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Edited on Tue Mar-16-04 02:34 PM by flpoljunkie
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0316.htmlMarch 16, 2004 For Immediate Release Washington, DC – Kerry Spokesperson Stephanie Cutter issued the following response to Bush-Cheney’s latest misleading ad: “Once again, George Bush is misleading the American people. In the latest sign that Bush has no record to run on, Bush released his latest misleading attack ad. The American people understand that John Kerry knows how to defend our nation, and certainly won’t take a lecture from George Bush about protecting our troops. Families are logging onto the Internet to buy body armor for their loved ones in Iraq because this President has failed to provide it for them. George Bush himself opposed pay increases for our troops in combat, and gave no-bid contracts in Iraq to Halliburton, who grossly over-billed the U.S government.“Let’s not forget how deep a hole George Bush’s stubborn and arrogant foreign policy has dug us into. He’s squandered the goodwill of our friends and allies across the world, leaving our troops overextended in what looks like an endless occupation in Iraq.“George Bush has lost credibility with the American people. Because he stubbornly refuses to let go of his failed policies, America has lost 3 million jobs, health care costs have increased by fifty percent, and our record surpluses have turned into record deficits.“It’s clear that Bush underestimates the American people. No amount of paid television can wipe away the damaging effects of the last three years of stubborn, misguided leadership. Nor can it restore the President’s credibility. The American people want change, and John Kerry is ready to deliver that change.”JUST THE FACTS: BUSH-CHENEY “DEFENSE” AD Just like his earlier ads, the new Bush-Cheney attack is simply not credible; it will do nothing to repair the President’s reputation for misleading Americans. Once again, Bush has put together an ad to mislead voters and divert attention from their failed record in the White House. The Bush-Cheney campaign even has the gall to call into question John Kerry’s support of troops in combat or in the reserves—which is a ludicrous assumption considering Kerry WAS one of those service members when he fought in combat in Vietnam and spent 6 years in the Naval Reserves when he returned from war. Here are is the real record refuting the latest Bush-Cheney false claims: Bush-Cheney False Claims: Bush voice-over: “I’m George W. Bush and I approved this message” Announcer: “Few votes in Congress are as important as funding our troops at war.” Announcer: “Though John Kerry voted in October of 2002 for military action in Iraq he later voted against funding our soldiers.” Background voice of roll call vote: “Mr. Kerry” Announcer: “No.” The Real Record: Bush’s Own Army Secretary Said They Were “Not Prepared” for Prolonged Involvement in Iraq: “When the Saddam Hussein government collapsed, U.S. troops in Iraq figured the war was over, except for some mopping up. But as the acting secretary of the Army, Les Brownlee, acknowledged to Congress last week, ‘we simply were not prepared’ for the insurgency that developed in early summer, prolonging the war and taking the lives of hundreds of American soldiers. One 3rd Infantry soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Eric Wright, put it this way in Iraq last June: ‘What was told to us was that we would fight and win and go home.’ It's not that simple.”
Bush Forcing Military to Face Back to Back Deployments: “The Army is spread so thin around the globe that when it needs fresh combat troops for Iraq this fall it will have little choice but to call on the same soldiers who led the charge into Baghdad last spring. The 3rd Infantry Division already has been given an official "warning order" to prepare to return to Iraq as soon as Thanksgiving. When those soldiers flew home from Iraq last summer to their bases in Georgia, few of them could have known they were, in effect, on a roundtrip ticket. They are not alone in facing back-to-back deployments to Iraq. Some of the same Marines who teamed up with the 3rd Infantry to topple Baghdad are already assembling again in Kuwait, only a matter of months after returning home, and more Marines will go next year.”
John Kerry, a Veteran of the Vietnam War, Knows Combat First Hand: John Kerry joined the United States Navy after college and served from 1966 through 1970 rising to the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Afterwards, Kerry continued his military service in the United States Naval Reserves from 1972 through 1978. Kerry served two tours of duty in Vietnam--one tour as commander of a Navy Swift Boat in the Mekong Delta. Kerry’s action during the Vietnam War resulted in his being awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Combat “V”, three Purple Hearts, the Presidential Unit Citation for Extraordinary Heroism, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, three Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medals and the Combat Action Ribbon.
John Kerry DID NOT Vote Against Our Men and Women in the Military; Kerry VOTED Against the FAILED Bush Policy in Iraq: Of course John Kerry supports our troops—it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise. John Kerry voted AGAINST the failed Bush policy in Iraq which is still putting US troops in harms way saying: "The best way to support our troops and take the target off their backs is with a real strategy to win the peace in Iraq - not by throwing $87 billion at George Bush's failed policies. I am voting 'no' on the Iraq resolution to hold the President accountable and force him finally to develop a real plan that secures the safety of our troops and stabilizes Iraq."
Kerry Was a Lead Sponsor of the Amendment to Fund Our Nation’s Troops in Iraq Through Rescinding the Bush Tax Cut for the Wealthy: "The people who ordered up this war are the ones who ought to finance its aftermath. Yet when the Senate had a chance to vote on Oct. 2 for an amendment that would pay the postwar costs by temporarily reducing the tax cut for the wealthiest slice of Americans -- the less than 1 percent who $400,000 a year -- it was rejected, 57-42."
Bush-Cheney False Claims:
Announcer: “Body armor for troops in combat.”
Background voice of roll call vote: “Mr. Kerry”
Announcer: “No.”
The Real Record:
Under Bush, Body Armor For Troops In Short Supply: Body armor that protects Reserve and National Guardsmen is in short supply in Iraq. According to the United Press International, “getting shot at in Iraq sometimes wait for new bulletproof body armor while active duty Army soldiers get it first, according to Reserve and Guard soldiers. Waiting for Interceptor body armor adds to concern among Reserve and Guard troops that they are treated like second-class citizens, even when it comes to lifesaving equipment. They say the treatment is unfair because enemy bullets make no distinction between Reserve and active duty.” The armor can make a difference between life and death. The armor “is dramatically reducing the kind of torso injuries that have killed soldiers on the battlefield in wars past.”
Bush-Cheney False Claims:
Announcer: “Higher combat pay”
Background voice of roll call vote: “Mr. Kerry”
Announcer: “No.”
The Real Record:
Under Bush, Soldiers Underpaid Or Overpaid And Forced To Return Money: A General Accounting Office study states that some activated Army National Guard soldiers saw delays of up to three months in their pay while others were overpaid an average of $48,000 and told later they had to pay it back. In case studies, GAO said, 34 Colorado soldiers were overpaid an average $48,000. Assistant Army Secretary Sandra Pack, in a letter to Rep. Christopher Shays, said the problems showed the Pentagon has not lived up to its commitment to the soldiers. And she said the department is "taking concrete steps" to ensure that service members receive accurate and timely pay. A majority of Guard members in a California military police unit saw three-month delays in their pay.
Kerry Was the First to Point Out the Fact that the Bush Cheney White House Favored Halliburton Profits Over Protection of U.S. Troops: “Halliburton is guilty of shameful war-profiteering, and they need to be held accountable. It’s dead wrong that Halliburton is bilking American taxpayers by overcharging the government $61 million for fuel while our troops on the frontlines are underfunded, overextended, and some have literally been left to buy their own body armor. Think about what $61 million could buy for our troops in need rather than lining the pockets of Halliburton executives. The Bush Administration should be ashamed that they bent over backwards for their biggest contributors while leaving American troops in danger. We need to get our priorities back in order. As president, I will fight the special interests, not coddle them, and I will make sure that no American soldier ever goes without the equipment they need to do their job.” – John Kerry.
Kerry Has Always Been a Strong Supporter of Men & Women in Uniform: John Kerry has worked to support the men and women who defend the United States. Kerry knows what it is like to serve the country in uniform that is why he has strongly supported military pay raises and increased housing, education and retirement benefits for the men and women of the Armed Services. Kerry voted for the “Soldiers', Sailors', Airmen's and Marines' Bill of Rights Act” which authorized $46 billion over ten years to create a 4.8% pay raise for members of the military. The Act also authorized additional pay, retirement, education, savings, and health benefits. In 2000, Kerry voted for the McCain amendment to provide a further $28 million to service members for an additional allowance to military families who are eligible for food stamps—a problem John Kerry wants to end. Kerry was a cosponsor of John McCain’s Troops-to-Teachers Program Improvement Act which would provide stipends to members of the military who have recently retired or been discharged and are interested in becoming teachers. As recently as 2002, John Kerry voted for another pay raise for the men and women in the Armed Services. The 2002 vote provided “$10.4 billion for military construction and family housing” and “authorizes a new special compensation program which provides significantly enhanced compensation for military retirees with 20 or more years of service who incurred a qualifying combat-related disability.” <106th Congress, S.4 & S. 389; Office of Senator John Warner; Senate Roll Call Vote 1990 # 214;1999 #26; 2000 # 61; 2002 #239>
Bush-Cheney False Claims:
Announcer: “And better healthcare for reservists and their families”
Background voice of roll call vote: “Mr. Kerry”
Announcer: “No.”
Announcer: “Wrong on defense.”
The Real Record:
Bush Decided To Cut Health Benefits For Middle Income Veterans: On January 16, 2003, the Bush Administration announced it would cut access to health care benefits for 160,000 middle-income veterans due to budget constraints.
A Quarter Of A Million Veterans Are Forced To Wait Months Before They Can See A VA Doctor For The First Time: At least 230,000 veterans are being forced to wait over six months for their initial visit to a doctor at the Veterans Administration (VA). In some parts of the country veterans are waiting nearly two years for those visits. The “Independent Budget,” an analysis of the VA budget provided by veterans groups, has said “The Department of Veterans Affairs health care system is in critical condition.” http://www.pva.org/independentbudget/pdf/IB_04excsum.pdf>
Bush-Cheney’s Denial of Active Duty Pay and Health Benefits: In other cases, injured solders were denied active duty pay and medical benefits.
Kerry is a Strong Supporter of America’s Military; Has Supported More Than $4.4 Trillion in Defense Spending & Voted for “Largest Increase in Defense Spending Since the Early 1980’s”: John Kerry is a strong supporter of the U.S. Armed Services and has consistently worked to ensure the military has the best equipment and training possible. In 2002, John Kerry voted for a large increase in the defense budget. This increase provided more than $355 billion for the Defense Department for 2003, an increase of $21 billion over 2002. This measure includes $71.5 billion for procurement programs such as $4 billion for the Air Force's F-22 fighter jets, $3.5 billion for the Joint Strike Fighter and $279.3 million for an E-8C Joint Stars (JSTARS) aircraft. Kerry’s vote also funded a 4.1% pay increase for military personnel, $160 million for the B-1 Bomber Defense System Upgrade, $1.5 billion for a new attack submarine, more than $630 million for Army and Navy variants of the Blackhawk helicopter, $3.2 billion for additional C-17 transports, $900 million for R&D of the Comanche helicopter and more than $800 million for Trident Submarine conversion. The current chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John Warner (R-VA) stated: “The defense spending increase for FY03 is the largest increase in defense spending since the early 1980's-reflecting the importance of defending the homeland and winning the global war against terrorism <2002, Senate Roll Call Vote # 239; Websites of U.S. Senators Warner, Daschle, Dodd accessed 7/25/03>
Kerry is Working to Ensure the U.S. America’s Military Remains the Best in the World: John Kerry is working to ensure the United States maintains the best equipped and best trained military in the world. Kerry has called for a strong national security plan base upon technological advancement to combat terror across the globe. John Kerry was a key part of the group which determined that, “A strong, technologically superior defense is the foundation for US global leadership. The US must speed up the ‘revolution in military affairs’ that uses our technological advantage to project force in many different contingencies involving uncertain and rapidly changing security threats -- including terrorism and information warfare.” Additionally, Kerry set the ambitious goal of creating a “modernized military equipped to deal with emerging threats to security, such as terrorism, information warfare, weapons of mass destruction, and destabilizing regional conflicts.” In order to maintain the U.S. military’s dominance into the 21st Century, Kerry would later say, “We must provide the training, equipment and technology that allow our Armed Forces to successfully meet the daunting security challenges of the 21st Century.”
Only John Kerry Will Ensure Military Reservists Have Health Care: John Kerry supports access to TRICARE for military reservists. This will improve the readiness of reservists called to active duty and provide for the care of their loved ones without the current disruptions that often occur when a reservist is called to active duty. For families that do not live near a TRICARE provider, have children or special medical needs, it may be impractical to use TRICARE provider. In these cases, Kerry supports allowing reservist families to keep their civilian insurance through paid for COBRA payments.
Kerry Authors Plan to Help Reservists & Their Small Business Employers: John Kerry is the author of the Small Business Military Reservist Tax Credit Act to provide tax credits for small businesses to coping with employees called into active duty and help self-employed military reservists when they are called up. “This tax credit is critical to immediately help the families of reservists while they serve our nation, and to help struggling small business owners keep their small businesses running after the loss of a reservist employee to military service,” Kerry said when he introduced the legislation in the Senate. <108th Congress, S. 1585; U.S. Senate Small Business Committee press release, 9/9/03>
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