Why do our Pres. candidates keep taking Aug. vacations?

I know everyone needs a break and all but Kerry got killed when he went on vaca and now Obama is taking a lot of hits. McSame isn't taking any time off. What am I missing?

.

What am I missing?

NGU.

that some of McSame's negative ads have been sticking. I know it's not an emergency but it has me concerned. Also bad timing with the Georgia thing happening now.

NGU.

Obama isn't Kerry, he'll be back by the weekend, and he's going to kick some ass!

showing some muscle in the arena.

It's up to US, too, to counter the attacks knowing the corporate media will protect the fascist agenda at all cost to our nation's democracy.

REMEMBER what was really at stake for them in 2004....and since Obama has joined Kerry in his stand against corpmedia in recent years, expect similar treatment - but this time we have more muscle backing up Obama on these fights. Whereas Kerry was given no backup by other Dem lawmakers, and left media was about as powerful as a flier then.

We also need to stop repeating the corpmedia lie that Kerry never responded, as it completely covers up their complicity in what occured then.

There isn't a news organization in the world that can claim that there was no news story in Kerry's attack on the swifts and his challenge to Bush to stop hiding behind them. So, they pretend that speech to the FIREFIGHTERS Convention never happened and idiots who hang their hats on media lies will always side with the corpoliars because it's so much easier than fighting their lies, eh?

THIS is WHY Dan Rather was saying last year that corporate media NEEDED to protect Bush for the favorable FCC rulings they expected from his second term.



June 2, 2003
Kerry Seeks to Reverse FCC's "Wrongheaded Vote"

Commission Decision May Violate Laws Protecting Small Businesses; Kerry to File Resolution of Disapproval

WASHINGTON - Senator John Kerry today announced plans to file a "Resolution of Disapproval" as a means to overturn today's decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to raise media ownership caps and loosen various media cross-ownership rules. Kerry will soon introduce the resolution seeking to reverse this action under the Congressional Review Act and Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act on the grounds that the decision may violate the laws intended to protect America's small businesses and allow them an opportunity to compete. As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerry expressed concern that the FCC's decision will hurt localism, reduce diversity, and will allow media monopolies to flourish. This raises significant concerns about the potential negative impacts the decision will have on small businesses and their ability to compete in today's media marketplace. In a statement released earlier today regarding the FCC's decision, Kerry said: "Nothing is more important in a democracy than public access to debates and information, which lift up our discourse and give Americans an opportunity to make honest informed choices. Today's wrongheaded vote by the Republican members of the FCC to loosen media ownership rules shows a dangerous indifference to the consolidation of power in the hands of a few large entities rather than promoting diversity and independence at the local level. The FCC should do more than rubber stamp the business plans of narrow economic interests. "Today's vote is a complete dereliction of duty. The Commissioners are well aware that these rules greatly influence the competitive structure of the industry and protect the public's access to multiple sources of information and media. It is the Commission's responsibility to ensure that the rules serve our national goals of diversity, competition, and localism in media. With today's vote, they shirked that responsibility and have dismissed any serious discussion about the impact of media consolidation on our own democracy."

except for..you know...every weekend.

and his utter failure to respond to them.

He got killed because he allowed himself to be defined and had very little of a central message.

He was a bad candidate.

The windsurfing had very little to do with it.

You folks are seeing ghosts--I swear, every time I come here I pass through another looking glass.

know that and why do YOU cover up for the corpmedia and their complicity by buying into and repeating their lie that Kerry never countered the swifts?

You do know DU has a Research Forum where all the data on the swifts and the counters made by Kerry campaign are easily accessed there?

Would Obama be the nominee today if corpmedia refused to broadcast his speech countering the Wright videos the way they refused to broadcast Kerry's speech attacking the swifts as liars and challenging Bush to stop hiding behind them and debate publicly their services during Vietnam?

Side with corpmedia and keep spreading their revisionist lies, or bother to access the truth - that's up to you, isn't it?

Kerry didn't run any ads during the month of August. Obama has been on vacation for ONE week in August. He has ads running during the olympics, cable TV ads running and state targeted ads against McCain.

Besides, the Democratic convention had already taken place the last week of July in 2004.

I want to stay positive but I'd really like Obama to be hitting him harder. I think the emrace ad was a little soft.

that can be easily accessed at DU's Research Forum with live links.


Aug. 5, 2004 - The Swift Liars' first television ad began airing a one-minute television spot in three states. (7)

Aug. 5, 2004 - "the General Counsels to the DNC and the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign faxed a letter to station managers at the relevant stations stating that the ad is 'an inflammatory, outrageous lie" and requesting that they "act immediately to prevent broadcast of this advertisement and deny any future sale of time. " ' " (4)

Aug. 10, 2004 - Democracy 21, The Campaign Legal Center and The Center for Responsive Politics filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) charging that the Swift Liars were illegally raising and spending soft money on ads to influence the 2004 presidential elections. (4)

Aug. 17, 2004 - the campaign held a press conference at which Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.), Adm. Stansfield Turner (ret.), and several swift boat veterans rebutted the charges. (4)

Aug. 19, 2004 - the Kerry-Edwards campaign announced its own ad "Rassmann." (4)

Aug. 20, 2004 - The Swift Liars' second television ad began airing. This ad selectively excerpted Kerry's statements to the SFRC on 4/22/1971. (7)

Aug. 22, 2004 - the Kerry-Edwards campaign announced another ad "Issues" which addressed the Swift Boat group's attacks.

Aug. 25, 2004 - The Kerry-Edwards campaign ... dispatched former Sen. Max Cleland and Jim Rassmann, to Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas to deliver to the President a letter signed by Democratic Senators who are veterans. (The letter was not accepted.) (4)

Aug. 26, 2004 - The Swift Liars' third television ad began airing. This ad attacked Kerry's claim to have been in Cambodia in 1968. (7)

August 26, 2004 - Mary Beth Cahill sends letter to Ken Mehlman detailing the "Web of Connections" between the Swift Liars and the Bush Administration, and demanding that Bush denounce the smear campaign. (5)

August 26, 2004 - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) submits FOIA request "with the White House asking it to detail its contacts with individuals connected to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT)." (6)

Aug. 27, 2004 - The DNC ran a full page ad in the Aug. 27, 2004 New York Times terming the Swift Boat campaign a smear. (4)

Aug. 31, 2004 - - The Swift Liars' fourth television ad began airing. This ad attacked Kerry's participation in the medal-throwing protest on 4/23/1971. (7)

References:
* (1) SourceWatch article on SBVT

* (2) (2004) Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman, Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman

* (3) (2004) Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth: Kerry Campaign Response

* (4) (Sept. 8, 2004) Eric M. Appleman (apparently) Some Responses to the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" Ad

* (5) August 26, 2004 letter from Mary Beth Cahill to Ken Mehlman

* (6) Press Release (US Newswire): CREW FOIAs White House Contacts with Swift Boat Veterans Group

* (7) Wikipedia entry, Swift Vets and POWs for Truth



MH1 - This topic is to create a timeline of the response of the K/E04 campaign to the Swift Liars' smears. There is an RW-encouraged myth that K/E04 "didn't respond." As the timeline, once completed, will show, that is not true. Effectiveness of the response may be debated - that is subjective - the purpose of this thread is to collect the facts of the events. (blm: is anything effective when corpmedia complicitly refuses to allow your counterattacks to be heard or discussed?)




On Aug. 19, 2004 Kerry himself responded directly in a speech to the International Association of Firefighters' Convention in Boston. (from prepared remarks)
...And more than thirty years ago, I learned an important lesson—when you're under attack, the best thing to do is turn your boat into the attacker. That's what I intend to do today.

Over the last week or so, a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been attacking me. Of course, this group isn’t interested in the truth – and they're not telling the truth. They didn't even exist until I won the nomination for president.

But here's what you really need to know about them. They're funded by hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Republican contributor out of Texas. They're a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won't denounce what they’re up to tells you everything you need to know—he wants them to do his dirty work.

Thirty years ago, official Navy reports documented my service in Vietnam and awarded me the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Thirty years ago, this was the plain truth. It still is. And I still carry the shrapnel in my leg from a wound in Vietnam.

As firefighters you risk your lives everyday. You know what it’s like to see the truth in the moment. You're proud of what you’ve done—and so am I.

Of course, the President keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: "Bring it on."

I'm not going to let anyone question my commitment to defending America—then, now, or ever. And I'm not going to let anyone attack the sacrifice and courage of the men who saw battle with me.

And let me make this commitment today: their lies about my record will not stop me from fighting for jobs, health care, and our security – the issues that really matter to the American people...



Kerry defends war record
Aug. 19: John Kerry responds directly to attacks on his Vietnam military service Thursday, accusing President Bush of relying on front groups to challenge his war record.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=40a0d9b1-0386-41ef-bc...

since April.

Another issue: most Americans are NOT interested in politics during this time. This is the perfect time for a vacation while people are on vacation, tuned into the Olympics, getting kids ready for school and college, and preparing for the conventions.

The average American voter doesn't really start paying attention to politics until AFTER the conventions.

Thanks for your CONCERN anyway.

I like extra cheese and pepperoni on my pizza! ;)

He's got to be fresh down the stretch.

he also has a family. I'm not going to begrudge Obama one week to enjoy a vacation with his wife and kids.

September, October or November? If they win and have to start planning their transition into the presidency would they be able to take a vacation in November after the election or in December or in January right after they take the oath?

They take their vacations in August because it's the last time they'll get for at least 6 to 8 months to take one.

so that they may go to their home states and address constituent issues, to campaign, and yes, to have some time off to spend with their families.

The August vacation isn't all fun and games. Doesn't bother me that they take off August.

What does bother me is that, when they return, they are in session only three days a week. Pelosi changed that, but I believe they are now back to the three day a week schedule. What else bothers me is that during sessions, individuals (McCain for instance) don't show up to vote. Obama and Clinton were almost as bad during the primaries. That bothers me. Taking off during August doesn't.