Kerry Campaign Wants to Rebut Film on TV

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites)'s presidential campaign, contending that Sinclair Broadcast Group wants to help President Bush (news - web sites) by airing an anti-Kerry documentary two weeks before the election, asked on Friday that each station carrying the program provide a similar amount of time to Kerry supporters.
...
In a letter Friday to Sinclair President David D. Smith, Kerry campaign attorney Marc E. Elias requested time on each station at an hour when an audience of similar size could be expected to be watching.

Citing decisions by the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites), Elias said stations that permit supporters of a campaign to "use its facilities to advance that candidate's campaign must provide supporters of the opposing candidate 'quasi-equal opportunities.'"

Elias said the content of "Stolen Honor" is not controlled by Sinclair or an independent journalistic organization and that the program is not a news program, a news interview nor a documentary that would qualify for an exemption.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=487&ncid=696&e=1&u=/ap/20041015/ap_en_ot/kerry_film

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. kick

[Vincardog]

2. Did he mention how easy it would be to counter their Lies about Sen. John

Kerry's past with the truth about pResident Bush's?

[Ezlivin]

3. See you on TV or see you in court - your choice

Go, Kerry, go!

[goodboy]

4. BIG MISTAKE

Why should Kerry lower himself to rebut this garbage. They want him to be distracted by this, and he's playing into their hands! The American people see Kerry as the President, the Vietnam shit has played itself out! Who agrees with me???

[JPace]

7. Not reacting to repug garbage always works to the advantage

of furious george. If we lose it will be because
we did not fight these liars hard enough in every
conceivable way.

[huckleberry]

15. What JPace said! Kerry has to fight back!!!

[goodboy]

31. why should he be distracted from talking about Bush? This election is

about bush!

[goodboy]

45. I believe it's a distraction. I guess we just have a diff. of opinion.

[radfringe]

64. if Kerry doesn't stand up for himself

then how can expect him to stand up for America?

I agree it is a distraction -- however the swift-boat ads smeared him in August and he didn't respond, if he keeps quiet then it's spun that he's 'agreeing' with the movie's accusations

he has to come out hitting and hitting hard

and if asked why he is responding - he has to say "if I don't defend myself, then how can people expect me to defend them. Unlike the President - I don't hide behind advisors, I don't let other people do the talking for me or to tell me what to say."

[goodboy]

66. In your opinion, did the debates help the American people see

Kerry as Commander in Chief? I do. I also think the American people as a whole want to hear about what's affecting them, health care, jobs, the war, (iraq, not vietnam). I've seen so many people say, "I'm tired of hearing about what happened 35 years ago." If that is the case, will the American people pay attention to this thing? Will answering these allegations get Kerry elected or will attacking Bush and offering people a viable, better, more competant choice get him elected?

[radfringe]

72. yes

he regained some of the ground he lost in august

polls still have him statistically tied with bush* -- so he can't just lay back and hope it blows over

he has to frame it as standing up for himself... he stood up and fought for America in Viet Nam, can he do no less now to stand up for himself and for America?

he didn't back down during the debates -- how is it going to play if he backs down on a PERSONAL attack?

[goodboy]

73. Here's what I think

"how is it going to play if he backs down on a PERSONAL attack?"

The same way he did in the debate by saying, "The presiden't doesn't have a record to run on, and so he's attacking me personally..I know what's important to the american people are jobs, health care, and homeland security and winning the war on terror, and winning in Iraq"

He could say something about attacking him personally is a diversion from Bush's failed presidency...

Do you see how they could be playing this to distract Kerry, and get him on the defensive, and prevent him from making the case against bush?

[radfringe]

74. so he phrases it like this

Since August I have been subjected to accusations regarding my service in Vietnam. It has caused discomfort to myself and my family, but most of all it has been a distraction of the issues surrounding this campaign.

This distraction does a great diservice to you the the American people because it has prevented you from hearing all sides of all the issues. For this, I apologize to the American People.

Although this movie attacks me directly, I will not waste your time in engaging on an issue which has no bearing on the problems we face today.

[goodboy]

75. kick ass....(nt)

[study_war_no_more]

9. if kerry were to appear to rebut rape charges/

the taint would still be there even after charges were rebuked, on the other hand if michael moore was to show 9/11 Farenheit hmmmm, I think this would illustrate the situation perfectly. This is extremely dangerous prescedent if they get away with it but Sinclair is the messenger this should be on the steps of the white house period.

[cosmicone]

27. These are not rape charges

Kerry HAS to defend himself. If he had attacked the smearboat vets, he could have sent some media hounds after the group sooner.

This is the correct strategy -- to keep the Sinclair dirty trick in the news as a dirty trick for the president. That way, even those who watch KNOW that it is a dirty trick and watch it with a grain of salt.

I think Kerry's strategy is to point out that there is another side and no one should make up their minds without hearing the other side.

[goodboy]

50. I agree with you on principle, but tell me how answering these allegations

will get JK elected.

[goodboy]

32. do you think Kerry should dignify this bullshit with a response?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

44. You're not getting it, are you? Wake the hell up...

Every single time a Democrat lets these things go, they not only claim that you must not have a defense, but they go on to launch additional attacks.

The only thing these bastards understand is a hard-hitting defense combined with attacks on THEIR weaknesses.

And NO, this is not a waste of time, and NO, the lessons of Vietnam are still haunting us to this very day....just look at the Middle East.

[goodboy]

46. I understand what you are saying, but I disagree. Bush has no record

to run on, and the only hope he has of winning is to distract the american people, and john kerry from the real issue, which is bush's record. any time kerry gets, he should use to attack bush. The debates proved that the american people see him as a commander in chief. I believe he's inoculated from this now, and any time spent on "rebutting" this bullshit is time that could be used to attack bush.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

51. Excuse me, but IMHO, Kerry's staff is now large enough to do both....

...and to pile it on.

We've had four long years of our Democratic Party "leaders" bending over and taking up the butt from the NeoCons and their fellow travellers.

ENOUGH!

It's time to not only fight back but to slam their faces into the concrete until they shut the hell up.

NEVER AGAIN!

[goodboy]

58. I think we really are in agreement on principle, it's just the matter of

whether or not to answer these allegations, as opposed to using that time to attack Bush, is where we sorta diverge...but it's cool, man, beause that's the great thing about this place: We are all in this together, and we all have the same goal which is to elect John Kerry on Nov. 2nd. Whether we agree all the time or not is irrelevant. We're all working toward the same goal, and that's why I appreciate all of our conversations.

[chimpy the poopthrower]

11. Kerry just wants equal time.

The headline is misleading. There is no indication that Kerry would use that time specifically to rebut the film.

[PATRICK]

17. Exactly!

Bush team will have handed a blank check to Kerry to do whatever he wants while nothing positive about Bush appears in the single issue slur. I predict they will withdraw the Swift Boat infomercial should Kerry appear close to getting what he demands. Even should there be rules on content this would be extremely damaging to Bush and beneficial to Kerry AND just the sort of national rebuttal of the ads that he should have been given all along.

[goodboy]

33. I agree with equal time, he should be using that time to attack bush

and not piss around with this vietnam shit.

[henslee]

36. Duh, I'm so stupid.

[ET Awful]

14. No, a big mistake would be the campaing trying to stop the film

from airing. It would make it look like they had something to hide. They can't let it air without response because it makes it look like an admission of it's allegations.

Equal time is the perfect response.

[goodboy]

34. Equal time is the perfect response, I agree. Nt

[sweetheart]

16. Come out and speak the truth

"I will not be tarred and feathered by the bush campaign for
Fighting for my country in viet nam. Especially, as the people
who are behind these slanderous attacks on my reputation, themselves
cowardly avoided the war, and only fight wars when someone else's
life is on the line."

With the proper prep, the REAL issue can be addressed head on.

[goodboy]

37. He can not afford to be distracted by this thing. Last night on nightline

the swifties were totally discredited. The American people have seen JFK as the president, and IMO have heard enough about vietnam. This will backfire on Sinclair and the right wing fascists who are putting it on, and when Kerry's president, he'll bring the fairness doctrine back, and that'll be that.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

47. Have you looked at the situation in Iraq lately?? We are in that mess....

...precisely because the harsh lessons of Vietnam were completely ignored.

People remember only what they were told LAST...the Swift Boat liars CANNOT be allowed to show their movie completely unchallenged.

[goodboy]

49. You're right in that Iraq is what we should be talking about. I sincerely

believe that is what the american people want to talk about, and that is precisely why John Kerry should use the time to talk about Iraq and other stuff, not answering these allegations.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

52. So, I guess you just want to do a "Daschle", and just bend over??

[goodboy]

56. no, I want to attack bush with every minute of time I have...nt

[RoyGBiv]

18. Not this time ...

I'm normally of a similar mind, but this is bigger than simply reacting to outlandish propaganda. There is a fundamental principle at stake here, and if Kerry doesn't jump on it and try to do something about it, he would sadly be part of the problem.

Communications companies cannot be allowed to do what Sinclair is trying to do. The CANNOT.

Kerry is doing the right thing.

[goodboy]

38. Using equal time to attack BUsh is smart, but responding to this

bullshit is not.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

40. Evidently, not very many people agree with you.

[goodboy]

48. That's OK. Nobody agrees with everyone all the time...nt

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

21. Free air time to Kerry campaign to list the "litany" of Bush failures.

The Sinclair programming is 100% "Attack Kerry" material. It is not "partially attack Kerry, partially attack Bush." Kerry does not have to spend ONE MINUTE of the air time "defending" ANY of the material presented. If the Bush campaign receives the "gift" of Kerry attack material flimsily disguised as "news programming," then James Carville can sit down with Kitty Kelley, Michael Moore, David Corn, etc. and come up with an equal amount of "news-worthy" Andi-Bush programming flimsily disguised as "news programming."

That's the issue. Should Kerry take advantage of that opportunity or not. Do Rove and Hughes feel SO confident that they'd stand back and let ALL of Junior's dirty linen air in public right before an election in which he's already gasping for air?

...and I would make sure to use the word "litany" as often as possible, in order to shove this whole sordid mess as far as possible up the backsides of Bush and Hughes, who seem to L-O-V-E the word.

They won't love it as much after an hour of "rebuttal" TV that James Carville and friends have prepared.

I agree with you to a point, but remember that the "Vietnam shit" put forth by the Swift Boat Liars did "play itself out," but for the approximate one month in which Kerry did not fight back HARD, he took a hit. It also became the battleground for a bloody little Civil War here on DU, dividing it into three camps:

Camp #1: DUers asking "Why isn't Kerry fighting back"

Camp #2: DUers responding "Why don't you shut the fuck up"

Camp #3: DUers who stayed out of the "debate"

So if history must repeat itself (and in the world of Karl Rove politics in which his candidate is behind, it must)...if I had the choice between Kerry doing NOTHING or Kerry doing SOMETHING, I'd go for Kerry doing SOMETHING.

:toast:

[goodboy]

41. Attacking bush is smart, answering these bullshit allegations, dumb.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

55. The Democrats have been following your advice for the last four years....

...and where the heck has it gotten us?? Do you want more of the same, or worse, unless we stop them here and now??

[goodboy]

59. My advice is to attack bush...period.

[Dr Fate]

26. We lose everytime we refuse to tell the truth.

We need to counter-act this w/ the truth.

[goodboy]

42. the people know the truth, they can see JFK as commander in chief

He should use any time he has to attack bush, and that's it.

[Claire Beth]

28. not a big mistake....

he needs to fight back. If he doesn't people (not us but perhaps some undecidedes) may think it's true or he would fight back about it. Clinton fought back and that is why he was so successful. Kerry has to do the same.

[goodboy]

53. tell me:

Do you think the debates helped the american people see john kerry as commander in chief? And if so, tell me how this thing, which has gotten so much negative attention will change that? Won't the american people know it's a hit piece? Aren't they tired of this?

[sandnsea]

30. Corporate RW media control

That's what they're exposing and they're right to do it. I hope we can keep this story in the news all the way to election day. What liberal media?

[henslee]

35. Totally agree. Equal time with a * "hit" piece is the only response.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goodboy]

54. boy if I had a nickle for everytime I've heard that in my life...NT

[Media_Lies_Daily]

57. Based on your posts today, you'd be QUITE wealthy, I'm sure.

[goodboy]

60. LOL, If I were, I'd donate it all to get rid of George Bush...

but I can appreciate the difference of opinion, and I respect it.

[CookieD]

76. Kerry's calling their bluff

Smart move.

[je11]

5. show F911 movie

that should be good counter programming, and will probably get more viewers too!

[JPace]

6. The Nightline show last night supports Kerry's

version of his service, this needs to
brought out bigtime.

[coreystone]

8. An excellently timed, "MEASURED" response to Sinclair...

Broadcasting, since they have already offered Kerry "equal" (?) time.:kick: The important element is the "Kerry supporters" aspect. This "could" allow for the voters in those areas to more closely identify with strong, informed, Kerry supporters at the LOCAL level. The "one of us" factor is usually a plus.

[study_war_no_more]

12. This would be like appearing on Jerry springer

to repute allegiations from the seventh grade class of new skinheads for christ. Absurd do not deal with them directly at all. Surround them and riducule the hell out of them.

[coreystone]

13. The request is vague enough to utilize the "quasi-equal opportunities"...

to disallow Sinclair from mandating the "forum" of "equal" time. This could cover a completely whole list of possibilities, if Sinclair accepts.

"In a letter Friday to Sinclair President David D. Smith, Kerry campaign attorney Marc E. Elias requested time on each station at an hour when an audience of similar size could be expected to be watching.

Citing decisions by the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites), Elias said stations that permit supporters of a campaign to "use its facilities to advance that candidate's campaign must provide supporters of the opposing candidate 'quasi-equal opportunities.'"

[chimpy the poopthrower]

10. Headline is very misleading.

I see nothing in article that claims Kerry wants to "rebut" the film. Kerry is simply asking for equal time as guaranteed by law.

The time would be Kerry's to use as he wishes.

[KittyWampus]

20. Thanks For Highlighting That. Misleading Headline...

[demokatgurrl]

19. Why oh WHY do they have to do this?

it isn't worth a minute of their attention, they have a goddam election to win!!!!!Send a surrogate. Kerry, for sure, should stay the hell out of it.:mad:

And equal time is no longer mandated by law- Thank you Ronald Reagan.

[mac56]

23. Here's why:

As RoyGBiv said above, there's a fundamental principle at stake here that's bigger than just responding to Sinclair's propaganda. Broadcasters cannot be allowed to do what Sinclair wants to do.

Kerry is right to jump all over this.

[chimpy the poopthrower]

24. equal time

RR did away with the Fairness Doctrine. Looks like equal time still exists:

In a letter Friday to Sinclair President David D. Smith, Kerry campaign attorney Marc E. Elias requested time on each station at an hour when an audience of similar size could be expected to be watching.

Citing decisions by the Federal Communications Commission, Elias said stations that permit supporters of a campaign to "use its facilities to advance that candidate's campaign must provide supporters of the opposing candidate 'quasi-equal opportunities.'"

[goodboy]

63. yup.

[bagnana]

22. God I despise O'Neill

He is a pathetic fat bitter asshole. I hope nothing good ever happens to him.

[Claire Beth]

29. ain't that the truth!!!!

[LiberalEsto]

25. It shows he has guts and smarts

and is standing up for his rights. Good move by Kerry. He's not trying to censor the film, but using it to get free airtime for himself. Excellent!

The ChimpyWimpy tried to block F911 through all kinds of surrogates but never stood up himself to denounce it. That's the kind of gutless coward he is. All his supporters achieved was building up huge interest in the movie.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

43. I think DNC should purchase ad time.

This would:
1) demonstrate that Kerry isn't afraid of rethuglican propeganda,
2) remind mainstream America that he encourages free speech, unlike Dumbyass, and
3) offer an opportunity for rebuttal/reasons to vote for Kerry.

[KC21304]

61. Have any of you heard Kerry 's testimony before the

Foreign Relations Cmtt. in 1971 ? I mean ALL of it. Being that this Swift Liars film is about Kerry's activities after the war, I think Kerry should demand the whole testimony is shown. It would be awsome. You can see the respect he got from both Dems and Republicans.

And the similiarities to Iraq are overwhelming. This would be our ticket to victory I am convinced.

[OnionPatch]

62. I say good for him!

I agree with those who say we let these things pass without a fight too often!! I bet a majority of the Americans STILL believe that Al Gore said he invented the internet!
I think Kerry can refute the claims one by and and put THEM on the defensive at the same time by pointing out the low-down, dirty politics these people are practicing. He can accuse them of being the kind of people who are dividing America and causing us to hate each other so much.
I think this can be an effective move and I, for one, hope he does it! When I read this post a great sigh of relief came over me. I'm sick and tired of not fighting back against these evil ploys. I'd rather fight back and lose than not fight back at all.

[saracat]

65. Yeah . well the Kerry Campaign can ask for whatever they want.

There is no reason to assume they will get it. I spoke to Mike McCurry and Terry McAuliffe about this at the Debate in Tempe and they were both for hitting back hard. They seem to recognize delay hurt with the SBVFT. Unfortunately , there is ,unbelievably , a counter argument that Bush deserves the extra time as the film is about Kerry!

[goodboy]

68. wow.

"Unfortunately , there is ,unbelievably , a counter argument that Bush deserves the extra time as the film is about Kerry!"

wow.

that's spinning so hard, it's actually causing me to spin.

thanks for posting this though, it helps remind us how illogical these people think

[coreystone]

67. OK! Here’s the game…..

We have less than three weeks to allow negative spin from the biased media to do their hit on Kerry. Now! I really don’t think that this is the right time to “play it SAFE” with these guys. They haven’t been fair before, and they won’t be fair this time.

It is mandatory that Kerry address this issue directly. The “directly” is not necessarily to refute, step by step, the “CONTENT” of “Stolen Honor”; it is to DEMAND the right to have equal time to make a “'quasi-equal” case of ASCERTING his campaign to neutralize the effects of the negative aspects of this media journalistic travesty.

I am not generally given to making “crude” comments in my postings, BUT, this is a “tit twisting” and “ball busting” Presidential campaign as this country has NEVER seen before!!!!

I support, wholeheartedly, the TACTICS of the Kerry campaign upon this issue. THIS IS THE GAME!!! And, if Kerry does not completely, without reserve, JUMP on Sinclair for the “equal time”, to address any issue he wishes, with any representatives of his campaign, he will be making a major error.

Realizing that Kerry has done this, and, realizing how well he did in the debates, gives me great CONFIDENCE in his judgment. Now, isn’t that why he is a better candidate than Bush???


:dem:

[goodboy]

69. nice.

adressing the issue directly, may not be the same as refuting it point by point, but to have equal time, and do whatever he wants with it is, in fact, what this is all about. My other posts in this thread truly reflect the spirit of what you're saying, I'm just afraid that this is being played to distract Kerry from the issues and put him on the defensive about his war record, when it's bush's record he should be talking about,.

[coreystone]

70. I appreciate your position.....

but, I do think this is where we allow Kerry's judgment to prevail. It is a very intense game of chess that is being played. We are not privy to very much of the iceberg under the water. I trust Kerry and his advisors to make the call on this one.

Respectfully,

coreystone

:hi:

[goodboy]

71. right back atcha....nt

[funnymanpants]

77. Kerry loses either way

If he doesn't respond, the dirt sticks.

If he does respond, he has to distract from his message, and the dirt sticks.

It is like answering the question "When did you stop beating your wife?"

The only way to be fair in such matters is to not air them at all. You cannot win an argument with a screamer. This is shy there should be laws agaisnt what Sinclair is doing.