MoveOn Wants to 'Echo Kerry's Message' to Overcome Bush's 'Misleading Attack Ads'

Talon News ^ | 8-3-04 | Jimmy Moore

[FlyLow]

SPARTANBURG, SC (Talon News) -- Liberal political action group MoveOn.org encouraged its members on Monday to "echo Kerry's message" to overcome the "misleading attack ads" from the Bush campaign in the coming weeks.

In an e-mail to supporters, MoveOn.org founder Eli Pariser said liberal Democrats should be excited by Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA) after last week's Democratic National Convention in Boston.

"Last week, John Kerry laid out a powerful vision for our country in his speech at the Democratic Convention," Pariser remarked.

However, Pariser said MoveOn.org supporters need to prepare for a wave of political attacks from the reelection campaign for President George W. Bush.

"This week, the Bush campaign is launching a major new campaign, focused on misleading the public about Kerry's record," Pariser warned, referring to a new ad that highlights Kerry's lack of accomplishment as a U.S. senator and missing nearly 90 percent of his votes on Capitol Hill in the past year.

Despite most major political polls taken after the Democratic Convention ended last week showing Kerry gaining little ground on Bush in a close election, Pariser said the Bush campaign is hoping to slow down Kerry's rise in popularity among voters.

"With misleading attack ads on the air and a national media tour, Bush is hoping that this assault will stop the powerful momentum Kerry has built from the convention," Pariser exclaimed, although some would argue Kerry benefited little from the event.

Sending out a call to action to MoveOn.org supporters, Pariser requested every member write a letter to the editor of their local newspaper to "carry [Kerry's] message forward."

"If we don't echo Kerry's message, the Bush attack may drown it out," Pariser cautioned.

To assist their supporters with this, MoveOn.org has listed "talking points, sample letters, and a tool to find your local paper" at their web site.

Touting Kerry's "positive message," Pariser said the Massachusetts senator hit on many ideas that are of importance to liberals, including universal health care coverage, a passive military that will not engage unless it is attacked first, opposition to outsourcing of jobs, alternative energy sources, more government programs for prescription drug coverage, keeping Social Security from being privatized, and more money for schools.

Also included in the "positive message" is "restoring credibility and honesty to the White House" and "never misusing the Constitution for political purposes," two obvious jabs at the Bush administration's handling of the war on terror.

Although supporting Kerry to be victorious in November is the immediate goal for MoveOn.org, Pariser said the long term achievements of the group are to implement the leftist ideas they espouse.

"Of course, these important changes won't happen by themselves," Pariser noted. "We will have to work hard to get Kerry elected, and then work equally hard to make sure there is a political environment where these reforms can become reality."

Getting the message out "in the editorial pages of the nation's newspapers," Pariser said that will send a message that people are "supporting and protecting [Kerry]."

"Writing a letter to the editor of your local paper is one of the most effective ways to get your voice in the media, and the opinion page is the most-read page for many papers," Pariser concluded.

Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.

[Almondjoy]

Well actually he was for Ohio football then Michigan football before he went to California and was for Gator Football before he was against it all.

Then he supported Ricky Williams in a pink tu tu.

[NeoCaveman]

I just emailed the story to thelocal talk show host with the highest ratings in town. Hopefully he runs with it.