Edwards Goes on Offensive in Florida ( GO JOHN GO!)

[maddezmom]

KENDALL, Fla. - Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) accused President Bush (news - web sites) and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) of "using our troops as shields to protect their own jobs," hitting back at the president's claim that Democratic Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) was making wild charges about the circumstances of a cache of missing explosives in Iraq (news - web sites).



"Why did George Bush (news - web sites) take three days to finally say something about 380 tons of missing explosives?" Edwards said. "They did nothing, nothing to secure them and now they're gone. And we don't know who has them. It's possible terrorists have them."


"And, what did George Bush have to say about this? He said that John Kerry doesn't support the troops."


In a dubious voice and shaking his head, Edwards asked from his platform in the middle of supporters in a gymnasium: "Aren't we sick and tired of George Bush and Dick Cheney using our troops as shields to protect their own jobs?"

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=5&u=/ap/20041027/ap_on_el_pr/edwards

[freedom_to_read]

1. "using our troops as shields to protect their own jobs" NOYCE!

[maddezmom]

2. Bush response: Whatever it Talkes

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=936359&mesg_id=936359

[maddezmom]

3. Kerry's Ad- Kerry Ad Honors American Soldiers

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=696&e=9&u=/ap/20041027/ap_on_el_pr/adwatch_kerry

[kostya]

4. Rate it up. At 4.17, 330 votes now

[grytpype]

5. Yeah son!

Edwards kicks ass. KICKS ASS, BABY!

[Inland]

6. To Bush, troops are just tools for him to use for election, wars of choice

These are men and women who would give everything for our country, and Bush would rather waste them and their lives than admit a single mistake.

[wiggs]

7. Too soon to jump on this story with both feet

Repeating my earlier post, I'd prefer if Kerry and Edwards themselves let others dig into this story for today and tomorrow. Let the story develop a bit more. Know the upside and downside of talking about it a lot. It is being picked up in the media and others are running with it so the upside is still going to be there in a day or two, but talking about it too soon creates a potential downside, IMHO.

Kerry has the momentum and the lead. Unless he knows for certain this was an administration blunder, he shouldn't stick his neck out with conjecture. Protect the lead.

In football, if you are ahead by 10 with little time left on the clock, you don't stack the line hoping for a tackle behind the line of scrimmage for a loss. You guard against a long pass, you guard against a trick play. You keep someone back...deep. Because a longshot or trick play is the only way you can lose. (On the other hand I hate the prevent defense if used improperly...for tragic example, the UCLA/ASU game last week).

There is so little time left that if the Bush group throws something out there at the last minute showing that this story isn't all it's cracked up to be (no Bush pun intended), the damage would be done before the truth could come out.

Kerry should be aggressive with the obvious tried and true stuff...incompetence, dishonesty, secrecy, blunders, etc. There's PLENTY of material. Let the surrogates be outraged about the explosives and watch out for the land mines. If this still looks good on Friday, go for it.

[sundancekid]

9. trust me, the surrogates are already outraged, see Clark statement below

General Wesley Clark released the following statement today:

“Today George W. Bush made a very compelling and thoughtful argument for why he should not be reelected. In his own words, he told the American people that “…a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your Commander in Chief.”

“President Bush couldn’t be more right. He jumped to conclusions about any connection between Saddam Hussein and 911. He jumped to conclusions about weapons of mass destruction. He jumped to conclusions about the mission being accomplished. He jumped to conclusions about how we had enough troops on the ground to win the peace. And because he jumped to conclusions, terrorists and insurgents in Iraq may very well have their hands on powerful explosives to attack our troops, we are stuck in Iraq without a plan to win the peace, and Americans are less safe both at home and abroad.”

“By doing all these things, he broke faith with our men and women in uniform. He has let them down. George W. Bush is unfit to be our Commander in Chief.”


see also this DU thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1186970

[maddezmom]

10. Wes is right, Bush basically endorses *

[Tennessee Gal]

11. My favorite thing.........................

turning *'s words against him!

[krkaufman]

16. General Clark kicks serious arse. Great to see our side...

... jumping on their stupid comments.

[TankLV]

12. Kerry & his surrogates should jump on this & every single thing HARD &

quickly - DO NOT HESITATE - or we will be "swift-boated" again.

We have to hit back, and hit back hard.

You couldn't be more wrong.

(another low post count recommending we sit on our hands, hmmmmmm....)

[wiggs]

15. Search for my posts before "jumping to conclusions" and

...smearing the messenger. I don't mind if you disagree with my post but it looks to me that you're taking a page from the "with us or against us" campaign. I hope that's not what this board becomes. Did you find my post disruptive or not in the progressive vocabulary?

And you might note I didn't suggest "you" sit on your hands, I wanted you, us, surrogates and talk shows to hit the story hard but let Kerry see where the story was headed before jumping in personally....

Thanks

[dArKeR]

8. The only Southerner I'd trust. Besides that fake Canadian Southerner Neil

Young.

Edwards used these words before 'they are protecting their jobs'. I told Ewards to stop using these words but he didn't. I sure hope their campaign looks on forums for ideas because he's got to stop using this wording NOW! Subconsciously people can sympathize with someone 'trying to keep their jobs'. Edwards should be saying something like, 'Aren't your tired of paying the salaries for incompetent men?' Edwards must remind the citizens that they are paying the salaries for these murderers.

[Peanut Gallery]

13. Kick

[goforit]

14. Carry those Pelicans aboard!!!!!...........Bring back the Sunshine to Fla.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EDWARDS!!!!!!!!!!!