Kerry on fire! Inspiring article from WashPost on Kerry

[chimpymustgo]

For all those complaining about the lack of message, lack of passion, lack of whatever - please read this coverage from the Washington Post. Words like "passionate", blunt", "excoriated" - and more...

********


Kerry Accuses Bush of 'Middle-Class Squeeze'
Democrat Declares Why He's Running

By Lois Romano
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 16, 2004; Page A15



ATLANTIC CITY, June 15 -- John F. Kerry brought his newly honed economic message here Tuesday, lambasting the Bush administration for creating a "middle-class squeeze," as the Democrat attempted to blunt criticisms that he has yet to offer a clear rationale for why he is running for president.


In a passionate speech before 800 union members here, the Massachusetts senator laid out his views on a myriad of populist issues -- from the standard of living to health care. "I'm running for president because . . . ," Kerry said repeatedly throughout the busy day of speeches and fundraisers in two competitive states -- New Jersey and Ohio.


"I believe in building up our great middle class," he told New Jersey's AFL-CIO. "I'm running for president because I want an economy that strengthens and expands the middle class, not one that squeezes it."


Kerry excoriated the administration for ignoring those who are struggling in favor of the wealthy, and for protecting pharmaceutical companies rather than consumers. He ridiculed the administration for developing a complicated tax code that he said panders to corporate America. "Our tax code has gone from 14 pages to 17,000 pages. Do any of you have your own page?" he said to laughter from his union audience. "Enron got its own a page. . . . And it looks like Halliburton got a whole chapter."


The forcefulness of Kerry's delivery and the words he chose were clearly intended to address critics in his party who privately say Kerry -- who often comes off as aloof and elitist -- has failed to excite the Democratic base and to give dissatisfied Republicans and swing voters positive reasons why they should turn to him for leadership.


"I pick up the papers some days, I read people say, 'Well, what's the campaign about? What's Kerry running for? What is the guy for?' Well let me tell you directly what it is," he told guests at rock star Jon Bon Jovi's New Jersey mansion Monday night, during a fundraiser that netted $1 million.

-snip-

Kerry was well-received at his stops in New Jersey and, later, in Ohio, where several hundred turned out in the rain to hear him. In New Jersey, he brought union members to their feet at least a half-dozen times with his speech. "He was very, very good, and I feel much better after hearing him," said Tom Fischbach, a steelworker who said the Massachusetts senator exceeded his expectations. "He said what needs to be done -- he wasn't at all mushy."

-snip-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44661-2004Jun15.html

[boobooday]

1. The media is realizing

They destroyed their own credibility by binding it to Bush's. Now they are trying to scurry away as fast as they can!

Better late than never, I guess . . .

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[ACK]

2. Man got some fire in his belly

This is what I like to see.

[ShaneGR]

3. The SKY is FALLING! We're DOOMED!!!

There's only 150 days to the election and our candidate only leads by 3-7 points in most polls against a President who only 2 years ago had a 75% approval rating! We've only spent about 60 million dollars, why haven't we blown the other 60 on needless advertising 150 days before the election! We should have spent 130 million, like Bush, so we could LOSE support by nauseating the american public! Why aren't we running more NEGATIVE ads?? Bush runs negative ads 100% of the time and look how much it has helped him! Why doesn't Kerry curse Bush everytime someone dies, I'm sure the media wouldn't hammer him for taking advantage of death and mayhem.

People, next month we have our convention. That's when we're opening our torpedo doors.

[meow2u3]

6. If you read between the lines of Kerry's ads...

you'll discover the subtle digs at Bush--including the outsourcing (read:theft of jobs) mania, shortchanging kids on education, the health care racket, price gouging on energy, and the consequence of disrespect worldwide.

It's not only that Kerry has just to tell the truth about Bush for it to be perceived as a negative campaign, but also Kerry is more subtle than Bush, and Kerry's ostensibly positive ad campaign can be construed as a covert negative one.

[DemoVet]

4. Another point about strengthening the middle class,

it strengthens democracy. A large, thriving middle class is an important moderating force in any society. As the middle class shrinks away, this country would be vulnerable to a Peronist type of populist (E.G. Pat Buchanan) who would proclaim his advocacy of the growing underclass from the moneyed class's pocket.

[BurtWorm]

5. If it's in the Washington Post, it must be true!

Who are you going to believe? The Post or your lying gut?

[CWebster]

7. Couldve fooled me

I saw part of it on the NJN. But then, if he demonstrated any life they would pigeonhole him as "too angry" or even "crazy". Apparently, the only thing that passes muster is brain dead or brain damaged goofiness.

[kaitykaity]

8. I can't wait to read what "caged hamster" Jodi Wilgoren

has to say about this new stump speech. I'm sure
she'll find some creative way to diminish it.

[chimpymustgo]

9. Lois Romano is a "cool kid", so this may signal a turn in Kerry's coverage

I thought the story was unbelievably positive.

[kaitykaity]

10. Really? I didn't know that.

Geez, I hope you're right. I'm so sick of the media
Gore-ing good Democrats.

Oh, and by the way, if the guys on Charlie Rose last night
are to be believed, (Mark Helprin, Tom Oliphant, and a
NY Times guy whose name I don't remember), then your avatar
is on the verge of coming true. They were saying that a
consensus is building that Edwards is going to be Kerry's
VP choice.

[PATRICK]

11. "I feel better"

Listen, everyone not in our studious groupings has been relentlessly under the media spell of Kerry "definition". Underneath they believe in Kerry but so far maybe have not heard HIS campaign definition except in bits.

Reality will dissipate this easily unless Kerry was to change himself 100% and maybe disappear. People are under siege with lies and a horrible situation. We have not need of charades and lies and false glamor when we have the real thing. Shrub has no real substance and that vacuum has been filled with our horror. Kerry is keeping on target relentlessly.

Furthermore, on reflection, a lot of his policy stands we don't like seem based on INEVITABILITY of retaking the White House and not collapsing all the troubles Bush has gotten us into so that our rivals(Chirac, Putin and company are no Tutus or Gandhis) and outright enemies don't make matters even worse. This may be rationalization of a sincere or political posture but in any event, to save lives and any influence we might have to heal and build, Kerry is right to hold to a line and then bring reason and American values back to the fore.

Of course we may rightly worry Kerry will be led down a bad path and maybe clueless on the depth of the Right wing evils, or that twenty years laboring under a right wing government will not make him forward enough for a future that will someday shake off their destructive influence. But for now, it looks as if he is the man to win this fight.

[Moderator]

12. chimpymustgo

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
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source.

Thank you.

DU Moderator