WP: Kerry Eschews GOP's Labels for His Own

[DeepModem Mom]

By John F. Harris
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, April 24, 2004; Page A04


Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry tried yesterday to shake off President Bush's charge that he is an unreconstructed liberal, saying instead that he is an "entrepreneurial Democrat" who wants to lower taxes on most businesses and middle-class voters.

"I don't want to lead a party that loves jobs and hates the people who create them, and I don't intend to," Kerry said at a luncheon appearance before the American Society of Newspaper Editors. "Instead of being a burden to business, I think government needs to fulfill a duty to help them succeed."

On national security, the senator from Massachusetts similarly struck a tone of tough-minded centrism. He said he differs with Bush only on means, not on the goals of vanquishing al Qaeda and ensuring that Iraq does not become a haven for terrorism....

***

Cumulatively, the speech was Kerry's most comprehensive effort in recent weeks to present himself as a creature of the ideological center and a tribune of the middle class. Like most of his competitors in the Democratic nominating contest, Kerry steered clear of his party's ideological divides during the primaries and emphasized his ability to unite the party around traditional themes....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37827-2004Apr23.html

[aquart]

1. That's my boy. Rephrase. Attack.

Never answer with their vocabulary. Never play by their rules.

[Direckshun]

2. My favorite part:

"I don't want to lead a party that loves jobs and hates the people who create them."

Well spoken, John! :)

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Well said.

*

[w4rma]

3. Extremely good tactics from Kerry! Explains his position well.

Poorly written, confusing, snide article, though.

[dusty64]

5. The Democrats need to start

getting the truth out soon. While I think the repigs are blowing their financial wad early, their smear campaign seems to have had an effect (sadly).

[robbedvoter]

6. I liked Clark's answer better - I guess I am unrepentant

"I am a liberal. We live in a liberal democracy... I think we should
be very clear on this. This country was founded on the principals of
the Enlightenment. It was the idea that people could talk, reason,
have dialogue, discuss the issues. It wasn't founded on the idea that
someone would get struck by a divine inspiration, and know everything
right from wrong… people who founded this country had religion had
strong beliefs, but they believed in reason, in dialogue, in civil
discourse. We can't lose that in this country. We've got to get it
back." -- Wes Clark

[drfemoe]

7. Bravo, Clark

This isn't completely clear to me. What businesses is Kerry talking about? Isn't this what whush has said, give tax breaks to "those who create jobs"? What's different here? It this a different subset of job creators? Someone please clear this up for me?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. I would still like to replace Kerry with Clark. Clark was my man....

from day one. I believed that Clark would redefine what a "Liberal" is in the nations mind-set. Kerry is too weak to do it. I guess we will have to take what we get.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Hmm, taxcuts and reduction in the size of govt.

Sounds familiar. Where have I heard these themes before? :freak: