NYT-Dean and Gephardt Camps Turn Their Attacks to Kerry

[maddezmom]

January 17, 2004
Dean and Gephardt Camps Turn Their Attacks to Kerry
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER and TODD S. PURDUM

UTTENBERG, Iowa, Jan. 16 — Howard Dean and Richard A. Gephardt on Friday withdrew harsh television advertisements attacking each other, switching instead to sharp but indirect new assaults accusing their Iowa caucus rival John Kerry of failing to support some federal subsidies for agriculture, Iowa's vital economic engine.

The shift came as the Democratic contenders headed into the final weekend of campaigning before Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses on Monday. The caucuses are the first big test of whether Dr. Dean, who has dominated his rivals for months, can transform his formidable Internet-fueled campaign operation into electoral success.

Even as he and Dr. Dean declared a truce, Mr. Gephardt's campaign disclosed that it had sent mailings criticizing Mr. Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, for voting against a measure to require use of ethanol fuel, made from corn, in 1994.

And Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, campaigning with Dr. Dean, went after Mr. Kerry, without naming him, for proposing in 1996 to eliminate or greatly reduce the size of the Agriculture Department as a means of reducing bureaucratic waste. Dean aides later sought out reporters to make sure they knew that Mr. Harkin was referring to Mr. Kerry, whom they also faulted for voting with Republicans in favor of an amendment to the 1996 farm bill that would have phased out federal farm supports over seven years.

~snip~

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/17/politics/campaigns/17DEMS.html?pagewanted=print&position=

This is an interesting stategy by Gep and Dean, wonder if it will work.

[JI7]

1. it may hurt kerry, but it will help

john edwards.

[maddezmom]

2. makes me wonder who gave the info to drudge

if Gep and Dean campaigns already had ads ready to go on this issue.

[blm]

4. Leaking to Drudge to make it look like it's coming from the Repubs?

I think Kerry is right about reducing the size of the Ag Dept. Most of the money ends up in the pockets of Big Agri-Business while Kerry wants the greater funds to go to family farms.

Didn't the Agriculture Secretary of Iowa endorse Kerry? She must agree with his point on this.

Family farms subsidies - YES. Agri-business subsidies - NO.

[WiseMen]

6. Expect more wierd attacks. This is politics.

[nightperson]

7. Uh oh.

Should I expect a wave of farm-related attack threads? "Your candidate has never truly, deeply understood livestock and dammit he never will and I instantly dismiss him because of that". Endless debates on tractor costs and milk pricing? I don't think any of the campaigns feel they know enough about this stuff to "go there". I think this is the reaction so far to these attacks on Kerry http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_01_11.html#002425. Who here is an expert on this stuff :shrug: :shrug: ?

[anti-bush]

3. It will work for Edwards

I think the Gephardt and Dean campaigns are having a last minute brain-fart, and it just keeps opening the door for Edwards.

[maddezmom]

5. your right

he seems to be gaining everytime another neg. attack ad comes out. And he talks about the negative campaigning in each of his stump speeches.

[Sensitivity]

10. Good luck to Edwards and Kerry. They will need it.

[GalleryGod]

12. And welcome to my Ignore List

:hug:

[curse10]

8. It could backfire on both of them

maybe they are dropping in the polls because they are slinging mud at each other- attacking another candidate may make them look bad. I've seen several ads here in Boston and was immediately turned off by the Gep ads attacking Kerry, Clark, Dean and Edwards.

[TexasPatriot]

9. lol

they made all this hay out of pulling their negative ads to create a more positive image... that lasted what, a day? That climactic gun battle at the end of True Romance continues...

[GalleryGod]

11. Well, We all know NOW Senator Farkim-Harkin is a Proctologists Dream!

Selling-his-endorsement-for Iowa Caucuses being kept!

Apparently:Tommy-We-Hardly-Knew-Ye:puke: