Slight Kerry news 3/29

[TayTay]

From Roll Call:

False Advertising. Aides to Sen. John Kerry are mad as hornets at the House Resources Committee for misconstruing a statement from the Massachusetts Democrat. The committee, on its Web site, quoted Kerry as saying, "We have 24 to 48 hours to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ... Please make an emergency donation right now. http://contribute.johnkerry.com/."

The quote is accurate. And Kerry did direct people to give money through his non-governmental political site. But he did not ask people to donate to his presidential campaign, as was stated in brackets. (Even Kerry isn't in such denial that he thinks the 2004 campaign isn't over. And even Kerry isn't publicly asking for money for a 2008 run - yet.)

What the Senator really asked for was an emergency donation to fund a "save the Arctic refuge" online campaign.

Brian Kennedy, the GOP communications director for Resources Committee, said the Kerry people were making too fine a point.

"The point we're trying to make is that John Kerry was using the ANWR issue for partisan, political and fundraising goals," he said. "It's absurd. He might as well sell his vote."

But Kerry's spokesman, David Wade, said the Resources Committee flat-out lied on its Web site. "Are government employees really selectively changing the facts to mislead people all across America? It's one thing to watch Jon Stewart's fake newscasts, it's another to use taxpayer dollars to imitate him."

[JI7]

1. i really hate these assholes

this is similar to what they did with Teresa's comments about Laura Bush and work.

[karynnj]

2. How nasty - Kerry's email was very specific on what to do with $

The comment "he might as well sell his vote" is particularly obnoxious as that would be illegal and hits directly at Kerry's integrity. As to selling his vote, I have no doubt that he would not agree to vote for drilling if the Republican party offered him every cent it had.

The ridiculous thing is that both parties use issues for raising money for the party or for a candidate. Half the requests for money cite all the bad things the other side will do if they get the power to.This request asked for money for a very specific purpose.

I think they are afraid of Kerry's ability to use his email list, both to get people to take action and to raise money. As they control everything they are either completely paranoid or something about Kerry scares them. Seeing that Stevens sounded like he was threatening Kerry for asking people to call their Senators if they were against drilling, I wonder if this is their retaliation.

I hope Kerry makes as big an issue of this as he can because, all he did was to encourage good old all-American grassroots participation in democracy. Why not try to get grassroots participation when the Republicans are pushing through a bill that the majority of people disagree with?

[ginnyinWI]

3. they just feel that they have a "mandate"

and can pound everyone else into the ground. Some mandate. :eyes:

[LittleClarkie]

4. That's just absurd

As if he was voting any other way. Why would you pay someone to vote the way they were going to vote in the first place. Their allegation doesn't even make sense.

I hope the email list gives them apoplexy

[TayTay]

5. I agree. I guess Ted Stevens holds a grudge

Who knew? This is just Rethuggery in all it's finery. That's what these folks do, find a statement, distort the hell out of it and then express outrage at the intent of the distortion. You can't defend against it very well at all as you never said what they are alleging you said. More Rethug mischief.

[ginnyinWI]

6. over and over again during the campaign--

it was so sickening. I have often thought that a good response would be to simply ridicule the repubs who "misunderstood" the actions or words of Kerry--poke fun at them for getting it so wrong, as if they must be really stupid. Then laughingly correct the distortion and go on to repeat the point you want to make.

Example: "Haha--they actually thought I wanted people to donate to my political campaign fund? How could they get that so wrong? I simply wanted to give people the chance to contribute money to helping save ANWR! It's a very good cause, and I know a lot of people want to help!"

(This response would work better on the campaign trail--I just took this as an example because it's handy.)When this happens to the repubs maybe a dozen times or so, maybe they might think longer before launching one of these stink bombs.

[foreverdem]

7. He won't go away

The repukes are so mad that Kerry won't just go away that they are going to any lengths to sling mud. They can't stand the fact that he is still in their face and fighting for all the things that he talked about all during his campaign. I hope they all hold their breath waiting for him to stop.