Touché! Kerry fires back at Bush camp (Le Ketchup Man)

Boston Herald ^ | 4/23/03 | Joe Battenfeld

[finnman69]

Touché! Kerry fires back at Bush camp

by Joe Battenfeld Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Responding to a taunt by the White House that he ``looks French,'' U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry yesterday brushed off the political insult - saying it's part of an expected barrage of Republican attacks on his character.

``It means the White House has started the politics of personal destruction,'' Kerry said of the comment by an unnamed Bush adviser.

A New York Times report quoted Republican officials and Bush advisers yesterday saying that Kerry's presidential campaign wouldn't play well out of New England because of his ``haughty air'' and Boston upbringing.

``He looks French,'' said one Bush adviser, handing the Massachusetts Democrat what is probably the ultimate postwar political putdown.

France has become a frequent target in the United States because of its staunch opposition to the war against Iraq.

Kerry, after an Earth Day campaign stop in Roxbury, said he didn't believe the comment was an attack on his patriotism, adding: ``It's funny. I laughed about it.''

Minutes after Kerry sped off to a campaign speech in New Hampshire, his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, compared the Bush comment to an insult by ``kids in the playground.''

``They'll probably say he's French, he's Jewish . . . he's a monkey,'' Heinz Kerry said of her husband, whose Jewish roots recently became a campaign issue. ``I just find it sad.''

She added: ``They (White House officials) probably don't even speak French.''

Republican National Committee spokesman Dan Ronayne yesterday would not respond to the remarks by Kerry and his wife.

The campaign flare-up was triggered by the Times report that said Bush's advisers are prepared to spend up to $200 million on television advertisements and other campaign expenditures before the Republican convention in the first week of September 2004.

The report also said Bush strategists view Kerry as most likely to win the Democratic nomination but plan to attack him as being culturally out of step with the rest of the country.

Republicans pointed to Kerry's widely criticized speech calling for ``regime change'' in the White House as evidence that he will be vulnerable on the war issue.

But Kerry said the White House plan showed Republicans are prepared to rely heavily on special interest groups.

``If they want to spend $200 million from their very wealthy and special interests, I think that will become a major issue,'' he said.

Kerry predicted Bush would actually spend more than the $200 million estimate.

Kerry also again said he had no plans to use his wife's fortune to finance his campaign, although he wouldn't rule it out.

Kerry's comments came after an Earth Day forum in which he scorched the Bush administration's environmental record.

Ronanyne, the RNC official, charged that Kerry and other Democrats were using Earth Day to play to special interest groups and ``inspire the base.''

[finnman69]

She added: ``They (White House officials) probably don't even speak French.''

Limosine liberal at work here folks.

If the GOP really wanted to make a personal insult they would have said he looks like Lurch.

And I wonder how much of Mrs. Heinz's do-re-mi Le Ketchup will spend.

[Quick1]

Why is the White House making personal attacks? I could care less what everyone here really thinks of him (I know what I think of him... ugh), but the advisor is not helping Bush's cause much by saying people "look French".

[Nonstatist]

They'll probably say he's French, he's Jewish . . . he's a monkey,'' Heinz Kerry said of her husband

Wait till the rest of the country gets a load of this pol-wife. She is truly repugnant (IMO)

[wardaddy]

he's French, he's Jewish . . . he's a monkey

That is grossly unfair to Jews and Monkeys.

[w_over_w]

He looks French.

WAIT A MINUTE!! A few weeks ago it was PROVEN with side by side pictures that he looks like Herman Munster. What gives? This is really getting confusing . . . I'm going to go take a shower.

[alloysteel]

Is this worse than calling George W. Bush a chimpanzee? Jane Goodall said something similar yesterday.

[b4its2late]

Kerry does look French!

[Numbers Guy]

``It means the White House has started the politics of personal destruction,'' Kerry said

Of course equating George W Bush to a vicious butcher like Saddam Hussein wasn't an example of the politics of personal destruction, not at all . . .

[finnman69]

``It means the White House has started the politics of personal destruction,'' Kerry said of the comment by an unnamed Bush adviser.

True, we are better than that, but leave it to the NY Times to leak crap like this. But remember, how long have Democrats gotten a free ride claiming Bush is unintelligent or an idiot.

[wideawake]

``It means the White House has started the politics of personal destruction,'' Kerry said of the comment by an unnamed Bush adviser.

Apparently this comment means Kerry will campaign using the dusty old Clinton playbook.

Let's hope he does.

[finnman69]

LOL, Terea honey, no one mentioned he looks like a monkey except you.

[ladtx]

``It means the White House has started the politics of personal destruction,'' Kerry said ...

Kerry has no credibility -- he has ketchup on his hands.

[wvnavyvet]

That's if it did come from anyone in the White House at all. Why is it always unnammed sources, non-existent sources maybe. Kerrey's military experience was obviously a waste of time and so was his college education, since he never learn we don't regime changes in the United States.

[Nonstatist]

by saying people "look French"

Theyr're implying that he acts French; with an impertinence bordering on disloyalty . Calling for a regime change during a war is truly impolitic... The administration wants to paint him, and paint him early.

[Our man in washington]

Okay, let's break down what probably really happened here. A reporter lined up some White House staffer, they go out for a few beers, the reporter goads him on, and the staffer says something really stupid, laughing while he says it. Believe me, the higher-ups at the White House aren't happy about this one.

[hang 'em]

Dear Abby:
I am a crack dealer in New Jersey who has recently been diagnosed as a carrier of the HIV virus. My parents live in a suburb of Philadelphia and one of my sisters, who lives in Bensenville, is married to a transvestite.
My father and mother have recently been arrested for growing and selling marijuana and are currently dependent on my other two sisters, who are prostitutes in Jersey City.
I have two brothers. One is currently serving a non-parole life sentence in Attica for murder of a teenage boy in 1994.The other brother is currently being held in the Wellington Remand Center on charges of sexual misconduct with his three children.
I have recently become engaged to marry a former Thai prostitute who lives in the Bronx and is still a part time "working girl" in a brothel.
All things considered, my main problem is this. I love my fiancee and look forward to bringing her into the family and I certainly want to be totally honest with her. Should I tell her about my distant cousin who is French?

Signed,
Worried About My Reputation

[finnman69]

Like I said, a non story.

[Quick1]

Yes, but we're supposed to be better than that. They can call names all they want, but we should not be.

I will concede that the "unnamed source" is suspicious, however.

[finnman69]

ROFLMAO...that is good.

[usastandsunited]

She added: ``They (White House officials) probably don't even speak French.''

Is this suppose to be some sort of insult ? What is she saying here ?