AZ Republic Writes up the 'Fax Controversy'

[DJcairo]

As for all you Kerry haters, you will be unhappy to learn there is no 'there' there. This was a CNN mistake. Some produces though he was being clever. Even Kerry's oppo research guy sitting in the spin room was shocked. Here is a quote from the article:

But one of the impromptu critiques accidentally made its way into the debate itself. During an audience question-and-answer period, CNN moderator Judy Woodruff said she was just handed a "document" from the campaign of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry saying Howard Dean tried "to kick Vermont seniors off prescription drug plan" when he was governor. She then pressed Dean for a response. He called the accusation silly.

"What I did try to do was get a cigarette tax past the Republican House," Dean said. "I told them if they didn't pass a cigarette tax to pay for our health care program, then they wouldn't be able to fund seniors' prescriptions. They passed the cigarette tax, as I knew they would."

Kerry retorted that his press release was accurate.

"In order to balance his budget, he called for the full termination of what was called the V-Script program, and also turned to seniors and made prescription drugs more expensive for them in order to balance the budget," Kerry said.

The strange moment was actually a mistake, CNN officials admitted.

"Sometimes during the course of these debates weird stuff happens," said Tom Hannon, CNN's political director. "The idea at one point was to read one of these documents to see if the candidates could back up their statement. We ultimately decided against it. How it got in there was unintentional. Not everyone got the word apparently."


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1010debate-side10.html

[blm]

1. Thanks. CNN has its own Rovian "dirty tricksters" and Kerry was the target

not Dean. This was meant to alienate Dem viewers from Kerry.

[roughsatori]

2. I thought as much last night during the debates

I was not in the mood to "defend" Kerry in the hate threads regarding the "fax." But I am disgusted by CNN. I am a Kucinich supporter.

[blm]

13. As a DK supporter you have every right to be disgusted

with the entire media. He is the REAL straight talker in the race, and gets ZERO acknowledgement for it. I think his words are TOO dangerous for the GOP-run media.

[clar]

3. I'm glad we can put this to rest

or rather squarely at the well shod feet of Miz Judy. It's ridiculous to blame Kerry's campaign for this.

Eric, I don't think you realize what a poor representative you are for your candidate. Why start out this post with a snarky dig?

[DJcairo]

5. Because you all have been going on all last night and all day

about what a low blow it was for Kerry's people to pass a fax to Judy. Most of you Dean freaks were unwilling to admit the obvious - that it was a stupid little trick by CNN. Give it a rest Clar. I'm not a Kerry spokesmen. I see it as my duty to speak out against rabid, over caffed Deaniacs' unfair diatribes against my guy.

If you tell me I'm a poor "representative" for Kerry on more time I'm gonna:nuke:

[clar]

12. As I've repeatedly told you

I've never said anything negative against Kerry. In fact, yesterday I posted a thread stating that I thought Kerry was best qualified, of all the candidates to be President. You, OTH, constantly bash Dean, here, there, and everywhere. And we're not talking reasoned criticism, we're talking hate. I don't like it, and I have every right to tell you I think you make a poor representative for your candidate.
Your petulant outbursts over on DKos were particularly immature.

[madaboutharry]

4. There was an agenda

on the part of the moderators last night that became clear rather quickly. The minute Judy Woodruff started talking the whole debate went down hill. I don't believe anything anymore. Also, I don't think people "hate" Kerry around here.

[DJcairo]

6. No, you're right, there are more haters on the Kerry blog

Please. Most of DU is Dean country. We all can agree on that can't we?

[blm]

8. It's a perception problem

that seems consistent. Those new to politics see every move as an attack against their guy Dean, while completely oblivious to how their outrage plays into the hands of the real antagonists, the CNN mediawhores and their REAL target, Kerry.

[dsc]

20. Find one, just one, statement of Char's

which can be percieved to be as negative in regard to Kerry as the typical common one of the original poster in this thread. Just one will do. And please don't try to divorce your post from the context of this thread. You posted this in a place where it was right in the context of Char accurately pointing out the difference between his or her behavior and the original poster in this thread's behavior.

[Egnever]

7. Intereting that kerry's quote is different here.

from the debate transcripts,

KERRY: Well, it's not silly. It's what he did. I mean, it's sad. But he in fact, in order to balance his budget, terminated -- called for the full termination of what was called the V-Script program, and also turned to seniors and made prescription drugs more expensive for them in order to balance the budget.

Now, that's a fact. I didn't raise this, and I didn't know they were saying that, and it's sort of separate from where we were.

and from this article

"In order to balance his budget, he called for the full termination of what was called the V-Script program, and also turned to seniors and made prescription drugs more expensive for them in order to balance the budget," Kerry said

who edited kerry?

I agree though this was a CNN thing not a kerry thing and it didnt help Kerry.

[rucky]

9. CNN Strategy: Pit Candidates against each other

for ratings.

CNN strategy was to run a disruptive debate, because a clip of a candidate losing their cool is priceless. Kerry/Dean grudge match was their best shot at it.

Fortunately none of the candidates obliged Ms Woodruff.

No hard feelings from the Dean camp. I thought Dean answered it quite well, and it got him some primo camera time. It still may reflect poorly on the Kerry camp, though I don't think that was anybody's intention - nor will it change anybody's support.

Get Ashcroft on the case to find the CNN leaker, and I'm sure the issure will disappear in no time.

[beyurslf]

11. Could not agree more

Did any one else notice how Judy would walk towards them as she asked the questions. it felt weird. And she would keep prodding and prodding trying to get an answer out that they were not going to give. Some of the questions seemed designed to get the candidates to attack each other.

[DrFunkenstein]

21. I Thought It Worse When She Walked Away

During their answer. Several candidates had to answer the question to her back as she moved around. Very unprofessional, but then again, the whole thing blew. Bad lighting, bad echo, smug and openly hostle questions.

I distinctly remember Kerry's face was very unhappy when Woodruff did this. But he handled it well. He addressed it briefly, then moved back to where the conversation was before.

This is a tactic Clark has to learn soon. He has to be able to turn questions around to his benefit rather than take them at face value. He came off defensive and he didn't need to. I have a feeling, though, that he will develop sea legs for the debates.

[DJcairo]

14. This helps Kerry

He did extremely well in explaining the charge. A charge he didn't know was going to come up. He then turned and answered the voters question very sincerely and thoughtfully - in language seperate from stump speech sound bites.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. Perhaps he didn't know it was going to come up but...

it strains credulity to believe that he wasn't conversant with the thrust of the fax's contents. After all, it come from his campaign staff. Or would you have us believe that he trotted this out off the top of his head? Spare me the notion that this shows how quick on his feet he is.


That being said, the blame for this falls squarely at CNN's feet. I blame Kerry not one whit for responding to the question.

[MrPeepers]

16. Why shouldn't you believe that it was off the top of his head?

The man has been campaigning for months, and part of that is researching your opponents. Kerry is a very smart guy and he probobly has a library of information on all the other candidates floating around in his mind. God forbid a man who's been a boat captain in Vietnam, DA in Boston, a Lt. Gov. and a Senator happens to be quick on his feet.

Peepers

[blm]

17. RIF, are you forgetting Kerry was debate champ

at Yale, and a prosecutor, and was known for his quick strategic thinking in Vietnam?

;)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. Lol!

Don't forget long-distance biker!


Score one for blm!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. My point exactly.

...he probobly has a library of information on all the other candidates floating around in his mind.


We totally concur.

[dfong63]

10. so what's wrong with this?

offhand it seems good to me that Dean got a chance to confront the Kerry press release. why don't they give all the candidates time to directly confront the charges made by their rivals?