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For Immediate Release September 22, 2004 McCurry Calls on President to Repudiate New Ad Washington, DC - Kerry-Edwards campaign spokesperson Mike McCurry released the following statement today regarding the latest Bush-Cheney television ad: "This week has seen a further deterioration of chaos in Iraq. American servicemen have been killed, two Americans were brutally beheaded, car bombs continue to explode and, according to Prime Minister Allawi's own account, thousands of terrorists continue to pour into Iraq. "And the response from George W. Bush and his campaign? A shrug of the shoulder from the President at the U.N., and an advertisement that takes a lighthearted approach to the war in Iraq. "Mr. President, this is a shameful advertisement that shows a disturbing disregard for those fighting and sacrificing in Iraq, and you should repudiate it immediately." -30- THE FACTS: BUSH-CHENEY AD FACT CHECK AD TITLE: "Windsurfing" DATE: 9/22/04 TYPE: 30sec TV PAID FOR BY: Bush-Cheney '04 BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP Voiceover: "In which direction would John Kerry lead? Kerry voted for the Iraq war, opposed it, supported it, and now opposes it again." THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD John Kerry: "I Voted to Hold ... Saddam Hussein Accountable. That Was the Right Vote." "'I voted to hold Iraq accountable and hold Saddam Hussein accountable," John Kerry said. "That was the right vote for the defense of the United States of America.'"
Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein: Kerry's "Consistent Point", "Without
Variance" on Iraq - "... had one consistent point. Going back
to his speech last September at The Brookings Institution, and really
without variation since, he has argued that rather than trying to make
these decisions that you talked about with Paul Bremer ourselves--what
the new government is going to be, who's going to take over, who writes
the constitution--we should turn over that entire process to the U.N.
They should have the authority, both as a way of increasing legitimacy
of the product inside Iraq and also as a means of bringing in more
troops, possibly, to support our effort there. 4/11/04]
Fox News's Mara Liasson: "Kerry's Sticking to the Criticism He's Made
All Along" - "Kerry has been sticking to the criticism he's made all
along, which is Bush made a mess of Iraq. He made a mess before we got
there and he's making a mess after now. " Report with Brit Hume, 9/8/03]
But John Kerry Wouldn't Have Done One Thing Differently on Iraq - He
Would Have Done Almost Everything Differently. "When it comes to Iraq,
it's not that I would have done one thing differently from the
President, I would've done almost everything differently. I would have
given the inspectors the time they needed before rushing to war. I
would have built a genuine coalition of our allies around the world. I
would've made sure that every soldier put in harm's way had the
equipment and body armor they needed. I would've listened to the senior
military leaders of this country and the bipartisan advice of Congress.
And, if there's one thing I learned from my own service, I would never
have gone to war without a plan to win the peace." "Bush's Wrong Choices in Iraq That Have Left Us Without the Resources We
Need at Home" (Cincinnati, OH), 9/8/04]
John Kerry Has a Plan to Win the Peace in Iraq. "We need a new
direction. I know what we need to do in Iraq. We need to bring our
allies to our side, share the burdens, reduce the cost to American
taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. We need to train
Iraqi military and police - we need to train them more rapidly, more
effectively, and in greater numbers to take over the job of protecting
their own country. That's what I'll do as Commander-in-Chief - because
that's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home."
Without the Resources We Need at Home" (Cincinnati, OH), 9/8/04]
GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE
Recently-Revealed Intelligence Document Contrasts With Bush Rosy
Statements About Iraq. "The National Intelligence Council looked at the
political, economic and security situation and determined that, at best,
stability would be tenuous, a U.S. official, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said late Wednesday. At worst, the official
said, were 'trend lines that would point to a civil war.' The official
said it 'would be fair' to call the
'pessimistic.' The estimate, prepared for President Bush, contrasts with
public comments in which Bush and his senior aides have spoken
optimistically about the prospects for a peaceful and free Iraq." 9/16/04]
American Troops Have Borne 90 Percent of Total Casualties In Iraq War.
There have been 1016 American casualties and 127 non-American casualties
in Iraq since the beginning of the war. American troops have borne 90
percent of the total number of casualties. There are 162,000 coalition
troops in Iraq. 140,000 of those troops are American - nearly 90
percent.
Iraq War Has Cost Nearly $200 Billion. "The Kerry campaign's $200
billion figure is based on $144.4 billion already spent on the conflict,
plus $60 billion Kerry believes the administration will ask Congress for
in a supplemental request after the Nov. 2 election. The Congressional
Budget Office estimated in June that the war could cost from $180
billion to almost $400 billion over the next 10 years, under various
scenarios."
Attacks On U.S. Forces Have Been Increasing Since The Transfer Of
Sovereignty. On average, U.S. forces are now being attacked 60 times
per day. This is a 20% increase from the three months before the
transfer of sovereignty.
Bush Losing Coalition Support In Iraq. Since the beginning of the war,
eight countries are planning to or have already withdrawn troops from
the coalition in Iraq: Thailand, Norway, Dominican Republic, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Philippines, Singapore, and Spain. In all, nearly 3,000
troops have pulled out or planning to pull out of Iraq this month. Costa
Rica asked the United States to remove it from a list of Iraq coalition
partners in September after the country's Constitutional Court ruled
that inclusion on the list violated the Constitution, which bars support
for any military action not authorized by the United Nations. 8/13/04, 9/10/04]
Annan Said Lack Of Security May Threaten January Elections. U.N.
Secretary General Kofi Annan said that the continuing violence in Iraq
"may threaten elections planned for January and has forced U.N.
international staff to be limited to 35." Annan reported to the
Security Council that "the security environment in Iraq had not improved
much since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003."
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "He bragged about voting for the $87 Billion to support our
troops before he voted against it."
THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD
John Kerry Voted Against Giving George Bush a Blank Check for a Failed
Policy. After witnessing the way in which the president went to war -
without our allies, without properly equipping the troops, without a
plan to win the peace - John Kerry voted against the $87 billion because
he didn't want to give a blank check to the president for a failed
policy. "The best way to support our troops and take the target off
their backs is with a real strategy to win the peace in Iraq - not by
throwing $87 billion at George Bush's failed policies," Kerry said. "I
am voting 'no' on the Iraq resolution to hold the President accountable
and force him finally to develop a real plan that secures the safety of
our troops and stabilizes Iraq." 10/17/03]
John Kerry Voted to Fund the Rebuilding of Iraq Through Shared Sacrifice
by Repealing Tax Cuts for the Wealthy. John Kerry would have supported
this legislation if the Bush Administration was willing to do the
responsible thing and pay for it by rescinding the tax cut for the
wealthiest Americans - which they refused to do. original cosponsor 10/1/03; Vote #373, 10/2/03]
GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE
George Bush Threatened to Veto the $87 Billion if Congress Made the
Funds a Loan. "The White House threatened Tuesday to veto its own
spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan if Congress made reconstruction
aid a loan, taking its most forceful stand on the issue even as more
lawmakers supported a reimbursement by Iraq. After declining to threaten
a veto last week before the Senate voted to lend up to $10 billion to
Iraq, the White House surprised many people on Capitol Hill with its
warning. ... If this provision is not removed, the president's senior
advisers would recommend that he veto the bill," Joshua B. Bolten, the
White House budget director, wrote in a letter to Congressional
leaders."
Under Bush, Military Was Sent To War Without Proper Equipment And
Resources
* Even in Mid-June, Soldiers Lacking Armored Vehicles. "The
problem with unarmored Humvees in combat situations continues to be an
issue. In early March, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, questioned Acting
Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee about the shortage of body armor and
fortified Humvees for troops serving in Iraq. Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D.,
said after a visit to Iraq in mid-June that U.S. forces still need
better armored equipment. Of the 15,000 Humvees in Iraq, about 1,500 to
2,000 are armored, according to the Army." 7/2/04]
* Troops Lack Key Resources, Forced to Pay Their Way Home. "To
date, troops have lacked some key resources. The Pentagon has struggled
with delays in the production and distribution of the latest body armor
to troops in Iraq, among other supply problems. Troops reuniting with
their families have had to pay for their own airfare home and other
travel costs once they are flown free to a small selection of cities
while on leave."
o While Halliburton "Gravy Train" Was Wasting Money Meant for
Soldiers on $45 Cases of Soda. "The Pentagon has already awarded
Halliburton, the controversial military contractor, deals worth up to
$18 billion for their work in Iraq. But now, former Halliburton insiders
have come forward with new allegations of massive waste of taxpayer
money... (Halliburton employee) Ms. MARIE deYOUNG: It's just a gravy
train. ... MYERS: deYoung produced documents detailing alleged waste
even on routine services. Fifty thousand dollars a month for soda, at
$45 a case. A million dollars a month to clean clothes, or $100 for each
15-pound bag of laundry. Ms. deYOUNG: That money could have been used to
take care of soldiers."
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "He voted for education reform and now opposes it."
THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD
John Kerry Has Fought For Accountability and NCLB Full Funding Since Day
One. John Kerry has consistently called on President Bush to fully fund
NCLB. When Bush signed NCLB, Kerry said that the law had to be backed up
with badly needed funding: "Resources without accountability is a waste
of money, and accountability without resources is a waste of time."
Since then, Kerry has consistently criticized Bush for failing to
fulfill his promise. "We're leaving millions of children behind every
single day in America because the president went back on his promise to
fund education in order to be able to borrow from our children to give a
tax cut to the wealthiest Americans. That doesn't make economic sense,
and I'm going to fight it," he said in December 2002, and "It's time to
secure for every school the resources it needs to insure that no school
will be left behind," he said in December 2003. Even the President's
partner on the No Child Left Behind law says Bush broke his promise.
Bush told California representative George Miller "'You do the reforms
and the resources will be there.'... That's where he says the president
let him down. The money hasn't been there." The Washington Post writes
that John Kerry's senate record "shows that he has long favored
accountability for schools and higher training standards for teachers."
12/1/02; Washington Post, 12/16/2003; Contra Costa Times (California),
May 25, 2003; Editorial, Washington Post, 8/9/2004]
John Kerry Has a Real Plan for Accountability in America's Schools. John
Kerry's "National Education Trust Fund" will make sure that, for the
first time ever, the federal government meets its obligation to fully
fund our education priorities. Kerry's "New Bargain for America's
Children and Teachers" will recruit or retain 500,000 teachers over the
next 4 years. The new bargain will offer teachers more-providing better
pay and preparation-and will ask for more in return-requiring high
standards and rewarding results for our children. Kerry will require
uniform and accurate data on graduation rates from all schools and
districts and require disaggregation of graduation data so we know that
all groups are achieving. http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/education/]
GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE
Bush Abandoned Promise to Leave No Child Behind By Underfunding His Own
Program. Bush's new budget proposes $24.9 billion for Elementary and
Secondary Education Act programs, $9.4 billion less than was authorized
under Bush's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Bush's last four budgets
have cumulatively provided $27 billion less than what was pledged under
NCLB. Across the country, 56 percent of eligible districts will receive
smaller Title I grants this year than they received last year because of
Bush's underfunding of Title I combined with changes in the funding
formula. The total loss to these districts amounts to more than $233
million. Bush does nothing while one third of American students are
allowed to drop out of school. The national graduation rate "is not the
widely broadcast 85 percent," but closer to 68 percent. In fact, about
half of African-American Latino, and American Indian youths do not
finish high school. Education Week, 7/28/04; Harvard Civil Rights Project, 2/04]
Bush Education Department Quietly Made Changes to Reform Law - and Laura
Bush Predicts "More Adjustments." Since No Child Left Behind was
enacted, President Bush has already flip-flopped on key NCLB provisions,
and in May 2004, Laura Bush acknowledged that "there will be, I'm sure,
more adjustments to the act itself." The Bush Education Department has
reserved policy on children with disabilities, children with limited
English proficiency, highly qualified teachers, and participation rates.
Key changes "appear devised to defuse an outcry...especially in Western
states where powerful Republican lawmakers have called the law
unworkable." 12/1/03; Kansas City Star, 2/19/04; New York Times, 3/14/04; Charleston
Gazette (West Virginia), 4/6/04]
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "He claims he's against increasing Medicare premiums but
voted five times to do so."
THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD
Bush's Charge that Kerry Voted for Premium Hikes "Misleading." NPR's
Julie Rovner called Bush's charge that John Kerry "voted five times to
raise Medicare premiums" "misleading." In fact, Rovner reported, Kerry
voted to continue Congress's policy of setting Medicare premiums at 25%
of the program's cost - half the level originally established in 1965 -
to prevent taxpayers and seniors from bearing too much of the burden of
rising health costs.
John Kerry Fought Efforts to Increase Medicare Premiums. John Kerry
voted at least five times to cut back on proposed Medicare premium
hikes. When Newt Gingrich tried to raise Medicare premiums to 31.5% of
the program's cost - and keep them there - John Kerry voted to lower
premiums to 25%, the traditional standard. #66, 5/9/85; Vote #74, 5/9/85; Vote #292, 10/18/90; Vote #566, 11/9/95]
John Kerry Fought Medicare Deductible Hikes. John Kerry voted to
eliminate a proposed $92 increase in the deductible for Medicare
hospital costs, and supported successful legislation calling for future
deductible hikes to come more closely in line with increased Medicare
payments to hospitals. Kerry also cosponsored an amendment to raise
taxes on the wealthy to kill a plan to double the Medicare deductible
for doctor's visits and other health services, saying "we can't sit back
and let the elderly shoulder the burden of a deficit they did not
create." 11/12/85; SA 3017, Kerry original cosponsor 10/18/90; Vote #280,
10/18/1990; Kerry statement, Congressional Record, 10/18/90]
GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE
George W. Bush Forced the Largest Premium Hike in Medicare History.
Health insurance premiums for senior citizens enrolled in Medicare will
increase a record 17.5 percent in 2005, adding $140 to seniors' yearly
health care expenses. An estimated 38 million Medicare recipients will
be affected. www.cms.hhs.gov]
Rising Medicare Premiums Will Consume 25 Percent of Social Security
Living Adjustments for 6.9 Million People by 2007, 22.2 Million by 2014.
According to an analysis by the Democratic staff of the Joint Economic
Committee, if Medicare premiums are continued to rise in conjunction
with Bush's new Medicare drug benefit by 2007 6.9 million of Medicare
recipients (25 percent) will seen at least one-quarter of their Social
Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) absorbed by the higher
premiums. By 2014, 22.2 million Medicare recipients (64 percent) will
lost at least 25 percent of their COLA to higher premiums. Economic Committee, Democratic Staff, July 2004]
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "John Kerry, whichever way the wind blows."
WHO'S THE REAL FLIP-FLOPPER...?
CAPTURING BIN LADEN
Bush Flip: Get Bin Laden Dead or Alive
Question: Do you want bin Laden dead?
Bush: I want justice. And there's an old poster out west, that I recall,
that said, "Wanted, Dead or Alive."
Bush Flop: Not Concerned About Bin Laden
Bush: "And just - he's a person who has now been
marginalized. His network is -- his host government has been destroyed.
He's the ultimate parasite who found weakness, exploited it, and met his
match...So I don't know where he is. Nor -- you know, I just don't spend
that much time on him really, to be honest with you. I...I truly am not
that concerned about him."
WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR
Bush Flip: We Will Win the War on Terror
Bush: "We will win the war on terror."
Bush Flop: We Can't Win the War on Terror
"Bush, who has said he expects the war on terror to be a long, drawn-out
battle, was asked by interviewer Matt Lauer, 'Can we win it?' 'I don't
think you can win it,' Bush replied."
Bush Flipped Again: We Can Win the War on Terror
Bush: "In this different kind of war, we may never sit down at a peace
table, but make no mistake about it: We are winning and we will win."
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
Bush Flip: Saddam Has WMD
Bush: "The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. He has
used weapons of mass destruction. He can't stand America and what we
stand for. He can't stand our friends and allies. He's a dangerous,
dangerous man with dangerous, dangerous weapons."
Bush Flop: Saddam Had WMD-Related Program Activities
Bush: "But let us be candid about the consequences of leaving Saddam
Hussein in power. We're seeking all the facts. Already, the Kay Report
identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program
activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from
the United Nations."
Bush Flip: "Weapons of Mass Destruction" Found
Bush: "We found weapons of mass destruction." 5/30/03]
Bush Flop: We Haven't Found The Stockpiles of WMD
Bush: "I thought we were going to find stockpiles... We hadn't found
them yet."
www.johnkerry.com <http://www.johnkerry.com/>
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