For Clark, Dean, Kucinich people upset with Media treatment of Kerry

The following is a letter I sent to a number of news orginizations:

Dear Friends,

Why the hell isn't the media going after Kerry for acting like Walter Mitty???? According to Factcheck.org: http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=134 Kerry has some explaining to do. Kerry was recently ripped for taking credit for all kinds of bills and saying he “lead the fight” on all kinds of things when in fact in Washington, Kerry is not known as a leader on legislation but just a guy who shows up to vote. Big Whoop! I could do that! That's not leadership and taking credit for other peoples hard work is sickening!!!!! Why aren't you all calling him on this????? Clark and Dean have been taken apart by you all while you let Kerry take credit for other peoples work. How would you feel if you worked your tail off on a bill and lead the charge on an issue then years later some Show Horse running for president came forward and took credit as the leader on your legislation????? This is an outrage and I can’t believe the Media is letting him skate on this!!

When Al Gore was considering Kerry, as his VP pick in 2000, here's how Steve Roberts of US News characterized the Mass. Sen.:

ROBERTS: I do think, though, that they're hearing some negatives about John Kerry, as they should, actually. He has a reputation as being a show horse, not a workhorse, as a self-promoter. He is seen in the Senate and certainly by the Washington press corps as not a particularly solid guy. And I think they are hearing that, some negatives about John Kerry.

I have had it with the Media treating John Kerry as some kind of saint while good honest leaders like Clark and Dean who took a stand against Bush get torn apart. You all need to do your jobs and give Kerry the same treatment you gave Dean and Clark. Sincerely, SR

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/06/le.00.html

Also not included in the letter. I am upset that Kerry who voted for the war, for the patriot act and for No Child Left behind and is basically a sell out to Bush is now the front-runner??? What the hell is going on here? Has the Democratic Party lost its mind? I want a leader not a follower. I am furious at all the Democratic Party sellouts! The media needs to be taken to task on this as well as everyone who sold out and is now voting for Bush II! I am about to go Green or Independent. This party has lost it's soul!

welcome to be VP :)

I prefer Clark being President. :-) I have nothing against Kerry except him coming out ahead of Clark. :-(

Writing letters to the editor to highlight the, um, void in the suit focus attention on where it's needed: credibility of candidates - and their accountability for their job performance, or lack thereof.

I like that.

Howard Dean - Memory Loss?

I am stunned that Howard Dean would point to John Kerry as cozying up to corporations and accomplishing nothing in the Senate. Perhaps Howard has been away from Vermont so long, he's forgotten what he did there.

He loves to tout his health care plan, but forgets to mention that those kids are covered because of SCHIP, a bill Senator Kerry worked on that bears Senator Kennedy's name. He also fails to mention that his health plan has run multi-million dollar deficits for several years and the surplus created during the Clinton economy was used to cover the cost. Costs increased 10-12% annually and deficits are expected to run $300 million annually within 5 years if nothing is done to control the costs. This is after Governor Dean raised cigarettes taxes and other taxes to try to stem the tide. This is the health care plan he wants to bring to America???

I guess he's also forgotten how he turned Vermont into a corporate tax haven for captive insurance because, hey, it's better than Bermuda!! And whatever it is he discussed in secret energy meetings, when he was trying to "restructure" Vermont’s near bankrupt electric utilities in 2002, we'll never know because he won't release the records. Restructure, that appears to be a code word for deregulate because selling Vermont Yankee was recommended by his deregulation committee and that's exactly what he did. He must have forgotten about that when he was telling everyone he was against deregulation. And maybe he's forgotten the two ski executives he appointed to the land use board that oversaw the largest development of ski resorts and condominiums in the states' history. American Skiing Company ski resorts, the company that saw a meteoric rise under Les Otten, and then a plummet only rivaled by Howard Dean's.

It is unfathomable to me that this man is running a campaign about accomplishments that he wouldn't have if not for the very people he is criticizing!! And calling General Clark and Senator Kerry Republicans when Howard Dean is the one who stood with Gingrich and Domenici against Bill Clinton on Medicare!!

The man hasn't learned a thing since Iowa. There is no way we can beat George Bush with distortions and empty rhetoric. That is all Howard Dean has offered to date and it appears that is all he will ever be able to offer. I don't care who anybody caucuses for, just for heavens sake, NOT Howard Dean.

came before SCHIP.

I admire their neutrality, but don't think this issue has been fully flushed out.

Have they changed pages after you read it and before I just did perchance?

FactCheck says Bush wasn't a deserter - which is the line launched by Michael Moore - but I can't find anywhere on that page that they deny he went AWOL. In fact, I haven't seen any credible substantiation of the contrary anywhere.

Which is why Terry McAuliffe finally managed to find his pair and level his present charges, no?

Dean was propping up Bush while Kerry was attacking Bush SUBSTANTIVELY. The media gave Dean a stage for attacking bush because his attacks were ENTERTAINMENT, and not damaging to Bush.


Kerry Shows Courage In Challenging Bush
Thursday, August 8, 2002 By: Joe Conason

New York Observer
>>>>>

But it was John Kerry who delivered the most interesting, substantive and challenging message. His subject was George W. Bush's shortcomings as a world leader.
The New York Times reported that Mr. Kerry "offered a long attack on Mr. Bush's foreign policy," although the paper gave short shrift to the details in the Senator''s speech. What he began to articulate was a Democratic critique of this administration''s blunt and myopic unilateralism, and a vision that restores international alliances to the center of American diplomacy.

He agrees with the objective of removing Saddam Hussein, but objected to the vague plans for what will replace the Iraqi dictatorship. He called the latest arms treaty with Russia a "cosmetic" one that inadequately safeguards decommissioned weapons. He denounced the "Cold War" approach to North Korea that has undone the progress achieved by the Clinton administration. He expressed scorn for the administration''s disengagement from the Middle East crisis before Sept. 11.
>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>
There is, however, at least one benefit for Mr. Kerry in speaking out on those faraway places and problems. While his rivals sound as if they''re campaigning for the offices they already occupy, he sounds as if he is running for President.

In a sense, Mr. Kerry enjoys an unfair advantage that mitigates the burden of his home state. He''s a decorated Vietnam veteran whose Navy service may help shield him from attacks on his patriotism. Throughout his years in the Senate, that credential has allowed him to investigate and criticize disturbing excesses of American policy abroad, as he did when he probed U.S. aid to the contra gangsters in Nicaragua. (That rather lonely crusade made him a target of the notorious Arkansas Project, funded by Republican billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife to bring down President Clinton.)

Whether Mr. Kerry can engage the electorate in a discussion of America''s global responsibilities is far from certain. His own dispassionate style may hinder him. Yet he deserves great credit for reclaiming international leadership for his party when others cannot or will not.
>>>>>>>>>

And here's Dean at the same time frame propping up Bush as a military leader instead of agreeing with Kerry:


 MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe the military operation in Afghanistan has been successful?
       
       GOV. DEAN: Yes, I do, and I support the president in that military operation.
       
       MR. RUSSERT: The battle of Tora Bora was successful?
       
       GOV. DEAN: I’ve seen others criticize the president. I think it’s very easy to second-guess the
       commander-in-chief at a time of war. I don’t choose to engage in doing that.

Kerry was leading, but the press wouldn't give him the stage they eagerly gave to Dean.

Afghanistan. The whole world was behind that war! Kerry still said he agreed with Bush that Saddam should be taken out of power. Dean and Clark didn't see it as an eminent threat and they were right.

I guess you really didn't read it, eh?

And what Dean was doing back then was PROPPING up Bush during a time when Bush was VERY WRONG and used poor military leadership that allowed Bin Laden and most of Al Qaeda to escape.

But, then, that was BEFORE the antiwar movement grew and Dean saw a way to get primary votes.

I know there roots and I know that Bill Moyers promoted the site and I can tell they try to be fair. You can lie to yourself but I would rather be truthful to my heart. Look, I will vote for Kerry if I can get enough energy to go down and vote but believe me Kerry does not inspire me one bit! Getting him won't be much different than what we have with Bush if you look at his voting record which is all over the place. What the hell does he stand for? I would be inspired to vote for Clark, Kucinich and Dean but that's it.

And their huge grass roots promoted them. Don't lie to yourself. Kerry never had anything creative to offer. He is the safe borring place to put your vote. If Kerry gets the nomination this fall it will be like watching the two worst teams in the NFL play one another. Can't wait!

but with the Softness of the Democratic party choosing a follower and not a leader.

You should be upset with Kerry (and Lieberman, and Edwards)

and then you won't feel so upset.

Like the one above where you mistook an article by Joe Conason as a letter from Kerry. Hmmmm.....maybe slow down and absorb what you read and it can prove to be enlightening and a source of calm understanding.

have told me that they don't think he would be a good president. They should know.

And besides, Kerry's record is one of the most liberal and progressive in Congress. His lifetime liberal rating is even higher than Kucinich's.

Only a centrist could dislike Kerry's overall voting record.

Your post was about media unfairness, yet you don't care that the media refused to air Kerry's criticisms of Bush long before Dean. And you fail to note that the media only gave airing to Dean's voice for most of last year. Wasn't that a deliberate ploy by the media to shut down Kerry?

Kerry had to PROVE the media wrong by actually winning in Iowa, just to get a decent amount of coverage.

That on the media. He ran a lame campaign and Dean ran an exciting one and tapped into the Internet and had a huge grassroots support. Clark did the same thing. They both had strong grassroots support. What I am talking about is Kerry's puffing up his resume at the expense of the people who actually did "Lead the battle." That's an absolute disgrace!! That's absolutely shameless! Yet you have changed the subject and never have answered these charges against Kerry. I noticed Kerry pulled the ad that said "I lead the fight" on all these things. Hum, I wonder why? How the hell would you feel if someone took credit for your work? I actually didn't mind Kerry until I read the piece on Factcheck and then I was outraged! Look, I know you love Kerry and are blind to any problem he has but instead of changing the subject next time answer the charges at hand.

I think it should be posted there. Kerry can't refute what Dean has said about his funding by special interests, so he tries to fall back on his record in the Senate. But it's smoke and mirrors. Kerry really is a showhorse, not a workhorse.