Posted on 09/25/2004 1:29:39 AM PDT by The_Victor
WACO, Texas - President Bush (news - web sites) opened several new scathing lines of attack against Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites), charges that twisted his rival's words on Iraq (news - web sites) and made Kerry seem supportive of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein (news - web sites). It was not unlike the spin that Kerry and his forces sometimes place on Bush's words.
Campaigning by bus through hotly contested Wisconsin on Friday, Bush sought to counter recently sharpened criticism by Kerry about his Iraq policies:
_He stated flatly that Kerry had said earlier in the week "he would prefer the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein to the situation in Iraq today." The line drew gasps of surprise from Bush's audience in a Racine, Wis., park. "I just strongly disagree," the president said.
But Kerry never said that. In a speech at New York University on Monday, he called Saddam "a brutal dictator who deserves his own special place in hell." He added, "The satisfaction we take in his downfall does not hide this fact: We have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure."
_Bush attacked Kerry for calling "our alliance 'the alliance of the coerced and the bribed.'"
"You can't build alliances if you criticize the efforts of those who are working side by side with you," the president said in Janesville, Wis.
Kerry did use the phrase to describe the U.S.-led coalition of nations in Iraq, in a March 2003 speech in California. He was referring to the administration's willingness to offer aid to other nations to gain support for its Iraq policies.
But Bush mischaracterized Kerry's criticism, which has not been aimed at the countries that have contributed a relatively small number of troops and resources, but at the administration for not gaining more participation from other nations.
_Bush also suggested Kerry was undercutting an ally in a time of need, and thus unfit to be president, when he "questioned the credibility" of Iraqi interim leader Ayad Allawi.
"This great man came to our country to talk about how he's risking his life for a free Iraq, which helps America," the president said in Janesville. "And Senator Kerry held a press conference and questioned Prime Minister Allawi's credibility. You can't lead this country if your ally in Iraq feels like you question his credibility."
Bush repeated the attack later in the day and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) echoed the message in Lafayette, La. "I must say I was appalled at the complete lack of respect Senator Kerry showed for this man of courage," Cheney said.
Kerry's point was that the optimistic assessments of postwar Iraq from both Bush and Allawi didn't match previous statements by the Iraqi leader, nor the reality on the ground, and were designed to put the "best face" on failed policies.
"Facts can be stubborn things," said Kerry spokesman Phil Singer. "When there's a gap between the reality and the words coming out of the White House, we are going to point them out."
That's not to say Kerry hasn't been playing fast and loose with Bush's words.
Just Friday, the Kerry campaign sent an e-mail to supporters entitled "He said what?" citing Bush's remark that he had seen "a poll that said the right track/wrong track in Iraq was better than here in America."
The e-mail from campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill accused the president of having "no plan to get us out of Iraq" and thinking "the future of Iraq is brighter than the future of America."
Bush has a plan for Iraq — Kerry just disagrees that it is working. And the president wasn't comparing Iraq's future to that of the United States, only accurately reflecting one recent survey in Iraq and the latest trends in America that asked participants for their assessment of the direction their countries are going. After campaigning in Wisconsin, Bush settled into his ranch in Crawford, Texas, which will be his base of operations for several days as he crams for the first debate of the presidential campaign, to be held Thursday in Coral Gables, Fla. The first practice session was expected to take place Saturday night, with Sen. Judd Gregg (news, bio, voting record), R-N.H., playing the part of Kerry for a couple of hours and a slew of Bush's most senior White House aides and outside advisers on hand, spokesman Scott McClellan said.
lol "piker"
...he can't hold a candle to Kerry...
You strongly agree...times two
That happens to me a lot, I don't know why, I notice that it happens to other people also.
This same article was in my local paper this morning. The dims really have the news media (including Fox) working 24-7 to spin the latest Kerry. I heard one of the talking heads say Kerry had gathered his thoughts and now has a coherent message. And the dims thought 7 minutes was a long time for the President to gather his thoughts when told the nation had been attacked.
The AP should have to register as as 527! This "reporter" is a political operative just like Dan.
Bush repeated the attack later in the day and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) echoed the message in Lafayette, La. "I must say I was appalled at the complete lack of respect Senator Kerry showed for this man of courage," Cheney said.
Kerry's point was that the optimistic assessments of postwar Iraq from both Bush and Allawi didn't match previous statements by the Iraqi leader, nor the reality on the ground, and were designed to put the "best face" on failed policies.
"Facts can be stubborn things," said Kerry spokesman Phil Singer. "When there's a gap between the reality and the words coming out of the White House, we are going to point them out."
You left out the line where Kerry called him a puppet. Calling him a puppet for the US undermines his leadership.
This is the lead story in both TOP NEWS and US NEWS on Earthlink's NEWS/START PAGE. AP controls Earthlink's NEWS PAGE. The Associated (with Kerry) Press will keep this headline active through Tuesday next week.
I couldn't believe it when I saw this headline. That is completely outrageous and inappropriate. We should let AP know how we feel about this.
Especially considering in just the second paragraph they concede, "It was not unlike the spin that Kerry and his forces sometimes place on Bush's words."
Of course we've never seen any headline that says "Kerry Twists Bush's Words on Iraq."
The AP clearly has given up simply reporting the news and have gone into the campiagn public relations business. This is something you'd expect to hear from Howard Wolfson or Terry McAuliffe, not a news organization.
How many times have the Democrats "stated flatly" that Bush was AWOL from Guard duty in Alabama even though he met all the mandatory requirements, had the points required for good standing, and was given an honorable discharge?
When has the AP called the Democrats on that false charge and proclaimed "but that's not true."
I'd like to see that.
Somebody had to straighten them out.
Nice pair of kneepads you've got there, Jennifer.
I wonder why AP has called out John Kerry and his pack of spinners on the line that "Dick Cheney is still getting a paycheck from Halliburton", even showing a clip of his latest tax records to ostensibly prove the point.
However, Kerry is lying. Flat out lying. Dick Cheney is NOT getting a paycheck from Halliburton. It's called deferred compensation. It's money that was earned, and deferred, when he was CEO of the company. It's quite common among corporate executives.
But Kerry knows his gullible band of Bush-Cheney haters probably don't know that, being as anti-capitalist as they are, and are likely to believe any false accusation about Bush-Cheney-Halliburton.
Wasn't Patton, Boggs a Clinton defender law firm?
Why is their name ringing a bell?
"and made Kerry seem supportive of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein."
Would someone please inform sKerry that if he's not AGAINST Saddam, he's FOR him?!!!
We need to see more of Howard Wolfson. It's only a matter of time before the snakes begin to crawl out of his mouth.
Another reason for re-electing the President... a full investigation of Boss Terry's dealings in Global Crossing.
Handcuffed... raincoat over his head... sharing a cell with Saddam...
PRICELESS!
Does anyone with two brain cells to rub together doubt that this racketeer was neck deep in the CBS fraud?
Bingo.
Carolyn
Kerry thinks nothing should be hard to attain and should not come with sacrifice...when the going gets tough he thinks we should get out...when the going got tough for him in Nam he 3 hearted himself home and left his brothers behind...
Kerry says, paraphrasing "the brave insurgents [terrorist] in Iraq will be successful in their struggle against American tyranny!"
Kerry says, paraphrasing "We will not allow American puppets like Allawi to deminish the accomplishments of the brave insurgents in Iraq against the illegal Ameican occupation!" (I think he got it from a North Vietnamese memo)
Once a traitor, always a traitor.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/9755846.htm
Bush slams Kerry for Allawi swipe
Campaigning in Wisconsin, the president blasted John Kerry for questioning the interim Iraqi leader's credibility.
By JENNIFER LOVEN
Associated Press
JANESVILLE, Wisc. - Democrat John Kerry wrongly questioned the credibility of the interim Iraqi leader, and ''you can't lead this country'' while undercutting an ally, President Bush said Friday.
On Thursday, Bush and interim Iraqi prime minister Ayad Allawi expressed hopeful words about the future of Iraq, which Kerry characterized as putting the ''best face'' on a Bush administration policy in Iraq that he said has gone wrong.
''This brave man came to our country to talk about how he's risking his life for a free Iraq, which helps America,'' Bush said at a campaign event in battleground Wisconsin. ``And Senator Kerry held a press conference and questioned Mr. Allawi's credibility. You can't lead this country if your ally in Iraq feels like you question his credibility."
snip
Notice the same author, different words. The "twisting" part is missing...Yahoo or AP changing words?
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