Bush campaign and Chamber of Commerce getting ready to smear Edwards

[kentuck]

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/08/25/now_smearing_the_trial_lawyers/

<snip>

IF YOU LIKE the Karl Rove-inspired attack on John Kerry's Swift Boat service, you're going to love the US Chamber of Commerce's coming assault on John Edwards. Like the right-wing vets smearing Kerry's Vietnam record, the anti-Edwards group is nominally an independent committee. But as The New York Times reports, the cochairmen of the new "November Fund" are a former Republican National Committee charman, Bill Brock, and a former chief of staff to Bush Sr., Craig Fuller. The core of their attack will be that Edwards is (gasp) a trial lawyer. For decades, "trial lawyer" has been used in Republican speeches as an epithet. Business executives applaud in appreciation -- and everyone else scratches his head. What's so terrible about trial lawyers? Are they worse than, say, corporate lawyers?

The attack on trial lawyers as ambulance chasers and cost inflators invites exploration. The corporate elite and the GOP have three grudges against "trial lawyers." First, damage awards cost business money when they uncover corporate practices that swindle, maim, or kill ordinary citizens. And as champions of the little guy, trial lawyers are among the few well-heeled professionals who donate more money to Democrats than Republicans. Break their rice bowl and there will be one less source of money for the opposition party.

It further galls the right that some small fraction of trial lawyers actually get rich by helping injured people to collect. Notice that when some business mogul becomes a billionaire, the right insists that he earned that money by bettering mankind. But when a talented personal injury lawyer prospers by helping an injury victim, he's a parasitic shyster.

...more

[GRClarkesq]

1. Expect to hear arguments about CP

Edwards won judgments against doctors who delivered CP babies. Expect to hear that 1)CP not caused by malpractice, and 2) trial lawyers drving ob/gyns out of the practice.

Doctors are motivated to get even with a tria lawyer.

[bryant69]

2. This is predictable

But I don't know how much damage it will do. Everybody knows Edwards is a trial lawyer.

It might do more damage if they can get some of his former clients to attack him on greed charges or something, but i don't know how likely that is.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[AP]

7. His former clients love him. They've volunteered on his campaign and...

...they made commercials for him in 98. They are like the equivalent of Kerry's Swift boat crew members.

[olddem43]

3. If this is about trial lawyers in general, are they going to

include the fact that Abe Lincoln was a trial lawyer?

[maine_raptor]

4. Problem with that though

Lincoln was a CORPORATE trial lawyer, working for railroad interests, in fact one of the best in the country at the time.

[bluedog]

5. doesn't "Trial Lawyers" mean "JURY?

n/t

[swag]

6. Express dissatisfaction with the Chamber

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=669894&mesg_id=669960

202-463-5600 (Chamber Public Affairs)


US Chamber of Commerce, Congressional & Public Affairs

U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20062-2000

Regional Offices

http://www.uschamber.com/about/contact/regional.htm

Board of Directors

http://www.uschamber.com/about/board/all.htm

News Release:

CONTACTS: Linda Rozett/Eric Wohlschlegel
[phone] / 888-249-NEWS

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

U.S. Chamber Enters Political Debate for Next White House
Calls Legal System Abuses too Important to Ignore

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce announced it would participate in two new political initiatives to educate voters about the devastating impact of a runaway legal system on the American way of life – during this fall’s presidential campaign.

“We cannot ignore what may prove to be a make-or-break election for legal reform at the national level,” said Thomas Donohue, Chamber President and CEO. “When voters go to the polls, they need to know lawsuit abuse destroys jobs, drives doctors out of business and forces companies into bankruptcy. The extraordinary circumstances surrounding this election have compelled us to support two important new initiatives.”

The Chamber is joining others in supporting a new 527 Group called The November Fund, which aims to raise public awareness about lawsuit abuse. The group is co-chaired by Craig Fuller, former chief-of-staff to Vice President Bush, and Bill Brock, former Senator and Republican National Committee Chair.

This team has identified seven battleground states where there is the greatest potential to effectively educate voters through a concerted program of TV, radio and print advertising and direct mail, an Internet campaign, and earned media discussing the truth about trial lawyers.

“The impact of the trial bar’s influence on the legal, legislative, regulatory and economic decisions of an administration is impossible to calculate,” said Donohue.

In addition, while maintaining its policy of not issuing endorsements in presidential elections, the Chamber will run a voter education program in 6-10 key states, stressing legal reform issues with its federation members. The program will highlight the growing political influence of the trial bar and remind the business community of the dangers of having this group closely aligned with the White House.

These initiatives add to an already aggressive political program. The Chamber endorses pro-business Senate and House candidates of both parties and is mobilizing the business vote through a Web-based voter registration, education and get-out-the-vote program called VoteforBusiness.com. The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform supports voter education efforts in state Supreme Court and attorney general races that have begun to fundamentally change the legal environment for business.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

# # #

04-116

http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2004/august/

[Cha]

8. Fuck them! Edwards will come out

shining just like Kerry will. What we're doing now is "Weathering The Storm" as a duer put it so eloquently last night!