John Kerry Should Heed His Own Advice

[sfecap]

John Kerry Should Heed His Own Advice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2003



At virtually the same time John Kerry sent out a fundraising email to supporters vowing to fight back against the politics of personal destruction, he failed to take his own high-minded advice. At the moment in the debate when Kerry had a chance to take the high road and join with Sen. Edwards in calling for the candidates to focus on their own plans and visions and not criticize each other, Sen. Kerry instead joined Dick Gephardt and resorted to the politics of the past by seconding the ridiculous comparison of Gov. Dean to Newt Gingrich.

Despite stating in his email, "I have taken the high road in this campaign," John Kerry continues to distort Gov. Dean's record and attack him at every turn.

John Kerry will soon learn that he is right that these tactics turn good people away from the process. That is why more than 425,000 people have joined Gov. Dean's call for a new people-powered politics based on participation and hope, rather than based on the politics of the past and fear.

John Kerry should heed his own call.

www.deanforamerica.com

[tsipple]

1. Full Link?

Don't see it in the Dean Press Center at the moment.

[sfecap]

4. Must not be up yet...

I got it from Rick Klau's blog.

http://dean2004.blogspot.com/

[Rose Siding]

2. Where on the site do you see this?

I don't see it on the front page you've linked or under press releases.

[Karmadillo]

3. This charge seems unsupported by the debate transcript

1. Gephardt compared a specific position Dean took regarding Medicare (cutting it by $270 billion dollars--I assume this refers to an attempt to decrease the rate of the program's growth). Here's the quote from the Washington Post transcript:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A433-2003Sep25.html

<edit>

GEPHARDT: Howard and I just have a basic disagreement. He said in, I think, 1993 that Medicare was the worst federal program ever. He said that it was the worst thing that ever happened.

He also supported, at our darkest hour--when I was leading the fight against Newt Gingrich and the Contract With America, he was shutting the government down--Howard, you were agreeing with the very plan that Newt Gingrich wanted to pass, which was a $270 billion cut in Medicare.

more...

2. Dean later said:

DEAN: <edit> But I do think it's important that if folks are going to talk about us being like Newt Gingrich, that we're not going to stand for that. There is nobody up here that's like Newt Gingrich, and I think we have to understand that.

3. Kerry appeared to go out of his way to point out no one was saying Dean was like Gingrich (a genuinely bad guy). Gephardt had simply pointed out Dean and Gingrich had stood together to cut Medicare. Big difference.

KERRY: Well, in defense of Dick Gephardt, I didn't hear him say he was like Newt Gingrich, I heard him say that he stood with Newt Gingrich when we were struggling to hold on to Medicare. That's a policy difference.

more...

[sandnsea]

9. Before that, Dean hit Gep

"You know, Dick Gephardt, earlier in his career considered means testing Social Security and Medicare both, something that I have never considered. I considered raising the Social Security age possibly to 70, possibly to 68. I've rejected that. I think Dick has since rejected means testing Social Security.

What we're trying to do as Democrats is save Social Security and Medicare both. And I think we've succeeded in doing that. In fact, many of the things that I suggested in 1995, which Dick Gephardt has attacked me for, were actually incorporated into the Clinton plan to save Medicare and Social Security, and has resulted in the savings of over $200 billion."

Dean hit Gephardt, Gephardt hit back. And Gephardt was nicer about it than Dean was.

[blm]

15. Looks like you two chased

that false tale away. ;)

[Nicholas_J]

38. Medicare and Social Security do not need savings

AS a matter of fact, they are the best finded government progrtamsin existance, which is why the funds are CONTINUALLY raided in order to avoid raising taxes. There has always been more than enough to pay trhe bills, and if lft untouched, both programs will be vurtually instressed by the baby boom. The programs are quite substantial. The reason everyone states there is a crisis is that since both medicare was created and Johnson asked for legislation to raid the Social Security Fund to help medicare get started for its first generation. Unfortunately, the legislation left a loophole, allowing Republicans and other fiscal conservatives have considered it a rainy day fund to rob to pay for other government services. These two programs are fiscally very sound, but conservatives have connsidered it their right to rob workers of their retirement funds. If ANY business raided its pension funds to pay for its operating expenses, the heads of those businesses would be facing federal charges and 10-20 years in prison.

Dean is a fiscal conservative and he is using fiscal conservative and Republican arguments to justify his ideas about both Social Security and Medicare. It is a clear indication that Dean intends on carrying on the fine tradition of robbing the public retirement fund in order to look like he can actually run the government and balance the budget. Dean is adhereing to Newt Gingrich's assertions about those entitlement programs, without using the words. "Let it wither on the vine".

The mediare and social security cuts are ONLY or even freezes in spending are ONLY justifiable from the point of view that is it a slush fund top be raided for other government expenses.


During his tenure as Vermont governor, Dean advocated making the government-run, fee-for-service Medicare system a wholly managed health care program, saying in December 1995 that savings from the switch could be used to help elderly recipients pay for prescription drugs.

The Republican-controlled House, following the lead of Gingrich, passed a Medicare overhaul bill in 1995 that would have resulted in savings of $270 billion from the program over seven years. Democrats warned that the move was political suicide and would cost Republicans with voters, particularly seniors.

Dean also advocated increasing the Social Security retirement age to 70. He now says he no longer thinks an increase would be necessary and that a better solution would be to let more salary above $87,000 fall under the payroll tax.

``In 1995, Howard Dean said Medicare is 'one of the worst things that ever happened,' `` Gephardt said. ``...When viewed in isolation, these words seem unbelievable. You'll see that Howard Dean's views about Medicare extend beyond merely disliking it. He's actually advocating cutting it and turning it into a wholly managed care program.''

http://kcal9.com/national/Gephardt-Dean-aa/resources_news_html

Howard Denas statement about Medicare is a joke. Before enacted, retireees had NO access to health care, or if they could find an insurance company that would cover them, only the wealthiest one percent of the population could afford it. The effects on the elderly and their families was devastating, and an illness could easily bankrupt a middle class family.

However, with Howard Deans wealthy background, and his well known callousness, one can expenct nothing else.

If one examones Dean entire record as governor, and looks at all of the stances he has taken towards health care legislation while in Vermont, what he threatened to veto, what he passed, what he gave glancing support to in theory, but always had excuses for not agreeing with, one sees a patter in Dean towards throwing large amouunts of money to large health care providers and pharmacuetical companies, and making sure they have the highest possible profit margins, and can milk the government for as much money as possible.


If Dean becomes president, Haliburton and Bechtel will be replaced by Blue Cross, and Pfizer. Deans record of opposing cost saving measures is well documented in the patterns of his performance as governor, but the full truth likely lies hidden in those closed documents he wanted no one to see for twenty years, which at his age, simply is saying, for the rest of his life.

Medicare has been a life saver for millions of retirees, as has Social Security.

Medicare is also one of the most sucessful and BEST RUN government programs ever to have been created by the government.

No matter the complints about what would be covered and the process people had to go with to get health care for their aged parents, they have no experince with how that coverage would be treated under an HMO,PPO, or even striaght medical insurance policy offered by the private sector. For the most part, under private insurance they would more than likely have seen their claimes denied, as the private sector frequently denies chemotherapy for aged cancer patients and pain medication for cancer pain in the aged. Happens quite frequently with private insurace, except the most unafordable policies available to the wealth.

I am disabled and on Medicare, and have found that aside from lacking a prescription component, Medicare has been far better coverage than ANY other insurance I have had, both with jobs for large county governments, and with insurance from one of the largest law firms in the world.

AS a matter of fact, I have been told by my existing doctors, that if treatments had not been DENIED, by my previous insurance companies I would NOT be disabled at all. These treatment are and have always been covered by medicare, without argument.

[UnapologeticLiberal]

41. So you are telling me that I will get social security and medicare?

I am 19 now. I will be 60 in 41 years. I have not heard anyone, including the programs' most optimistic cheerleaders, say that the system is solvent for more than 41 years. So I consider it in need of fixing, because my generation should not have to pay into it our whole lives only to be left high and dry when we retire.


My Goal: $500
Achieved: $400

[Andromeda]

54. That's a subjective opinion...

"Gephardt was nicer about it than Dean was." NOT.

I thought Gephardt was grasping at straws and desperate for something to beat Dean over the head with so he used the Medicare/Newt Gingrich thing knowing full well that Dean has no intention of cutting the benefits of Medicare. Any reform on Medicare that Dean would make would be to cut down on the paperwork and the endless red tape. That alone could save millions of dollars. It would make Medicare more efficient. There were just parts of Gingriches plan that Dean thought had some merit but after the whole plan was revealed there was too much in it that he didn't agree with.

Attacking each other is usually what candidates do to each other in a close race, as distasteful as it might seem to us. It's all part of the process. Some win, some lose and this case the losers were Gephardt and Kerry because it looked like they were ganging up on Dean and the audience didn't like it.

Whenever one of the other candidates---or anybody for that matter---bashes Dean it just galvanizes his supporter. Lol!

[blm]

57. Did Dean know "full well" that the other Dem

candidates did NOT vote for Bush's taxcuts? Should the supporters of others just sit down and shutup and let Dean lie?

[molly]

17. Many angry people

hear only what they want to hear - then defend themselves by manipulating what they thought they heard. They actually get to the point that they believe their own lies. You need a very good memory to be a liar.

[blm]

5. No, Kerry clearly said that there was no comparison, it was about

standing with Gingrich on the POLICY that the Dems at that time were fighting.

Like it or not, medicare and social security are Democratic values that you either fight for with the Dems or against them.

Of course, this whining from the candidate who labeled the others "Bushlite" and claimed they didn't represent the Dem party while he (a career centrist) did, is quite amusing to watch.

Reap what you sow.

[bread_and_roses]

6. If the candidates cannot point out

policy differences, on what are they to debate? and how are we to distinguish between them? I don't regard ten years ago as forever, and I think that a physician attacking medicare-at any point in his career-is very odd. Medicare was a lifesaver ten years ago, just as it is today. It is ever bit as inexplicable as a physician ever supporting raising the retirement age. I wonder if he would like to stand behind a grocery cash register all day at age 70? That he ever held these positions gives me, for one, pause-and certainly doesn't speak to much understanding of the lives of working people. I consider it very legitimate for Kerry or any candidate to raise these issues; they are of critical importance in the lives of millions.

[clar]

31. Medicare is a horribly administered program

Anyone who's ever dealt with it can confirm that. During the last 2 years of his life, my dad was in and out of the hospital and a long term care facility. My mother just about went nuts trying to deal with Medicare. It was incredibly fucked up. And she's organized, educated and intelligent. She's fortunate because she could afford to do something about the mess. After about 6 months, she gave up and hired someone to come in one day a week to deal with the paperwork.
And btw, my mother thinks medicare should be means tested.

[bread_and_roses]

37. I could make the same point

about dealing with my private insurance. A nightmare of paperwork. Medicare, according to the figures I've read, spends 2-3% of its' outlay on administrative costs. The private sector insurers typically spend about 9.5%. However, you are right, I am sure, that almost any program can be more efficiently operated. Perhaps the administrative $ spent in Medicare should be increased to make the program more user-friendly? The real issue is whether Democrats should be "fellow-travelers" with the obvious far right agenda of demonizing all social safety net programs with the ultimate goal of destroying them.

[quinnox]

7. At least Dean admitted he said

medicare was a terrible program, I thought he was going to try and deny everything. Gephardt's attack hit home, you could tell by Dean's angry reaction. Time will tell if this tactic will help Gephardt in Iowa, my gut tells me yes. It certainly helped Dean to attack Dems, when he was a virtual unknown.

[w4rma]

8. Gephardt's attack was blatantly false and Dean blew him out of the water

As for Kerry, the more he goes on the offensive against Dems instead of Bush, the less I like him.

I think Kerry and yourself should "get over it" and "go cry in your teacups" on Dean's calling Kerry Bushlite (which most DUers agreed with).

Also, note that Kerry and Gephardt are now even more negative than Lieberman ever was. Could they be sending their campaigns on a kamikazi mission?

[quinnox]

10. kamikazi mission

Time will tell, but I think negative campaigning has a history of being effective. Just look at Dean's rise.

As a fan of both Kerry and Gephardt, I am glad of this new strategy, in my view they made a mistake in not going negative on Dean earlier, and let Dean get too high in the polls.

[Karmadillo]

14. Do you have a link?

It would be interesting to know whether or not Dean really did support a $270 billion cut in Medicare that was also supported by Newt Gingrich. If he didn't, Gephardt obviously shouldn't have made the charge. If he did, he should be defending (or abandoning) his position rather than complaining about someone raising a legitimate policy difference.

[Upfront]

11. Kerry And Gephardt

were once my 2nd and 3rd choice. They are now down in the shit with Libberman.

[blm]

12. Read post 3, the actual transcript shows the truth

of that exchange, and Dean over-reacted once again.

[Rose Siding]

18. That post shows nothing

Parsing doesn't change the spirit of Gep's charge.

I'll take a little passion over the nitpicking. That's what it will take to stir the country.

[Karmadillo]

20. Stir the country to make major cuts in Medicare? Not sure that's

the kind of passion we need.

Seriously, I wasn't trying to nitpick in reviewing the debate transcripts. Dean either unintentionally or intentionally misinterpreted the nature of Gephardt's charge. It's pretty clear he was pointing out a policy difference where Dean had taken a position seriously at odds with that held by many Democrats. Seems a very legitimate thing to bring up and Dean should have been better prepared to respond.

[Rose Siding]

22. He responded to the intent of the mischaracterization,

which seems entirely appropriate. Today's NYT:

snip>
Dr. Dean, then governor of Vermont, did say at the time that Medicare was poorly run and its budget could be reduced, but it is not clear he ever endorsed Mr. Gingrich's proposal. Ultimately, the growth in Medicare spending was reduced around the edges, but deep cuts were never made.

Yesterday, Mr. Gephardt, who was the Democratic leader in the House in 1995, also accused Dr. Dean of saying that Medicare was "the worst federal program ever."

In response, Dr. Dean conceded that "I did say that Medicare was a dreadful program because it's administered dreadfully." Then he said, "To insinuate that I would get rid of Medicare is wrong, it's not helpful, and we need to remember that the enemy here is George Bush, not each other."

As governor, Dr. Dean expanded prescription drug coverage for the elderly so that by 2001, about one-third of the state's Medicare beneficiaries had coverage under a state program, a larger proportion than in any other state.

http://nytimes.com/2003/09/26/politics/campaigns/26SQUA.html?pagewanted=print&position=

[blm]

23. And then you APPLAUD him for calling the others "BUSHLITE"

for 9 MONTHS and WHINE when they finally point out that DEAN is the one who is late to the Democratic wing of the party.

What a pack of hypocrites.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

24. Bush-lite is as Bush-lite does.

[blm]

28. Yeah...and Dean's 11 year record shows lots of Bushlite doing.

Shame on him.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

29. He is clearly nearly identical to Chimp.

Edit-

P.S. Stop "crying in your teacups" about the Bush-lite remarks. It is threadbare and worn.

[blm]

46. The day that Deanies stop showing up with Busch Lite beer

at Kerry events. You think that's scintillating or even HONEST?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

51. No.

Kinda funny though.

[Andromeda]

55. Is the beer free?

:toast:

[Karmadillo]

25. Well, if what the NY Times says is true,

rather than respond to the imagined intent, shouldn't Dean have said he never supported a $270 billion cut in Medicare? Seems a pretty easy thing to do if he never actually supported it. I wonder why his campaign has yet to release a statement saying the charge is untrue.

[Karmadillo]

26. LA Times: Dean campaign didn't dispute the accuracy of the statements

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-gephardt13sep13000422,0,4699078.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

<edit>

In his response, Dean said: "No Democrat in the presidential race bears any resemblance to Newt Gingrich on any major issue. And for Dick Gephardt to suggest otherwise is simply beyond the pale."

Dean's statement did not respond to the substance of Gephardt's charges and his campaign did not dispute the accuracy of the statements Gephardt cited. But Joe Trippi, Dean's campaign manager, said that Dean's goal in advocating changes in Medicare during the mid-1990s was to safeguard the program by securing its long-term solvency.

"All of those ideas from any Democrat, particularly from any Democrat in this race, were out of the motivation for one thing and one thing only: to save Social Security and Medicare," Trippi said. "There were another group of people led by Newt Gingrich trying to destroy . To associate any Democrat with Newt Gingrich on this is below the belt."

more...

[blm]

27. Dean's slipperiness is becoming more apparent

and for that I am glad he is the frontrunner getting scrutinized. He defined the others in the race as "Bushlite" and acted like HE was the "Democratic wing of the party" when he only just converted to the left rhetorically last January.

[polpilot]

39. Gephardt & Kerry lie about Dean's record and try to convince Americans

that Dean is anti-middle class. Two losing liars, long time sold out politicos, attempt to paint the Democratic leader of the presidential race as anti-middle class. What a class act boys!! THIS IS THE REASON THESE TWO HAVE LOST THE RESPECT OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

Dean stated what every breathing soul knew, medicare is a pathetically run program, and Kerry & Gephardt try to convince the gullible voter that Dean is anti-medicare. Transparent liars as Dean pointed out.

Dean '04...The New Democratic Leader of The NEW Democratic Party.

[sandnsea]

13. And post #9

Dean hit Gephardt with a couple of slurs. That started it off.

I'm not trying to say 'he started it', truthfully it's just politics. I wouldn't have except for the fact that Dean came out with more of his whiny sniveling 'they're picking on me'. It's embarrassing.

[DrFunkenstein]

16. Dean's Easy Anger Worries Me

The attacks on him were pretty mild - and hardly unexpected. The fact that he cannot keep his cool under these rather amiable conditions makes me fear what he would be like under a $250 million barrage by the Bush campaign. And, more troublingly, under an actual crisis.

He was given ample time to respond at the debates. This after-the-fact whining doesn't exactly smell Presidential to me. Sooner or later, he's going to have to debate someone one-on-one and face more resistance than his campaign trail monologues to the converted. After last night, I have serious doubts regarding his ability to keep his grace under fire, and ultimately his ability to beat George W. Bush.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. I'm sure you're worried silly.

:eyes:

[Padraig18]

21. This whole "Dean's temper' stuff is bogus

First, can anyone point to an documented incident where Dean's (admittedly) 'flash' temper prompted him to make an intemperate decision? Secondly, seizing on incredibly superficial points like this, or others (like Clark's military background, e.g.) smack of desperation.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

30. Howard's a hothead and here's proof:

"what I'm doing is breaking into the country club" (of Washington)

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!!!

http://politicalwire.com/archives/002298.html

[Padraig18]

33. Huh?

That's "proof that he's a 'hothead' "? Sounds more like a well-turned phrase, to me.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

34. "Dean’s 17-year-old son Paul was arrested ....

last week for allegedly trying to break into the Burlington Country Club to steal alcohol. "

http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/News/Story/67586.html

[Padraig18]

36. Double "HUH?"

His SON was arrested. What's YOUR point, and how is it in any way whatsoever responsive to MY post? MY post asked for documented evidence of Dean's temper causing him to act in an intemperate manner when making a decision.

Learn to read with comprehension, will you, please?

Edit* Here's my post, for reference:

"First, can anyone point to an documented incident where Dean's (admittedly) 'flash' temper prompted him to make an intemperate decision? Secondly, seizing on incredibly superficial points like this, or others (like Clark's military background, e.g.) smack of desperation."

[UnapologeticLiberal]

42. He said right afterwards that it was a dumb thing to say

Personally, I thought it was pretty amusing.


My Goal: $500
Achieved: $400

[blm]

50. well, it was a slip....

but, it must have been weighing on him then. That's the only time I think it's OK for the press to let it pass.

[flpoljunkie]

35. Especially unbecoming was Dean's angry mouthing "That's false!" captured..

by the CNBC split screen. Very uncool, and unpresidential, indeed.

[Demobrat]

44. I thought it was great.

Why should he stand there and let them lie about him?

[DrFunkenstein]

47. Dean Couldn't Control Himself

A Presidential candidate would have stood there calmly waiting for his 30-second chance to respond. Dean could not control himself to even wait for Gephardt to finish. How do you think he would have handled meeting with Krushchev? They'd probably bang sneakers on the table together.

Here's Salon's take on yesterday:

Bush's tax cuts for the rich have to go, Democrats agreed at Thursday's debate. But when the Vermont doctor took some barbs, he flashed his famous temper.

Mocking Dean's rhetoric about political pretenders and how he represents the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, Gephardt said, "I think you're just winging it."

"That is flat-out false, and I'm ashamed that you would compare me with Newt Gingrich," Dean the doctor shot back. "Nobody up here deserves to be compared to Newt Gingrich." There was a real fire in Dean's glare when he said it, like he wanted to kick Gephardt's ass. The Missouri congressman just smiled back, enjoying his time spent underneath Dean's skin.

Dean's sharp temper is not a media creation. It's for real. And following the exchange, Sharpton had some sage advice for Dean: "Don't get too personal, brother Howard."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/09/26/debate/index.html

[blm]

49. Bush did the same thing in a debate with Gore.

He mouthed that Gore was lying about FEMA in Texas. Boy, did the media HOWL....at Gore. heheh...typical

[Duder]

32. Which Democratic candidate at the debate ends up helping Bush?

John Kerry.

Portman Corrects Senator John Kerry's Debate Claim

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030925/dcth064_1.html

[sandnsea]

40. This is desperate

Why don't you try getting some facts instead of posting right wing crap?

The 10% tax bracket WAS NOT part of the 2001 tax package. Democrats, along with Olympia Snowe, fought tooth and nail to get that in there. Bush promised it, but when it came down to the tax package, it was nowhere in sight.

And it boggles my mind how fighting to get something for working people into a tax package that you know is going to pass is a bad thing. The tax package was going to pass, there were too many Democrats that would cross over and vote for it. Democrats fought to get the 10% in because they knew that. But many still decided the overall package was bad and voted against it. I don't see what's complicated about that.

[Duder]

43. The fact is...

...this was the press release issued after the debate. If Portman is incorrect about Kerry being incorrect then perhaps Kerry can take time out from writing letters to Howard and issue his own press release correcting Portman. Remember, it's Bush that is the bad guy.

Oh, and btw, the Liberal Oasis has a good summary of the Dean vs. Newt flap.

http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/092103.htm#092603

[sandnsea]

45. You posted it

If you're going to post something, I would think you would be posting it because you believe it to be true. So it's for you to defend at this point.

And Kerry can run his campaign any way he likes, he sure doesn't take advice from little 'ol me.

Finally, I really don't care about the Dean-Gingrich flap. Dean apparently does though, he's the one that brought up Gephardt's 'attacks' on him in the first place.

[blm]

48. Now please compare the vitriol on the Dean thread I posted

that mimics this one.

And they wonder why.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=108&topic_id=48714&mesg_id=48714

[LiberalTexan]

52. yeah, and .......

kerry has that stupid "Waffle" link on his website where he attacks everything about Dean-- even Dean's supposed favorite sports teams. How juvenile. TOTAL turnoff.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

53. LOL yeah

Kerry looks like a desperate guy right about now. He's got to be losing sleep over his quaint little hammer inching forward as Dean raises the big bucks. I can't wait until the final numbers are released for the quarter, so people can scream and holler about Dean peaking too early again. :)

Dean Dean Dean Dean...

[blm]

56. DOCTOR Dean attacked Kerry right after cancer surgery

and Kerry was off the campaign trail. How despicable.