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GOP Aims to Pull a 'Dukakis' on Kerry
Guardian ^ | July 27, 2004 | Will Lester

Posted on 07/27/2004 12:03:52 PM PDT by Vision Thing

BOSTON (AP) - Republicans ridiculed Democrat John Kerry's primary campaign contortions about the war on Iraq on Tuesday and handed out pictures of Kerry clad in a hooded blue anti-contamination suit as he climbed out of a NASA space shuttle orbiter.

The GOP effort to pull a "Dukakis" on Kerry is shifting into high gear.

In 1988, Republicans were able to turn Michael Dukakis from a Democratic presidential front-runner into a caricature soundly beaten by President Bush's father.

Key elements of that transformation were a constant drumbeat of criticism of Dukakis' alleged "liberal record" as governor of Massachusetts and a photo of Dukakis riding in a tank while wearing a helmet. At the time, Republican strategists for Bush's father compared the governor in the tank helmet to "Rocky the Flying Squirrel."

Asked the significance of the photo of Kerry in the anti-contamination suit, Republican chairman Ed Gillespie smiled broadly and said, "We just thought it was a great photo."

Republicans gathered at the GOP war room on Tuesday tried to pick apart a suggestion by former President Clinton that Kerry has the "strength and wisdom" to keep America safe.

"Part of wisdom is having a vision and being consistent with that vision," said Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman. "With Senator Kerry, we have seven different positions on his vote against the 87 billion dollars for Iraq.

"At one point he said it would be irresponsible to vote against it, at another point in time he voted against it, then he said he voted for it before he voted against it, now he says he's proud he voted against it."

Coleman noted that liberal filmmaker Michael Moore, director of "Fahrenheit 9/11," had a seat of honor at the Democratic convention.

"We had Michael Moore in the presidential box, someone who said Americans are stupid," Coleman said. "Michael Moore sits with President Jimmy Carter in his box. Is that the foreign policy coming out of this convention? Does that demonstrate the party's commitment to make tough decisions?"

While Republicans praised Clinton's speech Monday night, they turned on the Democrats Tuesday and claimed they were making false statements about the Bush White House record. The Republicans said Democrats are exaggerating the threats to Social Security, Medicare and a federal program that put extra police on the streets.

"You can say these things with a smile on your face, sound like you have a positive message," said Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, adding that statements distorting Bush's record are "still a falsehood."

Republicans say Clinton's successful Monday night speech will make things harder for Kerry on Thursday when he accepts the nomination.

"It's going to be difficult for Kerry to wrest control of these folks from the thrall of Bill Clinton," said veteran GOP strategist Rich Galen.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dukakis; kerry
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Comment #41 Removed by Moderator

To: cake_crumb
Ewwwwww, She is so un-kept and Icky, I wonder if she showers?


42 posted on 07/27/2004 12:54:37 PM PDT by cmsgop ( Bong Hits, Fraggle Rock Reruns and DU is no way to go through Life.............)
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To: Shermy

Lovely... a Kerry supporter flying the American Flag upside down at a rally.

Thanks, I hadn't seen that one yet.


43 posted on 07/27/2004 12:54:44 PM PDT by Tamzee (Tell me honestly, Honey... do these classified documents make me look fat?)
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To: Vision Thing

with all the significant issues we have to run on against Kerry - this is what the RNC comes up with, he looks funny in a space suit?


44 posted on 07/27/2004 12:55:31 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: Vision Thing

he looks like a "tele-tubbie"

LOL
The Capt.


45 posted on 07/27/2004 12:57:55 PM PDT by Capt.YankeeMike (get outta my pocket, outta my car, and outta the schools)
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To: Shermy

Caption: John Kerry standing upon the deck of the only weapons system that he truly approves of -- a mothballed battleship.

46 posted on 07/27/2004 12:58:41 PM PDT by Tallguy (If Clinton did a good job stopping the Millenium Bomber, I've got 2 Towers in NYC to sell you...)
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To: dead

47 posted on 07/27/2004 1:00:04 PM PDT by Southflanknorthpawsis
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To: Tamsey

I beg you to point out which one of those flags is upside down.

48 posted on 07/27/2004 1:01:12 PM PDT by brewcrew
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To: cmsgop

Now, now! When you are worth something in the neighborhood of a billion dollars, the proper term is "eccentric." </sarcasm>


49 posted on 07/27/2004 1:03:29 PM PDT by Tallguy (If Clinton did a good job stopping the Millenium Bomber, I've got 2 Towers in NYC to sell you...)
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To: dead

How dare you put Lemiwinks in the same picture as this group of fools???? :)


50 posted on 07/27/2004 1:06:56 PM PDT by GOPyouth (De Oppresso Liber! The Tyrant is captured!)
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To: Liz
In his space suit, Kerry looks like a character in a Planned Parenthood sex education training film to show kids how much "fun" it is to use condoms........Kerry looks like he's wearing a green condom on his head......and loving it.

ROTFLOL!

51 posted on 07/27/2004 1:09:19 PM PDT by onyx (The FRENCH capitulate. Are you FRENCH or GOP? BUSH/CHENEY '04.)
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To: cmsgop
(make sure you have your mouth firmly covered)

Kerry describes her as "sassy and sexy".

52 posted on 07/27/2004 1:09:44 PM PDT by cake_crumb (UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)
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To: Tallguy

You gotta grudgingly concede that the pic of Kerry on the battleship is a good one.


53 posted on 07/27/2004 1:10:38 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: brewcrew

You're right. My mistake from glancing at the jumble of blurry flags too quickly, sorry.


54 posted on 07/27/2004 1:10:52 PM PDT by Tamzee (Tell me honestly, Honey... do these classified documents make me look fat?)
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To: Vision Thing

It was difficult making the Presidential looking Duckcockass, look silly. Kerry on the other hand has all the qualities of a natural born clown. Just stand him up in front of an audience, or print his picture in a News Paper and the viewers can no more refrain from laughing their arses off, than can the Muslim terrorists, at the thought of this buffoon, being the only threat they would have to face in their destruction of the civilized world.

It's possible that our enemies would just laugh themselves to death if Capt. Kerryasinineous were to be elected, but why take that chance?


55 posted on 07/27/2004 1:14:23 PM PDT by F.J. Mitchell (I drove up behind a two horse trailer today- at first glance I thought Kerry & Edwards were in town.)
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To: dead
HA!!!
The gerbil is great! - I remember that episode of Southpark.
How very appropriate.
56 posted on 07/27/2004 1:16:17 PM PDT by Sgt_Schultze
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To: cake_crumb

Just after the sissy-armed "wild pitch", JFnK points at the National Guardsman (blaming him?) I would love to see that pic posted.....


57 posted on 07/27/2004 1:18:57 PM PDT by Onelifetogive
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To: cmsgop
Ewwwwww, She is so un-kept and Icky, I wonder if she showers?

Botox side-effects.

58 posted on 07/27/2004 1:19:47 PM PDT by demlosers
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
You gotta grudgingly concede that the pic of Kerry on the battleship is a good one.

But the word "Strength" on the podium rings hollow. The wuss's throw did not make it to the catcher.

Weak!

59 posted on 07/27/2004 1:25:28 PM PDT by Vision Thing (Nuance is for girlie men.)
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To: Sgt_Schultze; dead
The gerbil is great! - I remember that episode of Southpark.
How very appropriate.

I kinda felt bad for the gerbil in that episode, but I was glad to see that he lives on in dead's devastingly hilarious picture.

60 posted on 07/27/2004 1:28:28 PM PDT by Vision Thing (Nuance is for girlie men.)
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