Preparation for the media spin: Place your talking points here.

[mzmolly]

What we've noticed already is this question:

Media shill: "I thought Kerry wanted to talk about the issues, so why is he dragging this out"

A: Actually, Kerry has been talking about the issues. It's the Bush campaign and the media, that insisted in lying about the honor of John Kerry and his crewmates. John Kerry has a right to defend himself as well as his fellow Veterans against this slanderous attack.

Q: John McCain is calling this "political theatre" how does the Kerry campaign respond?

A: I would answer that the Bush campaign started this drama, and they have done so before to Max Cleland and Senator John McCain. The Kerry campaign is not letting Bush write the script this time.

Post your own media shill Q and A here. :hi:

[Nite Owl]

1. Once again we are left

to clean up the Republican messes. Tie to deficits, war etc.

[KurtNYC]

2. Soundbites

They say your IQ goes down 20 points when the camera turns on so for those of you coming to NY, have your soundbites ready just in case someone pokes a microphone in front of you. Here are some of mine:

They are running away from Bush's record of failure and deceit.

They are trying to distort John Kerry's positions to make him seem as bad as Bush.

The people who coined the phrase "Hollywood Hatefest" sure do seem to be enjoying theirs.

Arnold Schwartznegger is a one-man Hollywood Hatefest.

Their apparent ABK strategy is doomed and an obvious attempt to avoid talking about their strategic and economic failures.

[Joanne98]

3. mine

Q: why won't Kerry stop his 527"s?
A: Because they're not his. Moveon was formed years ago and is using PAC (hard money) to run ads which HAPPEN TO BE TRUE. Swiftboats got funded by the Bushie Texas scum and LIES about Kerry's medals.
Q: What about ACT?
A: ACT is a 527 but isn't even running ads DUMBASSES.

Question for the media?
When are you going to get your facts straight?

[Kimber Scott]

4. CNN making fun of campaigns "passing notes."

nt

[AspenRose]

5. Yeah, no kidding

What's up with that garbage?

If Bush* were a real man and a real leader, he'd handle this face to face instead of 'passing notes' and hiding behind dog catchers.

[cybildisobedience]

6. why is Kerry dragging this out?

He's not, and if the media had been responsible in INVESTIGATING the claims of the Swift Boat Vets, as opposed to generously giving them countless hours of airtime on both network and cable outlets, Sen. Kerry wouldn't be forced to go to these lengths to protect his honor and the honor of every American who has served in battle.

As the days go by, it is clearer and clearer that these Swift Boat Vets are nothing more than smear artists dispatched by the Bush/Cheney team to weaken and wound Sen. Kerry and trash his reputation (AS WELL AS THE REPUTATIONS OF FELLOW SOLDIERS). Maybe it's because Mr. Bush is embarrassed by his lack of combat service, or maybe it's because that's just what he and his minions do when they're in a tough race.
Under any circumstances, the citizens of this country are not served by a lack of focus on the issues that that impact their daily lives, and the veterans whom Mr. Bush says he honors are equally tainted by the suggestions that their well-earned medals are bogus.

Sen. Kerry isn't just doing this for himself -- this is a long-standing pattern with Mr. Bush and Karl Rove and others surrounding him and someone has to say, Enough!

[mzmolly]

7. Good ansa!

:)

[Memekiller]

8. Q: Why won't you denounce 527s?

I don't have a problem with 527s. I have a problem with lying.

[WilliamPitt]

9. Aren't the Kerry 527s and the Bush 527s the same?

The 527s helping Kerry deliver harsh campaign ads that tell the truth. The 527s helping Bush - specifically the SBVs - deliver harsh campaign ads that lie and lie and lie. If the difference isn't obvious, then we do really need to work on bettering the education system in America.

[mzmolly]

13. Good answer, and further ... The Kerry Campaign is not linked to any

527's as the Bush campaign is ...

[A_Possum]

10. Why won't you apologize for your anti-war activities?

Q. Why won't you apologize to all vets for your anti-war activities?

A. I could not forget or abandon my brothers in arms in Vietnam to a senseless and futile war, having seen it with my own eyes and heard their anguish. I had to do all I could to bring them home to their families and to the country they served so gallanty with all odds against them. And I never forget them, not then and not now.

*******
Kerry, the Congressional Record, 1971:

"Mr. Kerry: Well, Senator, frankly it does not appeal to me if American men have to continue to die when they don't have to, particularly when it seems the Government of this country is more concerned with the legality of where men sleep than it is with the legality of where they drop bombs. (Applause.)...

...But at the present moment that is not going to happen, so we are talking about men continuing to die for nothing and I think there is a tremendous moral question here which the Congress of the United States is ignoring...

...But I think if we can talk in this legislative body about filibustering for porkbarrel programs, then we should start now to talk about filibustering for the saving of lives and of our country. (Applause.)

And this, Mr. Chairman, is what we are trying to convey."

[Zynx]

11. He's not dragging this out. He's trying to get the truth out.

The media didn't do their jobs and instead gave credence to wildly inaccurate charges that were made to try to damage Kerry's character in order to try to tighten up the race a little bit. Now Kerry is trying to get the truth out that should have been apparent in the first place if the media had done their jobs properly.

[speedoo]

Kerry's answer to media "blaming" him for staying on Vietnam...

1. I gave a speech in Ny on Tuesday about policy. It got almost no coverage.

2. The media gave the Swiftliars enormous coverage before checking the veracity of their claims. We warned you about them, but you did not listen so we have to take the fight to them ourselves.

[gollygee]

12. Why won't Senator Kerry denounce 572 ads?

527 ads that state opinion are not a problem. 527 ads that state incorrect information and present it as fact - in other words ads that lie - are a problem. The problem isn't with the 527 groups, the problem is whether or not they lie.

[Hoping4Change]

14. IMO Kerry caimpaign should EMPHASIZE this ad smears all

veterns. Implicit in the ad is the message that the Armed Services f*uck up when they award medals, that in effect no medals are worth dick. That Purple Hearts are worth dick.

The reason why this ad is not like any other 527 ad is that it attacks the integrity and competency of the Armed Services when awarding medals. The ads are despicable for smearing Kerry's courage and that should be enough for Bush to denounce them however however we all know slime don't have backbones.

Therefore the Kerry camp should be demanding to know if Bush stands behind the Armed Services ability to award medals or are the people who award medals in the Army the same dorks who award medals in Gymnastics?

[mzmolly]

16. Agreed!

:hi:

[Stephanie]

15. The Coward of Crawford!

Once again Bush DUCKS out and sends someone else to fight his battle! Hiding in his bunnyhole!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. The Republicans are moderates, see Ahnold, Guliani, McCain speak

Assertion: The Republicans are moderates, see Ahnold, Guliani, McCain speak.

Answer: The Bush Republicans' real core consists of Cheney, Ashcroft, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Abrams, Bennett, Keyes, Buchanan, Limbaugh, O'Neill, Falwell.