White House slams Kerry 'stunt'

[wicket]

http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/08250000aaa03859.upi&Sys=rmmiller&Fid=NATIONAL&Type=News&Filter=National%20News

The White House slammed Sen. John Kerry Wednesday for staging a "political stunt" at the president's ranch and for a double standard on attack ads.

Spokesman Scott McClellan said Kerry's dispatch of former Sen. Max Cleland and Vietnam veteran Jim Rassman to Crawford to press President Bush to condemn and stop ads by a veterans group that questions Kerry's war record was an attempt to divert attention from Kerry's "out-of-the-mainstream record and out-of-the-mainstream views."

"Senator Kerry says he wants to talk about the issues. Today's political stunt is an interesting way of showing it," McClellan said. "If Senator Kerry was interested in focusing on the issues, he would join the president in calling for a stop to all these ads by these shadowy groups."

Kerry accuses the Bush campaign of being behind Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, whose questioning of the veracity of Kerry's war accounts has roiled the Kerry camp. Bush denies it, but a lawyer with his campaign resigned Wednesday when it was disclosed he also did some legal work for the group.

[swag]

1. Who cares what they think? They need to start moving out.

[Karenina]

3. Get them *slimebuckets

OUT OF OUR HOUSE! It'll take TWO JOHNS to flush them down into the sewer in which they belong!!!

[alphafemale]

9. LOL! That's it! Mass mailing of U-Haul info of rate from DC to Crawford

:evilgrin:

[SayitAintSo]

34. OOOh I like it ... Kind of like the "mass pretzel mail-in"

We could send moving stuff like moving brochures, boxes, packing tape....or maybe some material/forms for the newly unemployed...LOL

[Sugarbleus]

44. ROFL!!!!! n/t

[mitchum]

65. All of the above posts are why I will never leave (and hope I ...

will never be "asked" to leave) this site. These are some great ideas;)

[Rufus T. Firefly]

76. He won't go to Crawford in January...

that "ranch" is a sham to make him look like a good ol' boy. He'll ditch it and live somewhere in Houston or Dallas or somewhere like that. He just bought the damn thing in 1999! And they act like it's a family farm or some crap.

[Born Free]

42. GOP scared shitty of "Moveon"

The thought of millions of concerned Americans with credit cards in hand ready to contribute small amounts any time it is needed scares the shit out of the GOP as it threatens the entire process where corporations and other elite groups have all the political say.

MoveOn needs to keep up the pressure. All democrats need to keep steadfast in the goal of smoking the coward bush out from hiding behind others to cover his own poor judgment. The bush team wanted to make this a character issue but it is backfiring as the truth comes out, it only shows the immoral character of the coward bush.

[tandot]

2. Payback: Kerry slammed Bush for his Vietnam Vet smear stunt

Don't go into the kitchen if you can't stand the heat...

[volosong]

16. The Dems Ought To Run That Cleland Picture Forever

Shame on Putsch.

IF veterans ever had any doubts as to how he feels about them, the Max Cleland picture says it all.

The Kerry supporters ought to plaster that picture all over cyberspace

[still_one]

what a bunch of babies, they haven't seen anything yet

[tanyev]

4. "Some people would say"

that W's entire tenure in the White House has been a political stunt. And I'm one of them.

[Tuttle]

24. "And I'm one of them."

Tanyev - you've got some 'splaining to do...

Tut-tut

[tanyev]

25. What?

[Tuttle]

68. Your post reads like You are a "White House stunt"

What does that mean?

Tut-tut

[tanyev]

73. Sorry, either I've been unclear or you've misunderstood

I think *'s nearly 4 years have been one long agonizing political stunt. I put the "some people would say" in quotes as an imitation of a technique used frequently by right-wing spinmeisters. Okay now?

[lostnfound]

79. LOL! Welcome to DU. nt

[Warpy]

5. Maybe they didn't hear the news: Kerry wasn't there!

They've got a PR disaster on their hands and it's all of their own making, sending a footman out to the unruly peasant so the king wouldn't be bothered, and all that. Shoving Scott McLellan out like that shows just how totally flummoxed by this thing they are. They know they blew it bigtime. All that remains to be seen is what the evening network news does after they hack the press conference footage to death.

[Jawja]

37. Yes, and I remember

when Poppy was President and some men suffering from AIDS showed up at the White House and instead of meeting with them over their concerns, he ridiculed them in a press conference. I remember thinking that his response should have been to invite them in and meet with them about their concerns.

Big mistake, I thought, to ridicule them.

Like Father, like Son. Son showed the same lack of class today. A real man would have met Cleland and Vets at the gate and invited them in.

Even Nixon walked out of the White House to the Washington Mall to the war protestors in Washington and talked to them face-to-face, much to the distress of the Secret Service.

[FredScuttle]

66. Nixon

Yes, he did chat with the kids camped out on the Mall. He also smeared the student protesters killed at Kent State.

Sorry, but I give that evil, soulless bastard no quarter. Rest in pieces, Dick

[plcdude]

6. shadowy groups

these are activist American citizens putting together free speech advertisements. If they are fraudulent then they should suffer the consequences for their content. Otherwise these are not shadowy groups. This is outrageous, of course. Do these people in the WH have any idea about the constitution?

[Chico Man]

10. We know what other groups are labeled "shadowy"

Terrorist groups. Interesting choice of words, Scott.

[coloradodem2005]

7. I think it is a perfect way to say, let's talk about issues.

Condem these ads so we can get back to business.

[powergirl]

8. THIS DOUBLE TALK ABOUT CONDEMNING ALL 527s is a STUNT

The difference b/w the Dem 527 groups and the Repub 527 groups is that Bush is breaking the law by having his campaign actively work in concert with them. Bush isn't going to be able to get away with this. I think there will be more forced resignations and they already look like complete morons for saying they aren't connnected to the ads when their guys keep resigning. They need to pack their shit and go home!

[Judi Lynn]

18. "I'll stop lying about you if you stop telling the truth about me!"

Pretty simple, isn't it?


God, I hope they buy it!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

28. Yep. Too bad Kerry won't play by THEIR script

They were hoping now that the damage is done they can move on to other issues.
Sorry, George. We're going to keep talking about your military service vs. Kerry's.

[johnnie]

11. Unlike their "stunt" that was a lot more effective and not political

Idiots

[AspenRose]

12. So landing on a carrier pretending to be super pilot isn't a "stunt"

Oh, I get it now, Bunnypants. :eyes:

[dave123williams]

40. Codpiece Georgie...

Hear hear! These are the last people on earth who should have a problem with politically motivated stunts...

[Bark Bark Bark]

13. Ya Can't Spell "Coward" Without The Dubya

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=X1VRZALPFQ1HICRBAEKSFEY?type=topNews&storyID=6070337

Shrub hides in his Crawford playpen, while his shills form a human barricade (literally and, in McClellan's case, figuratively) to protect him from a TRIPLE AMPUTEE. With a LETTER.

Oh Lord, I'm not missing "Daily Show" TONIGHT.

[bahrbearian]

20. I love your post.

[doni_georgia]

51. Harry Potter Fans - when you take the Duhbya out of "Coward"

....what you have left is the figurative equivalent: "Draco."
How appropriate. Draco is another slimy little git riding his rich, evil dad's coattails.

- Mac in Ga

[leesa]

55. OOh! Good bumpersticker

[RetroLounge]

69. "Ya Can't Spell "Coward" Without The Dubya"

Great! I love it!

RL

[Cocoa]

14. that CNN reporter was a psychic

she said this is what the Bush campaign would say, and sure enough, they said it.

[Gothmog]

15. LOL This is very funny

The concept of Bush complaining about a political stunt is very funny. It is the bushies who do not want to discuss the issues.

[Child_Of_Isis]

17. Bahawaaa!

It's all over the tele. Nothing better than free publicity. Shrubco apologists are out in droves...stammerring and crying like two year olds.

[mfritz]

22. They're so thin skinned

I'm fascinated by how these Republicans can dish it out, but they can't take it. Bill O'Reilly is a perfect example. Or how about the Bush campaing running attack ad after attack ad while complaining about the Democrat's being a "coalition of the wild eyed" for criticizing Bush.

What a bunch of babies! Waaaaa - Waaaaaaa Mommy, they're fighting back. Make them stop.

Too late, *punk*.

[susanna]

46. I thought Laura Ingraham was gonna explode on Hardball.

Admittedly, that is the only reason I kept on watching. She was positively SHRILL. Heh.

edit for spelling

[bahrbearian]

19. "Bush has been savaged for a year by 527s favoring Kerry"

I didn't know that Kerry was nominated a year ago.

[kwolf68]

21. Savaged

How much coverage did it get?

As much as this campaign against Kerry?

Here it comes folks...the entire "Media is Liberal" routine over again. Now they will simply repeat "Kerry negative" a billion times before it becomes reality.

[tuvor]

48. I'm starting to think 'liberal media' is a red herring

If it is, then great. What's to be gained by being the underdog? More reason to whine, if anything. And nothing sounds sweeter than a whining bushkisser.

[mondo joe]

23. Perfect, Any time the Bush WH decrys anything you're doing good.

Kerry has to have the balls to stand up to this smear machine, and he has to have the brains to to know.

He has to be ethical, but he has to NOT get tied down by being too good.

Whenever the White House complains he has to hit again, in the same spot, twice as hard.

[54anickel]

26. Free speech vs. paid speech

No mention of Moveon in here. So just where do they fit in? This article seems to take Shrub's side, stating all ads should be banned. I take it that's not the issue but rather that the SBVT worked directly with the Shrub campaign? (That's what I'm getting reading posts here at DU.) The press doesn't seem to be making that distinction, and I think the general public may be somewhat confused. I know I would be if it weren't for DU. :shrug:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0826/p09s02-cogn.html

There will always be attacks in political campaigns. Some attacks will be truthful; others won't. But the last thing we need is government regulation telling us which attacks are true, and which aren't. The responsibility for sorting out the truth - and the difference between free speech and purchased speech - ultimately lies with each individual citizen.

Mr. Moore's movie is closer to the spirit of the First Amendment while Mr. Perry's big-money contributions distort the concept of free speech.

Moore has openly said that he hopes his movie will help lead to the defeat of George W. Bush as president. The film lambastes the Bush administration for being too tough in the Iraq war and not tough enough against the Saudis and protecting the homeland. Moore claims every fact in the film is correct and has offered a $10,000 prize to anyone who can prove otherwise. But his detractors claim that he omits important information, painting a one-sided picture that on the whole is not accurate.

The SBVT aired TV ads with veterans who claim that John Kerry is not being truthful about his role in Vietnam. Controversy over the ads, and a retaliatory Kerry ad blaming Mr. Bush for letting the group run the ads, led the president this week to call for a halt to political ads by independent groups.

[gratuitous]

27. Really struck a nerve, didn't it?

They're very good at dishing it out, but the crybabies aren't so good at taking it, are they?

[DoveTurnedHawk]

29. MORE IN THIS YAHOO STORY: BUSH DEFENDS SWIFT BOAT LIARS

<...>

A Texas state official and Vietnam veteran, Jerry Patterson, said someone from the Bush campaign contacted him Wednesday morning and asked him if he would travel to the ranch, welcome Cleland to Texas and accept the former senator's letter to Bush.

"I tried to accept that letter and he would not give it to me," said Patterson. "He would not face me. He kept rolling away from me. He's quite mobile."

Patterson, who spoke with the president on the phone, said the campaign asked him to give Cleland a letter for Kerry written by the Bush campaign and signed by Patterson and seven other veterans.

"You can't have it both ways," the letter said. "You can't build your convention and much of your campaign around your service in Vietnam, and then try to say that only those veterans who agree with you have a right to speak up."

<...>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1963&e=13&u=/ap/20040825/ap_on_el_pr/bush_cleland_3

What an asshole Patterson is!

:puke:

And Bush is defending the Swift Boat Liars! What do you want to bet the mainstream media happens to "miss" that fact?

:grr:

DTH

[jeanmarc]

31. HE'S QUITE MOBILE

Well, that says everything you need to know about the Bushies. I can't wait to see the footage.

[Sugarbleus]

47. Bwahahahahahh...your 'flash' is too funny

Baghdad Bush...That's a keeper..... lol

[Fovea]

38. But Bush wants it both ways.

He wants to let the smear go on, but anyone who wants to go to his rallies has to submit to the RNC proctoscopy.

[wicket]

43. I CAN'T BELIEVE BUSH IS SUPPORTING THE SMEAR VETS!!!!!!

I am so furious!!!!!! :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Tight_rope]

61. You are surprised....Where have you been....The Devil can't help it!

[wicket]

72. Let me rephrase that:

I'm shocked that he is being so blatant now in support of them, it's so vile!!! :grr:

[young_at_heart]

30. Political stunts........just ask McCain what that means

He can remember those "stunts", I imagine......totally derailed his bid for the presidency. Thanks to Rove, etc. stunts have become mainstream.

[The_Casual_Observer]

32. Swift boat assholes wage personal attack/smear campaign

befitting the GOP, funded by some texas redneck rw nut case. MoveOn attacks bogus chimp/government policy. The WH spin is to be expected.

[drdtroit]

33. Kerry's "out-of-the-mainstream record and out-of-the-mainstream views.

Since that was 35 years ago I guess the White House is giving the go ahead to confront GWB regarding his alcoholism and cocaine addiction, right?

[Jawja]

35. Speaking of Political Stunts,

er...um.... what was that "Top Gun" thing on the aircraft carrier?

[realFedUp]

49. yeah.

almost everything Bush does is a made-for-photo stunt.

[mconvente]

36. Screw the Bushites

Campaign stunt? I don't think so. Cleland was very respectable, not causing a big rucous or anything. If Shrub doesn't want to respond to the serious concerns of 9 Senators (of which both NJ Senators signed!!), then too bad for him.

[Disturbed]

39. The Neo Fascists have declared War!

These scumbags have declared war on the American people. Some of us are not afraid to fight, unlike many Dems in Congress. The Kerry campaign should go on the offensive and refuse the Neo Fascists any mercy. They deserve none.

[llmart]

41. Man, this is getting good:)

Bush is looking like the whiny, cowardly, crybaby that he is. Will he be hiding behind Mommy's apronstrings again? Maybe wild-eyed Babs will have to get on the TV and speak out for her Little Lord Fauntleroy. And they thought his father was a wuss? Georgie put the "W" in Wuss. Bwa ha ha ha ha ha...

[ignatius 2]

54. Oh hell yes, behind mommy's,Laura's,Karen Hugh's, the twins..they will

all be out in the next day or so saying how the bad lib'rul press is picking on the god like king george. Boo hoo hoo--go cry a river for someone who gives a rat's ass.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

45. What a bunch of pussies.

Just like a chickenhawk. They can dish it out but can't take it.

G DUHbya. Me thinks thou doth protest too much.

[goforit]

50. ROFLMAO!!!!.....Hot under the collar , Bushies???? tisk-tisk!

Bury them deep....Kerry!!

[OilemFirchen]

52. Stunt?

Like this?

[cybildisobedience]

53. Thank you for reminding me

Although how could I forget?

[ArnoldLayne]

59. I would love

to get back at those pasty faced fat bastards and it looks like one bitch who looks like she needs it from behind with some spankings to go along with it.

[ArnoldLayne]

56. Hey Georgie

get out of Kerry's house, sound familiar.

[Tight_rope]

57. I see that they have moved from blaming Clinton to now blaming Kerry!

[ArnoldLayne]

58. I think John Edwards

is the slick one working behind the scenes that no one appreciates. Remember he is one of the best Defense Attorneys in the country.

[despairing optimist]

60. The comparisons to Hitler must stop. W's right!

They are unfair to Hitler, who served in the German army and was injured in battle.

He was a better dancer and painter too.

We won't be seeing "Sprintime for Dubya" on Broadway anytime soon.

[Endangered Specie]

62. Hah, Springtime for Bushler, and Amerika,

[Tight_rope]

63. LOL...Welcome to ceejayay

[Cronus Protagonist]

64. So the incumbent is acting defensively..... good work Kerry!

Nice job. Keep up the heat!

Swiftboat Veterans for Bush

JFK - Drop Bush Not Bombs! - FUCK BUSH
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[young_at_heart]

67. I would like to protest the Bush/Supreme Court "stunt" of 2000

(paraphrasing Scott McClellan)......If Bush was interested in focusing of the future of democracy and the good of the country he would have called for a stop to special treatment for the Republican party. We all now know thousands of votes were never counted, but what did Bush do.....bullied and bulldozed! Could that possibly have been out-of-the-mainstream?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

70. Whiners.

[wicket]

71. kick!

:kick:

[Zech Marquis]

74. not a stunt you numbnuts

the Mission Accomplished fiasco was a stunt! This was a real message that didn't waste so much of out taxpayer's money on mkaing the * look like a man he'll never be :grr:

[JETS]

75. Yeah Bushco would never attempt a political stunt

How about "Mission Accomplished?" or How about presenting the troops with a plastic turkey!

[wicket]

77. kick!

:kick:

[IA_Seth]

78. "Shadowy"

If they say "Shadowy" one more freakin time....

Republicans DEFINE "shadowy"! It has been the Republican agenda that has caused the US to act "shadowy" all over the world since Reagan was President and has caused all of the chaos of the modern era!

Shadowy! Screw them!

.....A side note.....

Pick up "Blowback" by Chalmers Johnson...it is an interesting read.