Kerry Under Attack Before Key Democratic Contests

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20040130/pl_nm/campaign_dc

Politics

Kerry Under Attack Before Key Democratic Contests

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent COLUMBIA, S.C. (Reuters)

The Democratic presidential hopefuls cranked up their attacks on front-runner John Kerry on Friday ahead of seven crucial contests next week, questioning his past support for affirmative action and his accomplishments as a senator

....Clark ...attacked Kerry for 1992 remarks that affirmative action fostered "a culture of dependency" and said he should have acknowledged them during a debate in Greenville, South Carolina, on Thursday. "John Kerry says he now supports affirmative action but he should take responsibility for what he said in the past," Clark said in an appearance at a predominantly black college in Columbia. Kerry said in the debate there were questions at the time about how affirmative action was being implemented and he agreed with former President Bill Clinton's goal to "mend it, not end it."

...Dean ...renewed attacks on Kerry's performance on health care issues during his 19 years representing Massachusetts in the Senate. "I think Sen. Kerry is a fine person but he hasn't accomplished much in the Senate," Dean told reporters in Columbia the day after attacking Kerry's congressional record during the Greenville debate. "I think we need a doer, not a talker, as the nominee of this party."

<snip>

[cavebat2000]

1. Wah

lol. Welcome to the club. Since you are a new member we should show you around.

[blm]

7. The attack Kerry club is over 30 years old.

Listen to the Nixon tapes. Scaife went after him full on before many heard the name Clinton.

We're used to it. So is Kerry. Bring it on, indeed.

[JI7]

2. that's nothing

.

[kentuck]

5. I've meant to ask about your photo of Bill, Teresa, and John???

Is Bill flirting with Teresa ?? :)

[JI7]

19. if you have seen teresa

interact with other people you would see she is up there with bill clinton when it comes to intelligence and charisma. so i would not be surprised if they were. they could do a lot of good around the world together and already have done a lot. but together they would be incredible. especially if kerry becomes president. the president's wife and senator's husband working on things from aids, hunger, human rights, civil rights, environment, etc.

[xray s]

3. This is why I have not donated to any of the candidates this year

I don't want my money used to smear other Democrats.

When we have a nominee, I'll kick in.

[JByrd]

8. What?

Stating the facts and questioning someone's record is not a smear campaign, is it? It'll be too late when we get a nominee cause the media will choose Kerry.

[girl gone mad]

9. Since when is...

holding someone accountable for their actions a "smear"?

Sounds like Bushspeak to me.

[TheDonkey]

4. Can you be more hypocrticial Clark?

Now I like Clark but his comment that Kerry should take responsibilty for the 1992 comment is crazy coming from HIM.

Should Clark take responsibility for voting for a CROOK into office so many years ago.

What about raising money and making out with the current administration not but a year ago!! Clark has tip toed around his waffling before I never minded much (everyone waffles) but to call out others is hypocritical.

[girl gone mad]

10. Don't be ridiculous.

A person's voting record as a citizen is quite a bit different than actions as a public servant.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. And if Kerry holds up under attack, then good for him

Very unwise for Clark to play the "race card" against one of our own candidates. He voted for the people that attempted to kill AA and labor unions.

[girl gone mad]

11. Sorry,

I just don't see it that way. Kerry needs to be honest about his positions. He changes his mind too much.. where does he stand? The people deserve to know.

[blm]

15. Kerry was part of the group that wanted the legal language tightened up

so the GOP couldn't keep taking AA to court to try ending it.

Kerry and Clinton were in the "mend it don't end it" camp.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. Please find me any vote by John Kerry that diminishes AA

[bicentennial_baby]

18. Not a vote but here's an interesting quote:

"Those changes had just begun to occur when Kerry, against the advice of aides and supporters, addressed the issue in a speech to Yale students on March 30, 1992. Kerry emphasized that he supports affirmative action and lauded its successes. ''But,'' he added, ''there is a negative side and we can no longer simply will away the growing consensus of perception within America's white majority. We must be willing to acknowledge publicly what we know to be true: that just as the benefits to America of affirmative action cannot be denied, neither can the costs.'' Part of that cost, Kerry suggested, was what he called reverse discrimination. ''Not only by legislation, but by administrative order and court decree, a vast and bewildering apparatus of affirmative action rules and guidelines has been constructed,'' he said. ''And somewhere within that vast apparatus conjured up to fight racism there exists a reality of reverse discrimination that actually engenders racism.''

Kerry was excoriated by affirmative action supporters who saw the speech as a craven attempt to broaden his appeal to white voters. He maintained that he wanted to ask tough questions that were typically avoided. ''This issue of white resentment cannot simply be dismissed,'' he had said in the speech, later adding that, ''We cannot hope to make further racial progress when the plurality of whites believe, as they do today according to recent data, that it is they, not others, who suffer most from discrimination.'' After black leaders in Boston criticized Kerry's remarks, the senator held a series of meetings in the city to clarify his meaning, but did not back away from the statements he made at Yale

http://aad.english.ucsb.edu/docs/janwayne.html

[flpoljunkie]

12. Statement from Congressman James Clyburn re General Clark's Comments

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0130.html

Statement from Congressman James Clyburn Responding to General Clark’s Comments

January  30,  2004

For Immediate Release

“I am sorry that General Clark is launching negative attacks. The truth is that John Kerry has stood strong all his life to defend affirmative action. John Kerry, President Clinton, myself and many other supporters of affirmative action fought together to overcome adverse judicial decisions and to ensure the survival of affirmative action. That is what President Clinton did with ‘mend it don’t end it.’

“I am supporting John Kerry because I know he will continue to stand up for affirmative action and because I know he will unite us as one nation together and equal for all.”

[girl gone mad]

13. "negative attacks"

geez... this is exactly why I would have to hold my nose to work for Kerry.

[emulatorloo]

21. Dean has been negative on the other candidates from day one

30% of his campaign was about denigrating the other candidates.

[bicentennial_baby]

14. Oh but it's ok

for Kerry's guy to liken Clark to Dick Cheney??

"“If you like Dick Cheney so much that you want another Republican lobbyist in the White House, then Wes Clark may be your guy. But if you want a fighter with a thirty-five year track record of taking on the special interests, then John Kerry is your candidate,” said Kerry spokesman Mark Kornblau"

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0109c.html

[blm]

17. I called and complained about Kornblau's words.

Because he went over the top.

So did Lehane for Clark. Blame them both when they deserve it.

[MariaS]

20. Yes let's not torget

the wonderful flyers passed out by Kerry campaigners about General Clark and also the push polls against Howard Dean in Iowa by certain supporters. Obviously he can dish it out but can't take it.

[emulatorloo]

22. Push poll was repub dirty trick to discredit HD and JK

Think about it. . .

If you fell for the push poll it was negative for Howard Dean
If you didn't fall for it, you though, man Kerry is a Anti-semite anti-gay NutJob.
But that was a trick too. . .Kerry has Jewish family members and is for "Gay Marriage" too.

Repub pot stirring.

As to the flyers, I don't like that kind of stuff. I didn't like it when HD did it here in Iowa. I didn't think it was necessary. But I saw the NH flyers and while they were tacky and stupid there was nothing in there that was made up. Ugly tacky stupid etc etc etc but worth the kind of earth shaking horror I am sensing.

[emulatorloo]

23. Self deleted duplicate . . .

don't you hate when that happens

ON EDIT Delete duplicate post