'This Won't Go Away. What Happened Is Much Nastier Than Is Being Reported' (Kerry)

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2-15-2004 | Adrian Blomfeld/Andrew Alderson

[blam]

'This won't go away. What happened is much nastier than is being reported'

By Adrian Blomfeld in Nairobi and Andrew Alderson
(Filed: 15/02/2004)

Alex Polier, the twenty-four year old journalist who could end Senator John Kerry's hopes of becoming the next president of the United States is alleged to have had a two-year affair with the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Last night the rumours were in danger of becoming a full-blown scandal.

"This is not going to go away," one American friend of Miss Polier said yesterday. "What actually happened is much nastier than is being reported."

The allegations come at a crucial time for the senator. Polls showed him leading Mr Bush by 52 per cent to 42 per cent, and aides will be anxious to see if the apparent scandal affects his standing among voters.

Miss Polier, a former intern who also spent some time in 1998 doing work experience at the Houses of Parliament in London, is in Kenya staying with Yaron Schwartzman, her fiance and a member of the country's fashionable young set. The couple have refused to make any comment on her alleged links with Senator Kerry, who is married to Teresa Heinz Kerry, an heiress to the food empire.

Senator Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran dubbed the new JFK, has vehemently denied any relationship with Miss Polier, and shrugged off allegations that he had a two-year affair with her from 2001. "I just deny it categorically. It's rumour. It's untrue. Period," he said.

Mr Kerry, 60, has won 12 out of the 14 Democratic primaries and has looked all but certain to seal the nomination to take on President George W. Bush in November's elections.

His aides have blamed a dirty tricks campaign for bringing the allegations about Miss Polier into the public eye; they first surfaced last week on a Right-wing internet site, the Drudge Report, which famously first broke the news of Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky.

Miss Polier's parents, Terry and Donna, from Malvern, Pennsylvania, added fuel to the fire by claiming that Mr Kerry did pursue their daughter.

"I think he's a sleazeball. I did wonder if she didn't get that feeling herself," said Mr Polier. "He's not the sort of guy I'd choose to be with my daughter.

"John Kerry called my daughter and invited her to be on his re-election committee. She talked to him and decided against it."

The Drudge website also quoted retired Gen Wesley Clark, one of Mr Kerry's rivals for the nomination, as having told journalists off the record: "Kerry will implode over an intern issue."

Mr Clark later dropped out of the race and endorsed Mr Kerry.

Miss Polier, a journalist who once worked for Associated Press, is a graduate of Columbia University, New York. She apparently met the senator as she was beginning her media career. Miss Polier and her fiance were believed to be hiding yesterday at the Nairobi home of Mr Schwartzman's parents, who moved to Kenya from Israel.

She appears to have few friends of her own in Kenya: she has never lived in the country and makes only occasional visits. "She seemed perfectly nice, although she was a little cool," said a Schwartzman family friend.

"She didn't seem to be very willing to open up but whether it was because she was aloof or just shy, I couldn't work out."

[DarthVader]

Pete its low all across the country. This is the hate America first crowd. Why do you think Bush want's to go to Mars? (sarcasm) He wants to repatriate that crowd there.

[GeronL]

I heard an interview on the radio with a guy from the Vietnam Vets Again Kerry.. he said Kerry got medals for scratches that many would have rejected. He said that by this time in the war they were giving out medals for almost any injury, he said that apparently Kerry got a medal for each scratch....

I do not know what this guy means when he says 'scratch'.

[Revolting cat!]

The story's dead. The prom dress "journalist" has been paid off or threatened, or bribed with promises to replace Katie whatsername in the morning show, and it's all over. Where do you think the $ millions sent by suckers to election campaigns go? To pay the salaries of the unpaid volunteer suckers? (This works the same for both one party D&R in the US, by the way!) Helloooooooooo!

[Enterprise]

True science stuff there. If we could send all the liberals to Mars, they would eventually launch an attack against the conservatives of Earth.

[The Wizard]

"What actually happened is much nastier than is being reported."

[Enterprise]

Er - meant Science Fiction stuff -

[The Wizard]

where is Mrs. Ketchup

[jpsb]

I think Kerry has reason to believe this woman will keep quiet. I wonder why?

The why is pretty obvious, she doesn't want her life turned into a cartoon characterization of a bimboo, as has happened to just about every women that has dissed a democrat. Women that out democrats are distroyed by the press and the public. This one appears to smart to fall into the trap.

[Irreverent Doyen]

Kerry and his woman friend are no more socialists than Trotsky was a Mexican muralist. If they had an affair, more of the facts/truth will come out. When it is no longer in her interest to remain silent and the pressure comes down heavily on her, she'll sing loudly and clearly.

[xeno]

the DIM primaries they have had abysmally low turnout. It was only 8% here in VA.

In Virginia I was able to vote in the Democrat's primary even though I'm a Republican. I wonder what fraction of that 8% were even Democrats. It was fun deciding which loser to lasso the Dem's with. I really wanted to vote for Sharpton or Kucinich, but I pulled the lever for Dean.

[jpsb]

If there is any truth to this, Mrs Ketchup will be heard from. Just judging by a couple of pic I saw of her, I am impressed, Kerry will not be able to walk over her, buy her off, or scare her. That one looks to be a real woman.

[Paleo Conservative]

Miss Polier's parents, Terry and Donna, from Malvern, Pennsylvania, added fuel to the fire by claiming that Mr Kerry did pursue their daughter.

"I think he's a sleazeball. I did wonder if she didn't get that feeling herself," said Mr Polier. "He's not the sort of guy I'd choose to be with my daughter.

Well he's not the sort of guy I'd choose to be my president!

[OneCitizen]

If she's engaged, why didn't her parents say that when they talked to the media? Its very curious that they would leave that out and especially curious that the father would make such an odd statement that Kerry is a "sleaze," which can only be taken to mean the father is aware of an improper relationship. If she is really about to be married to someone else, the father wouldn't bring Kerry's being a sleaze up at all.

[SolidSupplySide]

I think Drudge already has a lot more information. I don't think he would have broken the story as a ***World Exclusive*** if he was merely repeating vague rumors. He knew this would put him in a bright spotlight.

The morning Drudge published his first article about this case, he had written everything that we see today and had a follow-up tag reading "MORE". Eventually, the "MORE" changed to "DEVELOPING".

I infer that Drudge has more info regarding this matter than he has published. For whatever reason, he is holding back. Two possible reasons: (1) Even by Drudge standards, he doesn't have enough confirmation to make him comfortable making the "MORE" information public. Drudge is trying to nail down another source (or two). (2) Drudge thought better of spilling all he knows on Thursday so that he has a hook to post Sunday night to get people to listen to his radio show.

[StarFan]

"This is not going to go away," one American friend of Miss Polier said yesterday. "What actually happened is much nastier than is being reported.

This is ridiculous. Obviously the friend has quite a bit to tell, yet the person he/she made this bombshell statement to never bothered to ask for more specifics?

[Cicero]

"This is not going to go away," one American friend of Miss Polier said yesterday. "What actually happened is much nastier than is being reported."

I don't think The Telegraph would have put that up at the very top of their article unless they have indirect evidence of something pretty sleazy.

[DarthVader]

No we would go back and find out that they will have wiped each other out.

[Cicero]

See my comment right below yours. I think this friend had some bombshell allegations, but of course it's hearsay. They need to do more legwork on the story first. But without some pretty significant allegations, I doubt if they would have put this little nugget right up at the top.

[CommandoFrank]

one can wander if something else than a mere affair occured...

Maybe she had a clothing 'malfunction'...

[COEXERJ145]

Oh it will go away. The media can do a total blackout until the Rats can spin it enough so no one will believe it.