On CNN: That Big Dig smear against Kerry

[blm]

As it turns out the amendment that Kerry blocked that so many here attacked him for was also opposed by the ENTIRE Dem delegation, Senate and Congress and state legislators.


They took the position FOR their constituents and for their state.
The project HAD to be seen through.

[creativelcro]

1. If you want to make people mad in Boston, bring up

the Big Dig issue....

[killbotfactory]

2. Why did Kerry accept over $20,000 from a company that tried to bilk Boston

, and endanger the Big Dig project in the process, by using a loophole?

[blm]

23. I dunno, ask one of AIG's big stockholders, Howard Dean.

http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=8&act=details

[killbotfactory]

29. What the hell does that have to do with my question?

Dean holding 200-1000 dollars in stocks and bonds in AIG has nothing to do with Kerry recieving over $20,000 in campaign contributions from the company which tried to fleece his home state, which he was supposedly "furious" about.

[Snivi Yllom]

31. it's called deflecting

your question was not answered

[blm]

33. Yes it was. I said "I dunno" let's ask Howard Dean.

btw...if you care...there is a post below from xray s that may be of help.

[Snivi Yllom]

30. John Kerry owns the same amout of AIG, but the rest of his portfolio

is stratospheric with some nice names there. These are the stocks in the 6-7 figure range

http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=details

BECTON DICKINSON & CO
IMPERIAL OIL LTD
J P MORGAN CHASE & CO
JOHNSON & JOHNSON
LINCOLN NATL CORP IND
NORTHERN TR CORP
TRIBUNE CO
TARGET CORP
MELLON FINL CORP
FRANKLIN RES INC
DOVER CORP
EXXON MOBIL CORP
CENTURYTEL INC
EQUIFAX
HOME DEPOT INC
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC
TRANSATLANTIC HOLDINGS INC
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES
SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC
TOTAL FINA ELF
LIBERTY MEDIA CORP COM SER A

http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=pfin
Asset Category Breakdown
Stocks or Bonds $173,867,611 - $734,449,000
General Investment $13,506,025 - $60,192,000
Real Estate $5,350,007 - $25,750,000
Other $1,877,011 - $6,884,000
Cash, Savings $3,144,027 - $6,662,000
Business Partnership $1,050,002 - $5,101,000

[RetroLounge]

32. If I own Stock in AIG, should they ask me?

Quelle Merde...

[PA-DEM]

3. GOP in deep deep trouble

If this is the best they can do. Kerry flew on a plane of an insurance company VS Bush sends 520 soldiers to there death over a lie. You choose the more important issue. Alot of candidates and Bush seem to be getting deserate.

[redqueen]

4. Kerry helped bush to send them there, my friend.

How much difference do you think there is in the minds of the average 'swing' voter?

[PA-DEM]

6. lets see

Dead soldiers vs plane ride. yep plane ride much worse.

[sandnsea]

20. The President is the CiC

Most voters apparently get the difference between giving a President authorization to use military force and the President abusing that authorization. They're putting the blame where it belongs, on George W. Bush. And supporting the guy who made the right decision about being tough on Saddam while wanting to also do it in the right way.

[IndianaGreen]

22. Kerry was cheering Bush on March 20, 2003 when the invasion began

the only time Kerry stopped cheering for the war was when things began to go sour during the occupation.

[redqueen]

24. I don't even bother

If people don't see it now it's because they refuse to. The facts are clear.

No WMD threat. No reason to vote for IWR.

Period.

[sandnsea]

37. I agree

If people don't understand by now that the entire world thought there was a WMD threat based on intelligence from operatives from various countries in the world, the IAEA and UNSCOM, it's because they refuse to.

[IndianaGreen]

5. and Kerry voted to give Bush a blank check for war

Looks like there is no difference between the two Skull & Bones candidates.

[Lindacooks]

7. You don't really mean that, do you?

No difference between Kerry and Bush????????

That's the same message that brought about Selection 2000. There are TONS of differences between these two men, first and foremost that Kerry is a decorated war hero and Bush is a deserter. The difference is in caring for children and the poor, ensuring our civil liberties, protecting the environment, saving social security and medicare, no more preemptive wars - I mean, I could sit here and write all day about this stuff!

I sure hope you weren't serious. If you are, WAKE UP!!!

[IndianaGreen]

11. Kerry's Vietnam medals don't mean shit when it comes to the Election!

Kerry is not running for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Kerry is running for President and it is his Senatorial record that must be taken into account!

[blm]

16. Yes, his Senatorial record that's closest to Wellstone's of all candidates

and that is something you are well aware of.

His ADA rating is left of Kennedy's.

I'm sorry you don't approve of real liberals. Maybe career corporatists and centrists are to your liking but certainly not mine.

Funny how the American people are coming around to a liberal just as many former liberals are enthralled with a centrist.

[IndianaGreen]

19. Kerry voted for the war and PATRIOT

He also voted for NCLB and NAFTA, and he skipped the Medicare vote.

Kerry also opposes gay marriage.

That's some liberal "champion"!

[Cocoa]

8. and Dean supported it too

the Biden-Lugar amendment was not significantly different from the IWR.

[TheDonkey]

10. but... but... but... Dean is the only one anti-war

:(

[killbotfactory]

13. Yes it was

It would have forced Bush to say unequivocally that Iraq was an imminent threat to the US and working with the UN was impossible.

If Bush went ahead like he did, he would be in violation of the resolution.

The IWR did not force Bush to do anything.

[Cuban_Liberal]

15. Yes, it was.

That being said, there is no way of proving that Dean would have supported the IWR minus B-L, had he been in Congress.

[AlinPA]

34. Didn't Bush* use an Enron plane for his campaign?

I think Ken Lay donated it for his use. I will try to find documentation.

[AlinPA]

35. Here's one.

http://www.texasobserver.org/showArticle.asp?ArticleID=133

[Snivi Yllom]

9. how much money did the rest of them take from AIG?

And I still have not seen an answer how cutting UNNECESSARY OVESPENDING on insurance could possibly have harmed the completion of the Big Dig or hurt the constituents. Kerry helped AIG get $128 Million it did not need so they could invest it in the stock market and profit from it, then he took thousands in donations.

oh....

it's not a smear if it's true.

[sandnsea]

17. He also opened an investigation

It isn't like he just let whatever practice AIG was engaged in continue. The insurance needed to be provided to finish the project, now there's an investigation. He didn't just sweep the whole thing under the rug and let these insurance companies continue business as usual. Seems like a pretty lousy investment on the part of AIG.

And let's take a look at Bechtel, the real money maker of the Big Dig, and Republicans. $770,000 between 1999 and 2003.

http://www.sundayherald.com/33046

[blm]

21. Well ask AIG stockholder Dean what he thinks about it.

http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=8&act=details

[Snivi Yllom]

28. What's that supposed to mean?

I'm supposed to be horrified that Dean personally owns $15000 of AIG stock? OMG the end of the world is near.

FYI Kerry owns between $15,000 & $50,000of AIG as well...
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=details
AMERICAN INTL GROUP Stocks or Bonds Candidate $15,001 $50,000

Ok..i'll see your posting of Dean's stock holdings and raise you Kerry's. Im just posting those worth over 1 million dollars BTW.

HEINZ H J CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $2,000,002 $10,000,000
HEINZ H J CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $2,000,002 $10,000,000
LEXINGTON CAPITAL PARTNERS II L P NEW YORK NEW YORK (6,7) (SEE ATTACHMENT 4 OF 2001 REPORT) General Investment Spouse $130,003 $1,100,000
BECTON DICKINSON & CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $105,002 $1,015,000
COMERICA INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $105,002 $1,015,000
HEARTWOOD FORESTLAND FUND II L P CAMPHILL NC (6) General Investment Spouse $103,503 $1,007,500
DOVERSTREET III L P (6,7) BOSTON MA (SEE ATTACHMENT 2 OF 2001 REPORT) General Investment Spouse $102,003 $1,005,000
X L CAPITAL LTD CLASS A Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
AIR PRODUCTS & CHEMICALS INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
IMPERIAL OIL LTD Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
J P MORGAN CHASE & CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
JOHNSON & JOHNSON Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
LINCOLN NATL CORP IND Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
NORTHERN TR CORP Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
TRIBUNE CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $102,502 $1,005,000
TARGET CORP Stocks or Bonds Spouse $101,002 $1,002,500
MELLON FINL CORP Stocks or Bonds Spouse $101,002 $1,002,500
FRANKLIN RES INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $101,002 $1,002,500
DOVER CORP Stocks or Bonds Spouse $101,002 $1,002,500
EXXON MOBIL CORP Stocks or Bonds Spouse $101,002 $1,002,500
CENTURYTEL INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,202 $1,001,000
EQUIFAX Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,202 $1,001,000
HOME DEPOT INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,202 $1,001,000
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,202 $1,001,000
TRANSATLANTIC HOLDINGS INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,202 $1,001,000
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
TOTAL FINA ELF Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
LIBERTY MEDIA CORP COM SER A Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
INGERSOL RAND CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
NTT DOCOME INC Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
BNP PARIBAS EUR Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
CHICAGO III PK DIST DTD 12/1/95 6% 1/1/07 Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
COLUMBUS OHIO DTD 11/15/97 6% 6/15/08 (IN 01 LISTED AS 6/15/98) Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
CONNEAUT PA SCH DIST DTD 9/1/00 5.0% DUE 10/1/03 Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
DEKALB CNTY GA WTR & SEW REV DTD 7/9/97 6% 10/1/03 Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
METROPOLITAN TRANSN AUTH NY TRAN FACS REV DTD 9/15/92 6.3% 7/1/07 Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
NORTH CENT TEX HEALTH FAC DEV CORP REV DTD 12/1/95 6.25% 5/15/11 Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
PENNSYLVANIA ST DTD 10/15/00 5.25% 10/15/10 Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
UNITED STATES TREASURY BILLS (1) Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
UNITED STATES TREASURY BILLS (1) Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
HEINZ H J CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $100,001 $1,000,000
HEINZ H J CO Stocks or Bonds Spouse $1,100,002 $1,000,000

[AlinPA]

12. This scared me at first, but check the link here where most

(56% to 33%) think Kerry is in touch with their problems vs Bush*.
They are bringing out the cannons, but are people tired of hearing all this "liberal" crap? I think its wearing thin, esp. with all the job losses and freedoms being scrapped.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/bw/20040205/bs_bw/nf20040256529db016&e=5

[Snivi Yllom]

14. from the article you quoted

"BUNDLED" CONTRIBUTIONS. Indeed, Kerry's benefactors include execs at Goldman Sachs, Citigroup (NYSE:C - News), and AT&T Wireless Services (NYSE:T - News). He has also pulled in plenty of donations from members of his brother Cameron's law firm, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, which represents many telecom interests. And according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign-reform group, Kerry received more contributions from lobbyists in 2003 (though September) than any other senator -- some $226,450.

On the stump, the senator boasts that he has never taken money from political action committees. But he doesn't need PAC money because he has tapped an organization called the Citizen Soldier Fund, a vehicle for amassing unlimited gifts from unions and lobbyists representing the insurance, banking, and telecom industries. Kerry set up this "shadow committee" -- a so-called 527 -- despite his support for the McCain-Feingold bill, which banned direct donations of soft money.

Kerry has also done favors for wireless outfits and other interests, ranging from arranging entree with regulators to backing friendly amendments. In some cases, the favors were followed by "bundled" contributions. For instance, Kerry has often sponsored amendments for the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Assn., only to receive checks from lawyers and lobbyists close to the trade group.

Kerry's staffers say that as a former state prosecutor, he is incorruptible and never trades influence. But the reality is that he is less of a campaign reformer than he makes himself out to be, working the system to his advantage while insisting that tougher rules are needed.

[sandnsea]

18. Wellstone $817,000 PAC money

One year. These reports are intentionally misrepresenting facts. I don't really care what you say now, but I'd hope you'd store away the truth in your memory bank should Kerry win the nomination. We'll need people telling the whole truth in a couple of months.

[redqueen]

25. Just saying 'Wellstone got this much PAC money' does not change one fact

Kerry took payoffs.

Or do you wish to recite bush's defenders' lines, that the donations to his campain were just because they like him, not because he voted for legislation that was beneficial to them?

[xray s]

26. Can anyone explain a few things for me?

The link to the AP story
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=1&u=/ap/20040204/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_big_dig

When the "AIG investment scheme (came) to light, John Kerry called for public hearings to investigate the parties involved and the legality of the investment practices. However, he firmly believed cutting funding for the Big Dig was not the answer," Cutter said.

Instead of McCain's bluntly worded legislation, Kerry asked for a committee hearing in May 2000. Kerry thanked McCain at the start of the hearing for dropping his legislation and an AIG executive was permitted to testify that he believed the company's work for the Big Dig was a good thing even though it was criticized by federal auditors.

"From the perspective of public and worker safety and cost control, AIG's insurance program has been a success," AIG executive Richard Thomas testified.

(snip)

...in 1999, the Transportation Department uncovered a financing scheme in which the project had overpaid $129.8 million to AIG for worker compensation and liability insurance that wasn't needed, then had allowed the insurer to keep the money in a trust and invest it in the market. The government alleged AIG kept about half of the profits it made from the investments, providing the other half to the project.

Question. How was it determined by the Transportation Dept that the project overpaid for worker comp and liability? Was this a no bid contract whereby AIG charged more than the going rate? Or did the auditors simply find AIG's investments of those premiums more than covered their pay out in claims (that is the indication I get from the article). If the later is the case, and AIG's premiums were competitive, this whole flap seems to be about nothing.

Insurance companies take in more in premiums than they pay out in claims. That is how they make money. If they were allowed to charge more than the competitive rate, that would be a big, big problem for anyone associated with the project. But from the article, there is no indication this is the case. The only thing I can determine is AIG invested the premiums they collected, made money, held it in trust and shared part of that with the Big Dig project.

The AIG exec testified that deal worked out well for the workers and the public. It should be pretty easy to find out if this is true.

[blm]

27. I have no idea how that works. It seems to me, though

that if there was anything nefarious, the Boston Globe would have crucified Kerry over it by now.

[styersc]

36. Kerry SIngle Handedly blocked legislation against the entire Mass

delegation?!?!?

Why run for Pres when you are Superman?

[blm]

38. heh...you read it wrong. Kerry AND every other Mass legislator opposed the

amendment.

Heh. Blame me and my fast, awkward posting.

[styersc]

39. Damned x-ray vision.

.