Monday, July 19, 2004
Truth, Consequences of Kerry's 'Liberal' Label
Washingtonn Postn | "In 1988, George H.W. Bush warned voters his Democratic opponent represented the "failed liberal policies of the past." Liberal-bashing worked wonders, carrying the elder Bush from a 12-point deficit in polls in early July to a 10-point victory over Michael S. Dukakis on Election Day.
In 1996, the same strategy fell flat. "Liberal, liberal, liberal Bill Clinton," brayed Republican nominee Robert J. Dole about the incumbent, a line that hardly hindered Clinton's leisurely stroll to reelection.
This year's presidential campaign marks the latest effort to hurl the L-word -- the most familiar and, on some occasions, most lethal spear in the Republican arsenal. President Bush's campaign spokesmen have called the Democratic ticket of Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) and Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) the most liberal ticket in U.S. history.
The notion that the Democratic ticket is on the left by historical standards is implausible, say Kerry defenders, noting that in his Senate career the nominee has voted for major deficit-reduction measures sponsored by avowed conservatives. He also voted for landmark 1996 legislation that imposed time limits and work requirements on welfare recipients, legislation that prompted outraged opposition from many liberals. His presidential campaign platform includes tax increases for the rich, tax cuts and credits for middle-class earners, and an increase in the size of the armed forces. "
Friday, July 16, 2004
Kerry Keeps His Faith in Reserve
Washington Post | "John F. Kerry, a lifelong Roman Catholic, carries in his briefcase an unmarked manila folder stuffed full of religion articles, scriptures, personal reflections -- and a sermon the Democrat has been fine-tuning since the early 1980s.
In the latest iteration Kerry borrows the words of James, reputed brother of Jesus, to condemn President Bush's leadership. 'It is not enough, my brother, to say that you have faith, when there are no deeds,' Kerry told thousands of African American Christians gathered in Indianapolis earlier this month for the annual convention of the AME Church. 'We look at what's happening in America today, and if you have a conscience and if your eyes are open, you have to say, 'Where are the deeds?' For the last four years, all we have heard is empty words.' "
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
In Bush's War Room, the Gloves Are Always Off
New York Times | "Shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday, a handful of President Bush's campaign aides huddled around two small speakers in a room that, with its shades drawn, was lit by the glow of 15 television monitors. They were listening to the voice of Senator John Kerry.
None of the networks were carrying Mr. Kerry's entire speech to a group of financial donors, mostly women, in Boston that day. But Mr. Bush's operatives had somehow arranged for their own audio feed, they refused to say how, and were listening intently, ready to pounce on any opening for attack.
After sitting impatiently through what seemed to be a typical stump speech, they found one: Mr. Kerry said he was "proud" of votes by him and his running mate, Senator John Edwards, last fall against the president's requested $87 billion appropriation for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a vote that Republicans have used to make a case that Mr. Kerry has been failing to support the troops after voting to authorize the war.
Within an hour or so, Mr. Bush's team, at the campaign's headquarters in a corporate office building in suburban Virginia, across the Potomac River from the White House, had sent a release via e-mail to hundreds of journalists, supporters and campaign surrogates. The e-mail message included the new quote and one from September, when Mr. Kerry implied it would be "irresponsible'' to vote against such spending. The quotation, along with the idea that Mr. Kerry's position on the money had evolved, found its way onto Fox News and into articles in The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Times, The Boston Globe and The Associated Press.
And this was a relatively slow day in Mr. Bush's war room. "
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
'We Were Right to Go Into Iraq,' Bush Says
Washington Post | "President Bush asserted Monday that the war against Iraq has made America safer as he sought to counteract the findings in a Senate report late last week that the U.S. intelligence community distorted and exaggerated the weapons threat posed by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
'Although we have not found stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, we were right to go into Iraq,' Bush said during a brief visit to east Tennessee. His remarks came amid fresh evidence that support for his Iraq policies continues to decline. A new Washington Post poll found that 45 percent of the public believes the war was worth fighting, compared with 49 percent in May and 57 percent a year ago. "
Monday, July 12, 2004
US web campaigning pays off
BBC NEWS | "The internet has emerged as a powerful tool to raise funds in the US presidential campaign of 2004.
The amount of cash needed to compete for the top job in the White House is staggering.
By mid-June this year President George Bush had raised about $216m (�123m), and his opponent John Kerry had brought in about $145m (�82m).
Without money, and lots of it, the candidates cannot keep up with countless bus tours, campaign speeches, bumper sticker promotions and TV advertisements.
Experts watching the race say it is one of the most interesting elections in modern history for one reason - the internet. "
Kerry accuses Bush of losing lives and allies
Guardian Unlimited | "Flawed intelligence commissioned by President George Bush has cost America lives, resources and allies, said the Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry, in his most scathing attack on the Bush administration to date.
Referring to the Senate investigation which found that the principal claims justifying the invasion of Iraq were fundamentally wrong and the result of a 'global intelligence failure', Mr Kerry argued that Mr Bush's record had fed cynicism and mistrust of government.
'They were wrong and soldiers lost their lives because they were wrong. And America's paying billions of dollars because they were wrong. And allies are not with us because they were wrong,' Mr Kerry told the New York Times in one of several interviews with his new running mate, John Edwards, published yesterday. "
Kerry Vows To Restore 'Truth' to Presidency
Washington Post | "President Bush has governed in a dishonest fashion, trampling values on every issue except fighting terrorism and leaving voters 'clamoring for restoration of credibility and trust in the White House again,' John F. Kerry and John Edwards said in an interview.
'The value of truth is one of the most central values in America, and this administration has violated' it, Kerry said in an interview with The Washington Post aboard the Democrats' campaign plane Friday. 'Their values system is distorted and not based on truth.'
The Democratic nominee and his running mate said it was that kind of anger toward the president that prompted entertainers at Thursday's Democratic fundraising concert in New York to attack Bush as a 'cheap thug' and a killer. 'Obviously some performers, in my judgment and John's, stepped over a line neither of us believes appropriate, but we can't control that,' Kerry said. 'On the other hand, we understand the anger, we understand the frustration.' "
Friday, July 09, 2004
Edwards Sets Self Apart on Foreign Policy
Washington Post | "In his Senate years and primary campaign, vice presidential candidate John Edwards has emerged as a politician willing to push beyond conventional foreign policy ideas and introduce imaginative proposals that often do not meet with swift approval.
In one typical case, Edwards in January called for the United States to draw up a 'freedom list' that would identify dissidents jailed for political or religious expression in an attempt through 'name and shame' to persuade other countries to free political prisoners. He also proposed linking U.S. aid to progress on human rights and democracy -- a practice that, if implemented, would almost certainly disqualify many key U.S. allies, such as Egypt and Pakistan. "
Kerry and Edwards: The Buddy Picture
Washington Post | "To begin with, there's the dicey matter of the all-important first shot of John Kerry and John Edwards and their wives getting off the campaign plane. The new running mates and running matrons emerge with a triumphant wave. But at the top of the mobile staircase looms a large, unfortunate sign:
'Million Air.'
This refers to the aviation services firm that runs the small airport, not to the net worth (several times over) of the candidates who hopscotched the Rust Belt on Wednesday in an effort to connect with Real Americans. Luckily, not a lot of people are here to greet the plane and catch the irony, just a smattering of local veterans and -- the word 'd'oh!' comes to mind -- about 50 or 60 reporters and photographers. "
