Kerry: Taking Federal Money a Mistake

[sabra]

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/feeds/apcontent/apstories/apstorysection/D8GSJH3O0.xml.txt/resources_apstoryview

Kerry: Taking Federal Money a Mistake

Was it his campaign's slow response to the swift boat advertisements or the remark that he voted for Iraq war money before he voted against it that John Kerry regrets most from his failed bid for the White House?

Neither, according to Kerry's reflection Sunday on what he considered his biggest mistake when trying to wrest the presidency from George W. Bush in 2004.

"I think the biggest mistake was probably not going outside the federal financing so we could have controlled our own message," the Massachusetts senator said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The Kerry campaign opted to accept federal money _ and federal spending limits and other rules _ after he won the Democratic nomination. The nominating convention in Boston occurred more than a month before the GOP renominated Bush, forcing Kerry to begin spending under federal rules much earlier than Bush.

[Meridian]

1. I agree. That so called "Campaign Finance Reform" helped the GOP...

and hurt the Democrats.

Democrats should just raise money on their own. Howard Dean has shown that it can be done.

[davidwparker]

3. HAVA helped the GOP too. Go figure.

[Just Me]

2. Personally, I believe ALL must be forced to simply play by the same rules,

,...and with the same pot of gold, so to speak.

I HATE that elections are so damned dependent upon money just like I HATE that our policies are so damned dependent upon money.

MONEY. MONEY. MONEY.

I believe if fair and free and equal elections are to take place, a ceiling MUST be placed on the money. Otherwise, the money rules and democracy drools.

That's just how I feel about that.

[bluestateguy]

4. The law should be changed

To allow candidates to spend their own money AND the federal money.

I hear a lot of complaining on this board that the Democrats write off too many states in campaigns. I agree. But it takes money to run a 40 or 50 state campaign. These laws only force the Democrats to write off many states out of economic necessity.

[Tesha]

5. Funny; Howard Dean and his folks figured this out early!

Too bad Kerry didn't, ehh?

Tesha

[Just Me]

6. Explain.

Please.

Moreover, so what. SO WHAT IS WRONG WITH PRESSING FOR LEVELING THE ELECTIONS' FIELD!!!

Howard Dean would be an advocate to topping off the dollar on elections, COMPLETELY.

So, explain your post.

[Tesha]

7. It's easy to explain.

Dean and his team understood that the battle of 2004 would
be fought within the legal framework *AS IT STOOD IN 2004*.

So he put it to the entire Dean team: Take the Federal matching
money and be constrained by the imposed limits or say no to
the Federal money *AND* the limits.

Dean's team overwhelming said take a pass on the money and
*SCREW* the limits, 'cause they knew that would be exactly
what the Republican team would do.

As I said, it's a shame that Kerry's team was so stupid.

Tesha

[flamingyouth]

8. kick

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. Kerry says biggest mistake may have been taking federal money

By Associated Press
Monday, April 10, 2006 - Updated: 07:34 AM EST

WASHINGTON - Was it his campaign’s slow response to the swift boat advertisements or the remark that he voted for Iraq war money before he voted against it that John Kerry regrets most from his failed bid for the White House?

Neither, according to Kerry’s reflection Sunday on what he considered his biggest mistake when trying to wrest the presidency from George W. Bush in 2004.

"I think the biggest mistake was probably not going outside the federal financing so we could have controlled our own message," the Massachusetts senator said on NBC’s "Meet the Press."

The Kerry campaign opted to accept federal money _ and federal spending limits and other rules _ after he won the Democratic nomination. The nominating convention in Boston occurred more than a month before the GOP renominated Bush, forcing Kerry to begin spending under federal rules much earlier than Bush.

more: http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=134439

[Demeter]

10. Clueless Kerry

This man is so unfit for public office, it's frightening.

I'm not saying he's a bad man, or a defective one. I'm saying the man hasn't the skills to function as a leader. Period. He doesn't have the ability to recognize when he's bullshitting himself, let alone other people.

[tatertop]

14. True - on the other hand, as a soporific he was better than ambien!

[Inuca]

32. What a useless comment!

Sorry, I do not mean to be nasty, but this really sounds like something I would expect to read on a RW site, or a joke at a republican convention. It's all in the "ear of the hearer" I guess... I find him very interesting to listen to, but then I am afraid I am the thinking type, and not the beer drinking type (I actually dislike beer, and enjoy merlot, oh, the horror...)

[ClarkBayh 2008]

48. TOP 5 Reasons Kerry lost:

Top 5 reasons Kerry lost:

1. Red state males don't like NE Liberals
2. Did not counter swift boat ads with military photo ops
3. Picked Edwards instead of Clark, Graham, or Bayh
4. Bin Laden video released last weekend
5. Ohio Gay Marriage statute on the ballot

[SOS]

60. My fondest wish re: your point #2

Immediately after the first Swiftboat ad appeared, Kerry challenges Bush to a special one hour televised debate focused only on their military experience.
Bush refuses. Case closed.
Why couldn't Donna Brazile think of that?

[blm]

18. Then you should have no problem naming one other lawmaker who has

effected this nation's actual historic record more positively than John Kerry has over the last 35 years.

You just bought into the Republican talking points against Kerry pushed by the corporate media - started in Nixon White House and ramped up during Reagan and Bush administrations, then pushed to warp speed during the 2004 campaign.

Also care to name one democrat who has NOT been defined by the Republican corporate media? Clinton, Dean, Murtha have all been successful targets - one impeached and the others mischaracterized, just like ALL Democrats who stick their necks out.

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. Clinton was elected twice

And he was never a 'lawmaker.' All of his positions were in the the executive branch of state government, not the legislature.

[blm]

31. Clinton was impeached with the help of the corporate media.

He was re-defined successfully and impeached.

After 9-11 the media pushed the idea that Clinton didn't lift a finger to fight terrorism, and most of the public believed them for the next few years.

[Freddie Stubbs]

37. And he survived impeachment more popular than ever

He was able to use the media to his advantage.

[blm]

39. Till he left office, then his numbers went way down after the Trashed WH

story was pushed and unsuccessfully countered by the Clintons.

He remained at lowered ratings even as late as mid2004.

[Freddie Stubbs]

56. I don't think that he is worrying about his poll numbers anymore

[blm]

57. Not the point is it? The MEDIA had the upper hand on Clinton throughout

the time period I was discussing, and even the SILVER-TONGUED politician Clinton could not overcome the perception of him for at least 4 years.

So, what is YOUR point? Clinton didn't beat the media WHEN he needed to beat them - he was impeached anyway. It took a book and promotion tour, heart surgery, Bush's attack on Social Security, Schiavo and a category 5 hurricane to finally make a majority people see Clinton as the better leader than Bush.

[roguevalley]

36. affecting this country positively doesn't mean squat if you can't get

elected. taking gov't money!?!? for god sake. as for talking points from the pigs, I don't need them to understand what kerry said and his cluelessness ringing out for me. its like the shit with bush. if you don't chant the same shit, if you prefer to draw your own conclusions on what he SAYS WITH HIS MOUTH, not off the page of some nitwit on the right, you're a traitor. these are Kerry's words, not roves and they suck. just like his last campaign.

[blm]

40. So you're on record preferring IranContra, BCCI, CIA drugrunning stay out

of the record and not an acknowledged part of our nation's recent governing history?

[roguevalley]

49. you just proved my point using a repig tactic. I didn't even come

anywhere in the vicinity of the remarks you make but you heap them on me to discredit my remarks which you obviously don't like. that is a pig tactic to discredit me rather than take my remarks directly, which they were intended to be. It doesn't matter what he has done before it he can't get elected. Kerry ran a shit campaign, waiting an entire month before even addressing the swift boat nazis even as feebly as he did. so he feels his biggest mistake was taking federal money? He ended the campaign with millions of dollars that were raised for him. what a joke he is becoming with his unwillingness to find fault with his actions. sound familiar?

Slime me all you want. It won't change the truth.

[blm]

52. It wasn't - I was just taking your remark to its bottom line - that is

hardly a GOP tactic, as they prefer to avoid the uncomfortable truths and avoid being responsible for their claims when push comes to shove.

[roguevalley]

54. Kerry lost because he didn't defend himself. He didn't step up and

kick those bozos in the nuts. Your remarks I just don't get but I don't care. Kerry lost. He's still casting around the central problem for a reason and that reminds me of you know who? Can't name your mistake? Too bad. People gave their blood in the last election and he blew it.

[Lerkfish]

11. ? is that really it?

knock me over with a feather. So, the federal funding prevented him from calling the swiftboaters liars?

wow.

[blm]

15. Kerry did call them liars in an August speech to Firefighters Convention.

A speech that the corporate media ignored in total. Look how many Dems don't even know it happened - because media refused to cover it.

[blm]

12. Terry Mac knew the 2004 nominee would be at a terrible disadvantage on

this, so I wonder about the REAL reasons why he chose such an early date. And why he let the Ohio Dem party collapse, knowing it was a crucial state. And why he decided machine fraud was not an issue, and did nothing to urge Dem election bowrd members to secure the machines before the election.

[tatertop]

17. O how I would love answers to those questions!

[ginnyinWI]

26. well for one thing,

I don't think he/they expected the amount of money they were able to raise. I think they thought they would want to get their hands on that last pile of funds early. And there was some other reason: something about where they could hold the convention. :shrug:

[DemNoir]

13. Weak excuse

He could have gone on every cable news program night and day for free;all the network morning shows too. He could have challenged Bush directly to a debate over their military records.

For a reason nobody will ever understand he chose not to stand up for himself.

[melody]

16. No, his rolling over and playing dead was his biggest mistake

Kerry before Bush any day, but we can do MUCH better than Kerry next time.

[skypilot]

19. The more I hear from this man...

...the more he annoys me. Same guy who conceded the election within hours and then comes out over a year later to say that he thinks the election was stolen. Ugh!!

[Inuca]

22. I don't think....

... he ever said that the elections were stolen. He acknowledged irregularities, that's it.

[skypilot]

24. Here's one article

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/110505.html

[Inuca]

28. I think the article...

... actually makes my point. Beyond gossipy "he said - he said" stuff, it mentions strong suspicions and the difficulty (impossibility?) to turn them into provable facts. This is very different from making an official statement, like the one he made on Iraq, for instance.

[skypilot]

29. I never said that he made an "official" statement.

I just happen to believe Mark Crispin Miller when he says that he had this conversation with Kerry. You think it's "gossipy". I trust Miller as a good source.

[Inuca]

35. True, you did not

It's just the way I interpreted "comes out over a year later to say that he thinks the election was stolen". What politicians say in private should not matter when analyzing their views. As for Miller, I don't know.... I did not read the book, so it would not be fair to comment. I just find it unlikely that Kerry would make such an explosive statement to somebody he does not know, that's all.

[blm]

42. There is no way to prove election fraud AFTER the vote since the machines

that are rigged are set up for one time use.

That is why DNC needs to make sure machines are secured BEFORE a vote - after is too late.

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. When did he say that he thinks it was stole?

He has complained about irregularities, but as far as I am aware he has never said that he thinks that these problems caused a differ nt outcome.

[skypilot]

27. See link in post #15

There was also a thread about it here quite awhile back.

[blm]

38. Same man who uncovered IranContra, BCCI, CIA drugrunning and illegal wats

in Central America.

He annoyed plenty of Republican presidents, too.

[skypilot]

44. That's all well and good.

He still annoys me.

[sandnsea]

20. dear dear senator, let me tell ya'

Your one and only mistake was, and is, not understanding that you've got a party full of weak-dicks who quiver and cower at Republican ridicule, and find it easier to join in on the attack then stand up for their candidate themselves.

[ginnyinWI]

30. amen.

Save it for the republicans--is it so hard to find one who has done something wrong? Seems to me you can't swing a cat without hitting one who really needs their behavior "examined".

[Warpy]

25. His biggest mistake was letting the DLC control his message

Not only did he follow the dictates of corporate lobbyists turned DLC campaign handlers, he copied the platform word for word off their site.

I was for Kerry on the strengths of his actions during both Iran/Contra and the BCCI investigations, especially the latter. His campaign platforme certainly left me cold.

Gore seems to realize what his problem was in 2000. Kerry still has a way to go.

[KittyWampus]

33. I agree with you on this. And I'm not a knee-jerk "DLC-R-Evil" type

but there are definate forces trying to keep the ball in the unregulated rapacious court... and empire-lusting war-mongers who simply have too much influence and who try to keep the sickness infecting our Body Politic from being addressed fully.

[IndianaGreen]

34. Donna Brazile, who remains Rove's pal

No Democratic presidential candidate should ever hire that woman or Bob Schrum as campaign managers.

[jimbot]

41. Past History

Although he was not my first choice, I think Kerry would have made a fine president. We can argue about how he ran his campaign and the way the media portrayed him but ultimately he lost the election and his campaign (which he led) was to blame. If you pardon the expression, I think the reflection that he made had some truthiness but given that he may be running again its easier to blame a neutral thing like federal financing vs. something that is more character driven.

--JT

[BooScout]

43. Kerry's biggest mistake is that he's a wuss......

......and so are most of the rest of the Democrats. I have seen very little backbone from any of them for the past 6 years. I'll continue to vote Democratic but I wish to god a few more would suddenly grow some cajones.

[BlueInPhilly]

45. Can't he just shut up

and admit no mistakes? It works for the chimp, doesn't it?

[onehandle]

46. DUPE.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2217149

[MGKrebs]

47. Well Bush did too didn't he?

And we keep hearing that left-leaning 527's outspent right-leaning ones something like 3 or 4 to 1.

And BTW, didn't Al Gore have this trouble too?

[ramapo]

50. He was too Gore-like

Sure he should've responded to the Swift-boat thing immediately and forcefully. I think he could've defused the "voted for, voted against" thing too if he had not nuanced around.

I see the big problem was that neither candidate would make definitive policy statements. They tried to straddle the line, have it both ways, and not offend prospective voters. This is a basic problem of Democrats. Gore walked away from the environment issue and then played nice with Bush in the debates. We need somebody with the guts to just tell it like it is. Ross Perot without the wackiness. The new (real?) Al Gore.

Would a real person be able to win? I'm not sure, but it would be refreshing to hear a candidate talk like a person, not a machine spouting carefully crafted campaign messages.

[UDenver20]

51. I'm sorry, didn't DEAN say this would be a problem?

Isn't this why dean opted out of federal funds?

Am I remembering this incorrectly?

[blm]

53. Yes - for the primary - same as Kerry. General election was another issue.

Remember at the time, Kerry was considering not accepting the nomination formally at the Dem convention, but make his speech and put off the formal acceptance till later. DNC talked him out of it, promising to put up the fight and the fight $$$ for him if necessary.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

55. IWR a mistake. Not spending enough money a mistake.

Yadda yadda yadda...

[AlGore-08.com]

58. Not bashing, but I disagree with Kerry on this big time

In 2000, Gore accepted campaign spending limits and Bush did not. Bush outspent Gore almost 2 to 1. But Gore still got a half million more votes than Bush. Having more money doesn't automatically mean a win.

[Bread and Circus]

59. Here's some data (I think Kerry is bullshitting)

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/index.asp

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/index.asp?sort=E

snip

Anyone running for president has to raise a lot of money. But candidates with a realistic chance of winning the election must collect enormous sums for their campaigns. President Bush and Sen. John Kerry, for example, raised a total of nearly half a billion dollars in private contributions during the presidential primary season. They did so under increased contribution limits mandated by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.

As the Republican and Democratic nominees, Bush and Kerry each received $74.6 million in government funding for the general election. In return, they could not raise or spend private funds after accepting their party's nomination. They were entitled to government matching funds during the primaries, but turned them down to free themselves of federally mandated spending limits. Their decision (and that of Howard Dean, who also rejected matching funds) helped to make this presidential election the most expensive in history.

[VegasWolf]

61. Kerry was a mistake. By allowing the swift-boaters to destroy him

seemingly at will, he lost his credibility as a leader.

[Bacchus39]

62. voting for the war was his biggest mistake

he couldn't get away from that.