posted on September 1, 2004 12:05:17 PM new
Cheney to Denounce Kerry at Convention
1 hour, 37 minutes ago
By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Thousands of people formed a symbolic unemployment line stretching three miles from Wall Street to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday to protest President Bush (news - web sites)'s economic policies as Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) prepared to tell Republicans that Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites) suffers from "confusion of conviction."
Meanwhile, Bush's chief strategist, Karl Rove, said the Bush-Cheney campaign asked a federal court in Washington to force an end to political ads by outside groups known as "527" organizations. Such ads have criticized Kerry's military service in Vietnam and also attacked Bush on a variety of issue, most notably the decision to wage war in Iraq (news - web sites).
"We want all (such) ads and activities to cease," Rove said in an interview with The Associated Press.
To suggestions by Democrats that he and other Bush campaign advisers were secretly orchestrating some of the anti-Kerry ads, Rove said, "My response is those guys ought to stop drinking from that swamp. The fevers are getting to them."
As the Republican convention entered its third day, Kerry was in Nashville, Tenn., speaking to the same American Legion gathering that Bush addressed the day before. Noting that Bush said earlier in the week that the terror war could not be won, Kerry said, "With the right policies, this is a war we can win."
In a television interview that aired Monday, Bush said the terror war couldn't be won. He amended the comment in his speech to the American Legion, saying it could be won.
Kerry's appearance Wednesday broke a tradition in which presidential candidates have refrained from campaigning during the other party's convention. He used the occasion too again criticize Bush's Iraq policy.
"I would never have gone to war without a plan to win the peace," Kerry said.
In New York, anti-Bush demonstrations continued. Thousands of protesters waving pink fliers reading "The Next Pink Slip Might Be Yours!" formed a line from Wall Street to the convention site. The peaceful demonstration came a day after police struggled to contain swarms of protesters, eventually arresting nearly 1,000 demonstrators.
[b]Inside the convention hall, demonstrators disrupted a Republican youth gathering shortly after Bush's twin daughters left the stage[b].
Jenna and Barbara Bush introduced White House chief of staff Andrew Card. As he began speaking, 10 protesters sitting in the crowd jumped up and began blowing whistles and chanting "Bush kills."
One delegate was slightly injured. Suhr Daniel, 20, of Milwaukee, said he was punched in the head by a protester. He had a cut near his temple and the side of his face was reddened.
Police moved in to remove the protesters, including a young woman hoisted out by two officers — one at her shoulders and one at her knees.
More than 1,500 people have been arrested in convention-related protests since late last week.
With attention at the convention focusing on Cheney's Wednesday night speech, Illinois Republican Senate candidate Alan Keyes (news - web sites) labeled the vice president's lesbian daughter a sinner and called homosexuality "selfish hedonism."
The former talk show host who has made two unsuccessful runs for the White House made the comments Monday night in an interview with Sirius OutQ, a satellite radio station that provides programming aimed at gays and lesbians.
After saying homosexuality is "selfish hedonism," Keyes was asked if Mary Cheney fit that description. "Of course she is," Keyes replied. "That goes by definition."
Liz Cheney, Mary's sister, refused to comment Wednesday during an interview on CNN. The Log Cabin Republicans (news - web sites), a gay and lesbian organization, denounced Keyes' remark.
Cheney's speech sets the stage for Bush's own acceptance speech the following night. The president was to arrive in New York late Wednesday for a meeting with firefighters, making the connection to the Sept. 11 attacks and subsequent fight against terrorism that has defined his presidency.
Rove said Bush's decision to leave New York after he speaks at the Republican National Convention and fly to Pennsylvania was not meant as a snub to New York but rather his desire to wake up in a battleground state.
Tuesday night, before a roaring audience of delegates, Bush was lauded by his wife, Laura, and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) as a man of strength and compassion.
Bush "doesn't flinch, doesn't waver, does not back down," the Austrian-born former actor said. Added Mrs. Bush: "You can count on him, especially in a crisis."
Cheney will contrast Bush's "demonstrated leadership and decisiveness versus Senator Kerry's confusion of conviction — both in foreign and domestic policy — that he's demonstrated during his 20 years in the Senate," Cheney spokeswoman Anne Womack said.
Cheney also plans to discuss the importance of public schools, a vibrant economy and improved health care system, Womack said, and will argue that these things are not possible unless the nation is safe and secure.
Rove said the Bush-Cheney campaign will ask a federal court in Washington to force the Federal Election Commission (news - web sites) to enforce the campaign finance law during this election. At issue is a 2002 law that bans national party committees and presidential and congressional candidates from raising unlimited donations known as "soft money."
The FEC has ruled that non-party political groups registered under section 527 of the IRS tax code may do so. One of these groups, calling itself the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, has run ads accusing Kerry of lying about his Vietnam Navy service that has become a major issue in the presidential race.
Bush's campaign argues that all such ads should be stopped, including those by Democratic-leading groups against the president. "These groups were not supposed to exist," Rove said.
With news on the economic front more mixed than Republicans had hoped, Cheney and keynote speaker Sen. Zell Miller (news, bio, voting record), D-Ga.,[b] were expected to talk about Bush's agenda for creating jobs and encouraging people to own homes and start businesses.
Miller said he would "explain to them why this longtime Democrat, who has never voted for a Republican, by the way, in his life, is voting for this one. And it has to do with the kind of man he is."
"It has to do with the times that we live in, the very dangerous times we live in," Miller said in an interview with The Associated Press. "And it also has something to do with President Bush's opponent. And we'll talk a little bit about his record."
Pennsylvania delegates put Bush over the top on Tuesday in a roll call whose outcome was never in doubt. The timing was deliberate to give the honor to Pennsylvania, the battleground state Bush has visited most as president.
posted on September 1, 2004 01:24:38 PM new
ROTFLMHO - That's the best response I've read so far. LOL
"My response is those guys ought to stop drinking from that swamp. The fevers are getting to them."
LOL
---------------
On the 527s I think they should give it up...too late in the ball game, imo. But they will be more regulated in the future. I'm hopeful that Soro's and - I think Peter's?? are both wasting their multi-millions on all the liberal's ads they're spending their money for, and that it won't determine the outcome of this election.
posted on September 1, 2004 01:57:30 PM new
The last 2 nights from an independents view sucked.....I hope cheney sticks to the ISSUES and not a bash kerry fest.
I agree with keyes remarks about cheneys daughter, but daddy is stuck between a rock and hard place. Does he back family or party????
posted on September 1, 2004 02:04:21 PM new
He can do both......Unlike many people that don't understand he has had this delima for quite some time now and it has hasn't been an issue. I am sure his daughter and her parents have talk about this as it is between her and them and I am sure they don't want it political.
posted on September 1, 2004 02:16:18 PM newI am sure his daughter and her parents have talk about this as it is between her and them and I am sure they don't want it political.
How interesting. First a cardre of pro choice "republicans" speaks prime time at the convention and now homosexuality and same sex marrige is not a "political" issue, but just between the Cheneys.
The "big tent" is getting too crowded. Someone is going to either leave or get pushed out.
The religious right is already voicing anger about the convention pro choice / pro same sex marriage speakers and many will probably not even vote, and the homosexual vote is also lost.
posted on September 1, 2004 03:32:51 PM newKerry's appearance Wednesday broke a tradition in which presidential candidates have refrained from campaigning during the other party's convention.
Yea, kind of shows what he thinks of honoring tradition doesn't it? He breaks it.
And it's funny how he's collecting a full paycheck...and too busy to get home - too busy to vote on what 87% [close guess] of the legislation that he's paid to vote on - and to be the representive he's supposed to be to the voters who elected him....but not to busy to take a weeks vacation, wind-surfing in Nantucket.
Appears to me he could have chosen to take the weeks vacation WHILE the RNC convention was going on...thereby honoring the tradition of not campaigning while your opponent's holding their convention. But nope....not kerry...he's different...he's special....he's rich AND elite.
He used the occasion too again criticize Bush's Iraq policy.
I'd bet that we'd be hard pressed to find a handful of times when kerry gave a speech that he didn't criticize this President in some manner. That's been all he's talked about.
posted on September 1, 2004 04:40:35 PM new
All good points but there is something else important to keep in mind about the Presidency of George Bush....
2.2 Million MORE AMERICANS ARE UNEMPLOYED NOW THAN WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE!
That's the only important point that I see in this thread.
The latest spin, "our economy is solid and growing with a job market that continues to improve" is just happy horse manure. When neocons attempt to spread this lie, they lose credibility -- especially from those living in areas of the country where jobs are scarce and wages are low.
posted on September 1, 2004 06:07:48 PM new
Helen, and what do you think Kerry has a magic wand he is going to wave and change it all in an instant?
Even if elected it would take up to a year or so for any real changes to kick in. By then who knows what effect might be had and of what consequence by either administration could take credit or further demise for it.
..
..
~~ Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues(forces)of life..Proverbs 4:23~~
posted on September 1, 2004 06:12:15 PM new
libra posts,"In a television interview that aired Monday, Bush said the terror war couldn't be won. He amended the comment in his speech to the American Legion, saying it could be won. "
Thanks Libra, for posting George's latest FLIP FLOP!!!!!!!!!!
