from: Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman

[deek]

from: Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman <[email protected]>

Even as one of the nation's best trial lawyers, Edwards could not explain the inexplicable - the deficiencies of Kerry's record. Edwards failed as a credible advocate for John Kerry last night and Dick Cheney proved that substance will always trump spin. There's no evidence that John Kerry has any convictions - despite Edwards' best attempt at political spin.

Every time Edwards had an opportunity to explain John Kerry's record to the American people, he chose to attack the Vice President, and his low moment came 40 minutes into the debate when a befuddled-looking John Edwards latched onto Halliburton - a political attack proven false by the nonpartisan FactCheck.org. Read the article here: www.FactCheck.org/article.aspx?docid=261.

In Edwards' defense, he was put in the position of defending the indefensible. He didn't get to pick John Kerry; John Kerry picked him.

Vice President Cheney won the debate last night and these quotes sum it up best:

"So they, in effect, decided they would cast an anti-war vote, and they voted against the troops. Now, if they couldn't stand up to the pressures that Howard Dean represented, how can we expect them to stand up to Al Qaeda?"

"I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session. The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight."

Now is not the time to rest. Over the next few days, the Kerry machine will try to turn this loss into a win. We need you to do the same things we asked you to do yesterday.

Visit www.GeorgeWBush.com/DebateFacts so you will have the facts. Print and share them with your friends.
Make sure swing state voters know why you support the President by sharing your thoughts on message boards in target states.
Call Talk Radio shows in your area.
Write letters to the editors of your local papers.
Visit Chat rooms on AOL, MSN, and Yahoo!
Send this message to 5 friends using the form at the bottom of this page.
Make your voice heard.

Sincerely,

Ken Mehlman

P.S. Even as one of the nation's best trial lawyers, John Edwards failed as a credible advocate for John Kerry last night and Dick Cheney proved that substance will always trump spin. In Edwards' defense, he was put in the position of defending the indefensible. He didn't get to pick John Kerry; John Kerry picked him. Despite this loss, the Kerry team will claim a victory. Go online and set the record straight by taking action in the ways outlined above.

[MallRat]

1. They just compounded the "I never met you" clusterfuck!

If I was Mehlman, I would've done everything in my power to make people forget the "I never met you until tonight" line! What planet are they living on?

Don't they see the torrent of photos coming out today exposing that lie?

That gaffe could easily become the "You're no Jack Kennedy" moment of the debate.

-MR

[txindy]

2. It sure could become a future highlight

I guess *ies were too busy talking to hear anybody else or look at the news coming out of TV and blogs. They're too self-impressed to bother.

[mikehiggins]

3. Fact check talks about continuing financial connections

in regard to the Kerry ad vis a vis Cheney.

It has NOTHING to do with the charges that Halliburton violated the law regarding bribing foriegn officials OR trying to get the sanctions lifted, both of which took place while Cheney headed the company.

Another lie.

The question becomes, do they even know they are lying or is it so much a part of their lives that they simply cannot help themselves?

[mikehiggins]

4. More to the point

judging from their reactions, Halliburton probably is his Achilles' heel.

If only we had any real reporters left.

[deek]

6. they provided link to specific article

In other DU threads, people are noting that factcheck.org backs Edwards' claims.

they must be busy busy :bounce:

[MrBenchley]

5. Two zingers--and they're BOTH lies....

Regarding pressure from Howard Dean in the primaries: "That sounds great until you realize that the senate vote to which the vice president refers was held on November 4, 2003 and the first democratic primary of this campaign was held in New Hampshire on January 27, 2004, two-and-a-half months after the senate vote.
Maybe poor old Dick's heart isn't supplying his brain with enough oxygen these days and he meant that Howard Dean was "running away" with the Iowa Caucus just prior to the senate vote. No, wait, the Iowa Caucus was held on January 19, 2004, and John Kerry won that contest, not Howard Dean.
Did Howard Dean make "major progress" in any of the Democratic primaries? How many of these contests did Dr. Dean "run away" with?
Sad to say, Howard Dean won only one primary this season, the one held in Vermont on March 2, "

http://first-draft.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=855&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Meanwhile, even Tim Russert is calling out the "I never met you" lie publicly.