Stray? It ain't so: Kerry

NY Daily News via Drudge ^ | Feb 13, 2004 | HELEN KENNEDY and MAGGIE HABERMAN

[Alissa]

Sen. John Kerry flatly denied swirling rumors about an extramarital affair yesterday, assuring backers that his campaign was not vulnerable to a sudden sex scandal. "I just deny it categorically. It's rumor. It's untrue. Period," Kerry told reporters in Wisconsin. "It's not true."

After denying the report, Kerry added, "And that's the last time I intend to."

Earlier, on the Don Imus radio show, Kerry was asked whether Democratic supporters should worry that his front-running campaign could be derailed by a Clinton-style scandal.

"The answer is no," Kerry said. "I've been pretty well vetted and examined from one side to the other."

Kerry told Imus he wasn't concerned about the unconfirmed report sweeping the Internet that he'd had an affair with a 24-year-old woman. The report was first published online by conservative muckraker Matt Drudge.

"There's nothing to report. There's nothing to talk about. I'm not worried about it," Kerry said.

The 60-year-old Massachusetts senator, who married ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz in 1995, said he expected a tough and dirty election battle against President Bush.

"These guys will want to try to do everything to change the subject," Kerry said on Imus. "But I think they're in for a surprise. I'm a fighter, and I'm ready to fight back."

Despite his outward unconcern, Kerry's campaign was rattled by the rumor, which first appeared Thursday and was widely discussed on conservative talk radio.

Campaign operatives worked hard over the past two days to silence the whispers, strenuously reminding reporters that no one was making any clear allegations.

Nevertheless, news stories naming a young woman - and speculating that the Democratic front-runner could soon be toast - were printed in British, Irish, Australian and Indian newspapers.

The woman's parents were quoted in the London Sun saying their daughter had met Kerry and that he had asked her to work on his Senate campaign a few years ago. She declined, they said.

The father denied they had an affair, but called the senator a "sleazeball" without explanation to the Sun.

"He's not the sort of guy I would choose to be with my daughter," the London paper quoted the father as saying.

The Daily News tried unsuccessfully to contact the woman and her family. The News is withholding her identity because there is no clear evidence of any relationship between her and Kerry.

With Democrats fixated on beating Bush, the thought of nominating someone who could be cut down by scandal sent shivers through party ranks over the last 48 hours.

Endorsing Kerry yesterday, ex-rival retired Gen. Wesley Clark assured Democrats, "He'll stand up to the Republican attack dogs and send them home licking their wounds."

Drudge, who made his name by revealing that Newsweek was working on a story linking President Clinton to a White House intern, included in his first report the claim that some news organizations were looking into a possible affair between Kerry and a woman.

Kerry, who was married once before, was something of a playboy after his divorce, dating starlets Morgan Fairchild and Catherine Oxenberg.

Heinz, who has been a fixture on the campaign trail, is no shrinking violet. She once told a writer for Elle magazine that she would jokingly warn her first husband that if he ever strayed, "I'll maim you. Not kill you, just maim you."

[xsmommy]

The father denied they had an affair, but called the senator a "sleazeball" without explanation to the Sun

i am eagerly awaiting Terry Kerry's maiming of the sleazeball. i hope she doesn't disappoint me!

[Diogenesis]

"Lovey, she is in Kenya. The gossip is over."

[Alissa]

I'm still waiting for the NYT, WP, and LAT to report this. Of course when they do, it will be a puff piece on how the Republicans play dirty politics! Meanwhile they continue to harass the President on his National Guard duty. It seems to me Kerry's skeletons are far more recent.

[xsmommy]

H&C had a former opponent of Kerry's from MA on last night, named Rappaport. he said that they should not underestimate Kerry's willingness to play DIRTY. he had a hilarious ad from his former campaign where they had Dukakis' face morphing into Kerry's. it was hilarious!

[McGruff]

Putting it into newspaper format:

Sen. John Kerry flatly denied swirling rumors about an extramarital affair yesterday, assuring backers that his campaign was not vulnerable to a sudden sex scandal.

[Dante3]

I have been critical of Bush, especially regarding his amnesty program. But the National Guard issue is nonsense, a fabrication the media insists on spreading.

Yet the media is reluctant to reveal far more serious charges against Kerry.

If the charges are true, and there are many regarding his womanizing, do we really want another sleazy president in the White House?

[Harris]

All depends on what your meaning of "is" is.
- William Jefferson Clinton.

[goresalooza]

You said it brilliantly. Apparently, Kerry's goons were able to sanitize the internet of 'all things Alex' save softer stories like proms and who wears what when. I noticed no references to much of anything Ms Polier wrote prior to March 2003. Wonder when Kerry got her out of the country? Daddy Polier knows something!

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

If the charges are true, and there are many regarding his womanizing, do we really want another sleazy president in the White House?

Democrats salivate at the chance of completing the job that the Clinton's started.

The Rosenbergs were more patriotic than the Democrats in the Senate!

[beckysueb]

Definitely not and according to recent polls America is tired of the AWOL thing too. Look for it to fade soon.

[jocon307]

"[D]o we really want another sleazy president in the White House?"

NO! And it seems like Kerry is the most clintonian of the lot, at least insofar as being a playboy is concerned.

[xsmommy]

but Terry Kerry knows what is what. she didn't want in this race. she impressed me in what i read of her as not sitting still for any crap. i loved reading about her, knowing full well she had the capacity to make Johnny's life hell on earth bc she is proud, strong and opinionated and doesn't kow-tow to him in any way. i will be very disappointed if she doesn't tear him into a bloody ketchupy pulp over this public humiliation of her.

[beckysueb]

Most of the time, skeletons don't stay in the closet. Especially when Matt Drudge gets a whiff of them.

[Springfield45]

. "I just deny it categorically. It's rumor. It's untrue. Period," Kerry told reporters in Wisconsin. "It's not true."
"Ah wahnt yew to KNOW something!" (Points finger menacingly at the American TV audience). "Ah did NAHT have ah relayshunship with that woman!"

[VadeRetro]

"The answer is no," Kerry said. "I've been pretty well vetted and examined from one side to the other."

Yes, he was thoroughly vetted by the Gore campaign in 2000 AND PASSED OVER AS TOXIC!

[Beck_isright]

"Heinz, who has been a fixture on the campaign trail, is no shrinking violet."

Even though she fled to Europe yesterday morning and refused to answer any questions. I hope the British tabloids hound her until she answers some questions. The liberal princess deserves nothing less.

[ChadGore]

[Beck_isright]

It's in the Chicago papers, fyi.

[beckysueb]

Has he been on any show to deny this except the " early morning nobody watches" Imas?