Bush's Republicans Prepare For Their 'Dirty War' On Kerry - UK Independent

[WillyT]

By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
02 August 2004

<snip>

President George Bush's senior strategists have vowed to use the month of August to mount derisive and personal attacks on the Democratic candidate John Kerry in what is becoming an increasingly bitter election campaign.

August is traditionally a sleepy and politically quiet month, even in election years, but both sides have said they cannot afford to break off from campaigning, even for the Olympic Games.

With Mr Kerry enjoying a bounce of about 4 per cent from last week's Democratic convention in Boston, Mr Bush's aides said they will campaign on the President's record and his agenda for a second term.

But reports indicate they will also directly attack Mr Kerry, trying to divert attention from what they say was his brief, four-month tour in Vietnam 30 years ago. This will culminate with the Republican convention in New York at the end of the month in which Mr Kerry will be portrayed as a flip-flopping object of humour and derision.

<snip>

Link: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=546949

4 percent bounce??? How come I have to go to a European publication to find out we got a positive bounce out of the convention???

Oh... yeah... I forgot.

:wtf:

[NMDemDist2]

1. and all *'s hard work will evaporate at the first debate n/t

[Juicy crone]

45. Every Vote Counts

This is the truth, please talk to the young people. Some are not interested in either candidate. I ask questions at the grocery store of the checkers and the baggers.Anything to get the young people thinking about how important it is to vote. I know when I was young, my mother seemed over passionate about who she wanted for president. I laughed at her and thought it was strange. I was wrong and maybe have inherited her passion. I live in New Hampshire and get to meet all the candidates. It is a privilege that I happily accept. I have met Kerry with a group of five at a hotel, early in his campaign when he asked us about our thoughts. We shook Howard Deans hand after his talk, talked with Liberman, General Wes Clark and when Kucinich spoke my heart really began to beat. Each one had something to offer, but I believe that it will take Kerry to win. So we must find our way to bring the young people to the voting booths and as I told my grandson, "If you don't have an opinion, I'll tell you who to vote for, it is your future after all."
I will keep telling him and also urge others to come and discuss their feelings. I think they need to be heard and listened. Have a young forum at your home. A party, what ever works. Yes every vote certainly counts. When Gore said that, he was telling the truth.

[democrank]

2. This so-called brief four month tour in Vietnam

was four months longer than Bush`s tour.

[FlashHarry]

3. Colonel Hackworth said...

Four months in-country is was like a lifetime. And he should know.

[Zen Democrat]

25. He said one day on a Swift boat was a lifetime and he couldn't

imagine four months.

[FlashHarry]

33. That's the quote! Thanks!

[PATRICK]

49. How many months

in Guadalcanal? In the thick of any front line campaign? An idiot chickenhawk swipe to an audience with hopefully no memory or pride.

This is the same Nixonian tactic used against McGovern who, it was claimed, did the "minimum" number of bombing runs. That baldly against Nixon's lackluster naval carreer was bad enough, but this??? And decades later they base a movie anonymously out of McGovern's exploits NOT George Sr.'s debatable derring do.

If the best they can do is pull old dishonored chestnuts out of the past it is really sad. Someone should bring up McGovern compared to Nixon given the opportunity to redress that revolting smear. and show how mad this one is in comparison.

Some aburdities cry out to heaven for redaction.

[Mika]

11. That was 4 months into Kerry's second tour

First tour he was serving the draft, then he volunteered for a 2nd tour (on a Swift boat), 4 months into that tour he was injured.

[WillyT]

13. Are You Sure About That ???

I was under the impression that he had volunteered all the way. I had not heard that he was ever drafted.

Anybody???

:shrug:

[playahata1]

16. From what I am told, Kerry was not a draftee, period.

All-volunteer.

[sandnsea]

17. Both were volunteer

First tour on a ship in the Gulf of Tonkin and other Pacific locations. Second on the Swift boat.

[WillyT]

18. Thanks You Guys !!!

:yourock:

[jmowreader]

32. And it was his second tour, to boot

To hear the Republicans, you'd think this guy showed up, got shot three times and left, no big deal.

Last I checked, Kerry went to Nam, got put on a supply ship, did his year floating out in the middle of the ocean (which isn't a safe place either--haven't you fuckers ever heard of TORPEDOES?), signed up for some real action at the end of his year out there, and got sent to Swift boat school.

Two tours, George. Two tours.

[sidpleasant]

39. Re: "Haven't you ... ever heard of TORPEDOES?"

The Viet Cong didn't have a navy. If North Vietnam had one it certainly didn't use it.

[Sparky McGruff]

46. You mean the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was based on a LIE?

President Johnson's Message to Congress
August 5, 1964

Last night I announced to the American people that the North Vietnamese regime had conducted further deliberate attacks against U.S. naval vessels operating in international waters, and I had therefore directed air action against gunboats and supporting facilities used in these hostile operations. This air action has now been carried out with substantial damage to the boats and facilities. Two U.S. aircraft were lost in the action. <...>


You're not telling me that a president LIED to congress and the American people to stoke the fires of a war, are you? No president would do THAT!

[joeunderdog]

50. And the bullets they were shooting at him were small.

Go 'head. Bring Military service up as an issue.

Make...my...day.

[Il_Coniglietto]

4. "I want to address these next words directly to President George W. Bush"

"In the weeks ahead, let's be optimists, not just opponents. Let's build unity in the American family, not angry division. Let's honor this nation's diversity; let's respect one another; and let's never misuse for political purposes the most precious document in American history, the Constitution of the United States." --John Kerry's Convention Speech

Well, that didn't take long. I guess the Repubs' polls and focus groups all point to negativity.

[Cha]

8. Yeah, that's the part of Kerry's speech that bush didn't want to

admit that he heard it.

[Juicy crone]

44. Let's Build Unity

:) What ever you meditate upon, you become. "Adi Da Samraj"
When Kerry talked about uniting, a dark night lifted for me. I am an optimist, know that in the big picture all is well, but lately the future has been so Gray and getting darker with each day. I have never felt such helplessness. 9/11 has become a huge club to bludgeon Americas goodness and optimism.
Yesterday the threats came out again. There will always be threats, there always have been. But all over the world they have experienced this and they get on with their lives and go forward.
We have this great country that has such opportunity, if not living in fear and hatred and division. We must take our responsibility and ignore the blackness that this administration offers and keep busy remembering where we have been born and what we have to accept as a citizen of the USA. I believe it is our responsibility to listen to our founding fathers and live up to their expectations, not to the greedy people who are running the country at this moment. There is enough for all to live well.

[bear425]

47. Welcome to DU!

Nice posts. :bounce:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. They are in big trouble if they go after Kerry's Vietnam record...

...because FratBoy can only discuss the time he personally went AWOL.

[Cha]

9. Yeah! Like introducing a subject in Court that can be expounded

on by the opposition.

[stepnw1f]

6. I Thought It Was 11 points?

:mad:

[Barkley]

15. "John Kerry, Reporting for Duty" - where can I get the bumper sticker?

I love it!

[Lancer]

7. As one of Kerry's

Swift boat crewmen said the other night, "anyone who wants to question our Skipper's patriotism is gonna have to make it past us."

[Cha]

10. Really? I like that! Thanks! Welcome to

du,Lancer!

On Edit~ That should be made into an ad!

[Disturbed]

12. Neo Fascists' Record and Agenda.

Bring it on!!!!

[customerserviceguy]

20. Just expect it, when it gets here

There was a lot of footage of Kerry during his war protest Congressional hearing days. Focused on the severity of his message, he looks quite glum, and often somewhat hostile. Stills of those photos along with remarks taken out of context are going to be flung by Rove in order to negate the positives about Vietnam that Sen. Kerry worked on during the convention.

It's coming, just be ready for it.

[tabasco]

21. It will only help.

Kerry displayed enormous physical courage under fire in Vietnam. He then displayed enormous moral courage in opposing the war. I know quite a few Vietnam vets and not too many of them think it was a great idea for them to have been there.
Coward Bush's impotent attacks against Kerry will bounce off like pathetic little spitwads.

edit typo

[customerserviceguy]

22. No question

about that, but expect that he will have a tough time making his case on the news media, it will take individuals talking to friends to explain that by fighting in the war, Kerry earned a special perspective on the war, when it came time to force Congress to deal with it during the Nixon years. Nobody under the age of 35 (coincidentally, the Constitutional age needed to be President) even remembers Vietnam, or Nixon.

All those younger Americans have is a Hollywood-created image of it, and that image just screams "BAD". It's one of the reasons I've questioned Sen. Kerry's emphasis on Vietnam, it's dangerous to touch something that leaves such a bad taste in so many mouths, whether you were alive to experience it, or not.

[Bridget Burke]

35. Then we need to educate the younger Americans.

Especially those who run the risk of being drafted if Bush gets another term. What if there's a war going on that they don't believe in 100%? Will they just accept the draft notice & march off without a thought? If they believe 100%, why haven't they joined already?

And what's this about the "Hollywood-created image" of Vietnam? I believe young film buffs are more likely to have seen Apocalypse Now than The Ballad of the Green Beret.

Vietnam veterans protesting the war didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth back then & they don't now. I'm sure Bush & his fellow chicken-hawks would love for us to drop the whole subject.

[tlcandie]

36. And the cheering he got when he was done was enormous!!!

He was fully supported and at one point those at the hearing tried to stop him, but someone said he should be allowed to continue.

BRAVE INDEED! Somber as it should have been because it was a nigthmare just like Iraq!

Speak truth to power and I'm sure it is a gut-wrenching thing to do not knowing the outcome!

[sidpleasant]

41. One problem with Kerry and Vietnam

A letter to the editor in the Saturday New York Times pointed out that Kerry said he "defended America" in Vietnam, as if that war was something like fighting the Japanese or Nazis. While I'm happy to have a Democratic candidate who has a strong military background, let's not rewrite history. The North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong were never a threat to the United States. Like the invasion of Iraq our leaders chose to go to war in Vietnam for reasons that had nothing to do with defending America.

[KC21304]

23. And then we play the tapes of Nixon, Colson and Kissinger

setting up stooge John O'Neill to go against Kerry. And O'Neill saying he is willing to do anything they program for him.

Now O'Neill has written a " best seller" that will be coming out the end of Sept. I hope we can see that those tapes get shown a few thousand times before his book comes out.

[customerserviceguy]

24. You've hit on the thing

that I've been fearing most. Surely, there will be those from the protest era who have "gone Republican" in the thirty years since. Expect them all to be trotted out by Karl Rove and company.

Sorry, but Nixon, Colson, and Kissinger are history book figures to anyone under the age of 35. They horrify me, at the age of 48, but to a 25 year old, they're no more scary than Robert E. Lee. Just something bad that could have happened to this country, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

[Barkley]

14. If Iraq is any indication of how Bush fights 'dirty wars', Kerry will win!

Bush is fundamentally incompentent (F-911 definatively proves this point!).

And Cheney is irrevocably unpopular.

Bush has spent over $85 million in the campaign and is trailing Kerry/ Edwards.

Iraq is a disaster and no amount of flag waving, name calling or fear can hide it.

[agincourt]

19. I would laugh,

that during the debate, when the rat asks Kerry,"Wouldn't you go to war with Iraq if Odai raped Teresa?", that the audience starts pummeling shrub with foreign objects.

[The_Casual_Observer]

26. derisive and personal attacks on the Democratic candidate

I would be completely disappointed and deflated if chimp DIDN'T do this. This goes without question. He has already started it, two days ago. I hope he pulls out ALL THE STOPS like in devil in the fucking exorcist.

[JDPriestly]

27. Isn't four months in a swift boat

more close-up combat than most Navy people ever see unless they are in the Seals or Marines? Aren't the Repubs offending all the Navy people who never see combat by suggesting that Kerry wasn't a true patriot because he only spent four months at combat in addition to three years and more normal Navy duty?

[glitch]

48. I think they are offending everyone who ever spent time 'in country' f

including the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a stupid move, I applaud it.

[Triana]

28. they'll campaign on his record?! IF THEY DID THAT HONESTLY...

...the little Weasel would undoubtedly lose...

[Swamp Rat]

29. Bring it on Rove!

How are you gonna prep your little monkey for the debates with Kerry?

[Tight_rope]

30. Bring it on...The World knows that Bushco are scumbags!

[psychopomp]

31. Zogby says the post-convention polls spell trouble for Bushco

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=849
Released: July 30, 2004

The Race Is On: An Analysis of the Post-Convention Zogby Poll By John Zogby and Christopher Conroy

The most recent Zogby poll shows deeper trouble for President George W. Bush beyond just the horserace. Mr. Bush has fallen in key areas while Senator John Kerry has shored up numerous constituencies in his base. The Bush team’s attempted outreach to base Democratic and swing constituency has shown to be a failure thus far, limiting his potential growth in the electorate.

The most important group in this election now is the undecideds and Mr. Bush’s standing among them is weak. He is generally well liked among the undecideds, having a strong favorability (56%), but his job performance is another story. Only 32% approve of Bush’s job in office and only 31% believe the country is headed in the right direction. The undecideds are not yet sold on Mr. Kerry, with only 49% having a favorable opinion of him. But Mr. Kerry can still sell his message to them: over a quarter (28%) are either not familiar enough or are not sure of their opinion yet. These undecided voters are generally dissatisfied with the President, but are still not acquainted enough with the Senator from Massachusetts to support him.

-more

This link was posted in this LBN thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=721443&mesg_id=721443&page=

[Jawja]

34. Take out all of the

Big Media polls, with the exception of Time and Newsweek, and Kerry has a 47% - 39% lead as of today.

I have been tracking the polls in a spreadsheet and after yesterday's bullcrap CNN poll and an earlier AP poll, I decided to take out NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and their alliances with the newspapers -WP, NYT and USA Today. I'm sure Kerry's lead is probably not that much, but it is not as close as Big Media says it is - and Kerry is certainly NOT behind at this point.

[ChickMagic]

37. I was up all last night watching the news

and they said, over and over, that the Dems got no bounce from the convention. And that was CBS. I imagine that CNN and Faux are saying the Pukes got a bounce from it.

[colonel odis]

38. i heard that, too, this morning.

that the republicans got a four point bounce from the democrats' convention.

and in further news, a cow jumped over the moon and the tooth fairy left a quarter under someone's pillow.

oh, and they've already started in on kerry's daughters. one radio station had a poll here to see whose daughters were hotter, bush'ss or kerry's. apparently, more people in nashville prefer dumb and fleshy to intelligent and pretty.

[ChickMagic]

40. Wow - I'm a prophet!

Every time I think they can't get any more shameless, they do.
What juvenile right winger doesn't like a girl that he can get likkered up and have his way with?

[colonel odis]

51. probably not juveniles. that's the really creepy part.

n/t

[Juicy crone]

42. Other countries know so much more

The present administration will continue to push the fear factor and so many of our countrymen tend not to pay attention, just listen to the sound bites. I see where people are upset about Kerry not paying attention to their special need, but the whole thing is that he needs to get elected We must turn about our path that this administration has led us. Divided we cannot stand. We must learn to live in the moment and plan for the future Scare tactics keep us from our power. I have run for congress two times. I found honesty didn't work. In West Virginia I demanded change form Strip miners. opps!
In New Hampshire I said we needed another tax so our property taxes wouldn't be so our of hand. We don't have sales or income tax. Opps. nobody wants to hear the truth. So Kerry must stand for what will get him elected and then we must work on what needs to be done.
I look for the chip in the Republicans, a place for the light to shine. We cannot really want thing at the base level to be so different for our families.
One friend send me an email and seeing as I feel women must take responsibility for themselves said who do we choose. Theresa Heinz-Kerry or Laura Bush. Sort of makes one think. And if it is Laura, I no longer want to associate with them.

[Juicy crone]

43. Other countries know so much more

I talk to my friend in Canada, they hear so much more. I just signed the thing about making all TV and radio fair and balanced news. Wouldn't that be great. Seeing as I live on a hill, no cable just the basic four stations, I don't see Fox. What I really appreciated was PBS's coverage of the convention for all three hours. I resent the fact that the "big" guys didn't think the conventions were worth giving the time for us all. So the other countries have more truth.

[struggle4progress]

52. kick

:kick: