Free Republic

"John Kerry yesterday denied seeing any circumstances justifying the Iraq War despite voting for the war and previously saying it was the 'right decision.' Kerry's comments on Iraq show that while he condemned Howard Dean in the Democratic primaries, he has now actually adopted Howard Dean's position on Iraq." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman John Kerry Is Adopting The Position Of Howard Dean:Kerry Now Says There Were No Circumstances Under Which We Should Have Gone To War, But He Was Still Right To Vote For It. IMUS: "Do you think there are any circumstances we should have gone...

"John Kerry's $1.5 trillion government-run health care plan won't lower patient costs, but shifts them to taxpayers while taking decision-making power out of the hands of doctors and patients and giving it to government bureaucrats. Considering Kerry's opposition to curbing the medical liability lawsuits that are costing as much as $108 billion each year, it's not surprising Americans don't trust him with their health care." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman John Kerry's Big-Government Health Care Plan According To The Non-Partisan American Enterprise Institute (AEI), The Kerry Health Care Plan Would Now Cost $1.5 Trillion Over Tens Years. "Over...

"John Kerry's shifting positions on Iraq have left Americans with little confidence that he has the conviction and leadership necessary to fight and win the War on Terror. He has taken more positions than anyone can keep track of, and he is losing credibility on this issue." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman John Kerry's Shifting Positions On Iraq In 2002, Kerry Called Those Who Would Leave Saddam Alone "Naive To The Point Of Grave Danger." "It would be naive to the point of grave danger not to believe that, left to his own devices, Saddam Hussein will provoke,...

"John Kerry said we need to spend more in Iraq but now says we are spending too much. John Kerry voted against funding to send our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan critical supplies but now says he supports our troops. John Kerry said our troops in Iraq are fighting in the War on Terror but now is backtracking. The only constant aspect to John Kerry's shifting positions on the War on Terror is the steady erosion of his credibility." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry Says Iraq Spending Is Too Much After Advocating More Spending Kerry Says America...

"John Kerry announced his eighth distinct position on the war in Iraq this week, stealing lines from the angry attacks of anti-war candidate Howard Dean, attacks that Kerry himself criticized at the time. John Kerry voted for the war, but voted against funds for our troops, and after saying he was 'proud' of voting against money for the troops, he now says that the money could have been better used elsewhere. Americans expect a commander-in-chief to provide unconditional support to our troops on the front lines - not play politics. President Bush is funding our nation's priorities while John...

"John Kerry has repeatedly opposed efforts to limit the medical liability lawsuits that raise health care costs by as much as $108 billion dollars each year. Instead of working to lower health care costs for families, Kerry has proposed raising taxes to pay for a government-run health care program that shifts costs to taxpayers while empowering bureaucrats in Washington. Kerry should start taking the side of patients and doctors rather than the trial lawyers who have given him more money than any senator over the past 15 years." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry Opposes Medical Liability Reform...

"John Kerry promises not to raise taxes, but the reality is that he has cast 98 votes for tax increases, including voting ten times to raise gas taxes on the middle class. Kerry points to the largest tax increase in American history as the blueprint for his economic plan, which advisor Bob Rubin says Kerry won't reveal until elected. Kerry's credibility problem is only expanding as more and more Americans see the gap between what Kerry says and what Kerry does." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman John Kerry's Votes For Higher Taxes Kerry Voted 98 Times For Tax...

The Kerry Line: Fellow Senators Call For Kerry To Release Attendance At Private Intelligence Committee Hearings(title edited for length) "John Kerry served on the Intelligence Committee from 1993 to 2000, and according to official records, John Kerry missed 76 percent of the public Senate Intelligence Committee hearings during that time. This figure doesn’t include his attendance at closed door meetings. Those records can only be released to the public at John Kerry’s request. This is something that needs to be done, and I join Senator Roberts, Senator Chambliss, Senator Cornyn, and Senator Coleman and others in calling on him to...

"John Kerry obstructed the President's comprehensive energy plan which had bipartisan support, including its provisions for renewable energy, conservation and energy development that would reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Now he is proposing policies he worked to block." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry Obstructed Passage Of The President's Comprehensive Energy Bill Kerry Missed Vote, Helping Defeat Energy Bill. Kerry missed a vote on the Energy Bill while campaigning in New Hampshire, helping defeat a bill that included an ethanol mandate, funding for hydrogen and renewable energy and domestic oil and gas production. Kerry Campaign Said He...

"If Candidate Kerry was misled, it was from Senator Kerry - the same Senator Kerry who wrote that if Saddam Hussein was 'unwilling to bend' he had 'invited enforcement,' even if the United States had to act alone. Senator Kerry has four days in Boston to explain a dizzying array of positions on the war in Iraq to an American public growing tired of his vacillations and doublespeak." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Who Is Misleading Whom? John Kerry Said Yesterday That President Bush "Misled" Kerry: "The President Broke His Word. That's Why I Say He Misled America."...

"It is a great example of John Kerry's priorities that on the day he said he did not have time to receive his intelligence briefing on threats to America, he found time to attend a Hollywood fund-raiser, filled with enough hate and vitriol to make Michael Moore blush." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman John Kerry's Priorities Kerry Says He Hasn't "Had Time" To Be Briefed On Terrorist Threats. KING: "News of the day, Tom Ridge warned today about al Qaeda plans of a large-scale attack on the United States. Didn't increase the -- you see any politics in this?...

"John Kerry's choice of John Edwards as his running mate cements their position as the most out of the mainstream ticket in the history of the Democrat Party. The most liberal Senator and the fourth most liberal Senator are out of step on the kitchen table issues that matter to Americans." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry And Edwards Are Out Of The Mainstream On The Issues People Care AboutSenators Kerry And Edwards Voted Against 2001 And 2003 Tax Cuts. Senators Kerry And Edwards Voted Against Full Marriage Penalty Relief. Senators Kerry And Edwards Both Opposed Prescription Drugs For...

"John Kerry has once again shown himself to be foragainst funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. After saying he would support the President's $25 billion funding proposal, Kerry skipped yesterday's vote on the bill. Only John Kerry could give a speech on modernizing and equipping our military the day after he didn't show up to vote to send money to the troops engaged in essential operations." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry Says He Will Support $25 Billion Iraq Supplemental, But Skips Vote In May, Kerry Said He Would Support $25 Billion In Emergency Funds For Our...

"John Kerry's embrace of nonproliferation goals and objectives already laid out by President Bush is a welcome step, but his failure to accept the success of negotiations with Libya and his criticism of a multilateral approach to confront the threat from North Korea demonstrate that John Kerry can't help but play politics with national security." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry Promises To Elevate Nonproliferation To The Top Of The Global Agenda – A Step Already Taken By President Bush And His G-8 Colleagues In December 2003, Kerry Promised To "Elevate Non-Proliferation To The Top Of The Global Agenda."...

“In the course of his presidential campaign John Kerry voted for the Iraq War, and then declared himself an anti-war candidate; said it would be irresponsible to vote against funds for our troops in combat, and then voted against funds for our troops in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. The only explanation he offered for this contradiction is that he actually voted for the 87 billion before he voted against it.” -Nicolle Devenish, Bush-Cheney '04 Communications Director John Kerry On Iraq: A Record Of Contradiction May 2004: Kerry Claims "When Bill Clinton Left Office, Not One Young American Was...

"After voting for the Patriot Act, John Kerry attacks this common sense measure on the campaign trail in what has become his typical bait and switch. Kerry opposes a law that gives law enforcement the same tools to stop terrorists that are routinely used to fight drug dealers and organized crime." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Senator Kerry Originally Supported The Patriot Act Kerry Voted For The Patriot Act. Kerry Said The Patriot Act Modernizes Our Ability To Fight Crime. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "It streamlines the ability of law enforcement to do its job. It modernizes our ability to...

"John Kerry's economic pessimism is at odds with the reality that unemployment declined across the country in April. From Michigan to Florida to Missouri, the President's pro-growth policies are benefiting more and more Americans." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman New Jobs Are Being Created Across The NationIncreased Employment In 45 States. "From March to April, total nonfarm employment increased in 45 states, decreased in four states and the District of Columbia, and remained unchanged in one state. The largest employment increases occurred in Florida (+29,000), North Carolina (+20,700), Missouri (+20,000), Michigan (+19,300), Texas (+17,000), and California (+16,300). The largest...

"John Kerry told the Democrat Leadership Council that he is a centrist, but behind closed doors he told Ralph Nader that he is not Bill Clinton or Al Gore and should be judged on his Senate record. Kerry's record includes voting for higher taxes, more government spending and cuts to defense systems while the National Journal has rated Kerry the most 'liberal' member of the Senate. John Kerry may say different things to different people, but he can't run away from his record." - Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman John Kerry Tells Ralph Nader: "Judge Me By My Record"...

"John Kerry supported a 50 cent tax on a gallon of gas and voted for higher gas taxes 10 times. Kerry has obstructed efforts to enact a comprehensive energy policy that would ensure a reliable energy supply, key to lowering gas prices." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry On Strategic Petroleum Reserve In February 2000, Kerry Said Release Of Oil From The Strategic Petroleum Reserves Would Not Be "Relevant." "Without being specific, Kerry, a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, suggested the US could retaliate economically in other trade areas. He also said he does not want...

"John Kerry and Ted Kennedy stooped to a new low yesterday in their dual attacks on President Bush and America's military. John Kerry never misses an opportunity to play politics with the War on Terror and his appalling comments call into question his ability to lead America during these challenging times." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry Politicizes Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Kerry Blames Prisoner Abuse On The President. "Kerry, 60, also said prisoner abuse in Iraq by U.S. troops stemmed from an 'arrogance' of policy under Bush. 'It's not just a few privates and corporals, sergeants,' Kerry told a...