Kerry, at Capitol, Slams Republican 'Attack Squad'

Yahoo! News ^ | 3/11/04 | John Whitesides - Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) returned to Congress on Thursday for a series of party unity meetings and slammed a "Republican attack squad" that he said specializes in destroying foes.

Kerry, facing a flood of Republican criticism for characterizing his critics in the other party on Wednesday as a "crooked, lying group," refused to apologize and amplified his charges.

"There is a Republican attack squad that specializes in trying to destroy people and be negative," Kerry told reporters after having lunch in the Capitol with his Senate Democratic colleagues. "I think the president needs to talk about the real priorities of our country."

Kerry, preparing for his match-up with President Bush (news - web sites) in November, also met with House Democrats and the black and Hispanic caucuses as he tried to line up support, hammer out a common message and begin to build a financial network for the campaign.

Kerry, who met on Wednesday with former rival Howard Dean (news - web sites), will meet later on Thursday with former rival John Edwards (news - web sites) and about 100 of his top contributors.

Edwards, a North Carolina senator who dropped out of the race last week, planned the meeting to thank his top financial backers and invited Kerry to introduce himself and make a pitch for their support.

Kerry, a Massachusetts senator who has made only one visit back to the Capitol since the primary campaign started at the beginning of the year, was dogged by questions about his comments in Illinois.

Unaware he was being picked up by microphones, Kerry told a worker in a Chicago factory that his Republican critics were "the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen."

REPUBLICANS ASK FOR APOLOGY

Republicans blasted Kerry and the Bush campaign asked him to apologize. Republican House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois said he took "great umbrage" at the remarks.

"He's getting off on the wrong foot in this campaign and name calling," Hastert said. "We're not lying when we say that Sen. Kerry is an old-fashioned Democrat -- tax and spend."

Kerry refused to back down, citing Bush's bitter presidential primary campaign against Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) in 2000 and attacks on Georgia Sen. Max Cleland (news, bio, voting record), a Vietnam veteran who lost three limbs in the war, in 2002 as examples of the "Republican attack squad" at work.

"I haven't said anything that's incorrect about them," Kerry said, explaining why he would not apologize. "They said lots of things that are incorrect."

Congressional Republicans welcomed Kerry back to the Capitol with a joint Senate and House leadership news conference to condemn his voting record on defense, energy, taxes and the economy.

"We're very glad to see Sen. Kerry back, the place hasn't been the same without him," joked Republican House Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, adding Kerry and Democrats had no agenda for the future and "haven't produced anything but hate."

"Listen to John Kerry, either off-microphone or on-microphone, it's all about how bad George Bush is and very little about what he would do and what is the agenda," DeLay said.

With Kerry's comments about his Republican critics "America got a little glimpse of the real John Kerry," he said.

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites) said the Democratic meeting with Kerry was "upbeat and enthusiastic." She said Kerry asked for their help "and we're going to give him that help."

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said the meeting with House Democrats was "full of unity and commitment to each other to work together to win this election."

House members said Kerry did not discuss specific congressional agendas to help his campaign but explored the issues that will frame the national debate into November.

"He talked about health care, transportation, and fiscal soundness. He did not lay out a full legislative agenda. We'll be working on that together," Pelosi said.

[NormsRevenge]

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., center, emerges from a closed-door meeting with Democratic leaders at the Library of Congress (news - web sites) on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 11, 2004. From left to right are: Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., House Minority Whip Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., Kerry, and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., talks to reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday, March 11, 2004, following a luncheon meeting with fellow Democratic senators. Standing behind Kerry, left to right, are Sen. Debbie Stabenow (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt., Sen. Byron Dorgan (news, bio, voting record), D-N.D., Sen. Barbara Mikulski (news, bio, voting record), D-Md., and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

[NormsRevenge]

John Flip'n/Flop'n Kerry

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

The news media are lying. Kerry's actual quote:

These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group OF MUTHERS and...",

Check the audio for yourself!

[MJY1288]

Ladies and Gents, we are witnessing the beginning of the meltdown of John Kerry.

When has John Kerry been attacked?, questioning his voting history is above board and fair game

[mathluv]

They are all good, but I really like the middle one.

[evad]

LOL!!

[OXENinFLA]

I HEARD THE SAME THING!!

[cripplecreek]

I think it's time i sent the desicated one an e-mail explaining that i am an american citizen and a proud member of the "attack squad".

[evad]

Ladies and Gents, we are witnessing the beginning of the meltdown of John Kerry.

I wonder how the Spanish folk feel lately about Jf'nK's assurance that the terrorist threat is overrated.

[KellyAdmirer]

Did it strike anyone else as bizarre that, today of all days, Kerry didn't say a thing at his press conference about terrorism? Or maybe I missed it?

[iceskater]

Sheesh. He's surrounded himself with all the smallest (literally and figuratively) people in the Dem party. Is he really trying to make himself look taller?

[John Thornton]

His buddies are so short, they make Tiny Tom look tall!

[jwalsh07]

For the record, Cleland lost in Georgia because he voted for the homosexuals over the Boy Scouts. He went to DC and went native, LIBERAL!

[illiac]

Lets see...........

If the Republicans say something negative about John Kerry - its an attack.....

When he and the Dems bash Bush its not?????

He must not understand that his side also has an attack squad.

[jocko12]

WE SHOULD BE NICE TO KERRY AND THE DEMOCRATS, THERE HAVING A BAD DAY.GO GW GO

[Not A Snowbird]

"There is a Republican attack squad that specializes in trying to destroy people and be negative," Kerry told reporters

Name names or shut up, Mr. Kerry.

[Tacis]

The Republicans are clearly at fault here. This event so distracted Kerry that he failed to stop his buddies in Al Qaeda from blowing up the train in Spain.

Good to get this out of the way, however. Now, the crap weasels lose the ability to feign righteous indignation over anything said about them. When someone now says that Kerry has been lying from the outset about his Nam service, he can no huff and claim that's beneath his dignity to respond to.

The picture of all the other lying crap weasel dem Senators is priceless. Is it from some lie-fest about what Willie didn't do?

[Max7]

"Sheesh. He's surrounded himself with all the smallest (literally and figuratively) people in the Dem party. Is he really trying to make himself look taller?"

It's probably a good thing Dean didn't get in there - at least, for his sake. He'd be hard-pressed to locate the munchkins from Wizard of Oz for a photo-op. (Taller Taller - we must be Taller.) Oh, how crass of me. Must be those "gutter politics."

[OldFriend]

Looks a lot like the crew that rushed over to the White House following the vote to impeach. Losers all!

[NormsRevenge]

Those shots are from this morning. Kerry had a get together with heavies in the Congress. It's a unity thing. ;-)