Kerry Says He Won't Make Dukakis' Mistake

AP ^ | feb 7th 2004 | RON FOURNIER

[Eurotwit]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - As Democrats in two states went to the polls, front-runner John Kerry (news - web sites) vowed Saturday to aggressively counter Republican critics, drawing a stark contrast between his party and the GOP. "They're extreme. We're mainstream, and we're going to stand up and fight back," he said.

The Massachusetts senator, under fire from White House allies, sought to assure Democrats that he won't repeat mistakes of 1988 Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis, who responded cautiously to George H.W. Bush's assertions that he was a Massachusetts liberal.

"This week, George Bush and the Republican smear machine have trotted out the same old tired lines of attack that they've used before to divide this nation and to evade the real issues before us. Well, I have news for George Bush, Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie and the rest of their gang: I have fought for my country my whole life. I'm not going to back down now," Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, said in remarks prepared for delivery Saturday night to Virginia Democrats in Richmond.

Rove is President Bush (news - web sites)'s top political adviser. Gillespie, head of the Republican Party, has borrowed from the 1988 play book to label Kerry a Massachusetts liberal with a "long record in the Senate is one of advocating policies that would weaken our national security."

As votes were being counted in Michigan and Washington state caucuses, Kerry looked beyond his bickering Democratic rivals to the fall election. Kerry is trying to convince voters that he's above party wrangling and ready to focus on Bush.

"This is one Democrat who's going to fight back, and I've only just begun to fight," he said. "George Bush, who speaks of strength, has made America weaker — weaker economically, weaker in health care and education. And the truth is George Bush has made us weaker militarily by overextending our forces, overstraining our reserves, and driving away our allies."

Earlier, Kerry said he'll campaign against Bush in the South, dismissing Republican assertions that he is too liberal and out of touch to win in Dixie.

"This administration is busy trying to paint everybody else as out of touch, out of synch, somehow out of the mainstream," Kerry said at a Nashville university. "But let me tell you something: I'm not worried about coming down South and talking to people about jobs, schools, health care and the environment. I think it's (the president) who ought to worry about coming down here."

Kerry made the remarks at the beginning of a weekend swing through Tennessee and Virginia, the two states holding elections Tuesday. His main rivals, John Edwards (news - web sites) and Wesley Clark (news - web sites), need a victory in the Southern primaries to keep their races afloat.

Kerry has gotten himself in trouble by suggesting that a Democrat can win the presidency without carrying a Southern state. While that may be mathematically possible, even Kerry's own advisers say it was indiscreet to talk of putting an entire region off the Democrats' political map.

In his Virginia remarks, Kerry said Democrats represent the mainstream, Republicans the "extreme," on a number of issues, including tax cuts, fiscal responsibility, health care, violence against women, the federal judiciary, civil liberties and national security.

"Our opponents now say they want to campaign on national security. But this is the same administration that slashes health care for veterans, tries to cut combat pay for our troops in the field, makes injured soldiers pay for their own hospital meals, and leaves soldiers on their own to buy high-tech flak jackets," he said. "We are fighting for the mainstream value of a stronger America and for the ideal that the first duty of patriotism is to honor those who wear and have worn the uniform of the United States."

Kerry, a Navy veteran, said: "We all saw George Bush play dress-up on an aircraft carrier. Well, I know something about aircraft carriers for real. And if George W. Bush wants to make national security the central issue in this campaign, I have three words for him I know he understands: Bring it on."

It's a standard line in his stump speeches, one repeated in unison by cheering crowds.

Kerry's rivals have all but conceded three elections in Michigan, Washington state and Maine, and Kerry hopes to knock Edwards and Clark from the race with a sweep Tuesday.

Beyond that, the Democratic field, which still includes Dean, is moving to a potentially decisive showdown Feb. 17 in Wisconsin.

"When you add up the real deficits in our nation ... it's not just measured in money, it's measured in the hopes that are dashed," Kerry said in a speech to several hundred supporters Belmont University in Nashville.

Kerry said that when he engages with Bush, "it will be clear across this land that the one person who deserves to be laid off is George W. Bush."

[areafiftyone]

Kerry is going to make the McCain mistake by touting his Vietnam War record too much. People and the media are already getting sick of it.

[RandallFlagg]

Kerry Says He Won't Make Dukakis' Mistake

That's right. Kerry's mistakes will be a whole different animal; and legendary in scale.

[Quick Shot]

Ok... then he's a Vietnam vet "Massachusetts liberal"

[muawiyah]

Kerry is incapable of overcoming the "Dukakis" type of mistake because he is, in fact, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to the commies, leftwingers and Liberals.

[longtermmemmory]

Kerry already made his dukakis tank mistake by putting his own hecklers into the stands.

The demcrat party is not moving to the left they are running left. The mass decisions leaves no where for the democrat party to hide. The modern democrat party stands for socialism, they can not hide that or "move to the center" out of that.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Well, I know something about aircraft carriers for real.

I'm waiting for someone in the media to show some backbone and ask the question.....

"Senator Kerry, you always claim that you know something about aircraft carriers for real, unlike the President.

Senator, just what DO you know about them?"

[areafiftyone]

Kerry is a big headed conceited elitist creep! okay I got that out!

[glorgau]

He did however say that if his wife were brutally murdered that he wouldn't mind his children being raised by a gay married couple.

[RedMonqey]

We Southerns love our War Heroes. However we don't"cotton" up to Benedict Arnold type traitors who besmirch theie fellow soldiers as "baby-killers and throw somebody else medals over a fence in mock protest.

Bushhas made some serious mistakes but he is blessed by his enemies'choice of leadership.

[Guillermo]

This guy has a more leftist voting record than Ted Kennedy, and he calls himself "mainstram?"

[John Jorsett]

This week, George Bush and the Republican smear machine have trotted out the same old tired lines of attack that they've used before to divide this nation and to evade the real issues before us.

Like the "Bush was AWOL" story just sprang from the ground spontaneously? Democrats are the Sultans of Smear.

[Dog]

Kerry is on the record as being against the death penalty of terroristsHere is a question I would love to see someone ask him...

"Senator Kerry US Forces have captured Osama Bin Laden......will you support his getting the death penalty?"

[Owen]

Making sure Kerry is recognized as a left wing extremist is only 1/2 the job. Regardless of how our own extremists react, it is important that Bush be understood as a mildly right leaning centrist.

[Owen]

Oh and by the way, labeling Kerry as a left wing extremist is only a "smear" if he'd like to stand up and disclaim all support as a leftist. The way for him to do that would be to encourage all extreme leftists to vote Green. If he won't do that, then the must consider being called liberal a smear.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Kerry already made his dukakis tank mistake by putting his own hecklers into the stands.

A nazi-like trick.

Hitler had the Reichstag torched and blamed the communists.

Watch out for this neonazi.......his bag of dirty tricks is bottomless!

[TravisBickle]

John Kerry was in Viet Nam? Hmmmmm. I did not know that.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

KERRY WAS DUKAKIS' LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR!!!!!!!!!

[Owen]

Vietnam is not the issue. He is a left wing extremist. That is the mantra to get firmly attached to him. Bush is a mildly conservative centrist. That is the battle. The battle is for the center. The center needs to hear the label over and over again.

The L Word.

[N. Theknow]

Pretty hard to not make a mistake that has already been made.

[ClearCase_guy]

Bring it on! Do you like my sound-bite? Pretty cool, huh? I stole it from President Bush.

When he says it, he sounds like a dumb Texan. When I say it, I sound manly.
When he says it, he sounds like a cowboy. When I say it, I sound decisive.
When he says it, he sounds like he means it. When I say, I sound like an effete liar.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

"Senator Kerry US Forces have captured Osama Bin Laden......will you support his getting the death penalty?"

Yes, but only if he gets a fair trial first.............in France.

[Sam Cree]

"In his Virginia remarks, Kerry said Democrats represent the mainstream"

That's assuming that the mainstream is now socialist. Trouble is, one can make a good case for exactly that.

Kerry is quite vicious in his remarks about GW. I notice that most Democrats, from entertainers to businessmen to politicians are the same way. I suspect that may not play that well with the public, but am not sure.

[SierraWasp]

He cain't hep himsef! He's already a cross between MaCarthy/Moandale and Dukakis!!!

[longtermmemmory]

Somehow kerry strikes me as the algore type. The kind of person who sits in the congressional hall "reading" a physics book in order to look impressive.

From what I have seen in reports, kerry is legendary for introducing a bill and then being unable to find a co-sponsor. (keep in mind the democrats were in charge for most of his tenure)

Kerry's mistakes right now will be image oriented, like his planted hecklers exposed by Rush.

[shrinkermd]

I watched the Chris Wallace interview on Fox News Sunday with Kerry. Kerry is an unsubtle dominating personality who has groomed himself (and continues to groom himself) by speaking on both sides of many issues while adhering to a surrepitous liberal agenda.

Just calling him a liberal will not help much. What will help is pointing out that what he says and what he does are two different things. The slogan could be, "don't watch where his mouth goes but do watch where his feet goes." People hate inconsistent, unpredictable politicians. Picturing Kerry in this fashion over time will result in his acting and saying outrageous things in order to terminate the discussion of his actions.

[leprechaun9]

Let's see where is he starting from?
1. His liberal rating makes Ted Kennedy more conservative.
2. His is from Taxachusetts.
3. His is following the recipe of the Kennedy clan - throw snow balls, football, ice hockey, etc.
4. Spend his Senate career as a "Manchurian Candidate" by voting against every major military weapons system (without a trigger from Hanoi Jane Fonda!)

That is just for starters!

[longtermmemmory]

What would most voters want to be a cowboy kick *ss or a whiny impotent French style politician?

Yet another reason the democrat party is dying.

[Salvation]

**Kerry Says He Won't Make Dukakis' Mistake**

I hate to tell you this, Kerry, but your mistake is being from and serving as Lieutenant Governor of the state of Masssachusetts! LOL!

[tkathy]

GWB is not going to make his father's mistakes, either. This is going to be the dirtiest bloodiest election ever.

[Salvation]

**"Senator Kerry US Forces have captured Osama Bin Laden......will you support his getting the death penalty?"**

EXCELLENT question, Dog!

[longtermmemmory]

Why is kerry citing he will not make a Dukakis mistake?

why not Mondale?
why not Carter?

Could it be that he was Michael DUKAKIS' LEUTENANT GOVERNOR!

This statement is trying to distance himself from that fact.

Where are the pictures of Kerry and Dukakis together?
(can you say willie horton?)

[Robert A. Cook, PE]

Kerry's never served on an aircraft carrier.

Never been close to one.

Might never have ever even been on board one!

[Carolinamom]

Kerry was BESIDE a decommissioned one in Charleston,SC, when he announced for the 2nd time that he was a candidate. On another occasion, he said that he "had experienced" an aircraft carrier. LOL

[mombonn]

I'm beginning to detest this creep.

[mewzilla]

Hecklers. Heh heh heh. There's a Ron Fournier born every minute :)

[KC_Conspirator]

The Massachusetts senator, under fire from White House allies, sought to assure Democrats that he won't repeat mistakes of 1988 Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis, who responded cautiously to George H.W. Bush's assertions that he was a Massachusetts liberal.

Uh no, thats not what happened. What happened was that the truth came out about Dukakis and the people rejected him. It came out that he was against the Pledge of Allegiance, The truth came out that he would coddle the hypothetical rapist of his wife. The only person who honestly looked at his record and says, "Kerry's going to have a big problem" is Mort Kondracke.

[EGPWS]

"This week, George Bush and the Republican smear machine have trotted out the same old tired lines of attack that they've used before to divide this nation and to evade the real issues before us.

Did I miss something?

Since when did Dubya become a Democrat?

That statement uttered by F'in Kerry is the funniest line I have heard in ages.

[shamusotoole]

He also wears a leather Navy flight jacket. He would never have been issued one. He is as phony as he looks, a la Dukakis the tank driver.

[EGPWS]

Kerry said that when he engages with Bush, "it will be clear across this land that the one person who deserves to be laid off is George W. Bush."

...and then he awoke from his blissful dream filled sleep.

[arasina]

This is what John Kerry knows about aircraft carriers: "How to announce you're running for president by doing it in front of an aircraft carrier."

[shhrubbery!]

"They're extreme. We're mainstream, and we're going to stand up and fight back," he said.

Yeah right.

- Supporting partial-birth abortion isn't "extreme." (Kerry voted against banning this extreme "procedure.")

- Supporting changing the meaning of marriage isn't "extreme." (Kerry voted against the Defense of Marriage Act)

- Supporting enormous tax increases isn't "extreme." (Kerry voted for Clinton's tax increases, the biggest in US history.)

No, Kerry's not extreme at all. /sarcasm

[longtermmemmory]

A kiss of two feakish homosexual men.

"This was voted and approved by John F. Kerry for President."

[GailA]

Planted hecklers, hmm maybe some 'planted' vets too?

Kerry Plants Phony Hecklers to Look Tough!

Rush Limbaugh ^ | Feb. 6, 2004 | Ruch Limbaugh

AP's Ron Fournier reported that a Portland heckler yelled out to John Kerry, "Why don't you tell them about your vote on the war and the Patriot Act?" The senator is said to have "swiftly responded." He's quoted as saying, "I'll explain them all as we go along. I never run away from anything, especially George Bush."

A great comeback – or is it? The American Prowler: "John Kerry's campaign is planting volunteers at his appearances in order to make him appear tougher. At a rally yesterday at which he accepted the endorsement of Maine Gov. John Baldacci, Kerry faced down a heckler in the Portland audience... The candidate seemed to be quick on his feet in the response, and his retort garnered applause. Perhaps his quick thinking was the result of knowing the jibe was coming."

This information comes from "a Kerry campaign source," folks. Reports the Prowler, "[T]he campaign has been looking to plant local volunteers in crowds to mix it up, and to make it appear their man is facing down tough questioning. 'This kind of confrontation pushes him up the line in news coverage,' says the staffer. 'Instead of facing a tough question from a reporter, the news guys have this seeming give and take to report on.'" Can you believe this?

[mewzilla]

That's where I heard it :) Earth to Fournier...

[leprechaun9]

Willie Horton was a political tool of AL BORE in the NY Primary! The media has indoctrinated the masses to believe that Willie was a creation of the Republicans!

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Kerry seems like such an insecure fop.

Like every Democrat, he has no imagination, no new ideas.

He either parrots Howard Dean or copies President Bush.

Whether it's bashing Bush on the war, having a photo op with an aircraft carrier or twisting the phrase, "bring it on", Kerry is second fiddle.

When November 2, 2004 is history, he will revert to his former status as a has been.

[longtermmemmory]

All I have been having a hard time finding any pictures of Dukakis and Kerry together. It is as if none exist on google or they have been cleared off.

http://i.timeinc.net/time/covers/1101040209/images/376_nattack.jpg

If anyone can store this somewhere where it can be retrieved by anyone, please help.

During the 2000 campaign there was a free CD put out with nifty pictures of the candidates.

[longtermmemmory]

[Shooter 2.5]

Can anyone help do the research with me and find out if he Cosponsored Michael Dukakis's Gun Confiscation Bill when he was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts?

I'm still trying to find out who were the cosponsors.