Kennedy decries Healey's "Swiftboating" of Patrick

Boston.com / AP ^ | 10/07/2006 | Glen Johnson

[Panerai]

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy accused Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey of engaging in "gutter politics" in her campaign against Democrat Deval Patrick, declaring Saturday, "Make no mistake about it, this is swiftboating."

The Massachusetts Democrat, appearing with his party's gubernatorial nominee in Hyannis, did not specify the reason for his criticism. But it came at the end of a week during which Healey criticized Patrick for supporting the parole of a convicted rapist, and during which she began airing a television commercial criticizing Patrick for helping a cop killer get his death sentence reduced to life imprisonment.

"I've been in this business a long time, and I've seen this movie before," said a text of Kennedy's remarks. "When you can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, when you don't have a positive vision to offer, then you become desperate and resort to the politics of fear and smear. That's a game plan straight out of the Karl Rove playbook, and, in her desperation, Kerry Healey is following it to a tee. Frankly, that kind of gutter politics is not worthy of the lieutenant governor and will be rejected by the people of Massachusetts."

The senator, who himself is up for re-election this fall, added, "Make no mistake about it, this is swiftboating," he said, referring to ads attacking the military record of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., during the 2004 presidential campaign. The ads were run by a group called "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth."

[madison10]

"I've been in this business a long time, and I've seen this movie before," said a text of Kennedy's remarks. "When you can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, when you don't have a positive vision to offer, then you become desperate and resort to the politics of fear and smear.

He's kidding, right? ROFLMBO

[sgtbono2002]

If anybody is an expert on dirty politics , it is fat Ted "Killer" Kennedy.

By the way the local people of Massachusetts love sending this killer back to Washington.

[CzarNicky]

so she's telling the truth about him in other words.

[Mr_Moonlight]

Kennedy's remarks. "When you can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, when you don't have a positive vision to offer, then you become desperate and resort to the politics of fear and smear. That's a game plan straight out of the Karl Rove playbook

Looks like ol' Teddy [hic ..] Kennedy was [hic ..] looking in the mirror when he [hic ..] said this .......

[GeorgiaDawg32]

"When you can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, when you don't have a positive vision to offer, then you become desperate and resort to the politics of fear and smear."

I can't think of a better description of Democrats by one of their own..

[SoldierDad]

"I've been in this business a long time, and I've seen this movie before," said a text of Kennedy's remarks. "When you can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, when you don't have a positive vision to offer, then you become desperate and resort to the politics of fear and smear."

That coming from one of the architects of fear and smear.

[Panerai]

"By the way the local people of Massachusetts love sending this killer back to Washington. " That's right, they want to keep fatboy as far away as possible from Massachusetts.

[CAWats]

...against Democrat Deval Patrick...

Well, the Devil is a Democrat!

[Reily]

Nah Ted its not 'swiftboating'......its Mary Jo Kopeche'ing !

[pabianice]

Only a brain-dead Leftist could call highlighting a person's past crimes and bad behavior as "swiftboating."

[dirtboy]

Swiftboating. To a conservative, it means telling the truth about an opponent.

To a liberal, it means having the audacity to tell the truth about one of their own.

[Mr_Moonlight]

That's a game plan straight out of the Karl Rove liberal Democrat playbook

Sorry, had to fix my own post ........

[Robwin]

Swiftboating (defined):Telling the truth about some Liberal dirtbag.

[maggief]

Healy should decrie Kennedy is chappaquiddicking.

[george76]

[Panerai]

ping

[Bommer]

"When you can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, when you don't have a positive vision to offer, then you become desperate and resort to the politics of fear and smear.

Paging Mark Foley to the DNC Personal Distruction courtesy phone.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Swiftboating>

If I were Teddy I would stay away from any reference having to do with water...

[hotshu]

"But it came at the end of a week during which Healey criticized Patrick for supporting the parole of a convicted rapist, and during which she began airing a television commercial criticizing Patrick for helping a cop killer get his death sentence reduced to life imprisonment."

---

This was a bad move on her part. giving her opponent credit for supporting a convicted rapist and a cop killer will only endear him to the idiots who have repeatedly electing to the US Senate a man who left a young woman to drown in his car and another man who shot an unarmed fleeing Vietnamese 14 year old child in the back.