John Kerry is out of control, just like Howard Dean

DanS · March 11, 2004, 16:02

After him accusing the GOP of being the "the most crooked... lying group", I expected to hear a recitation of the states in which he was going to campaign and an "aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh".

To be the most charitable, I would describe this as not very disciplined campaign behavior.

Caligastia · March 11, 2004, 16:05

The Kerry folks have already put their own spin on this saying he was only talking about the "republican attack machine".

DinoDoc · March 11, 2004, 16:05

Quote:

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Kerry (search) said he won't apologize for remarks he made that angered Republicans and the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign.

The Massachusetts senator and presumptive Democratic nominee got himself into hot water on Wednesday when, after a speech on tax cuts in Chicago, supporters urged him to take on President Bush.

Kerry responded, informally and off camera: "Let me tell you, we've just begun to fight. We're going to keep pounding. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen."

On Thursday, Kerry said he's not sorry for his comments.

"I have no intention whatsoever to apologize for my remarks," Kerry said Thursday in front of a group of Democratic senators he just met with. "I think the Republicans need to start talking about the real issues before the country."

Kerry said the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign plans to launch a series of attack ads Thursday night against the president's presumed general-election rival on three topics that have "nothing to do" with healthcare, jobs, education, cleaner air and water or making America safer.

"They can't talk about those things because George Bush doesn’t have a record to run on," Kerry said. "They have a record to run from."

One ad reportedly accuses Kerry of seeking to raise taxes by $900 billion and wanting to "delay defending America."

Bush-Cheney campaign chairman Marc Racicot had 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 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."

But 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.

Meanwhile, Republicans on Capitol Hill pounced on Kerry Thursday for his bitter words.

"I am one of those Republicans from Illinois. If he wants to describe me as being crooked and a liar, I think he will have his comeuppance coming," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said Thursday. "I think the president went overboard in congratulating him on his nomination. If he wants to step off and start the campaign on this type of a note, it's too bad, it's really sad on the state of politics."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee called the remarks offensive.

"To call people liars and crooks when you're off mike just shows who the real person is," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas. "I think America got a glimpse of the real John Kerry."

Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said Republicans have a record of smearing their opponents and Kerry intended the comment to show that he will fight back.

"Four years ago, John Kerry saw what the Republican attack machine did to John McCain. Two years ago, he saw what it did to Max Cleland," Cutter said, recalling the Arizona senator who challenged Bush for the GOP presidential nomination in 2000 and the Georgia Democratic senator turned out of office in 2002. "What he was saying is he's not going to take it."

When Kerry posed for photos with black congressional leaders earlier on Thursday, he ignored reporters' questions about the comment.

Kerry met privately for 45 minutes with Congressional Black Caucus members as he spent the day on Capitol Hill shoring up his support among congressional Democrats.

Black members of Congress expect to confer regularly with Kerry, help him plan campaign strategy and involve minorities in his effort to unseat Bush, a caucus official said Thursday.

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., chair of the caucus, said after the meeting with Kerry that caucus members were encouraged that "this will be an ongoing relationship. ... It is clear we are all about the business of building America."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,113960,00.html

GePap · March 11, 2004, 16:06

What an idiotic story. OH NO, CANDIDATE DOES NOT LIKE THE OTHER GUYS!!! Heavens!

God the media is moronic.

Buck Birdseed · March 11, 2004, 16:07

http://goodforthejews.com/kerryshlong.htm

GePap · March 11, 2004, 16:09

These craps tories work this way:

side X says something not meant for public consumption. In real life, 95% of the public could not give a damn (and the 5%who do should get a life). The toher side then is "outraged, outraged!!!" and make it a newstory, which the media is more than happy to pick up on since it feeds their sophmoric taste for "conflict". It becomes part of the background noise, with some moron reporter using it as "one of the scandals" of the campaign, it eventually has 0 relevance to any voter whatsoever, and it turns of people who look at politics and the press and wonder how something so moronic and unimportant becomes news.

Nubclear · March 11, 2004, 16:11

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS
After him accusing the GOP of being the "the most crooked... lying group", I expected to hear a recitation of the states in which he was going to campaign and an "aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh".

To be the most charitable, I would describe this as not very disciplined campaign behavior.

Kerry is such a commie.
I mean, capitalism teaches to love and give to everyone

The Templar · March 11, 2004, 16:11

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS
After him accusing the GOP of being the "the most crooked... lying group ...

Well, the shoe DOES fit ...

DanS · March 11, 2004, 16:12

I can't believe you guys are defending this! You're too much!

The Templar · March 11, 2004, 16:13

Quote:

Originally posted by DinoDoc
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,113960,00.html

But do you have a news source?

Nubclear · March 11, 2004, 16:13

I raise your laughing attack with my rolleyes, DanS!

Q Classic · March 11, 2004, 16:14

i don't see why this is big news... he didn't use any cursewords.

now, if he'd said that they were "...the most ****ing crooked and lying ****tardian group ever..."

then i might be willing to give this "news story" anything other than annoyance.

The Templar · March 11, 2004, 16:14

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS

I can't believe you guys are defending this! You're too much!

We can't believe you made an issue out of it.

The Mad Monk · March 11, 2004, 16:15

Dan, did you happen to see Boris' "Lincoln Bedroom" thread?

GePap · March 11, 2004, 16:16

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS

I can't believe you guys are defending this! You're too much!

I can;t believe you think this is a news story worth a second of airtime.

Jesus ****ing H Christ- OH NO, one candidate told some union guys the other candidate is a lying scumbag. God damned, the founding fathers said MUCH worse things about each other-****, Burr shot Hamilton in a duel, and yet people are still so petty and mindless that THIS, THIS! is a story?

People need to get a life.

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 16:19

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS
I can't believe you guys are defending this! You're too much!

Yep... the WhiteHouse commented on its distress at this negative attack.

Dan... seriously... do you think that Bush will get from now to election day... relying on positive advertising? If yes, then I've got a bridge to sell to you.

If they will inevitably make negative criticism of Kerry and/or his party infrastructure, exactly how will that be different from this specific incident?

DanS · March 11, 2004, 16:22

Hey, if this didn't show that Kerry was out of control, just like Howard Dean, then I doubt I would have had so many quick responses!

GePap · March 11, 2004, 16:22

THIS IS NOT NEWS.

Ming · March 11, 2004, 16:23

I'm a republican... and I even have to laugh that somebody is trying to make this a story... Get me some video of Kerry foaming at the mouth or rolling on the ground having a fit or temper tantrum... then you got a story. This is just a joke...

Gee... he thinks his opponent is a lying crook... what else is new.

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 16:23

Quick responses are merely indicitive of a busy and restless OTF, which is hardly unusual.

That said... answer my response

GePap · March 11, 2004, 16:25

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS
Hey, if this didn't show that Kerry was out of control, just like Howard Dean, then I doubt I would have had so many quick responses!

I would get banned for what I have to say to you right now: lest suffice it to say, very nice troll on your part, and a masterful troll on the part of the media and the repugs.

This is the last I will say on this moronic situation, as it drives my blood pressure to high.

Nubclear · March 11, 2004, 16:26

Why was my response deleted?

It pretty sums out about how pointless this thread is

Ming · March 11, 2004, 16:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
Why was my response deleted?

It pretty sums out about how pointless this thread is

start that crap again and your membership will be whats deleted... now behave.

Q Classic · March 11, 2004, 16:35

aww, but you can't delete someone who has good ol' vlad as his avatar, can you?

(on principle, anyway...)

Caligastia · March 11, 2004, 16:42

Quote:

Originally posted by GePap
These craps tories work this way:

side X says something not meant for public consumption. In real life, 95% of the public could not give a damn (and the 5%who do should get a life). The toher side then is "outraged, outraged!!!" and make it a newstory, which the media is more than happy to pick up on since it feeds their sophmoric taste for "conflict". It becomes part of the background noise, with some moron reporter using it as "one of the scandals" of the campaign, it eventually has 0 relevance to any voter whatsoever, and it turns of people who look at politics and the press and wonder how something so moronic and unimportant becomes news.

I agree. Good post.

uh Clem · March 11, 2004, 16:44

Not only did Kerry say all those horrible things, but he called Adam Clymer of the New York Times "a major-league a**hole."

Oh wait, sorry, that wasn't Kerry.

Kidicious · March 11, 2004, 16:47

Sorry DanS. This won't stick to Kerry. He's just not Dean. Nice try though.

MrFun · March 11, 2004, 16:50

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS

I can't believe you guys are defending this! You're too much!

It's politics as usual -- after something like every four years from both parties, I thought you would be used to the level of intensity and attacks by now.

Caligastia · March 11, 2004, 16:50

Yesterday I was flipping around the channels, caught the footage of Kerry saying this, and flipped on. It just isn't very interesting or exciting to me.

Caligastia · March 11, 2004, 16:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Ming
Get me some video of Kerry foaming at the mouth or rolling on the ground having a fit or temper tantrum...

That makes a pretty funny mental image.