Kerry Vows to Be President Who Tells the Truth
NEWARK, Ohio (Reuters) - Democrat John Kerry on Friday dismissed the Republican convention as "bitter and insulting" and promised to be a president who would tell Americans the truth.
"Every time they open their mouths they can't tell the truth," Kerry said at a rally. "It's time for us to have a president of the United States who can look you in the eye and when he does, you know you're being told the truth."
The newly combative senator from Massachusetts said he would not allow President Bush or others to question his fitness for the White House.
"Not gonna do it, not gonna happen," Kerry said. "I will not have my commitment to defending this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they had a chance and I will not have it questioned by those who misled this nation into war in Iraq."
Neither Bush nor Vice President Dick Cheney, who scathingly attacked Kerry's national security credentials at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, fought in Vietnam. Bush served in the Texas Air National Guard and Cheney obtained five draft deferments.
Kerry, a decorated Navy lieutenant who commanded gunboats in the Mekong Delta, has been criticized for failing to react quickly or strongly enough to advertisements challenging his service and his qualifications for the presidential role of commander-in-chief. On Friday, he assailed Bush for a "record of failure" on everything from jobs to Iraq.
He listed some of Bush's reasons for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq -- weapons of mass destruction and connections to al Qaeda -- and added after each: "That wasn't true."
NEGATIVE POLITICS
Kerry said Republicans had distorted his 20-year record in the U.S. Senate, including his vote authorizing the use of force against Saddam Hussein and his subsequent vote against $87 billion to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He predicted voters would reject cynical politics when they went to the polls on Nov. 2.
"All this negative advertising, blah blah blah," Kerry said. "It turns people off."
After ceding much of the political stage to the Republicans this week, Kerry hit the campaign trail with a two-day bus tour of Ohio, a critical battleground state hit especially hard by manufacturing job losses.
"There seems to be such a great gap, it's as big as the Grand Canyon, bigger, between the kind of things they talk about and the problems that are represented in people's lives," he said.
Kerry ridiculed the Bush administration's "celebration" of the August job numbers released on Friday that showed the unemployment rate had dropped from 5.5 percent to 5.4 percent with the creation of 144,000 new jobs.
"At the rate that this administration is creating jobs, you're not going to have a net plus-one job in the state of Ohio until the year 2011," he said. "I don't think this is something to celebrate. I think it's something to get to work on."
Kerry aggressively criticized the just-concluded Republican convention in New York that formally nominated Bush for re-election, although he said he "listened to zero of it."
"I read the speech last night of the president and I guess I'd sum it up in just four words: all hat, no cattle," he said.
"What we've learned now is that the president and the Republican Party will say anything and do anything in order to try to get re-elected -- anything except really take care of middle class American families that are struggling in this country."
"Every time they open their mouths they can't tell the truth," Kerry said at a rally. "It's time for us to have a president of the United States who can look you in the eye and when he does, you know you're being told the truth."
The newly combative senator from Massachusetts said he would not allow President Bush or others to question his fitness for the White House.
"Not gonna do it, not gonna happen," Kerry said. "I will not have my commitment to defending this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they had a chance and I will not have it questioned by those who misled this nation into war in Iraq."
Neither Bush nor Vice President Dick Cheney, who scathingly attacked Kerry's national security credentials at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, fought in Vietnam. Bush served in the Texas Air National Guard and Cheney obtained five draft deferments.
Kerry, a decorated Navy lieutenant who commanded gunboats in the Mekong Delta, has been criticized for failing to react quickly or strongly enough to advertisements challenging his service and his qualifications for the presidential role of commander-in-chief. On Friday, he assailed Bush for a "record of failure" on everything from jobs to Iraq.
He listed some of Bush's reasons for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq -- weapons of mass destruction and connections to al Qaeda -- and added after each: "That wasn't true."
NEGATIVE POLITICS
Kerry said Republicans had distorted his 20-year record in the U.S. Senate, including his vote authorizing the use of force against Saddam Hussein and his subsequent vote against $87 billion to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He predicted voters would reject cynical politics when they went to the polls on Nov. 2.
"All this negative advertising, blah blah blah," Kerry said. "It turns people off."
After ceding much of the political stage to the Republicans this week, Kerry hit the campaign trail with a two-day bus tour of Ohio, a critical battleground state hit especially hard by manufacturing job losses.
"There seems to be such a great gap, it's as big as the Grand Canyon, bigger, between the kind of things they talk about and the problems that are represented in people's lives," he said.
Kerry ridiculed the Bush administration's "celebration" of the August job numbers released on Friday that showed the unemployment rate had dropped from 5.5 percent to 5.4 percent with the creation of 144,000 new jobs.
"At the rate that this administration is creating jobs, you're not going to have a net plus-one job in the state of Ohio until the year 2011," he said. "I don't think this is something to celebrate. I think it's something to get to work on."
Kerry aggressively criticized the just-concluded Republican convention in New York that formally nominated Bush for re-election, although he said he "listened to zero of it."
"I read the speech last night of the president and I guess I'd sum it up in just four words: all hat, no cattle," he said.
"What we've learned now is that the president and the Republican Party will say anything and do anything in order to try to get re-elected -- anything except really take care of middle class American families that are struggling in this country."
posted by Pamela J. Leavey at 1:25 PM
27 Comments:
WE DO NOT NEED "57" VARIETIES TO FIGHT THE WAR ON TERROR
IT'S LIKE JOHN KERRY HAS ADD-ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER HE HAS SO MANY ANSWERS THAT HE FREQUENTLY CHANGES AND AS HIS REPUTATION HE FLIP-FLOPS ALL THE TIME.WE ONLY NEED ONE CHOICE ON THE MENU FOR TODAY ONE ORDER OF RE-ELECTING(GEORGE W.BUSH) AND KEEP THE ORDERS COMMING.
If you still dont think the media is biased you should have read the AP article that said the crowd booed as George Bush spoke at a rally today and that Bush did nothing to stop them. If they actually would have listened to the audio of the speech or watched it they would have heard that the crowd applauded. You have to keep this bias in mind when you read articles like this. By the way, does anyone who actually supports Kerry read this page. I guess the readers number as few as his voters will be this fall
Re Senator Kerry's statement about "those who refused to serve," when was the last time he talked to former President Clinton?
By the way, President Clinton is in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
"If you still dont think the media is biased you should have read the AP article that said the crowd booed as George Bush spoke at a rally today and that Bush did nothing to stop them."
Well, it seems that the media tide for "W" has changed of late... Oh well, it is heartening to see that not all news agencies are like Fox and some do report the truth now and then.
George W. Bush was never "elected" and won't be elected in this election either.
President Clinton is everyone's prayers.
Kerry is confused and needs to make his mind
The conservatives try to say that the past is now irrevelent. Viewing the White House Resident's military service explains why they don't want to discuss it. The only military experience Bush brings to the "War on Terror" is how to keep his ass out of danger. The only endeavour in which he ever suceeded was in the Texas Air National Guard. There with a little help from his friends he managed to turn a legalized draft dodging activity into a felony act of desertion (AWOL over 30 days) and instead of being faced with a firing squad he is our "Commander -In -Chief" Need anyone ask why we a laboring under the biggest QUAGMIRE in our nation's history
Did you catch Kerry's comments (speech) directly after the President's acceptance for nomination speech? He said President Bush was unfit for President! Can you just imagine if Bush had said that! The media would have been all over it saying how mean and classless that would have been to say right after his opponents speech. I wonder, if the Dems really felt that way, why didn't he say that at his acceptance speech? This is last minute panic for the Kerry camp. If anyone is still undecided, just go look up Kerry's voting record, it speaks for itself. Does anyone really know what Kerry stands for? (besides raising our taxes which he promises he will do if elected). Even with all the media bias, Bush will still win this election, our security as a nation is too important to the majority of us. God bless George W. Bush! (oh gee, was that politically incorrect to say, I know how the left hates anything to do with God.)
It's so heartening to see that a few believe Bush and his cronies lies. You're in the minority!
BUSH 53%
Kerry 41%
Nader 3%
The truth shall prevail!!!!
The poll shows nothing about truth. What it most likely shows is that the Republicans took better advantage of their convention. I had some doubts as to whether Kerry made the right decision in not using the Democratic convention to get out the full case against Bush.
A combination of the Republicans twisting Kerry's statements on Iraq, the Swift Boat Lies, the repeated lies about Kerry's positions at the Republican Convention, and Kerry going a month without hardly any ads has hurt.
Now the challenge is clear. Polls show the public already realizes the weakness of Bush's domestic policies. Now we must get out the facts on how badly Bush has failed in the war on terrorism, and get out the truth to refute all the lies told about Kerry's positions at the GOP convention. Bush's bounce is not based upon any arguments against Kerry's actual record or positions, making the lead of questionable long term significance.
If we can get out these facts, these polls can quickly turn around.
Kerry better get his act together. You can't be kind and gentle when dealing with the lying Bush crowd. He needs to get tough and hammer his message and not be drawn into Rep traps about his service to the county. He serve two tours and then protested the war. Kerry is a class act and not a draft dodger but again he needs to get tough and just follow Micheal Moore's lead. Moore's picture just basically allowed Bush to talk and reveal his ignorance and arrogance. Kerry needs to start adds using the movie. Did you see what a foll Bush was when he sat in that chair while the country was under attack? What a fool!
Out the door in 2004!!!
"Did you see what a foll Bush was when he sat in that chair while the country was under attack? What a fool!"
There's been a lot of talk about Bush's inacti vity (and his deer in headlings look) during the first seven minutes. However, we shouldn't forget that Bush's incompetence extended beyond this point.
For the first two days we saw little of Bush, and accounts from others showed people in control other than the President.
After two days, Bush did appear to be taking charge again when he finally spoke out. Unfortunatley he waited too long to go into Afganistan, allowing Bin Laden to easily escape, and only showed a half hearted effort there. Rather than finishing the job in Afganistan, he qucikly gave up there and went on to attack Iraq desptie the facts that we were not threatened by Iraq and they were not connected to 9/11 as Bush claimed.
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Hello Pam:
Are you Kerrygoddess? Well if so thank you for your comments on the Kerry blog. I probably am even going to stop lurking there. We are apparently not much better then the GOP…yes you cant post there but apparently you cannot post on the Kerry Blog unless you are just an unabashed cheerleader.
Instead you will find me hanging out here some, the Morrison blog (that’s the email address Distrct Twenty Two uses “Morrisonin22@hotmail.com” , the Dean blog and kick Ass. I volunteer for the Morrison campaign almost daily (when I am not running my community association).
For what its worth John Kerry needs to be elected the next President of the United States. If he loses several bad things are going to happen to this country and not the leaast of which is that down ticket races are going to have a blood bath.
I hope that I am wrong but if the blog is any indication of how the campaign is run we are in for a rough time. So much for a diverse campaign that likes all views or even listens to them. I said nothing last night tha was offensive, in fact I really felt offended at what some said. But as long as one is cheering I guess anything goes.
Robert G. Oler
cvn65vf92@hotmail.com or morrisonin22@hotmail.com
Overview of the political week ending 4 September 2004
By Robert G. Oler
I’ll try and post these every Sunday. They are my opinions if you don’t like them just scroll past. I’ll try and keep the same format.
Overall synoposis:
This was a really bad week for the Kerry campaign capping a really bad month. The Times poll is “probably” over the top but the overall picture is one of a campaign which has been stymied by the Bush campaign and simply beaten up during the RNC convention. The last month the Kerry campaign has brought a knife to a gunfight and what is amazing is that anyone is still standing.
Specific Points:
The GOP holds the momentum. Their convention defined Kerry in a manner that the DNC failed to define Bush. From a political standpoint the RNC was a great mixture of good cop bad cop (with a little over the top cop Zell throwing some serious red meat to the faithful). Whoever made the decision at the Kerry campaign to not attack the administration during the DNC should be fired.
The best news for the Kerry campaign is Joe Lockhart. He was as effective as possible on the Stephanolopis (spell) show but he is to quote Miller shouting spitballs.
No specifics from the Kerry campaign.
The campaign has failed so far to come up with a specific reason that a Kerry administration would be better than a Bush one. I “think” this intrinsically but that wont do it for most of the 58-61 percent of Americans who believe that the country is on the wrong track. Before they will leave the current administration they want to see specifics of how things will be different under Kerry AND why Bush is not deserving of a second term.
The Bush/Kerry speeches on the last day of the RNC were illustrative. Bush’s speechwriters had no problem connecting the dots of the Swift boat for “truth” to Bush’s mantle of “I will chose to protect America”. So we flash to a midnight Kerry rally. John Edwards is flat because he is tired. John Kerry gets on and beats up Cheney for his five deferements and then leaves it on the ground. He does not connect the dots with Cheney’s deferments and the mess we have here in Iraq. You can see the “new” material because Kerry reads it at the podium and as Katy Kay noted on Matthews this morning “awkwardly”. Then he picks up the mike and goes onto a pretty “bland” stump speech.
There is no grand over arching vision of the Kerry Administration.
Kerry needs a foreign policy and a domestic agenda that have a theme. Thomas Barnett is an instructor up at the Navy War College. I have sat through his lecture on “The New Pentagon map”…you have to wonder if ANYONE on the Kerry campaign has read his stuff. He makes a more convincing argument for Kerry’s vision than Kerry does.
The Real Deal? What does that mean? Bush is pushing a transformation of the federal government and its services at home which is “empowering individuals”. Break it down and is more of GOP corporate nonsense…but there is neither a Kerry attack on it or an alternative to it.
There is no attack theme in the Kerry campaign.
The GOP has Kerry and his campaign in its sights and we are shooting well almost nothing. Think of this. Kerry is a decorated vet of Vietnam. He is being pistol whipped on that by a campaign where the head of the ticket hid out in Alabama and the number two got deferments. That’s almost in competency on the part of the campaign. How did we get to that?
Outlook for the future?
Well this is the week Kerry needs to turn it around. I’ve heard he is a great debater and a good closer…but non of those things will mater if by the debate the tide is already running at almost flood stage. The Kerry campaign needs to get its act together, stop cheerleading, and recognize that they are in a knife fight. If not well its less than two months till Nov 2.
Howard Dean got beat in Iowa because he and his staff figured that they had rewrote the rules of politics. Nope. It’s a constant in American history how Presidential elections go. Have a campaign that makes mistakes followed by an inability to recognize them and you lose.
We are losing now.
Robert
Greetings Robert,
Yes, I am Kerrygoddess.
I have long had an issue with Kerry supporters calling fellwo Kerry supporters, Trolls.
However, I also don't believe that the Kerry Blog is the proper place for Kerry supporters to express concerns, fears and doubts about the campaign.
Why? Because not only do fellow Kerry supporters read the Blog but so do Rovian's, Freepers and the media.
It's very easy for people of that ilk to twist what is said in honest concern and turn it into something more devious.
While I understand that people have concerns, I feel it is vital to be supportive of the campaign in every way. We got through the primaries with a show of unified support. Attacks on the Kerry or the campaign were infrequent because everyone understand the importance of showing a unified base.
There is a difference between showing support and being cheerleader. Sure, some are merely cheerleaders, but honestly Robert, to win this election, everyone, and I mean everyone must show support not doubt.
Please take this into consideration.
Thank you,
Pamela
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
There is a difference between showing support and being cheerleader. Sure, some are merely cheerleaders, but honestly Robert, to win this election, everyone, and I mean everyone must show support not doubt.
Please take this into consideration.
Thank you,<<
Hello Pam.
Thank you again for your kind words on the Kerry blog.
I understand your point above but I could not disagree more. First off it doesnt matter what "others" read on the blog. I've been quoted on two blogs by the Weekly Standard. The quote was in context and I was properly identified.
Second doubt is good. Imagine if Bush had listened to "doubt" before he went into Iraq? Imagine if Bush had listened to Shinseki's doubt before he listened to Rummy about the troops? Doubt is almost the inverse measure of support. The more doubt and concern followers are willing to express the more they support the campaign.
It is very easy for folks lke "Indy in Texas" to spouting "lets roll" as the polls go down...it is harder for folks to say "Heh there is this problem there is no local campaign there is no "insert problem here". If one believes Newsweek Mary Beth Cahill more or less is responsible for a lot of August problems...well JK's supporters have a right to ask that.
I function in a world (flying and being in charge and I do this for a US government agency...JK and I have a few things in common like we hve worn similar attire) where doubt and discussion are a part of getting it right.
Finally if doubts are not going to be discussed where should they be?
Put it this way. The campaign screwed up in August and the convention was poorly managed. If I were the only one saying that then I am a troll. I am not...even James Carville today said the same thing.
If we cannot talk among ourselves then we are no different from teh GOP where group think is really encouraged.
The problem with the Kerry blog now is that no repeat no dissent or differeing opinions is tolerated by teh self appointed blog masters and Dick Bell's folks. Odd thing is that has not stopped the local campaign from calling and asking and getting my volunteering...although its tapering off. I am working more and more for the MOrrison campaign (district 22).
The odds are we are going to lose against DeLay...but at the very least Morrison is going at it very hard...
As "Indy" would say "Lets roll" (Scott Beamer turns over in his grave everytime Indy says that).
Robert G. Oler
It is fairly clear that those of us who were saying the campaign is in trouble were more right then wrong.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/06/politics/campaign/06kerry.html?pagewanted=1&hp
Thank goodness for Bubba
Robert G. Oler cvn65vf94@hotmail.com
Robert,
Actually the changes in the campaign show the opposite--not that you were right about the campaign being in trouble, but that the campaign was prepared to shift with changing conditions. The final two months of the campaing is quite different from the preceding time period, and such changes were expected and planned. What we are not seeing is e the evolution of the campaign analogous to previous Kerry campaigns.
What we are not seeing is e the evolution of the campaign analogous to previous Kerry campaigns.
By Ron Chusid, at 9:22 PM
<<
Hello Ron.
Believe what you want but your wrong on this to. This is a realization by JK that his team blew it in August and the team is changing.
Bubba laid the wood to JK in the phone call. Read the papers Ron. Joe L was on the line. None of the old Kerry people were Stephanie Cutter/Cahill were all "somewhere else". In the power game the people who are "on the line" with the principles are the ones who are nearest the line of power.
Your a smart guy but your to blinded by I dont know what. Kerry had a really really bad month in August (someone from the RNC sent me a JK blog post where some person said "no he had a great bus trip" or something like that).
Newsweek got leaked a story about Kerry blowing up at Cahill for the stupid strategery for a reason. Cahill was pathetic today on FTN...on the other hand Lockhart rocked on Stephanpolis (spell).
Now here is a question you might answer. Why did they send Cahill to FTN and Lockhart to Stephy? Figure out the answer you will figure out where the campaign is going...
JK has decided he wants to be POTUS...thats the good news..and he has figured out that the current staff cant get him there. Bet you this...three weeks from now Cutter/Devine/and to a great extent Cahill are "who?"
I've called most of them right.
BTW if you want to know a blog post that has them rolling in the aisle at the RNC
try this
ship Chill out CT! We are all on the same side. If we have to put you and April in a Chat room and let you dook it out until you get over this silly animosity so be it, YOU are not being very cool on a Presidential Website.
Get with the Program!
Let's Roll!
Posted by indy in texas for kerry at September 6, 2004 12:40 AM
Borderline...do you still lurk there? Who the heck is this idiot? We put his post on the "Darwin board".....
snip
A classmate who is at the RNC... The Darwin board is the folks who take themselves out of the evolution process.
Robert G. Oler cvn65vf94@hotmail.com
What we are not seeing is e the evolution of the campaign analogous to previous Kerry campaigns.
By Ron Chusid, at 9:22 PM
<<
Hello Ron.
Believe what you want but your wrong on this to. This is a realization by JK that his team blew it in August and the team is changing.
Bubba laid the wood to JK in the phone call. Read the papers Ron. Joe L was on the line. None of the old Kerry people were Stephanie Cutter/Cahill were all "somewhere else". In the power game the people who are "on the line" with the principles are the ones who are nearest the line of power.
Your a smart guy but your to blinded by I dont know what. Kerry had a really really bad month in August (someone from the RNC sent me a JK blog post where some person said "no he had a great bus trip" or something like that).
Newsweek got leaked a story about Kerry blowing up at Cahill for the stupid strategery for a reason. Cahill was pathetic today on FTN...on the other hand Lockhart rocked on Stephanpolis (spell).
Now here is a question you might answer. Why did they send Cahill to FTN and Lockhart to Stephy? Figure out the answer you will figure out where the campaign is going...
JK has decided he wants to be POTUS...thats the good news..and he has figured out that the current staff cant get him there. Bet you this...three weeks from now Cutter/Devine/and to a great extent Cahill are "who?"
I've called most of them right.
BTW if you want to know a blog post that has them rolling in the aisle at the RNC
try this
ship Chill out CT! We are all on the same side. If we have to put you and April in a Chat room and let you dook it out until you get over this silly animosity so be it, YOU are not being very cool on a Presidential Website.
Get with the Program!
Let's Roll!
Posted by indy in texas for kerry at September 6, 2004 12:40 AM
Borderline...do you still lurk there? Who the heck is this idiot? We put his post on the "Darwin board".....
snip
A classmate who is at the RNC... The Darwin board is the folks who take themselves out of the evolution process.
Robert G. Oler cvn65vf94@hotmail.com
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Robert
I've been tolerant of your posts here on my blog, although I don't agree with you. However, I will tell you the same thing I tell people on the Kerry Blog andf the same thing I told people in regards to you on the Kerry Blog, please be respectful of others who support the Kerry campaign.
I don't want to see any quotes from others whom I respect posted here in attemt to mock them! GOT IT!
Call me naive, but I really think everybody knows who they are going to vote for, without all these add going back and forth between candidates. I knew who I was voting for before the ads started running, and cant imagine any kind of add changing my mind. I would like to think the public isn't burying our collective heads in the sand, until they see who runs the best adds, and using them to decide.
1. kerry is a lier, look at what he did when he returned from vietnam2 Kerry has a very poor voting record3. Kerry will raise taxes4kerry is soft on terroism5. kerry is unfit for leading our great country.6.Kerry flip flops7.kerry lied about keeping jobs in the u s , look at where the heinz plants are located8 kerry want the u,s military under united nations control9 Look at some of his strongest supporters, More lol 10. kerry said he would get the troops out of iraq, but never said how , another lie 11 his wife is a loud mouth and sure would not make a good first lady12. Kerry looks and acts like a spoiled brat. 13What does he stand for, never has said. 14.he serve a whole 4 months in vietnam and suffered 4 bandaid wounds. what about the poor soldiers who came back missing an arm or leg 15, the worse thing about kerry is his lies about his fellow vietnam vets. Kerry is going to ruin this country
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