Democrats question Kerry's campaign funds

[AnIndependentTexan]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Democrats%20Kerry

By RON FOURNIER
AP POLITICAL WRITER

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than $15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country.

Some said he will be pressured to give the money to Democratic campaign committees rather than save it for a potential White House bid in 2008.

"Democrats are questioning why he sat on so much money that could have helped him defeat George Bush or helped down-ballot races, many of which could have gone our way with a few more million dollars," said Donna Brazile, campaign manager for Al Gore's 2000 presidential race.

Brazile is a member of the 400-plus member Democratic National Committee, which meets early next year to pick a new party chairman. One high-ranking member of the DNC, speaking on condition of anonymity, said word of Kerry's nest egg has stirred anger on the committee and could hurt his chances of putting an ally in the chairmanship.

Congressional Democrats and labor leaders also privately questioned Kerry's motives. One said he would personally ask the Massachusetts senator to donate some of the money to the Democratic House and Senate campaign committees.

Democrats lost seats in both the House and Senate on Nov. 2, setbacks compounded by the multimillion-dollar debts they incurred in the process.

[Straight Shooter]

1. "Democratic party leaders," "Democrats are questioning"

Ahem. May we have some names, please, instead of pandering negative stories about this situation.

I hate the media.

[Larkspur]

2. I question it

I'm on my towns Dem Committee and want to know why Kerry held back funds when he should have been using them against the Swift Boat ads.

[asjr]

3. I wish D. Brazile would just hush! She lost 2000 for Gore.

[NJ_Lib]

4. Don't you know Mr. Party Leaders?

... He hangs out with Mr. Some Say... :)

[Karmadillo]

5. Daily Howler: "...Fournier should be reviled whenever <he> move<s>

through the streets." http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh032204.shtml (regarding a Fournier attempt to cover up the corporate media's smearing of Al Gore).


This is a very slanted article with lots of blind quotes and quotes from the always willfully blind Donna Brazile. Unless it's been updated (and I'm not reading it again), it has no response from Kerry and provides none of the possible explanations that many thoughtful DUers have suggested on other threads inspired by this very same article.

The corporate media loves it when Democrats go after each other for no particular reason with grossly inadequate facts. Think you'll see a Fournier story on what the Bush campaign is doing with its money (or, for that matter, our money?)

[emulatorloo]

6. OH BOY! a new hit piece from RON FOURNIER of the AP!!!!!

I was really wanting one of those! Did Nedra Pickler contribute?

[BlackVelvet04]

7. I would like to know

why I got a request on Nov. 1 for money when they had money they hadn't spent. I gave on Nov. 1 AGAIN.

[AnIndependentTexan]

8. Kerry to give Dems leftover campaign cash

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/politics/index.ssf?/base/politics-7/110081814336560.xml&storylist=electionmi

11/18/2004, 5:43 p.m. ET
By RON FOURNIER
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under friendly fire, Sen. John Kerry likely will donate a substantial portion of his excess presidential campaign cash to help elect Democratic candidates in 2005 and 2006, advisers said Thursday.

Party leaders, including some of Kerry's top campaign aides, said this week they were surprised and angry to learn that he had more than $15 million in accounts from the Democratic primaries. They demanded to know why the money wasn't spent to help Kerry defeat President Bush or to aid congressional candidates.

There were no easy answers to those questions, officials close to Kerry acknowledged Thursday, but they sought to assure Democrats in a series of telephone calls that the four-term Massachusetts senator was sharing his political wealth.

They argued that he donated $40.5 million to Democratic causes in 2004, including $3 million each to the party's House and Senate campaign committees. More than $32 million went to the Democratic National Committee, including $9 million targeted to state parties.

DNC spokesman Jano Cabrera said that was the largest contribution the DNC has ever received, and the first from a presidential primary campaign.

"With this donation, the campaign more than fulfilled its commitment to our general election plan," he said.