Clark, Kerry Camps Squabble Over Campaign Brochure

[Freddie Stubbs]

MANCHESTER, N.H. (Reuters) - A color brochure, mailed to New Hampshire voters this week by Democrat John Kerry's presidential campaign, set off a skirmish on Saturday between the staffs of the Massachusetts senator and rival White House hopeful Wesley Clark.

Clark's campaign officials in Little Rock, Arkansas, denounced the Kerry brochure in a conference call with reporters as an attack ad that portrays the retired general and former NATO commander as a Washington lobbyist and a Republican supporter.

Bill Buck, Clark's national press secretary, accused the Kerry campaign of pursuing a double-standard by emphasizing issue-ads in the race for Monday's Iowa caucuses but resorting to "negative" campaigning in New Hampshire's Jan. 27 primary.

"It's a daily practice of the Kerry campaign in New Hampshire ... while Sen. Kerry is sitting in Iowa crying about negative attacks," Buck said. Clark is not contesting Iowa.

more: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4152696

[Democrats unite]

1. It's primary season, what do you expect?

eom

[TLM]

2. At any point did Clark argue that he wasn't a....

"Washington lobbyist and a Republican supporter?"


Or did he just attack Kerry for pointing out these uncomfortable facts about the faux democrat?

[Democrats unite]

6. I am not even going to answer your question...

It has been answered so many times, if thats all you can come up with, Deans campaign is in serious trouble.

[TLM]

13. Oh uncomfortable facts about Clark....

quick change the subject to Dean.

[robbedvoter]

9. Go to Clark's reading room and find all your answers. All cards are on the

table. Nothing is sealed. :shrug:

[TLM]

15. That's such BS....

Where is the info about who paid him for speaking... not the parent company, but ALL the people who hired him?

Where's the access to his intra-campaign correspondence and memos?

Where's the access to his record of policy decisions... oh yeah since Clark has never been elected to any office ever, he doesn't have any record to open, does he?


Seems Clark again shows he's nothing but stunts and no substance.

[Democrats unite]

18. Why does Dean have sealed Documents? What does he have to Hide?

inquiring minds want to know!

[returnable]

20. Stunt? Perhaps.

But it was a ballsy one.

He's put a helluva lot more out there than your guy.

What's Dean hiding, anyway? :shrug:

[in_cog_ni_to]

24. Howard Dean! Unseal those records! n/t

[HFishbine]

37. Here's something you won't find in Clark's "reading room"

[Leilani]

26. It seems to me

this is an issue between Kerry & Clark.

Why are Dean supporters sowing dissension everywhere?

Right now they are going after Edwards & Kucinich for working together at the caucus.

They have been after Kerry for ages, attacking him for his IWR.

They despise Clark because he presents a threat to Dean.

Why don't you all just worry about Dean stuff, & knock off all this negative vitriolic venom against everyone?

I support Clark, but I see good things in all the candidates, & I want to beat Bush, not decimate the Dems.

[The Magistrate]

31. It Is No Great Mystery, Ma'am

Gov. Dean's campaign has amounted to buzz and enthusiasm, and this has bult up a sense of entitlement among many of his supporters.

Now real votes are about to be cast, and there is considerable worry over the high expectations his supporters have been nurturing in their minds for months: things do not seem likely to go in accord with their hopes. In such a circumstance, many grow shrill, and seek various scapegoats and explainations that do not include having made some mis-judgement themselves.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[Leilani]

34. Thank you for your response

Yesterday on a C-Span call-in, they had a line for Iowa voters, & there were complaints about Dean supporters in Iowa being rude, condescending, & generally raising hackles everywhere.

On the other hand, they said all the other campaigns were polite & left a positive feeling.

Sometimes "Familiarity Breeds Contempt."

[HFishbine]

38. "They despise Clark because he presents a threat to Dean."

No. I'm warry of Clark because he poses a threat to our civil liberties.

[LTR]

33. I'd like to find out a few things about Dean

Like his coddling to the likes of Enron.

But alas, Dean won't show his records.

[Jerseycoa]

3. Kerry's got a lot of company

Kucinich's by the busful dancing and singing and waving baby-killer signs

Dean's outside passing out anti-Clark lit; inside bird-dogging

Lieberman and Dean parroting the RNC line

:eyes:

We're keeping our eye on November where it belongs.

[KittyWampus]

7. You Forgot The Bongos. Some Kucinich Supporters Played Bongos

outside the Clark Rally this weekend.

[Jerseycoa]

11. I tried to forget the bongos.

I really did. :evilgrin:

[Clark Can WIN]

32. Bongos? I missed the bongos

very creative!

But I doubt Kerry will continue these tactics now that he's managed to pick his campaign up off the floor. It behooves both men to stick to positive messages.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. This is Clark's voting record - is it really dirty tricks to point it out?

Should Kerry cry foul everytime someone goes to http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0421103 and looks up his voting record? :shrug:

[KittyWampus]

10. The Mean Kerry's Voting Record That Include MISSING The Medicare Vote?

I think Kerry has missed about 60% of his votes this year... although factoring in his illness it's probably only 50%.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

17. I understand that if you don't want Kerry to be President, you'd rather

he cast symbolic votes in Congress than be out there campaigning. Kerry has been there for every vote where his could make a difference... as I'm sure you know.

And considering Kerry led the filibuster against the Medicare bill and only left DC after the filibuster had been defeated, your argument is particularly weak.

[Clark Can WIN]

35. I wasn't aware that congressional votes were merely symbolic

I don't think the good Senator would agree with that. I like Kerry and I would be happy to support him if he's the nominee. I'm sure he will see the error of this tactic and rise above it. Negative swiping at other candidates killed Joe right out of the gate and it's starting to drag Dean down as well. Kerry has plenty of positive things to run on and doesn't need this around his ankles.

[Freddie Stubbs]

36. At least he has a better attendence record than Gepahardt

Hopefully Gephardt will now start doing his job.

[Clark4VotingRights]

22. Would Kerry cry foul if Clark used flyers showing how Kerry voted for IWR?

Even though it's true?
Kerry voted to illegally invade another country.
And hundreds of soldiers have died.
Thousands have been injured.
Tens of thousands of Iraqis have been injured and killed.

Because Kerry, et al, claimed they "believed" the very man who
had stolen the presidency?

Would Kerry cry foul if Clark used flyers showing the *fact* that
Kerry voted for IWR? I bet he would.

But it's purely hypothetical because Clark hasn't used those tactics.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

27. Bring. It. On. lol

[Tinoire]

5. Kerry is sitting in Iowa crying about negative attacks?

First time I hear of this lol. I think Kerry's seasoned hide is a little tougher than that.

Clark staff is not doing him any favors by saying something that ridiculous.

[TLM]

8. I don't like Kerry... and I hate to defend him but he's 100% right!

Kerry is an ass, but he's 1000 times the statesman and leader that Clark is.

Clark is a fraud, and Kerry is spot on about him. All Clark can do is whine about double standards because Kerry is calling for more civil discourse in Iowa?

Well newsflash Clark, you didn't think Iowa was worth your time, so you really have no ground to talk about how anybody does anything in a state you were too busy to bother with.

I think Clark is just cranky that Kerry is interrupting his one-man show in NH. Clark wants the stage all to himself and all the attention in the state on him, and hate that Kerry is interrupting Clark's NH ego stroke fest with the unfortunate truth about Clark's past.

[returnable]

16. Clark, Clark, Clark!

[sandnsea]

12. Four times, five times, how many?

This has been posted over and over. I think Kerry people are going to have to learn the beating the dead horse routine. We're just not agressive enough in stirring up shit it seems. I guess I'll go find some Clark attacks on candidates to post.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[returnable]

21. Clark, Clark, Clark!

:hi:

[aquanut]

28. Clark campaign staff sent chicken wings to Kerry's staff

There's a big difference between a mass mailing to voters (or other public forms of negative campaigning) and an inside joke/slap between campaign staff.

But I doubt this distinction will alter your predisposed dislike of Clark.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/18/mgrind.day.thursday/

[robbedvoter]

14. Dear Mr kerry (glad he suddenly became so popular on DU)

http://chat.forclark.com/story/2004/1/12/18163/7302

[aquanut]

23. If the only way you can build up your candidate is by

tearing others down then that says something doesn't it?

This is what bothers me about the brochure that Kerry sent out. More space was used pointing out half truths and exaggerations about Dean and Clark than was used to pump up Kerry.

Negative campaigning takes no imagination. All you have to do is go to http://www.rnc.org/Newsroom/RNCResearch and use the Search feature to find dirt on a Democrat, take the ones with a grain of truth in them, and send them around. Hey, it hurts the party as a whole but if it gets you a few more votes it's worth it, right?

[returnable]

25. All the more puzzling...

...is that Kerry should remember his numbers tanked after he went negative on Dean.

They only rebounded after he cleaned up his act and let Gephardt do the dirty work (and Geppy's numbers subsequently nose-dived. Cause and effect, anyone?)

Ah, well. Old dog, new tricks, can't teach 'em. Or something like that :hi:

[Clark Can WIN]

29. I'd love to give you the outrage I believe you may be looking for

But this will all shake out, and if Kerry is engaging in negative campaigning, it will come to light. Ooooo...... did you say the brochure was in color? Dastardly.

Kerry is a good man and a long time party warrior. I like him and I think he would make a fine President. I'm just not sure a party warrior is what we need to win this election.

I trust Clark to keep to the high road. His records are open for all to see and THAT is his best defense. I suspect Kerry's high placement (or outright win) in tonights contest will cause him to step away from tactics like these.

[blm]

30. It's all fair play on a political field. Clark camp gets their digs in

with the "Washington insider" ploy and Kerry shoots back.

Big deal. Natural tug.

[Hep]

39. Kerry, the New Dean!

He sent this brochure out, and he had to apologize to Edwards. From now on, Kerry will be referred to as Dean Jr.

[slinkerwink]

40. oh, good! the fight is now on between them!

;-)