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Posted on 03/11/2004 8:18:30 AM PST by Fun Bob
Unscripted Kerry calls GOP liars Tribune to My Yahoo!
By Jill Zuckman and Jeff Zeleny Tribune national correspondents
Seemingly unaware that his microphone was still on, Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) used uncharacteristically harsh language Wednesday to describe Republicans as "crooked" and "lying" during a quiet exchange with several workers at the Hill Mechanical Group in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood.
As one worker urged Kerry to "tell it like it is" and to "keep smiling," the presumptive Democratic nominee told the man not to worry.
"We're going to keep pounding, let me tell you. We're just beginning to fight here," Kerry said. "These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen. It's scary."
The incident followed a videoconference call by Kerry to a meeting of AFL-CIO leaders in Florida before he left for Washington to meet with former rival Howard Dean (news - web sites) to seek Dean's support. It also came on a day in which Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona said he would "entertain" the possibility of serving as Kerry's running mate, only to issue a retraction a few hours later.
Republicans were quick to pounce on Kerry's blunt talk, in a sign that the general election contest is well under way with an intensity unusual so far in advance of the November election.
"Sen. Kerry's statement today in Illinois was unbecoming of a candidate for the presidency . . . and tonight we call on Sen. Kerry to apologize to the American people for this negative attack," Marc Racicot, chairman of President Bush (news - web sites)'s re-election campaign, said in a statement. "On the day that Sen. Kerry emerged as his party's presumptive nominee, the president called to congratulate him. That goodwill gesture has been met by attacks and false statements."
Kerry rebuffed reporters' requests to answer questions Wednesday, but spokesman David Wade offered no apologies for his candidate's slicing rhetoric and said Kerry was referring to Republicans' "hardball, gutter politics."
"We're going to make it very clear that he's a Democrat who punches back," Wade said.
Kerry's remarks explained
Wade said Kerry used the word "crooked" to describe the personal attacks he has endured. Those attacks, he said, included doctored photos of Kerry falsely showing him protesting the Vietnam War with Jane Fonda and wrongly portraying him shooting a prisoner during his stint in the Navy.
He also cited a report in the Tribune about a Bush political appointee, John Thomas Burch, who attacked McCain's credentials as a veteran in 2000, and said he appears poised to do the same to Kerry.
During the 2000 primary, Burch stood by Bush's side and accused McCain of opposing heath care for Persian Gulf war veterans and blocking efforts to find prisoners of war and those missing in action. Burch, a Vietnam veteran and Veterans Affairs official, said former POW McCain "came home from Vietnam and forgot us."
Last year, Burch registered the Internet domain names veteransforjohnkerry.org and veteransforjohnkerry.com.
Wade said the campaign is expecting Burch and others to engage in "political dirty tricks," and said it is "standard operating procedure" for Bush to stand by and allow it.
McCain, who endured a fierce primary battle with Bush nearly four years ago, told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Wednesday that Kerry is "a close friend of mine."
Asked if he would consider being Kerry's running mate, McCain said, "Obviously I would entertain it."
McCain: VP idea far-fetched
But McCain, who campaigned for Bush in New Hampshire recently, also dismissed the idea as far-fetched.
"It's impossible to imagine the Democratic Party seeking a pro-life, free-trading, non-protectionist deficit hawk," he said during an interview about illegal steroids. "They'd have to be taking some steroids, I think, in order to let that happen."
A few hours later, McCain's chief of staff, Mark Salter, said McCain would not be a candidate for vice president in 2004.
Kerry's private meeting with Dean took place at the Massachusetts senator's new campaign office in Washington, where Dean was greeted by cheering Kerry staffers who clapped enthusiastically and reached out to shake his hand.
Before the former Vermont governor dropped out of the race last month, he called Kerry "corrupt" and warned voters not to support him. Dean repeatedly said Kerry was a "Washington insider" conflicted by special interests.
There was little sign of ill will as Kerry and Dean embraced before spending 45 minutes together. Kerry is eager to reach out to Dean's grass-roots supporters, and also to tap the fundraising prowess of the Internet mastered by Dean's campaign.
Dean could formally endorse Kerry on March 25, aides said, during a Democratic unity dinner featuring former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton (news - web sites).
Kerry's day began in Chicago with a trip to Hill Mechanical Group, which makes ductwork and piping for heating and cooling systems. Surrounded by company workers, Kerry told AFL-CIO leaders via videoconference that Bush's tax-cut policies were actually costing middle-class families more money as state, local and property taxes rise to compensate for the loss of federal revenue.
Kerry has proposed repealing Bush's tax cuts for those earning more than $200,000 a year, and providing a $50 billion pot for struggling states.
Steve Schmidt, Bush's campaign spokesman, accused Kerry of attacking "tax relief for American workers," and added: "His campaign trail promises mean he is going to raise taxes by at least $900 billion."
Kerry is spending the rest of the work week in Washington. On Thursday, he will meet with another former rival, Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) (D-N.C.).
Kerry also will visit the Congressional Black Caucus (news - web sites), the House Democratic Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He is expected to return to Illinois on Saturday to campaign in advance of Tuesday's primary.
Jill Zuckman reported from Chicago and Jeff Zeleny reported from Washington. Tribune staff reporter Stephen Franklin contributed from Florida.
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If we did that, the GOP would be the only major party in America.
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