The ad said the vehicle was "made in Michigan," and campaign spokespeople stood in front of the General Dynamics headquarters there asking if Kerry cared about the site's 1,200 jobs.

Wrong state.

Wrong company.

While General Dynamics makes some fine weapons systems, it doesn't manufacture the Bradley.

Any York countian can tell you it's made right here in West Manchester Township by 910 United Defense workers.

How soon they forget.

It was just about a year ago that local workers were giving each other high-fives for toppling Saddam - or least his statue. The tank recovery vehicle used to pull down that monument to egomania in Baghdad was made by United Defense in York County.

And the workers in this manufacturing town - one of the few still remaining in this age of outsourcing - were darned proud of it.

So come on, Bush campaign, a little credit where credit is due. The GOP might have York County all locked up, but that's no reason to give our medals to Michigan.