Kerry Vows Tougher Stance on Texas Group (Swiftboat jerks)

[NVMojo]

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., lashed out Sunday against a group that campaigned against him during his last run at the White House.

Kerry said he is concerned that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is again resorting to "the politics of fear and smear."

The group, financed by Texas conservatives, ran commercials questioning his Vietnam record - the centerpiece of his presidential campaign in 2004. Those same conservatives have formed another group this year - Economic Freedom Fund - to campaign against Democrats across the country.

"We're not going to give them an ounce of daylight," said Kerry, who is considering another run at the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

The senator said his response to the commercials in 2004 was not strong enough.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-elect/2006/oct/08/100806789.html

[WildClarySage]

1. Those are the same schmucks littering our mailboxes here in WV

with their crappy anti-Mollohan shit. My personal revenge on them is to donate to Mollohan every time I get one of their ads. I sent a LTTE a couple of weeks ago to suggest that others do that too after several other LTTE's were published saying that people were pissed at them for interfering in our elections here in WV.

[blm]

2. Glad the vets have now formed groups to fight the swift-type attacks.

They have been out there hitting back for every Dem candidate vet who's been under attack by the RW groups.

It would have been great if these groups had formed more quickly in the summer of 2004, but, who would have believed then that the media was going to be helping them every step of the way.

Actually, the media is STILL not giving airtime to the vets who have to defend each other, but at least the vets are banded togaether enough to make local news.

[NVMojo]

4. I remember when the Swiftboat fuckers were doing their thing back in 03

I could not believe that Amerikan elections had stooped so low as to really go after war veterans ...may they burn in their lying fundie hell someday.

[Erika]

11. Me, too. I was shocked at the attacks on Cleland, etc.

I was sickened also. The bushbots even attacked McCain for being a traitor during his 5 years as POW.

All this from chickenhawks.

[w4rma]

3. What is up with the future tense? It should be happening in the present.nt

[blm]

5. It is - vets have now set up Patriot Project, VoteVets, Fighting Dems

and they are funded and organized and hitting back at every attack launched on a vet candidate.

[w4rma]

9. Yes, I know that. Thats why I'm asking: Whats up with the future tense? nt

[blm]

26. Makes sense to me - when they attack, they won't get any daylight from

them. Nothing far into the future about that.

[babylonsister]

6. No noms? Why not? We're working for all of us! And rec'd, dammit! nt

[TomInTib]

7. My ex's cousin is the primary funder of those assholes.

Bobby Jack fucking Perry.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. yuck

Sorry to hear that.

[napi21]

8. Sorry John. You got my vote once, but you only get one chance.

In myopinion, you ran a poor campaign. Deciding to only run in a few blue states and ignore the entire south was just plain dumb.

Iam looking for a GREAT candidate in08, andyou will not be getting my vote again.

[NVMojo]

10. jeez, nothing like fucking Kerry with the swiftboaters ...

so we aren't all in this together? Like what in the heck would you have done if you were in his shoes? Ever been smeared like that nationally? No. I didn't think so.

[wtmusic]

13. Flaming Kerry is like...so 2004.

Just can't get my dander up anymore.

[_dynamicdems]

35. LOL!

There is still motivation for it though: Kerry's apparently still a threat. Perhaps it's because he's speaking out, garnering donations for Democrats, rallying support around Vets running for office or because he's challenging the Bushco agenda at every turn.

[_dynamicdems]

34. Exactly.

Makes one wonder about the motivations, doesn't it?

[Selteri]

14. Kerry won't get my vote because he refused to be a leader

He had the opportunity to stand up and be a leader, instead he took the high road to the level where I think he must have been high. HE won't get any primary vote from me. I want a leader who had a backbone even when being criticized, not after the fact.

[Taoschick]

15. We've got to do better

When it comes to the South. Clinton understood what it took to win the South. Being from Arkansas helped but I think he could have come from any state and done just as well.

[_dynamicdems]

37. The real battleground will be for the heartland.

Not that the South should be ignored. That would be a mistake. But the biggest battles are going to be in the heartland and in the West.

[Taoschick]

44. We'll do fine

In the west. I think we've got a better shot at the heartland than we've had in years.

[_dynamicdems]

49. Hope you're right there. We need them! n/t

[babylonsister]

16. How did you feel in November 04? Did you think Kerry might

do well (which he did)? Did you think after the fact that the Dems were robbed? I do.
Has there been any Dem since that has contributed so much to the Democratic party? I think not.

[blm]

25. Guess that WEAK DEM PARTY INFRASTRUCTURE in most states never bothered

you, eh. Nah - blame the guy who did his job and won, but not the DNC who failed to secure the election process or strengthen its infrastructure in ALL states.

Why the heck do you think Dean is stuck working his ass off to rebuild infrastructure in EVERY STATE? Because it had been collapsed in TOO many states since 1997, fer chrissakes.

Really smart to blame Kerry as if he lost when we know he won, but not blame Terry McAuliffe and DNC for not securing the election process for the 4 years they were charged with that duty.

[bpeale]

47. I blame Kerry...

for promising something and then reneging on that promise. he promised to count all the votes and then folded up like a cheap suit.

[_dynamicdems]

33. YAWN!

Here we go again. :eyes:

Is this thread about 2008? I must have missed something.

[rockymountaindem]

12. He's clearly learned a lot

I hope to see him in the field of candidates in 2008.

[Robbien]

17. Not buying it

Kerry is only talking about what he will do if the swiftboaters come after HIM again.

This Perry and his Economic Freedom Fund is going after Democratic Candidates right now and is pouring millions of dollars into swiftboat attacks. These Democratic candidates are on their own trying to fight off the Perry attacks, some even taking Perry and EFF to court.

And what is Kerry doing. Well he is talking big to the press saying if the swiftboaters come after HIM again, he will react differently than last time.

Heck. The Swiftboaters are out there now, attacking the Democratic party left and right. They have dumped several million dollars into campaign attacks just in these last two months. The time to fight is NOW.

But no, Kerry is only keeping his eyes on his own campaign and talking big to the press.

[fedupinBushcountry]

22. Hogwash

Know your facts before you post such nonsense. You may not like Kerry but to assume that he a good Dem and 100% on our side does not care about fellow vets and will not stand up for them is really lame and pathetic.

John Kerry: "Mike Fitzpatrick is Engaged in the Lowest Form of Smear"


Levittown, PA – Senator John Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, released the following statement on Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick’s attempt to “swiftboat” the military record of Patrick Murphy:

“I won’t stand for the ‘swift boating’ of Patrick Murphy. It disgusts me that a congressman who has never worn the uniform of our country stands there in silence as a veteran home from Iraq has his service disparaged.

“No one who has ever served would tolerate this kind of slander about a fellow veteran. In 2000, George Bush stood in silence while John McCain’s service was questioned. It was wrong then, it is wrong now for Mike Fitzpatrick to engage in the same double-speak. What is it these Republicans who never served have against Democrats who did?

“I have news for Mike Fitzpatrick. In war, bullets don’t differentiate between lawyers and medics, enlisted men and officers.

“You know why Mike Fitzpatrick is engaged in the lowest form of smear and fear politics? Because he’s afraid of actually debating Patrick Murphy about the disastrous war in Iraq. He’s afraid to debate a veteran who lives and breathes the concerns of our troops, not the empty slogans of an Administration that sent our brave troops to war without body armor. He’s terrified of actually leveling with the American people about the way the administration misled America into war, and admitting their stay the course slogans just guarantee more Americans die for a stand still and lose strategy.

“Mike Fitzpatrick should finally find the courage to debate the real issue instead of cowardly having his surrogates try to destroy anyone who speaks truth to power. It’s unacceptable to do this to any leader of any party anywhere in our country.”
http://www.murphy06.net/press.php?id=67

[NVMojo]

28. keep going, let's fuck the one person who had a brain in the last

election and was smeared for it. Great job, Dems

[_dynamicdems]

36. Exactly.

I question the motvation when that happens. We KNOW the way they infiltrate. So let them attack Kerry here. And let them learn how futile it is: we know when someone is on our side and when someone isn't.

[_dynamicdems]

39. He's earning money for these Democrats and he's speaking out!

Who spoke out for Kerry in 2004? FEW if any.

Kerry is the only individual I see really supporting these veterans in such a "hands on" way. He sends out e-mails garnering funding for them and he campaigns for them. By working to get Iraq and Afghanistan veterans into office, he's also creating a ring of veterans supporting veterans.

That's a HELL of a lot more than anyone else has done, certainly a HELL of a lot more than any of our good Democrats did for him when he was running.

Now what are these veterans themselves doing to defend themselves? They are not doing any more than Kerry did in 2004.

It is far easier to defend someone else than it is to defend yourself. Prime example: Hastert is defending himself and he's coming off as whiny, "The Dems are picking on me! Waaah!"

[deutsey]

18. Kerry said "his response to the commercials...was not strong enough"

Gee, ya think?

:eyes:

[Warpy]

21. Oh, Jebus flipping Christ on a crutch!

The only way to stop those assholes is to start slapping them with libel suits. He had a perfect opportunity to do so when that book came out, but Mary Beth Cahill (DLC-Bozo) kept telling him if he ignored the bullies, they'd get bored and go away.

Anyone who survived a public middle school knows that's not the case. Until you stand up to the little snots, they have no reason to stop. Bullying feels damned good, and they're not going to go away until you make them go away.

Winning the suit isn't important. Kerry's a rich enough man that fighting a libel suit wouldn't have cost him that much of his fortune. It would have beggared them, though, until they were willing to settle, and that's the point.

[_dynamicdems]

40. Okay, of all the people who have been Swiftboated, who has filed a suit?

Did McCain, Cleland, Murtha, Webb....etc?

Has anyone to date filed a suit of this sort, either Dem or Repug?

If not, then why would that be? Could it be that they might know more than you? Of course not. How silly of me.

:eyes:

Exposure, not silly law suits is key.

[The Wielding Truth]

48. Yeah. Is that an impossible action? Why haven't Dems sued these

liars?Even now Faux News continues to substitute Democratic designations to the irresponsible republicans involved in the Foley Scandal.As long as we take it they will keep dishing it out! I've emailed DNC with no response. What will it take for them to stand up now! We will support them.

[bluestateguy]

19. That's fine,

but he won't have the party presidential nomination as a platform to use anymore. For the party to nominate him again would be like nominating Adlai Stevenson or William Jennings Bryan again. Remember how well that worked out.

[zalinda]

31. But, they weren't John Kerry

John Kerry IS Presidential. Of all the politicians out there, he's the only one that I could really see as president.

And, as for all the other BS surrounding his run, that's all it is. Not one of us knows the true story. But this I do know, he won (or came close, whatever your belief) the race for president, against a "war president", which is unheard of. He had just about every media against him, so he got little or negative air, and he still won. If the voters hadn't been denied access to polls, if the electronic machines were accurate and fair and if the election officials had been honest, John Kerry would have won in a landslide.

zalinda

[Ian David]

20. Kerry is going to be as tough on them as the focus groups say he should

Somebody dusted-off the 2004 capaign focus group reports and said, "Hmm... Swift Boat Veterans Determined to Attack... Kerry not tough enough... gee, this is good stuff. I probably should have read this."

[blm]

27. Swiftvets didn't lose election for Kerry - Kerry won - the DNC was weak,

too weak to counter the RNC and its operatives who spent FOUR YEARS suppressing votes, purging voter rolls, and gaining control over the input and output of the voting machines.

A weak party infrastructure lost it for Gore, and an even WEAKER party infrastructure lost it for Kerry.

[Ian David]

45. Could I sumarize your opinion as: Kerry's job is to be "Presidential."

The job of The DNC and other groups is to be the "Bad Cop" to Kerry's "Good Cop."

The DNC sat on the sidelines and let MoveOn.org to do all the heavy lifting, but said nothing while they were marginalized and ridiculed as being "fringe."

[leesa]

24. Yeah, whatever...how long's he been saying this now?

[NVMojo]

29. leesa, here's what your winning candidate said and what the other one said

September 30, 2004 Presidential Debate

BUSH: Actually, we've increased funding for dealing with nuclear proliferation about 35 percent since I've been the president. Secondly, we've set up what's called the -- well, first of all, I agree with my opponent that the biggest threat facing this country is weapons of mass destruction in the hands of a terrorist network. And that's why proliferation is one of the centerpieces of a multi-prong strategy to make the country safer.

Kerry says this about N. Korea:

KERRY: With respect to Iran, the British, French, and Germans were the ones who initiated an effort without the United States, regrettably, to begin to try to move to curb the nuclear possibilities in Iran. I believe we could have done better. I think the United States should have offered the opportunity to provide the nuclear fuel, test them, see whether or not they were actually looking for it for peaceful purposes. If they weren't willing to work a deal, then we could have put sanctions together. The president did nothing.

With respect to North Korea, the real story: We had inspectors and television cameras in the nuclear reactor in North Korea. Secretary Bill Perry negotiated that under President Clinton. And we knew where the fuel rods were. And we knew the limits on their nuclear power.

Colin Powell, our secretary of state, announced one day that we were going to continue the dialog of working with the North Koreans. The president reversed it publicly while the president of South Korea was here.

And the president of South Korea went back to South Korea bewildered and embarrassed because it went against his policy. And for two years, this administration didn't talk at all to North Korea.

While they didn't talk at all, the fuel rods came out, the inspectors were kicked out, the television cameras were kicked out. And today, there are four to seven nuclear weapons in the hands of North Korea.

That happened on this president's watch.

Now, that, I think, is one of the most serious, sort of, reversals or mixed messages that you could possibly send.

[carzen]

30. pull no punches with these sleazebags

[bif]

32. A little late, John

Should have nailed the assholes back in 2004.

[_dynamicdems]

42. So you think it is allright for him to sit back and let it happen to other

Democrats? Or is that what you want to see? Just wondering, since that is what this post is about.

I thought everyone here was here to support Democrats who are running for office. Perhaps that is not truly the case.

Personally, I'm happy that Senator Kerry is using what he learned from the attacks he was subjected to in order to help other Democrats gain office this fall.

Why don't YOU want Senator Kerry to help other Democrats who are being swiftboated? I guess that is what I'm failing to understand here.

[confludemocrat]

38. Talk about closing the barn door after the horses got out...

Typically lame. None his rhetoric quoted sounds like he's capable of doing anything on his own. A blueblood from Boston, not a bit of streetfighter in him.

[niceypoo]

41. Yeah, he is only about 3 years too late...

...

[_dynamicdems]

43. It isn't too late for the veterans who are being swiftboated now.

What, you think he shouldn't try to help other veterans who are running this year? Don't you think it is a good thing to take what you have learned and use it to HELP OTHER PEOPLE?

If you don't, then I feel sorry for you.

[karynnj]

50. So, a silver star and a bronze star with valour mean nothing

Nor going against the mafia as a proscutor or against the President and most of the Senate and criminals and terrorists on BCCI. Maybe bluebloods from Boston are tougher than you think.

You've done what? Frankly, if that's your criteria, it's pretty hard to beat Kerry.
If it's just fighting dirty, should we nominate Rove?

[confludemocrat]

51. Come on, he was just another cog in an illegal war machine then

So he killed or tried to, one or more of the three million Vietnamese who died in that war we started based on lies and voted for another such war in 2002. You think that's great? As a liberal, what has he done for us lately, exept avoid continuing to make the most egregious mistakes? Whoop ti dooo!

[karynnj]

54. A 'cog" that came back and spoke the truth to the Nixon government

An act that likely took both more courage and more savvy than anything you've done. Remember that Kerry was the ONLY anti-war person Nixon truely feared.

[Eikon]

46. How many times have we heard this?

Kerry is "fighting back" :rofl:


"We're not going to give them an ounce of daylight," said Kerry, who is considering another run at the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

The senator said his response to the commercials in 2004 was not strong enough.


As usual, you seem to figure everything out about two years too late. Save us all a lot of trouble by keeping your sorry skull & bones campaign routine to yourself in 2008.

[stepnw1f]

52. Would You Rather He Shut Up for the GOP? (nt)

[greeneyedboy]

53. i'll worry about 2008 candidates starting in 28 days. meanwhile...

it's all about November 7 of *this* year.

[Infinite Hope]

55. A little late for that, Kerry.

:eyes: