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Kerry Comment Riles Bush Campaign (Update - Kerry Reaffirms GOP "Attack Squad" Claims, No Apology)
Yahoo! News ^ | 3/10/04 | Mike Glover - AP

Posted on 03/10/2004 6:10:39 PM PST by NormsRevenge

WASHINGTON -

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) called Wednesday for deeper tax cuts for the middle class than proposed by President Bush (news - web sites) and described his Republican critics as "the most crooked ... lying group I've ever seen." The chairman of Bush's re-election campaign called on Kerry to apologize "for this negative attack."

After urging labor leaders to support his campaign, Kerry met with one-time rival Howard Dean (news - web sites) to discuss an endorsement and what role the former Vermont governor might play in his campaign.

Hoping to win over Dean, the presumptive nominee's staff greeted the fallen rival with a round of applause as he walked into Kerry headquarters. The two men shook hands, embraced briefly and raised joined hands for the cameras.

After the 45-minute meeting, officials close to the talks said Dean will endorse Kerry, with only the timing in question. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the best time might be March 25 when the presidential candidates join former Presidents Clinton and Carter for a Democratic Party fund-raiser.

"I will work closely with John Kerry to make sure we beat George Bush in November and turn our country around," Dean said in a statement that did not specifically mention an endorsement. "There is a lot we can do together to rebuild an America that belongs to all of us, and we'll be saying more about what our amazing grass-roots network can do to help with his goal." Dean has set March 18 to announce details of his grass-roots advocacy organization.

Kerry was scheduled to meet with another key rival, John Edwards (news - web sites), on Thursday.

Anticipating their meeting, the Bush campaign issued "Howard Dean's Greatest Hits on John Kerry," a 10-item recounting of Dean's criticisms. The quotes from news stories include Dean's statement in January that "you're not going to change America by nominating somebody who's a Washington insider whose biggest long suit is talk."

Kerry had 2,037 delegates after sweeping four Southern primaries Tuesday, an Associated Press analysis showed. He wasn't expected to reach 2,162, the number needed to secure the nomination, until next week.

Earlier Wednesday in Chicago, Kerry toughened his comments about his GOP critics after a supporter urged him to take on Bush. "Let me tell you, we've just begun to fight," Kerry said. "We're going to keep pounding. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen. It's scary."

Bush-Cheney campaign chairman Marc Racicot called on Kerry to apologize.

"Senator Kerry's statement today in Illinois was unbecoming of a candidate for the presidency of the United States of America, and tonight we call on Senator Kerry to apologize to the American people for this negative attack," Racicot said in a statement. "On the day that Senator 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 spokesman David Wade said earlier that Kerry was referring to Republican critics in general and that the comment was intended to convey the message that "he's a Democrat who fights back."

The Bush-Cheney campaign didn't see it that way. "John Kerry has run a relentlessly negative campaign from the very beginning and this comment is completely consistent with that," the campaign said.

In a satellite address to top AFL-CIO leaders meeting in Florida, Kerry said a "Bush Tax" stemming from the president's economic policies has driven up costs for working families. He vowed to reverse that trend while asking those making more than $200,000 a year to pay the same taxes they paid under President Clinton (news - web sites), effectively repealing portions of a tax cut Bush pushed through Congress.

Kerry also proposed creating a $50 billion fund to help states provide relief from state and local taxes for working families that he said have been struggling.

"Under George Bush's policies, middle-class families are paying more," he said. "America's middle class can't afford a tax increase. That's why we're going to give the middle class a tax cut."

In response, the Bush campaign accused Kerry of favoring broad tax increases that would affect all taxpayers.

"John Kerry has voted for higher taxes 350 times and his numbers for new spending don't add up," said Steve Schmidt, a Bush campaign spokesman. "His campaign-trail promises mean he is going to raise taxes by at least $900 billion." It is the first time the Bush campaign has put a number on tax hikes it says Kerry favors.

Kerry said a middle-class tax cut would do far more to spark the economy than what Bush has pushed, by helping people afford college costs, pay for health care and make ends meet.

"If this president wants to make this election about taxes after he's cut billions for billionaires and given middle-class families a larger share to pay, we're ready for that fight," he said.

Kerry also addressed Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) staff, seeking to end speculation that chairman Terry McAuliffe's role will be diminished. "No one can do what this man has done," Kerry said, according to Kerry and DNC aides in the private meeting.

___

AP Political Writer Ron Fournier contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; bushcampaign; gwb2004; insult; kerry; kerrycomments; lyingcrooks; riles; selfdescription
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To: CIB-173RDABN
What is going on? Is Kerry really this tone deaf to American polictic?

He actually might be. For all his public appearances, he's virtually isolated from the world in his own little echo chamber. He's surrounded by campaign yes-men who tell him only what he wants to hear, his campaign appearances are totally scripted and all the bit players (the union goons and other members of the public who serve as backdrops) are completely vetted beforehand. No one just up and goes to a Kerry campaign event, at least no one who might have even the remotest chance of showing up on TV or of being interviewed.

And to top it all off he's being "covered" by a fawning media that's convinced that the public is as full of raw, seething hatred for George Bush as they are, and are just a hair's breadth away from snatching him from the White House and stringing him up from a lamppost ala Mussolini. Whenever Kerry attacks Bush the press cheers itself hoarse and tells him that this is what the public wants to hear. The press and the Kerry people are convinced that Bush stole the 2000 election, manufactured the 9/11 attacks so he could take out Saddam and avenge his Daddy (as well as steal the oil for his cronies at Halliburton), and is just generally responsible for everything in the world that's bad, all the way down to bad breath and eczema of the eyebrows.

And because everyone they associate with feels the same way, they think that the vast majority of the public must agree with them. Under these circumstances it's not at all surprising that Kerry is as politically tone deaf as a stone post.

81 posted on 03/10/2004 7:54:23 PM PST by CFC__VRWC (AIDS, abortion, euthanasia - don't liberals just kill ya?)
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To: dwilli
nice thing about hannity's website. Free repeat streaming of today's show until tomorrow at 2pm CST. =)

Unlike other radio entertainment personalities.
82 posted on 03/10/2004 7:57:14 PM PST by PokeyJoe (FreeBSD; The devil made me do it.)
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To: NormsRevenge
Just watch

As Bush fights back and starts to make headway we will hear the pompous left wing anchors with their "American public doesn't want all this negativity and bickering etc etc "

Course as usual they only say it when the GOP fights back uintil then it is OK
83 posted on 03/10/2004 8:11:11 PM PST by uncbob
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To: cyncooper
"Under George Bush's policies, middle-class families are paying more," he said. "America's middle class can't afford a tax increase. That's why we're going to give the middle class a tax cut."

Wasn't there an article up earlier today that had Kerry's exact quote in it, something about after the tax cuts, the middle class is left to pay higher state and local taxes?

Which, of course, Freepers immediately proved wrong.

84 posted on 03/10/2004 8:15:38 PM PST by Howlin (Charter Member of the Incredible Interlocking Institutional Power!!!!)
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To: Paul Atreides
the president called to congratulate him

Bush called Kerry as soon as the TV stations came out and named Kerry the winner on Super Tuesday.

The reports said that President told Kerry he hoped they could conduct this campaign without trashing each other.

Kerry promptly put down the phone, took the stage in front of his supporters, and trashed Bush for about 20 minutes, without ever even MENTIONING that Bush had given him the call.

85 posted on 03/10/2004 8:19:07 PM PST by Howlin (Charter Member of the Incredible Interlocking Institutional Power!!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge
Nobody knows what Kerry said to Time, but Mort Kondracke sure as hell know who is doing the trashing around here, doesn't he?
86 posted on 03/10/2004 8:21:05 PM PST by Howlin (Charter Member of the Incredible Interlocking Institutional Power!!!!)
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To: Izzy Dunne
You're right; he is from the POOR side of the Forbes family; whatever he had as a child he got through the good graces of relatives.
87 posted on 03/10/2004 8:23:17 PM PST by Howlin (Charter Member of the Incredible Interlocking Institutional Power!!!!)
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To: CFC__VRWC
And because everyone they associate with feels the same way, they think that the vast majority of the public must agree with them. Under these circumstances it's not at all surprising that Kerry is as politically tone deaf as a stone post.

Did you happen to catch the CNN story last week about Joe Trippi and the Dean campaign? It was a documentry about how they did it, right up to the scream and the departure of Trippi.

I was stunned to see that they were SHOCKED that Kerry gained on them and actually won Iowa and NH; and they couldn't understand why everybody was so upset about the scream.

I was just floored. Hell, we here at FR had a better grip on what was going to happen to Kerry than they did.

88 posted on 03/10/2004 8:28:19 PM PST by Howlin (Charter Member of the Incredible Interlocking Institutional Power!!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge
Kerry said. "We're going to keep pounding. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen. It's scary."

He later said that he knew groups who probably were more crooked and lied less, also that he knew some groups that lied more and were less crooked, and that while he was in Vietnam, piloting a Swift Boat and earning 3 Purple Hearts and a Silver Star, he knew some who weren't crooked and never lied. And what's scary is the way the Republicans keep questioning his patriotism.

89 posted on 03/10/2004 8:31:06 PM PST by TC Rider (The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.)
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To: CFC__VRWC
And because everyone they associate with feels the same way, they think that the vast majority of the public must agree with them. Under these circumstances it's not at all surprising that Kerry is as politically tone deaf as a stone post.

Did you happen to catch the CNN story last week about Joe Trippi and the Dean campaign? It was a documentry about how they did it, right up to the scream and the departure of Trippi.

I was stunned to see that they were SHOCKED that Kerry gained on them and actually won Iowa and NH; and they couldn't understand why everybody was so upset about the scream.

I was just floored. Hell, we here at FR had a better grip on what was going to happen to Kerry than they did.

90 posted on 03/10/2004 8:31:51 PM PST by Howlin (Charter Member of the Incredible Interlocking Institutional Power!!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge
As long as Kerry keeps doing this kind of goofy campaigning, I'm not sure GWB needs to do any campaigning. Kerry is well into the process of digging his own grave. Perhaps, he'll also make the brilliant decision to select the PIAPS as his VP candidate - win or lose, he's dead!!
91 posted on 03/10/2004 8:45:20 PM PST by Chu Gary (USN Intel guy 1967 - 1970)
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To: Chu Gary
As long as Kerry keeps doing this kind of goofy campaigning, I'm not sure GWB needs to do any campaigning.

This won't hurt Kerry, because the rat media has already spun it as a response to the "Republican attack machine".

The only way this woyuld have feet is for the Republicans to show some outrage, which they never do.

92 posted on 03/10/2004 9:02:31 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Why the long face, John?)
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To: NormsRevenge
Kerry seems to want to talk about ANYTHING BUT his own voting record. What the....

Kerry Sux
93 posted on 03/10/2004 9:12:13 PM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: NormsRevenge
That kind of accusation is always hilarious coming from lying crooks.
94 posted on 03/10/2004 9:19:04 PM PST by Fledermaus (Democrats! The party of total Anarchy!)
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To: dwilli
It was reported to Sean that one of the first "spins" of this comment by Kerry's people was that Kerry was referring to those like Limbaugh and Hannity.

They've changed that spin already.
95 posted on 03/10/2004 9:20:46 PM PST by Fledermaus (Democrats! The party of total Anarchy!)
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To: Liberty Valance
Bump
96 posted on 03/10/2004 9:22:56 PM PST by Liberty Valance (My new 527 (group,club,gang,politicalscouttroop) don't need no stinking badges!)
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To: Wild Irish Rogue
"I cannot imagine the odds that Kerry would be the only one injured and eligible for a PH,not once,not twice,but, three times."

Well, with what, 8 guys on a boat? , that would be 1 chance in 8 x 8 x 8, or 1 chance in 512. That's assuming the stories about taking fire are correct , and that all the wounds would be minor.

What I find interesting is that nobody on his boat seems to recall his being wounded (wouldn't you notice if the skipper was wounded? ) , and that so much of his story (and apparently his medals) are based on his own testimony. Very wierd.

97 posted on 03/10/2004 9:36:55 PM PST by cookcounty (John Flipflop Kerry ---the only man to have been on BOTH sides of 3 wars!)
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To: NormsRevenge
BUMP!
98 posted on 03/10/2004 9:40:49 PM PST by jmstein7 (Real Men Don't Need Chunks of Government Metal on Their Chests to be Heroes)
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To: Izzy Dunne
"I don't think he made millions at all. He married millions. His first wife was worth $300 million. He ditched her for the Pickle Princess, worth $700 million.

He started rich. His family went on frequent outings with the Kennedys (there are at least 2 pix of him as ayoung man sailing with JFK and friends.

Now he's become "John Ficklepickle Kerry."

99 posted on 03/10/2004 9:43:54 PM PST by cookcounty (John Flipflop Kerry ---the only man to have been on BOTH sides of 3 wars!)
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To: Viking2002; rwfromkansas
" And if I'm not mistaken, I believe that I read somewhere that Kerry himself signed off on at least one of his own Purple Hearts, or something to that effect. Did you hear about this as well? I don't know Navy regs well enough to say if this is legit or not, but one would think that you couldn't go about pinning medals on your own chest......"

Kerry has refused to allow the military to release his full record from the repository in St Louis. The Boston Globe, on a number of occasions has asked Kerry to authorize the release, and he has refused.
You would think the media might question why Kerry is stonewalling.
Feb 25, Tony Blankley ended his column in the Washington Times ( " What Makes John Kerry Tick" )this way :

"But if his experience in Vietnam has deranged his capacity to make rational judgments about the use of military force on behalf of national security, ... he would be unfit to be commander and chief today. John Kerry should help us better understand his true nature by permitting the government to release his full military files."

My personal opinion is that there is more to Kerry's file than sleight of hand over his medals. I think that he may have been treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,possibly at a VA facility.I have also heard it speculated, that Kerry's reassignment back to the states, may have been welcomed by his superiors,because of Kerry's erratic behavior in country.
During Kerry's anti war period,Kerry hadn't married rich wife #1 yet,and by all accounts, Kerry came from a society family, but,in name only. His family lived off the good graces of their richer relatives. So, he may have sought counseling and treatment at the military's expense.
Interviews with some of Kerry's superiors and crewmates for a Boston Globe series showed that Kerry was desperately unhappy during his 120 days in Vietnam. Kerry disobeyed orders, taunted his superiors and wrote in his journal that he hoped he was court martialed.
Kerry took his Super 8 camera ,returned to the scenes of the engagements where he was " injured " and reenacted them.
Kerry to this day, watches those films at his home.
Admiral Zumwalt and others have said that Kerry was basically a loose cannon,out of control,killing women and children.
" the fabled and distinguished chief of naval operations (CNO), Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, told me -- 30 years ago when he was still CNO -- that during his own command of US naval forces in Vietnam, just prior to his anointment as CNO, young Kerry had created great problems for him and the other top brass, by killing so many non-combatant civilians and going after other non-military targets.

"We had virtually to straight-jacket him to keep him under control," the admiral said."


A friend of Kerry's told Joe Klein,in the New Yorker interview, that after Kerry lost his first election in 1972, Kerry went into a deep funk-he refused to speak to anyone during a 3 day week end, when he visited this friend. Kerry did nothing ,but, build an entire model ship from scratch . The article doesn't go into detail as to how long Kerry's depression and mute phase lasted.
Kerry's wife has given interviews where she says,that at the present time, "he had nightmares, at times so intense that he'd wake up screaming, leap out of bed, and slamming into walls."
Kerry obviously has some major emotional and psychological issues.Interview after interview, Kerry, his family members and friends describe Kerry's behavior in bizarre terms. It's also obvious that the mainstream media will not pressure Kerry to release his records-both military and medical.
100 posted on 03/10/2004 10:23:58 PM PST by Wild Irish Rogue
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