Posted on 01/26/2004 12:00:28 PM PST by kattracks
NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — Howard Dean said Monday that he is closing fast on front-runner John Kerry on the eve of the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary while he accused his rivals of playing "dirty tricks" in the final hours.Dean trailed Kerry in most polls one day before the nation's first primary. He continued to criticize the Massachusetts senator for voting for the congressional resolution that authorized the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2002 but standing with the opposition to the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
"Foreign policy experience depends on patience and judgment," Dean said. "I question Senator Kerry's judgment."
Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter responded, "Howard Dean wouldn't know good judgment on foreign policy if he fell over it."
"Remember, this is the same man who has said that the nation was not safer with the capture of Saddam Hussein, said we shouldn't take sides in the Middle East, and that Osama bin Laden should get a jury trial," she said.
Dean, a former Vermont governor, said he has every intention of winning the primary and the race is "very close."
"I'm not sure it's a dead heat, but it's close and it's closing very fast," he said.
A questioner who identified himself as an undecided voter asked Dean how he would fend off nasty tricks from Republicans if he is nominated.
"Unfortunately, we are seeing a few of those tricks in the Democratic primary and we are getting better at getting used to that sort of thing," Dean said.
Dean did not specify any underhanded tactics. His spokesman, Jay Carson, said Dean supporters are getting phone calls criticizing Dean for, among other things, claiming to be a Christian when his wife and children are Jewish. Also, he said they are getting faxes and e-mails that are designed to look like they are from the Dean campaign but distort his record.
For example, Carson said, an e-mail that proposes to be from campaign manager Joe Trippi asks for interns, but then says because of tight sleeping headquarters, homosexuals are not accepted.
"In terms of the dirty tricks, I think we are seeing some of those in the primaries," Dean said. "You get used to it. It's not nice, it's not good for the democracy, but people do them and all you can do is try to get the press to focus on them because there's nothing better than shining a spotlight on somebody who's doing something wrong."
Carson said the Kerry campaign was making some of the negative calls in Iowa, but he was unsure who was behind them in New Hampshire.
Cutter denied that the Kerry campaign was involved.
"These are the same rumors that Howard Dean and his campaign spread before Iowa," she said. "It didn't work for them then and it's not going to work for them now."
The Dean campaign also said Dean was the victim of misinformation in Michigan, where a poll released Monday shows Dean losing his lead to Kerry in the Feb. 7 caucus. Daren Berringer, director of Dean's Michigan campaign, said the Kerry campaign is distributing a flyer that "distorts and outright lies" about Dean's record on the environment, energy, gun control, the death penalty and higher education.
"If John Kerry wants to continue distorting Howard Dean's record, our grass-roots supporters will have three words for him he might understand: Bring it on," Berringer said, borrowing Kerry's campaign slogan.
Cutter said the fliers were distributed by volunteers and once the Kerry campaign officials found out, they stopped it.
I can't help it...When I read the headline this is all I can think of...
[Dean] A week ago if you told me, I would be 3 points behind, I would have been happy.
But, I am not only catching him fast, I'm gonna' catch 'em.
THEN, I'll GRAB HIM BY THE HAIR!
THEN, THE EARS!
THEN, THE BALLS!
AND, THEN, I WON'T STOP UNTIL HE IS ENTIRELY EVISCERATED
YEEEAAAGHHH!
LOL !bttt for later ...
Poor Howie is the butt of somebody's dirty trick !:
Dean did not specify any underhanded tactics. His spokesman, Jay Carson, said Dean supporters are getting phone calls criticizing Dean for, among other things, claiming to be a Christian when his wife and children are Jewish. Also, he said they are getting faxes and e-mails that are designed to look like they are from the Dean campaign but distort his record.For example, Carson said, an e-mail that proposes to be from campaign manager Joe Trippi asks for interns, but then says because of tight sleeping headquarters, homosexuals are not accepted.
As opposed to shining a spotlight on Dean's records as Governor, which is not helpful at all.
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