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Kerry Hits Back at White House, Defends Patriotism
Yahoo! News ^ | 4/16/04 | John Whitesides - Reuters

Posted on 04/16/2004 3:24:12 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) -

Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry (news - web sites), lashing out at the White House's "twisted sense of ethics and morality," accused Republicans on Friday of distorting his record and attacking his patriotism.

Kerry, at an outdoor rally on the University of Pittsburgh campus, used an American flag and the national anthem to fire back at Republicans who charge he is weak on defense for voting against some weapons systems and an $87 billion bill to pay for operations in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).

Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, pointed out Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) and political adviser Karl Rove did not serve in the military.

"I'm tired of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and a bunch of people who went out of their way to avoid their chance to serve when they had the chance," the Massachusetts senator said. "I'm not going to listen to them talk to me about patriotism."

"I've seen how these people in the White House today, in their twisted sense of ethics and morality, don't think twice about challenging John McCain and what happened to him as a prisoner of war," he said in reference to attacks by President Bush (news - web sites) in 2000 on his Republican primary rival McCain, an Arizona senator.

Kerry, who has tried to make his military experience a centerpiece of his campaign, is in a tight battle with Bush for the White House more than seven months before the November election.

Steve Schmidt, a Bush campaign spokesman, said Kerry's judgment in his voting record on defense and security was in question, not his patriotism.

"The fundamental difference in this election will be between President Bush's steady leadership in the war on terror and John Kerry's consistent political opportunism on the war on terror," Schmidt said.

Kerry has come under heavy attack from Bush and Republicans, who have launched tens of millions of dollars of advertising trying to paint him as a waffling, traditional tax-and-spend Democrat.

QUOTES STAR SPANGLED BANNER

"They don't think twice about trying to pretend to America that I somehow don't care about the defense of our nation," Kerry said, paraphrasing wording in the Star Spangled Banner including reference to "political bombs" bursting in the air.

"When I look up, that flag is still there and it belongs to all Americans," he said, pointing to a flag near the stage. "Not to them, not to a party. It belongs to us."

Kerry told the crowd of more than 5,000 that "asking questions about the direction of our country is patriotism."

The Bush campaign said on Thursday that it is cutting back its advertising by two-thirds, which Kerry said was designed to "distort" his record. Kerry told reporters he believed he had withstood the early Republican charge.

"They're out 50 million bucks and they got nothing for it," Kerry told reporters on his campaign plane on Thursday night.

The rally in Pittsburgh, which featured a performance by rocker Jon Bon Jovi, concluded a week-long tour of college campuses where Kerry plugged his programs to make college more affordable.

He appeared in Pittsburgh on the same day the powerful pro-gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, opened its annual convention in town. More than 50,000 gun-lovers packed the downtown convention center to sample what organizers billed as "Four Acres of Guns and Gear."

Cheney will make the keynote speech at the convention on Saturday, but Kerry did not mention the gun issue during his appearance.

The NRA has not made an endorsement yet but is certain to back Bush in November over Kerry, who supports the federal ban on assault weapons and a waiting period and background checks for the purchase of handguns.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: defends; hitsback; kerry; lurch; patriotism; pittsburgh; whitehouse
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To: NormsRevenge
Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry (news - web sites), lashing out at the White House's "twisted sense of ethics and morality..."

Ha! Lurch's campaign is more twisted than Monica's favorite schlong!

41 posted on 04/16/2004 4:16:41 PM PDT by Prince Charles
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To: MamaLucci
Excellent point!
42 posted on 04/16/2004 4:18:18 PM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
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To: wingman1
...but I know some old Democrats who are ashamed of what he and his fellow travellers in the media are trying to do.

Well, I'm glad to hear that, because it IS despicable, and anyone that would ascribe to it just to follow the "party line" is despicable, as well.
43 posted on 04/16/2004 4:20:52 PM PDT by MamaLucci (Libs, want answers on 911? Ask Clinton why he met with Monica more than with his CIA director.)
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To: raynearhood
Leave his military record alone, it always ends up making us look stupid.

Sorry, Kerry's military record should be up for debate.

The partisan hacks in the DNC and liberal media made mince-meat out of Bush's National Guard service. Never mind the fact that he served and wanted to go to Vietnam via the Palace Alert program, never mind that he learned how to fly the F-102 Delta Dagger jet fighter plane. Nope, Bush didn't really serve he's not a hero like our Kerry hahaha...

In 1992 Effin Kerry told the GOP to leave Xlinton's draft-dodging alone, even though - as it is with Kerry now - ripe for debate. And believe it or not, the same DNC and media poked fun at Dan Quayle's guard service in the Indiana Guard.

- It is Kerry himself, who brought Vietnam into the Presidential election. Now that he's unable to defend himself he has to play the patriot card.

- Valid questions exist about Kerry's military record. There are threads here on FR in which one of soldiers who served with Kerry said that Kerry "wanted a quick ticket out of here." Kerry desperately wanted to get out of Vietnam so he can have a cushy desk job, and then...

- Lie in sworn Congressional testimony, April 22, 1971 - about Vietnam soldiers "shooting livestock for fun, and burning down villages." If Kerry served so "honorable", then why doesn't he release his military/medical records then?

44 posted on 04/16/2004 4:24:42 PM PDT by ServesURight (FReecerely Yours,)
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To: dead
Funny photo....but I want a BIG CLOSEUP of his BOTOXED FACE with the purple heart band-aids on his 3 shaving cuts.
45 posted on 04/16/2004 4:29:42 PM PDT by BushisTheMan
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To: NormsRevenge
Bump


http://W-04.com

46 posted on 04/16/2004 4:33:52 PM PDT by W04Man (Bush2004 Grassroots Campaign visit W-04.com for FREE STICKERS)
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To: raynearhood
Attacking Kerry's awards is pointless. Most likely he deserved them. Just because he is a liberal doesn't mean that he didn't serve bravely in Vietnam. His actions since have been liberal enough, or detestable enough, to draw criticism.

Leave his military record alone, it always ends up making us look stupid.

Normally I would agree with you but after the Bush AWOL fiasco brought on my his buddies at the DNC and the media, he deserves to be ridiculed. He also needs to present his FULL medical and military record to the public as Bush did.

If I believed he truly deserved the medals, I would be quiet. But I think he lied then as he lies now. He is a liar and cannot be trusted. He is MISLEADING the American people.

The Vietnam Vets are planning to march against this guy and his military record. Kerry, not I, made his Vietnam service an issue.

47 posted on 04/16/2004 4:36:28 PM PDT by BushisTheMan
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To: NormsRevenge
I have not doubt that J.F'n.Kerry is a true patriot.

A patriot in the Struggle for Peace, a.k.a. "MIR", for the establishment of the Union of Socialist States of America, of which Massachusetts for the past generation has been in the vanguard: we should thank these progressive pioneers for showing the rest of us poor misguided wretches the way to this bright communal future where the wise leaders of the United Nations decide what is best for us...

48 posted on 04/16/2004 4:38:08 PM PDT by chilepepper (The map is not the territory -- Alfred Korzybski)
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To: Dutch Boy
That's okay. The panel on Brit Hume's show couldn't either. Kerry must be getting scared

If I recall, the panel was unanimous in saying that Kerry was way over the line on his charges against Cheney and Rove. That's Barnes, Kondrake and Birnbaum.

Sounds as if Kerry is getting desparate.

49 posted on 04/16/2004 4:43:10 PM PDT by jackbill
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To: NormsRevenge
Senator, can you show us the scar from that first Purple Heart?
50 posted on 04/16/2004 4:45:04 PM PDT by jackbill
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To: NormsRevenge
Patriotism, the last refuge of a scoundrel.

I forget who said this, but they sure were right.

51 posted on 04/16/2004 4:45:04 PM PDT by metalurgist (Death to the democrats!)
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To: NormsRevenge
Sings...

"They call him Flipper...
Flipper...lives in a world full of wonder...
Flying there under...under the sea."
52 posted on 04/16/2004 4:47:57 PM PDT by bannie (The government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend upon the support of Paul.)
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To: NormsRevenge
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Kerry is worse than scoundrel along with his VVAW band of brothers.
53 posted on 04/16/2004 4:49:38 PM PDT by kabar
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To: raynearhood
"doesn't mean that he didn't serve bravely in Vietnam"

Didn't know that purple hearts were awarded for any injury, regardless of how small.

I think it's OK to look in detail at his service since that is one of the issues he brings up quite a bit. He sets himself up as superior to Rove and Cheney, citing often that they did not serve.

As far as I understand it (and the information is very foggy), Kerry did request to come home after suffering only very minor injuries. Don't know how brave that was.

54 posted on 04/16/2004 4:58:26 PM PDT by what's up
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To: MamaLucci
Last statewide election (2002)I voted for more Dems than Reps.

The choice for this year is quite obvious.

My wife works in surgery in a local hospital.

She told me several workers there, who have always voted Democrat, are very embarrassed. It goes back to Gore in 2000.

The tendency is to sell the American voter short. I think you will be in for a pleasant surprise this year. Very pleasant.
55 posted on 04/16/2004 4:59:43 PM PDT by wingman1 (University of Vietnam '70)
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To: NormsRevenge
EfnK: Talk and words are cheap you commie MF. Only the sheeple [without brains] would believe a damn thing that dribbles out of your slimy oral orifice.
56 posted on 04/16/2004 5:02:26 PM PDT by Indie (We don't need no steenkin' experts!)
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To: ServesURight
"Lie in sworn Congressional testimony, April 22, 1971 - about Vietnam soldiers "shooting livestock for fun, and burning down villages." If Kerry served so "honorable", then why doesn't he release his military/medical records then?"

I agree with you on this point, and this point alone. He lied, and should be held accountable. His post war actions should be fair game.

However, whether or not he wanted to get out of the combat zone is irrelevant.
Whether or not he has made fun of or attacked Bush's Guard service is irrelevant. The Dems have done well to make themselves look stupid. And, as my mom always said, 'Two wrongs don't make a right.'

He served. He served in combat. Let him say over and over that he served in Vietnam. Everyone knows, but every time that we bring up perceived inconsistencies in his record we always end up sounding stupid.

Don't believe me? Just read a couple of the posts concerning his record. It pisses me off whenever I read the crap that says he didn't deserve a Purple Heart because it was only a scratch.

We don't attack military records, at least I thought we didn't. We support military service, don't we. We are above that. Unless there is some outright lie or obvious inconsistency in his record, leave it alone.

I'll conclude with this: Like all of my brothers and sisters in arms I want to thank John Kerry for his service during war. However, I would never want that man in the White House.
57 posted on 04/16/2004 5:02:54 PM PDT by raynearhood (how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie-Roll center of a Tootsie-Pop)
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To: bannie
http://www.jump2net.com/stuff/flipper3.html
58 posted on 04/16/2004 5:10:41 PM PDT by debg
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To: raynearhood
I see. You'd rather take the ostrich approach that so many other Republicans take, and pull the covers over your heads when DemocRats like Kerry lie about the issues, including the President's military record, and hypocritically refuse to disclose their military/medical records.

Effin Kerry introduced Vietnam into the campaign. Nobody said anything about Kerry's Purple Hearts, his military service, until HE made it an issue. Now that HE made it an issue he should finish the debate.

59 posted on 04/16/2004 5:11:29 PM PDT by ServesURight (FReecerely Yours,)
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To: NormsRevenge
"When I look up, that flag is still there and it belongs to all Americans," he said, pointing to a flag near the stage. "Not to them, not to a party. It belongs to us."

Give it back, your getting it dirty, and what's that
white stain on the blue part?!

FMCDVH!
60 posted on 04/16/2004 5:15:30 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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