'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."

[jpsb]

maybe, but i get the impression the mrs is a real woman, not an enabler.

[Chris Talk]

bump for

MUCH NASTIER

[MattAMiller]

It was 53 to 43 and it was the Washington Post/ABC poll.

[sarasmom]

Picture of woman's identity is in question, per several posters.
Please Review and delete post if warranted.
Aplologies if true.

[Katya]

CNN's Aaron Brown did a whole piece tonight on "why" people cheat in their marriages. It seemed weirdly timed, to soften the blow of the Kerry fiasco about to hit.(though Kerry wasn't mentioned)

[VadeRetro]

My understanding is that this is finally the right one. Brit press is running with it.

[GregoryFul]

A 60 year old married man hitting on a 20 year old is one good definition of a sleaze-bag.

[VOA]

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

(High-falutin' Boston Brahmin accent emulator engaged:)

"Now you listen to me good...
I did NOT stalk THAT woman for years until she escaped to the other side of
the freakin' planet!"

I'm not a betting man, but I can't help but wonder if a line is being kept on this in Vegas.

[sinkspur]

CNN's Aaron Brown did a whole piece tonight on "why" people cheat in their marriages. It seemed weirdly timed, to soften the blow of the Kerry fiasco about to hit.(though Kerry wasn't mentioned)

To be fair, that CNN Presents was first shown last Sunday night,at 7. This was a re-run.

[Chris Talk]

Much Nastier bump

Much much nastier bump bump

I love the Brit press

[GunnyB]

You guys write this down - This story has Clinton written all over it. Hillary got scared that Kerry was going to win and pushed this out. That would cut her out until at least 2012 when she is likely to be too old and either out of the spot light too long because she gets beat in '06 or with too much of a voting record in the Senate to be a contender if she wins reelection in '06.

Ding! Ding! Ding! You are a WINNER! I agree that Hitlery's fingerprints are ALL over this one. Considering that Clark "leaked" the story in the first place, and that Clark was the Klintoon candidate, it makes sense. Are we expected to believe that a complete neophyte (even with all of the Klintoon/Gored sorts on his staff) would have the capability to pull this sort of thing off? Not Likely. Not Likely at all.

The first and foremost thing all of us must maintain in our minds is that Hitlerly wants to be the first female president. She will do anything, say anything, and destroy anyone to reach that goal.

Seriously, if one doesn't believe that b*tch hasn't been licking her chops over this stuff and the poor approval numbers President Bush is showing in recent polls, they must be dead.

I pray each and every night: "Please oh Lord, deliver our nation from the Klintoons and all of their evil minions". Thy will be done...

[afz400]

"I don't think he would have broken the story as a ***World Exclusive*** if he was merely repeating vague rumors... I seem to recall him following a similar course with the Lewinsky episode."
I hope you are right. However, I seem to remember how Clinton's people fed the media a big lie about how he lost his temper at the videotaped testimony and it turned out to be a false story.

[krunkygirl]

No matter. O'Reilly announced a similar poll Friday night to be accessed on his website. Both too chicken to actually comment on the story so approaching it indirectly with a "what do you think about infidelity" type poll...

[js1138]

It seemed weirdly timed, to soften the blow of the Kerry fiasco about to hit.

No way to soften this. If any substantial part is revealed to be true before Super Tuestday he's cooked.

[autoresponder]

Senator Bob Packwood

"We must not have two standards..."

-- paraphrased John Kerry on Bob Packwood

[StarFan]

Posters are mistaking this picture which is Bryce Schrorer-Shepord, woman pictured in article written by Alex Polier vs. this one in The Sun identified as Alex Polier . They are entirely different woman and Nick Danger correctly posted the one of Alex Polier.

[Rockpile]

Perhaps Drudge "holding back" means he's waiting for Presidents Day. Maybe he has a sense of humor :]

[ApplegateRanch]

"It's perfectly plausible that an affair like this could have gone on for a long time without becoming public," said one Republican official on Capitol Hill. "Washington is so small that everywhere you go you bump into someone. So there is a kind of code of honour that you don't expose people's private lives. If that wasn't the case, living in the city would be unbearable."

In the words of my favorite Klingon, "You HAVE no honor!"

Put another way, these sleazes that cover for each other would not recognize 'honor' if it wallked up & kicked them in the cajones, if they think honor means covering up each others' dishonorable conduct.

I am not surprised that they were able to dig up a "Republican official" with this view; if one dug hard enough, they MIGHT even find a lone, honorable Democrat somewhere, as unlikely as that sounds. Then again, this one LIVES in Washington.

Like it or not, this is a part of the problem. As long as sleaze routinely covers for slime, the Rats will continue to cover for Kerry; and any Pub that says anything contrary, will be crucified 1001 ways everyday for breaking this "code of honor".

[freekitty]

Please tell me we are not going to be subjected to this behavior again. After Booba, please no.

[stylin_geek]

You know, that is an excellent thought.