Great job, Kerry Kampaign. Keep it up.
Posted on 10/20/2004 5:19:57 PM PDT by knak
Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign Wednesday slammed Vice President Dick Cheney, a heart patient, over reports he had a flu shot, despite a shortage of the vaccine.
The campaign complained that Treasury Secretary John Snow and Senate Majority leader Bill Frist also had jabs, despite Bush's advice that the young and healthy did not need to get an injection.
"Once again, the Bush administration proves that it is the 'do as we say, not as we do' White House," the campaign said in a statement issued in Pittsburgh where Kerry was campaigning.
"The very week that (health) secretary (Tommy) Thompson is telling Americans to keep calm, Dick Cheney, John Snow and Bill Frist are getting flu shots."
"It is unfortunate that the Bush administration failed to do the work necessary to ensure that all Americans, including those most at risk, had been able to get shots as well."
Cheney would fit into the government's definition of those most vulnerable to a looming influenza epidemic as he has a long history of heart disease.
Bush last week suggested in the final presidential debate that the young and healthy forgo the annual shot amid a shortage of vaccine that Kerry has blamed on the president's management of the health system.
END
um, Mr. Cheney is only the VP of the USA. kinda important guy.
Does having two heart attacks qualify someone as high risk and in need of a flu shot?
Cheney was most likely following doctor's orders.
This man cannot afford to contract the flu, given his heart vulnerabilities.
Kerry has no shame.
Umm..he's the VP of the United States.
Wait...Kerry has no regard for Government Officials. He proved that in 1971.
Kerry, have you had your flu shot?
How stupid. Everyone knows about Cheney's health issues.
I think this is a Rove set-up.. Dems are walking right in.
Cheney is an old sick man, he's not one to be playing around the flu with.
What incredible IDIOTS!!!!!
Kerry and Edwards were no where NEAR the Senate, where all legislators have access to the shots, so they try this. If they ever went near the building, they would know this.
Theresa is old enough to get one, she is 'elderly'.
And one with a heart condition, these guys are being ridiculous, nothing new.
Bush should get a flu shot, too. So should Sen Kerry.
No Democrat politicians have received any flu shots, of course. < / sarc >
I would think that all Senators get them automatically.
They are desperate and it shows.
Maybe Cheney and Bush should get the flu shot after coming in contact with Mr. Ed and the shiney Pony!
Old sick man?
hmmh ...
Cheney - History of heart disease
Frist - Doctor ... I believe doctor's usually get a vaccine
Snow - not sure why ... probably age
How many feet do the Democrats have that they keep shooting them like this?
Of course heart patients should get flu shots.
This is a non-issue.
OMG... What is wrong with these idiots... Go ahead let them dig their grave.
This flu shot bullshit has reached the point of absurdity.
Kerry is evil.
Dick Cheney IS one of the "at risk" people who SHOULD get a flu shot.
I've never had much of a "hate gene" in me, but it's starting to develop now.
And I'd bet money that Kerry has ALREADY had a flu shot. But we can't see his medical or military records, so there's no way to prove it. Kerry is evil.
Lawmakers Got Flu Shots on Medical Advice
Miami Herald, 10/19
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Some members of Congress got flu shots before they headed home to campaign this month, despite the vaccine shortage. They were following the advice of the Capitol physician.
While new federal guidelines encourage healthy adults to skip a shot this year, dozens of lawmakers - 35 in the Senate alone - are 65 or older. Older people and very young children are most at risk for severe complications from the flu.
Capitol physician John Eisold considers all lawmakers prime candidates for getting and spreading the flu because of all the time they spend visiting retirement homes, holding babies and shaking hands, said a spokesman for Eisold.
So even though President Bush said he would forgo a flu shot this year because of the shortage, Eisold urged lawmakers to get their shots before they left Washington.
The Capitol received less than 2,000 doses of vaccine at the end of September, before British authorities barred Chiron Corp. from shipping millions of doses of flu vaccine to the United States. The Capitol medical staff began providing shots, free of charge, the first week in October.
It was unclear how many lawmakers were vaccinated, but Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a heart-lung transplant surgeon, was among them, Frist spokesman Bob Stevenson said. Frist got his shot before the new guidelines were issued, Stevenson said.
Last year, more than 9,000 flu shots were dispensed in the Capitol. Lawmakers, congressional staffers, maintenance workers and even reporters can get vaccinated there.
Several lawmakers said they were following the president's lead this year. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., a physician, found it prudent and, perhaps not incidentally, good election-year politics to do so.
"He's making sure there are enough shots for children and seniors," spokesman Brian Robinson said.
Mary Cheney didn't work. Lynn Cheney bombed. Laura Bush blowed up in their faces. So now they have chosen Dick Cheney to go after. Can Nov. 2 come too soon???
Cheney is not an old sick man. What the hell's the matter with you?
Clinton is now a heart patient. Will he got a shot too?
What a Mooron! Everyone knows Cheney has a bad hearty but yet they are stupid enough to say something like this! Idiots!
Uh...has anybody actually gotten the flu? I mean, the one the vaccine covers? Anybody?
They'll bitch and moan about any mundane thing. Petty,small people.
I would hope 42 would get one too given his heart condition.
Kerry is delusional. The man is so desperate to win that he's grasping at anything. In a million years, I can't imagine Bush saying something like this about the Vice President. Disgusting. Thank God we have less than two weeks more of this crap.
Great job, Kerry Kampaign. Keep it up.
I want to know, did Biden, Harken, Kennedy and Clinton get their flu shots? Senators are eminently replaceable, we only have one VP!
Ah...Frist still practices, albeit for nothing, on weekends. What a loser. And he wants a free vacine too. Can ya believe it? //sarcasm off//
Every time Kerry opens his yap lately, he puts his foot(feet) further into it. He's certainly proving that he is "the candidate who will say ANYTHING to get elected".
You better believe he's had it!
No he didn't, it was his family's flu shot.
Oh for Pete's sake, these people are so petty it is going to kill their own chances.
We've hired Messrs. Bush and Cheney to be in charge. These are important jobs and require all their time. This means they aren't expected to wait in traffic, or fetch their own dry cleaning or cook their own food or type their own docs, or fly commercial...or get sick.
For the Love of all that is Holy, is there nothing the left won't do or say to seize power?
Absolutely.
Always in campaign mode. Do these libs ever STFU!
Keep digging, stoopid kerry.
p.s. - have your or your elderly wife had flu shots, sinator?
No, he will just have his pipe cleaned....
Uh, having a heart condition makes it pretty important that he gets one. As to Frist, he's a doctor as well as a politician.
> Bush should get a flu shot, too. So should Sen Kerry.
If only so that they don't spread the virus.
We can be sure that Kerry has had the shot.
He can hardly chance being laid low during
the final days.
My God - are they really this stupid over at the Verry/Backwards campaign? Wow, did they bet on Bush and are throwing it? Amazing.
Agree with that. He's only 63 (3 years older than Kerry)and he doesn't act sick. Of course anyone can die in the next five minutes.
Governor Jennifer Granholm's office (former Attorney General) in Michigan used to have arrangements made for flu shots to be given to the entire Department. Wonder if this Democrat Governor thinks she is so important she needs one? For that fact, are arrangements still being make for these shots by Michigan State Offices?
Good grief, Cheney is in the group they say should get shots: seniors and those with health problems.
Kerry is playing "Pin the tail on the donkey" by throwing all kinds of accusations and falsehoods out there. (Maybe he is the donkey!??) <sarcasm off
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