Kerry Gets Boost from Surprising Sources

[kskiska]

Ex-Bush Aide Criticizes President, and GOP Lawmakers Come to Senator's Defense

Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential campaign is getting an unexpected boost from an unlikely bunch: former Bush administration officials and congressional Republicans.

In the past week, GOP Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Chuck Hagel (Neb.) have broken ranks and defended Kerry against President Bush's assertion that the Massachusetts senator is weak on national defense.

Over the weekend, Richard A. Clarke, Bush's former counterterrorism coordinator, said Bush focused too little attention on al Qaeda before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and too much on Iraq afterward.

Republicans are unintentionally assisting Kerry on the domestic front, too. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and other congressional conservatives are accusing Bush of driving up deficits, a top Kerry campaign message, and misleading the country about the cost of the new Medicare law, another Kerry target. Kerry's campaign is circulating Flake's recent remark that Congress would not have passed the Bush Medicare law if members had been told of its projected cost. The Office of Management and Budget estimated the law would cost about $130 billion more than advertised, but those numbers were kept secret until well after the House passed the legislation by one vote. The flap over the Medicare number threatens to turn the law into a campaign liability for Bush.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16133-2004Mar22.html

[mobuto]

1. Honest, Decent Republicans

They're a dying breed, probably protected under the Endangered Species Act, but God bless them.

[FDRrocks]

3. Chuck Hagel

is ex-CEO of the voting machine company...whose machines voted him into office.

[mobuto]

5. Ok, maybe not Hagel

But he didn't have to do this. This was a good, noble gesture.

[FDRrocks]

6. Agreed

Wonder whats goin through his head.

[billybob537]

Another term.

Follow the Bush ship of state down the toilet or jump soon.

[billybob537]

28. Another term.

Follow the Bush ship of state down the toilet or jump soon.

[shanti]

17. please...

they're all motivated by money. hagel isn't noble. why should i trust anyone associated with the voting machines?

[alittlelark]

2. Some of these conservatives actually have traditional

conservative values! Bully for them! I actually respect those!

Now, we just need to get the brainwashed neo-con worshippers to re-gain some of their brain cells.

drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,drip,

just waitin' for the dam to burst - we'll welcome them w/ open arms here on DU.

Might be a bit much for admin's - but so be it.

[eridani]

4. How about a straight-up swap with the Repubs?

Lieberman for McCain.

[bagnana]

7. this article makes your head spin.

Was it only last week I was pissed about them lying about Medicare numbers? And misrepresenting Kerry's defense record? Lying liars. is there nothing they will not reduce to spin and lies?

[yankeedem]

13. How about Lieberman, Zell, and

a DINO to be named later for Snowe, Chaffee, and McCain? We'll throw in Ed Koch for good measure, he's old, but he's can sell out with the best of them!

[yltlatl]

14. YES!

I would second that!!!

[Bandit]

27. Are you familiar with McCain's stance on the Confederate flag?

:shrug: If not you should check up on it if you want McCain to become a Democrat.

[billybob537]

29. Yeah

I'd vote for that.

[bvar22]

8. Not fools.

These guys have read the entrails. Rats fleeing the sinking ship.

[kskiska]

9. This is good

For Bush, who rarely ran into criticism from within his party during his first three years in office, the timing and tone of these GOP defections are undercutting his reelection message just as the presidential campaign is heating up.

"Even Republicans can't defend what the Bush-Cheney campaign says or does, particularly when the president is caught red-handed misleading America on the true cost of the war and covering up the real cost of his Medicare giveaway plan," said Stephanie Cutter, a Kerry spokeswoman.

[yardwork]

10. It's not surprising to me

that lots of people are outraged by the Bush administration's incompetence and disastrous policies, most of which are markedly anti-conservative.

It's surprising to me that the press is surprised. Then again, nothing about the press surprises me anymore. Most of these guys are so dumb!

[shanti]

18. they're not necessarily dumb,

just paid.

[flaminbats]

11. At least these Republicans have not given up on truth and civility..

they may not be right on every issue, but at least they don't claim to be! ;)

[msmcghee]

12. They just see . .

. . that their ship is going down. Where were they when Clinton was trying to go after Bin Laden? Accusing Clinton of wagging the dog and cheering for impeachment.

Expect increasing numbers of puke deserters as Bush's* numbers head down. That's the way it always is with hypocrites who wear their false morality on their sleeve.

If they were honorable they would have changed sides three years ago (at least). Don't praise them for trying to save their ass. We need to drive a stake through their hearts. And save one stake for Holy Joe.

[fearnobush]

15. Sometimes things like the United States Constitution, The oath

a President is suppose to up hold are just more important than Bush, to some Republicans. I can only Pray that more and more choose to take the red pill.

[Demonaut]

16. chikens are coming home to roost

the great unraveling, the bush misadministration will have more defections as the obvious becomes inevitable, rats deserting a sinking ship.

[fujiyama]

19. Whether or not...

they think Bush will fall, I think they're trying to get some backup -- maybe they're hoping they'll have a place in a Kerry cabinet?! Who knows.

[Stephanie]

20. There seems to be some kind of code of honor

among the Vietnam Vets in the Congress. I don't know anything about Hagel but I know that is the reason Kerry & McCain are close.

Maybe some republicans value honor above power.

[JohnKleeb]

21. there is

they stand up for each other.

[Syrinx]

22. Hagel ain't all bad

I don't totally trust him, but at least he's right sometimes.

*snip*

Hagel served in Vietnam with his brother Tom in 1968. They served side by side as infantry squad leaders with the U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry Division. Hagel earned many military decorations and honors, including two Purple Hearts.

http://hagel.senate.gov/Information/bio.htm

[soleft]

23. kick

[Yavin4]

24. The Senate Is A Fraternity

All senators protect each other, no matter their political leanings. That's how Ashcroft got through as A.G. Hagel and McCain defended Kerry because they know how strong politically a voting record in the Senate is.

[kodi]

25. good ad fodder "this is what mainstream republicans say about john kerry"

on defense issues: then have hagel's, mccain's voices express their opinons on kerry's defense stances.

followed by: "this is what mainstream republicans say about george bush's handling of the war on terror" then have richard clarke's damning indictment of bush's lack of focus on terrorism.

ending with a black and white pix of bush slowing walking across the air craft carrier in his codpiece monkeyflight suit......and the voice over ...." the defense of this country is for real, it is not a dress up show"

[rocktivity]

26. WHY the surprise?

These people are just looking to preserve either their moral integrity, political credibility, or professional job security, LOL!

:headbang:
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