Kerry defends defense record- "flattered" by GOP attack

[NewYorkerfromMass]

Democratic presidential contender John Kerry on Thursday said he welcomed a debate over his record on defense and vowed to conduct a vigorous race throughout the South.

Kerry dismissed criticism from Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, who contended Thursday the Massachusetts senator is weak on defense and can be painted as just another Eastern liberal.

"It's the greatest form of flattery," Kerry said. "I have voted for the largest defense budgets in the history of our country."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/01/29/politics1347EST0618.DTL

[molly]

1. One of the reasons many in the military were pugs

before was the defense budget. Ed Gillespie better get his ducks in order - cuts to veterans shot them in the foot.

[Monte Carlo]

2. Kerry won't make Dukakis' mistakes.

He won't ignore the venom spewed against him in a vain effort to rise above it as Dukakis did. He won't take the Republican stigma of the Northeastern liberal sitting down. He won't ride a tank. And he won't shy from the word "liberal".

This is the part of Kerry that would shine in the general election. He is ready for the smear campaigns.

[CO Liberal]

3. Ed Gillespie - All Mouth, No Brain

He ands Bush were made for each other.

[adadem]

4. I loved his response

"It's the greatest form of flattery," Kerry said. "I have voted for the largest defense budgets in the history of our country."

Bring it on, dumb pugs!!!

[codegreen]

5. urgent! please make this a post!

i'm new and can't make a post, but someone please make a post of this:

http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/email_moc.html

it's a massive email program to send everyone in Congress a message simultaniously.

it is currently set to address the 911 commision's request for additional time.

just enter your email and hit enter!

please post this so we can send them this urgent message

thankx

[slinkerwink]

6. good, kerry can be "flattered" right out of the general election and

into the annals of history as another Dukakis candidate with a bad Botox job.....

[blm]

7. Funny...that you utilize RNC talking points. Why would you use them?

Too bitter isn't a helpful approach and doesn't benefit the left's causes.

[sangh0]

10. Maybe it's because

that's what "outsiders" do?

:shrug:

[JohnKleeb]

13. Ya know despite being a candiate partisan and I admit I am

My primary focus has always been on sending Bush home. I dont think comparing Kerry to Dukakis is really a good idea, here's why, Kerry fights back, Mike Dukakis, good guy, he didnt fight back the lies that Poppy and Atwater said about him. Another reason why I feel that could backfire is that young voters especially first time voters who are very near my age dont remember Mike Dukakis, I only know who he is because I am a nerd of presidential elections history. Kerry can fight back, as evident with his fight against Weld and I remember reading an article on that and it said some people will count him out but he can come back, and its interesting since he has, and of course his comebacks in the recent primaries.

[ibegurpard]

17. Gee, BLM

"Too bitter isn't a helpful approach and doesn't benefit the left's causes."

Where was that sentiment from you a few months ago?

[eileen_d]

8. Geez - and you complain about Dean gettting smeared?

That's one of the ugliest posts I've ever seen.

[a_random_joel]

11. An honest question Slink...

I know you are one of the most ardent Dean supporters out there. I was definitely behind Dean, but I am starting to have doubts. I am curious if you are ABB, and if so, at what point do you begin looking at other candidates... after the nomination?

[emulatorloo]

12. Is this an Ann Coulter quote or your opinion?

I got confused by the quotation marks. . .

[Feanorcurufinwe]

19. So your point is that we should be more like Republicans?

We need to be like the Republicans because otherwise they will label us as liberals?


That is a self-defeating argument.

[rpf113]

22. Kerry could not be more different than Dukakis.

You're blind support of Dean is probably where that comment came from.

[sandnsea]

9. "Let's have at it"

"Unfortunately, there are people who have never met a weapons system they didn't like. I have," he said. "If the worst thing they can do is pull out a couple of votes ... let's have at it."

He was right on a number of votes that they'll try to use against him. Most importantly that high tech gadgets weren't what we needed to fight terrorism. And that spending tons on missile defense wasn't going to protect us from the real threats either. He'll win this one going way too.

[radfringe]

14. the GOPer attack has me leaning towards Kerry

the recent attack on Kerry leads me to only one conclusion - the attacks are a sign of desperation on the part of GOPers

they sort of pooh-poohed Dean, almost gloating at what they anticipated to be a slam dunk for the smirk if Dean wins the nomination

now that Kerry has won Iowa and New Hampshire - they are worried and this is showing in the attacks

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. They are scared. The one word I hear over and over re: Kerry is....

Formidable

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. kick

[radfringe]

20. hey there NewYorkerfromMass

:hi:

I'm originally from Mass too - now living in PA

Where were you in MA? I was living in a little town called Orange -
about 20 miles west of Gardner and 20 miles south of VT/NH border

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. The elephant in the room:

"It's the greatest form of flattery," Kerry said. "I have voted for the largest defense budgets in the history of our country."

[rpf113]

21. Dukakis..

was probably one of the most inept politicians to ever run a presidential campaign. Kerry is smart, experienced, centrist, yet populist. He has a certain gravitas that Dukakis certainly lacked and he speaks with authority. He is not my first pick for the nomination, but I think there is no doubt he will give Bush a big fight.

After his battle with Dean, I also think he has grown a lot as a candidate and has already gone through the whole campaign-shake up thing that plagued the Gore candidacy and I think he will do much better than Gore at courting the media.

[Democat]

23. If Kerry is ready to fight, then if he wins, we all need to rally behind

We need to make the Dean activism seem like the minor leagues, no matter who the Dem candidate is. There must be an unprecidented movement to support Kerry (or whoever else) if he is nominated.

We cannot let the right wing media destroy our chances of beating Bush.

Kerry sounds like he's willing to do his part, we all have to do ours. It's going to be a long tough fight, but we can beat these criminals and their right wing media ass kissers!

Kerry is not my first choice, but I will support any of these Democrats against Bush!