Kerry Remarks at JJ Dinner

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1115.html (I added the raw deal in brackets for when the crowd yelled)

Iowa Democrats, it’s time to get real. George Bush thought he could play dress-up on an aircraft carrier in front of a sign saying “Mission Accomplished” and we wouldn’t notice that our troops are dying in Iraq every day. That Americans on the farm and in our factories are hurting and struggling every day. That George Bush has lost two jobs every minute and run up the deficit a billion dollars every day. But we did notice. We reject the cynicism and radically wrong direction of this Administration. And we’re here to say that tonight marks the beginning of the end of the Bush Presidency.

You want to talk about “Mission Accomplished”? When it comes to coddling big oil, serving up tax giveaways for the wealthiest, and opening up doors for the lobbyists and for the polluters, that’s the only “Mission Accomplished” by George W. Bush. When it comes to health care, to education, to jobs, to the security of our nation, it’s not only Mission Not Accomplished, its Mission Not Even Attempted, it’s Mission Abandoned. On issue after issue, George Bush has given America a raw deal and everyone in this room knows it.
Its not enough to lay a wreath at Arlington Cemetery while he cuts veterans health care and 40,000 veterans are left on a hospital waiting list. There are tables of veterans here and they know the truth. What has George Bush given our veterans? A Raw Deal!

George Bush opens fire stations in Iraq and forces fire stations to shut down in America. There are firefighters here and they know the truth. What has George Bush given our first defenders? {A Raw Deal!}

George Bush gives corporate hog lots special favors and gives small farms the shaft. There are farmers all over this hall and they know the truth. What has George Bush given our farm families? {A Raw Deal!}

George Bush cuts taxes for the wealthy while he cuts funding for our schools. There are teachers here who give so much in classrooms everyday and they know the truth. What has George Bush given our children? {A Raw Deal!}

You know, the real motto for this Administration should be “no special interest left behind.” America, it’s time to get real. Instead of George Bush’s raw deal, we need a real deal that stands up to the powerful interests. That’s built on people and products not privileges and perks. And that closes every loophole for the Benedict Arnold companies that ship jobs overseas.

We are at war – and the world is looking to us for leadership. I’m running for President because George Bush has shown he has no experience to be Commander-in-Chief and no plan for peace in Iraq. He’s overextended our troops, he can’t find Saddam Hussein, he can’t find Osama bin Laden, he can’t even find the leaker in his own White House. I know something about aircraft carriers for real. And if George Bush wants to make this election about national security, I have three words for him he’ll understand: Bring. It. On.

I’m running for President to take on the HMOs and drug companies and make health care affordable for all our people. In the last two years, I’ve seen the health care system up close and personal. I’ve lost both my parents and had an operation myself. I got the care I needed because you pay for great health care for Senators and Congressmen. As President, I’m going to give every family that health care because your family’s health is just as important as any politician’s in Washington.

I’m running for President to roll back George Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy so that we can invest in education and health care. But here’s what I won’t do. I won’t balance the budget on the backs of seniors or veterans or the weakest and poorest people in our country. And I won’t raise taxes on the middle class. Because we know the problem with this country is not that the hard working people have too much money.

We believe in a Democratic Party of real solutions, of real leaders, that offers a real deal to the American people. The Democratic Party of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy and Bill Clinton. They brought hope and leadership and next year we need to do the same. We need to offer answers, not just anger. Solutions, not just slogans. So Iowa, in January, don’t just send them a message. Send them a President.

I believe the courage of Americans can change this country. So stand up if you have the courage to stand up to the polluters. Stand up if you have the courage to stand up to corporations that ship jobs overseas. Stand up if you have the courage to stand up for our civil rights, for civil liberties, for a woman’s right to choose and if you want an Attorney General who’s name isn’t John Ashcroft. Stand up if you have the courage to stand up to the NRA to outlaw assault weapons. Stand up if you have the courage to stand up for energy independence so young people in the Midwest never have to die for Mideast oil.

Your courage can end George Bush’s raw deal. Your courage can give America a real deal. On November 2, 2004, we are going to beat George Bush – and then we can say “Mission Accomplished.” Let’s make it happen.

But whenever one of the Dems takes a swipe at one of the others, it's all over the news?

I think they need to focus more on the anti-Bush message, like this Kerry speech, in order to force the media to quit being able to make them look like so many cats in a sack.

s_m

Kerry is so smart that we of the "great unwashed" class get lost in the words, so it leaves us with little impact. If you stop and take the time to read allllllllll the words, he makes more sense than anyone. But he is terrible at sound bites.

There is a place in the world for a deep and thoughtful person, but apparently running for President is not it.

Does that make Democrats capable of being just as shallow as those they scorn? Find someone who talks just like they do when they're pissed off on an internet message board? Pitiful.

I think we all know the answer to this.

Dean '04...

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is that he fired his campaign manager several days earlier. Of course they already reported it several times but negative news about Kerry can't be repeated enough.

Dean criticizes Kerry's IWR vote and it's reported faithfully. Of course this is something that happened over a year ago and has been reported, and reported, and reported, and reported.

That should tell you who they are protecting - Bush.

It is hard to regain the attention once you have lost momentum.

Kerry has to do something really dramatic to regain the stage, but not so extreme that it harms his credibility.

:kick:

"We believe in a Democratic Party of real solutions, of real leaders, that offers a real deal to the American people. The Democratic Party of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy and Bill Clinton. They brought hope and leadership and next year we need to do the same. We need to offer answers, not just anger. Solutions, not just slogans. So Iowa, in January, don’t just send them a message. Send them a President."

I hear the beginning of a sharp, clear, effective message from the campaign. Finally. But better late than never!

Here's to the new campaign chief :toast:

Congratulations to the Kerry supporters.

I liked Kerry and Edwards' speeches best. Why did Hillary get all the press? Did they write their stories last week?

Kerry blasts his opponents and gets lots of attention. Hhhmmmmm, I would think if there were less cat-fights among the candidates (and I mean all of them), then maybe the press would have no choice but to highlight this sort of story (great speech) and not something most Americans would rather hear (catfight).

:shrug:
seriously I think if the press reported more on this, I think the disputes we see amongst candiate supporters would start to ease a little.