Blog4kerry - He's the Real Deal

2004-10-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Madison Rally Thursday85K See Kerry in MadisonI remember canvassing to drop literature for Kerry off last December in Iowa to try to coax caucusers out to see Sen. Kerry at a local senior center. We were hoping to have 75 to 100 folks there that night. How times have changed!!!Contrast that to Thursday in Madison, just unbelievable! College kids hanging out of the windows at the rally, people as

Who the Hell is Daniel Dannison?

2004-10-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

I knew I should of fixed that damn typo in my e-mail. Well at least she got the gist of the story correct and covered the bus trips to Wisconsin... See a snippet from the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal article below:"We looked at states closest to us and said: In which one can we make the most difference?" Dannison said. "It looked like the biggest fight closest to us would be Wisconsin."So began the

An Exchange with My Friend Brian Greene

2004-10-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

Brian is one of my buddies from DC who is now out in Chicago. We often exchange politically based e-mails. Brian is a Libertarian, but so disgusted with the Bush administration not only is he voting for Kerry, but he is phone banking and canvassing for him. Here is a recent exchange I had with him. I thought was good analysis and wanted to share it (posted with his permission):I actually feel

Freshpaint – I4K Canvasser and Blogger

2004-10-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Over at Freshpaint (http://www.freshpaint.blogspot.com/), Cynical recounts a hilarious story that happened as I4K canvassers were leaving Chicago for Wisconsin on Sunday from the Kerry HQs.Perhaps the most memorable moment occurred when two buses covered in Kerry-Edwards paraphernalia and loaded with chanting volunteers drove right past a befuddled-looking Alan Keyes in downtown Chicago. (Yes,

My latest letter to the Editor

2004-10-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

America can't afford four more years of IncompetenceWhen President Bush refused to listen to General Shinseki and others advice on the troop levels needed to win the peace in Iraq, he recklessly endangered American troops. We have now found out there were nearly 380 tons of dangerous HMX, RDX and PETN explosives stored at al Qaqaa that have disappeared. Why did George Bush and Dick Cheney feel

Rowboat Veterans for Truth

2004-10-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

Revisionist history using modern Rovian methodology. This is too much. LOL! See the Rowboat Veterans for Truth site - http://www.rowboatvets.com/

Bush Had a Chance to Get Zarqawi

2004-10-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

There is a must read over at the Liberal Oasis that bloggers need to circulate.Kerry gave a speech today that needs to be in the headlines. If it gets in the headlines, Bush's credibility on terrorism is destroyed."Before the Iaq war, Zarqawi was operating out of a no-man’s land in North Eastern Iraq, next to territory controlled by America’s Kurdish allies, not by Saddam."Our military had three

Return to Davenport

2004-10-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

For the first time since caucus night last January, this weekend I returned to Davenport, IA to help the Kerry campaign. A proud member of Whouley's 500, I had helped coordinate putting Chicago volunteers on the ground in Iowa during the lead up to the caucus. Despite Kerry having been pronounced "toast" in December, our little band of Chicago warriors hunkered down.One of my proudest days to

The Congressional Black Caucus' Unwelcome March on the White House

2004-10-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Much was made over Kerry's supposed "untruth" when he said Bush didn't meet with the Congressional Black Caucus. Given the time I now spend organizing, I haven't had time to blog a response. So I waited for the response from the Kerry campaign or other Democratic bloggers, but didn't see it. Therefore, I am now responding.Most folks know that I am a strong supporter of Rep. Jan Schakowsky. She

Gringrich in da House

2004-10-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

When it was reported the Bushies had recruited Newt to come on board and the new brand "Kerry a Massachusetts liberal" strategy was announced, I thought it was a sure sign of desperation. After all (even without merit) Republicans had been very effective branding Kerry a flip-flopper. What was Rove seeing in the numbers that he didn't like?Now after this debate, I don't think there is any

My Attempt at Media Spin Helped by the JK Volunteer Center

2004-10-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

My latest submission to the Chicago Tribune assisted by the JKVC media center.While it would be a gross overstretch to compare the latest Presidential debates to the Lincoln/Douglas debates of old, the debates were a refreshing reality check that helped break through the obscuring smoke of the campaign. After the most expensive Presidential campaign ever waged, where misrepresentation was rampant

Contact Media Via the John Kerry Volunteer Center

2004-10-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

Got to love technology... The John Kerry Volunteer Center is just a fantastic organizing tool.While I have used it multiple times to recruit volunteers and list events, today I used it to e-mail a letter to the editor. Talk about easy! They gave me the talking points, and allowed me to select the newspaper by just checking a box. Compose the e-mail and wha-la, it was done.Republicans know; to

Swing and Independent Voters

2004-10-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

Politicalwire linked to three polls showing Kerry was the clear winner in the last debate to this group.Gallup: Kerry 53, Bush 37ABC News: Kerry 44, Bush 34Democracy Corps: Kerry 44, Bush 33

W Really Took it to Senator Kennedy in the Debate Last Night

2004-10-09T03:57:00.000-07:00

The quote speaks for itself:BUSH: Let me see where to start here.First, the National Journal named Senator Kennedy the most liberal senator of all. And that's saying something in that bunch. You might say that took a lot of hard work. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/08/politics/main648309.shtml

Why I Don't Blog Much Anymore

2004-10-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

While I loved my months of regular blogging, I have found the transition to organizing much more effective way of reaching people on a larger scale. I'm so proud of the Kerry volunteers in the Chicago, they just keep giving and giving and working and working. We are now putting hundreds of volunteers on the ground each weekend in Wisconsin.You can check our pictures out at

Georgie's Muddled Mind on the Attack

2004-10-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

Taegan Goddard makes a good point on Politicalwire.com.Quote of the Day"My opponent says he has a plan for Iraq. Parts of it should sound pretty familiar -- it's already known as the Bush plan.""In Iraq, Senator Kerry has a strategy of retreat; I have a strategy of victory."-- President Bush, in the same speech, this morning in Pennsylvania

Swing Voters

2004-10-05T01:44:00.000-07:00

I have been firm defender of the Kerry campaign’s focus on swing voters. There are those in our party who believe it is best just to whip the base up and turn them out on Election Day and hope our numbers are better. I think strategically it would be a great strategy in a popular vote election, however this strategy would be disastrous for Democrats in the Electoral College. We might have heavy

I love Alan Keyes

2004-09-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

This guy is going to make Illinois Democratic for the next thirty years. Keyes new quote against Barak as reported by CBS 2; "Christ would not vote for Barack Obama because Barack Obama has voted to behave in a way that it is inconceivable for Christ to have behaved," Keyes said."I can’t wait to hear what the prophet has to say next.

National Guard Revelations

2004-09-08T04:37:00.000-07:00

Two new revelations show Bush not only did not fulfill his duty to the Guard, but lied in 2000.First revelation, Bush should have reported to a Boston area National Guard unit when attending Harvard business school. He didn’t risking making himself subject to an involuntary order to being called up to active duty for up to 24 months. He didn’t register, but hey he was the son of a Congressman and

Did I mention?

2004-09-07T21:06:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that the Liberal Oasis gets it? Please read the following post.http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/090504.htm#090704"Unfortunately, Kerry's own messages were hemmed in by the mind-numbing stupidity of the Beltway Dems, whining to the press about strategy throughout the long weekend.For the last time (this year) Establishment people: this is all-out combat, and we have one

Did you hear what Cheney said?

2004-09-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

Cheney is sick, "It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States,"http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&u=/ap/20040908/ap_on_el_pr/cheney&printer=1Maybe I am sealing my

Going to Wisconsin

2004-09-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

I'm currently organizing bus loads of Kerry Travelers to go to Wisconsin. We'll be canvassing and like in Iowa, I'll try to update occasionally with news on the ground.

The funny thing is...

2004-09-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

Patriotism

2004-08-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

What do you think if Kerry had never mentioned Vietnam the Republicans would not have challenged his patriotism? Of course they would have.Republicans can't run on the issues? Healthcare, stewardship of the economy, jobs, social issues, etc. the American people stand in large majorities with the Democrats. The Republicans had to resort to their fear tactics at some point.Kerry's folks have used

Campaign Strategy

2004-08-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

There is a great article in the LA Times on the difference between the campaign strategies. Going back to the primary, this revives the strategies between the Dean and Kerry camps approach to the general election, do you hinge the election “on getting out your base” or “assume the base in fired up and reach out to independents and swing voters.”Obviously, I favor the latter since getting your

“Swift Boat Veterans”

2004-08-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Ah, to all my friends who say Kerry would overplay his Vietnam veteran hand, just keep watching.1. Once we show the Bush campaign’s rhetoric on patriotism will stop at nothing, their house of cards will fall.2. The “Swift boat veterans” have given Kerry a chance to keep in the news during the lull time. What should have been a dead time where Kerry should have lost ground, will actually result in

No Post Convention Bounce?

2004-08-03T08:41:00.000-07:00

(via Politicalwire.com)New Zogby battleground poll numbers are out.John Kerry got his convention bounce. But it is a modest one and it comes with caveats.The latest Zogby Interactive poll, taken during the Democratic convention, shows John Kerry ahead in 13 of the 16 battleground states we track. That is his biggest lead -- in terms of the number of states -- since Zogby began conducting

Amazing How the Media Notices Now

2004-08-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, look what the media finally discovered. When old George H. Bush’s advisors in 2002 were telling young Jr. what a stupid mistake it would be to occupy Iraq, they keep citing all the religious and ethnic groups as the reason it would quickly deteriorate in civil war.Well guess what. Halleluiah, after the latest bombing, the media has noticed there are Christians in Iraq. Their previous code

Please Keep Zell Miller Front and Center!

2004-08-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

What a bitter old ex-segregationist! Please Karl, keep him front and center. If you saw his Meet the Press interview today, I'm amazed he is going to be speaking at the Republican convention. The Republicans have been attempting to mislead the American people at their convention by only allowing the ten "compassionate" conservatives in the party to speak. But oh joys, Zell Miller is going to be

"Results matter"

2004-07-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ha-ha... Seems the Bush team has decided to respond to Kerry’s campaign theme for a stronger America with criticism of Kerry’s accomplishments as a Senator. Please, please, please, keep using this retort. Please, it is stupider than their hair brained "Mission Accomplished" theme.Yes, Rove and Company, results do matter. How about little W’s accomplishments:- alienated the entire world- divided

Russert Gets it Wrong on MTP

2004-07-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Here is an e-mail I sent to Russert over the weekend. If why Kerry voted for it after reading this confuses you, please stop the Media Koolaid drinking and go back and read my posts from November.Mr. Russert, I was surprised during your Obama interview on Sunday that you badly misrepresented John Kerry’s statementson the Iraq War. Like Howard Dean did, you confused future threat with being an

PAUL KRUGMAN on the The Arabian Candidate

2004-07-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

Biting op-ed in the New York Times by Payl Krugman. Read the entire article for full effect. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/20/opinion/20krug.html?hp Mr. Bush's "war on terror" has, however, played with eerie perfection into Osama bin Laden's hands - while Mr. Bush's supporters, impressed by his tough talk, see him as America's champion against the evildoers. Last week, Republican officials in

Teddy on Treason

2004-07-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." (Theodore Roosevelt, in 1918) from the Quotation Reference.

Barack Obama to Deliver Keynote Address at 2004 Democratic National Convention

2004-07-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

As rumored on this blog on June 30th, Barack Obama will deliver the Keynote address at the Democratic National Convention per a Kerry press release."Barack is an optimistic voice for America and a leader who knows that together we can build an America that is stronger at home and respected in the world," said Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry. "He understands the importance of building

Bush Got Most and Less Negative Coverage

2004-07-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

Via http://www.politicalwire.com/A new study from the Project for Excellence in Journalism found that President Bush received most of the media’s campaign coverage in recent months, though the tone of coverage on the president’s character has been largely negative by a margin of three to one. The media’s assessment of Kerry has been negative by a margin of five to one. The study also found that

State-by-State Polls

2004-07-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

I keep telling people, “Don’t pay attention to the national polls, look at what is happening in the swing states.” We elect a President by the Electoral College not popular vote.If you do look at the state-by-state polling, Kerry looks very strong right now and positioned well to win in November.Check out Rasmussen Reports polling for July to see what I mean. In their polling, it shows Kerry with

Sour Grapes Tirade

2004-07-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

I just responded to Polis (MA) and thought I’d post my response here. It was another sour grapes tirade from a liberal blogger about how we’d much better off if Dean was our nominee right now.We'd be down fifteen points right now if Dean was the nominee. Dean was never going to sell in the Rust Belt where the next President is going to be elected. Think of Dean as a martyr, who bloodied Bush

Great Blog on How a Base Should Act in Power

2004-07-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

The Liberal Oasis has another really great blog about how the Republican base is cutting their own throats with their current complaints of the Convention Speakers list. LO draws some great lesson for our own base if Kerry becomes President.Instead, from the liberal perspective, it's about convincing the so-called moderates of the party that liberal ideals and views are also political

US News and World Report Special on the Democratic Primary

2004-07-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

On my way to California this week, I picked up a copy of the elections special edition of US News and World Report. Once I read the title on the magazine "Turning Point, After nearly everyone had written him off, John Kerry turned a limping campaign into a force that couldn't be beat," I was hooked. The article on the Democratic primary was about twenty pages and luckily it is on-line. (You'll

Nader Voters - Think Twice

2004-07-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

Newsweek has a piece by Michael Isikoff called Exclusive: Election Day Worries that scares the crap out of me.American counterterrorism officials, citing what they call "alarming" intelligence about a possible Qaeda strike inside the United States this fall, are reviewing a proposal that could allow for the postponement of the November presidential election in the event of such an attack,

NY Times – Bush Records Destroyed

2004-07-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

Poor George, he’ll never get to prove that he actually served his country. Instead, people will probably believe the National Guard was just another way out for rich, well-connected frat boys to escape the war in Vietnam.From the http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/politics/campaign/09records.html: Military records that could help establish President Bush's whereabouts during his disputed service

The Bush Empire Overstretched?

2004-07-08T04:26:00.000-07:00

AP reports discontent in the ranks.In a bipartisan show of concern that the military is dangerously overworked, lawmakers said Wednesday the Pentagon is stretching troops to their limit and perhaps undermining the nation's future force.What is next the draft?Other NewsSeems Bush does get a little snippy. When asked about a comparison between Edwards and Cheney Bush broke into a curt, snide

Globe: Bush's Democracy-promotion Initiative a Sham

2004-07-07T05:19:00.000-07:00

(Via LiberalOasis) The Globe reports Bush is diverting democracy reform money to oil and other businesses.The Bush administration, while stating that democracy is the cornerstone of its Mideast policy, has directed more than half of the funds in its key democracy-promotion initiative to assist autocratic regimes in promoting free trade and education.Only about $3 million of roughly $95 million

Just saw the Announcement!

2004-07-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

Give the Kerry campaign kudos. They drew the Vice-President speculation out for weeks and have ended it with a bang. The stagecraft for today’s announcement was fantastic with the backdrop filled with blue collar looking types.Plus I just have a soft spot for Pittsburgh. My wife and my first overnight date was on a snowy magical night in Pittsburgh. We later got engaged there and have traveled

Kerry Throws a Bone to the Party Faithful

2004-07-06T05:03:00.000-07:00

The media outlets are reporting Edwards is the VP choice. Looks like Kerry decided to go with the party faithful's choice. I'll trust Kerry that Edwards was the guy that he really wanted as the Vice-President from the beginning. I welcome seeing Edwards' new attack dog side.

2004-07-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Our guy hammering home the message in the rain. What a great shot!Values and LanguageHere is a Denver Post article about Kerry discussing values and abortion.I love Kerry taking it to BushCo on their definition of values. First, we are attacking, not getting attacked. Second, Kerry is starting to define the language he wants to run on, not their language. At a barbecue here, he argued that

Progressive Voters

2004-07-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Is whining my favorite word or what?I really am amazed at how little research progressive voters have done on Kerry’s record. When I talk to progressives, they can name “chapter and verse” about the evils of the Bush administration. Then they whine about how unenthused they are by Kerry. When I ask for clarification, they can’t name ANY specifics. Maybe this is just the reality of being in a

Stop the Whining About Gephardt

2004-07-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

I've been with Kerry for over a year and half and I would be perfectly happy with Gephardt. The best thing Kerry could do is stick to his guns against popular opinion and chose a VP who he believes is ready to be President if something happens to him.Chris Matthews made a good point today when he said it looked like Edwards was campaigning for the job. Does JK want to have his first major

Draft Dean for VP or Convention Fight?

2004-07-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

Blog4Kerry has no problem with former Dean supporters trumpeting their guy for VP. We all have our favorites and have a right to make it known. However, I am outraged at the AP article that I just read. A group of Howard Dean supporters has gone beyond just supporting their guy to VP, to saying if they don’t get their way the Democratic Convention will have a floor fight on their hands. Dean

John and Joe 2004

2004-07-01T21:54:00.000-07:00

I don't care what you people say. I still like Joe Biden for Kerry's running mate. Edwards is acceptable, but just that. He is good and I'd be proud to have him a VP, but we need experience and a political dogfighter. Blog4kerry doesn't prefer Mr. Smiley Optimism for VP, I want an attack dog to do the dirty work for Kerry, exactly like Cheney does now for the Shrub. Biden's dressing down of

Social Security Thread

2004-07-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

I had a friend write me today about Kerry and his favorite topic Social Security. A Republican, his background is in economics and law.On Kerry, he wrote, “I've very much warmed to the idea of a Kerry Presidency, and may even vote for him.” This is not as isolated comment from a disgruntled Republican. I keep hearing more and more thinking Republicans mention that they will not be voting for Bush

Barack Obama - Keynote Speaker at Democratic Convention?

2004-06-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

Via the ArchPunditThe New York Times reports today Illinois own Barack Obama might be the keynote speaker at the Democratic convention in Boston. The Times quoting Kerry says:CHICAGO, June 29 — The Democratic National Committee has not yet announced or, in fact, selected the keynote speaker for its convention in Boston next month, but Senator John Kerry, the likely Democratic presidential nominee

Blog4Kerry links to Pat Buchanan (Via Stout)

2004-06-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

I’m a charter subscriber to Pat Buchanan’s The American Conservative magazine.This next statement might also come as a surprise to many of you. I subscribed to Pat’s magazine simply because it was the best anti-Iraq war writing out from September 2002 until the last six months. No liberal magazines held a candle to it, because of the neo-liberal and pacifist arguments that diluted their thought

Press Reports: Kerry Repeatedly Whacked by an Ugly Stick Sometime Between 2000 and 2004

2004-06-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

(Via the Austin Mayor) Hilarious writing! The Campaign Desk points out how just four short years ago John Kerry was routinely described in the press as a dynamic, charming, good looking potential VP candidate. Now of course, the press is describing just the opposite when they talk about Kerry.The campaign press in the summer of 2000 was entranced with John (Kerry). It tumbled all over itself to

Hey Dad, How do You Like This? Iacocca Endorses Kerry

2004-06-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

My father, even though he was a UAW member (former Chrysler employee), has always held Lee Iacocca in high esteem, because of how he engineered the company’s comeback saving my dad’s job. To my dad’s generation, Iacocca’s name carries weight and his endorsement is welcome. This is just another example of how Bush’s radical ideology continues to isolate him from his former supporters and

Pat Robertson Says he Lectured Bush on Iraq

2004-06-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

Pat Robertson in an interview on Hardball said he warned the President about the potential for casualties in Iraq. Whatever, Patty...But here is the kicker; he said Bush basically blew him off nonchalantly. See the following exchange:BROWN: I want to ask you how you feel about the war in Iraq. And if God is calling this war a disaster, does that mean that he is actually opposed to it?ROBERTSON:

Blogging versus Organizing

2004-06-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

I’ve always tried to keep my blogging and organizing separate, but I’m not able to anymore. The thirty to forty hours that I am spending a week organizing for Kerry is “killing” my posting to this site of recent.Now I’m left pondering the worth of blogging as an armchair pundit. In the 9th CD of IL where I am organizing, we are growing leaps and bounds. We now have six established Meetups, over

Philadelphia Inquirer First to Endorse Kerry

2004-06-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the Inquirer’s endorsement of John Kerry. The editorial board waxed eloquently about Kerry’s strengths and leadership ability.In that spirit, this newspaper, the first in the nation, endorses John Kerry for president. Unlike the current White House occupant, Kerry can lead America to a brighter, better future. He has shown the personal courage, compassion, intellect and

2004-06-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks John U!

Potential Vice-Presidential Candidate Analysis

2004-06-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

The Contenders:Gephardt Dick Gephardt was originally high on the list since he would have been a strategic pick. A Midwestern with union ties, he hails from a “red” state. If the polls proved he could swing his home state of Missouri, I don’t think there is a doubt he would be on the ticket. But… The latest polling does even have Kerry competing in Missouri and it is doubtful Gephardt would

Can Kerry Use Footage of Reagan for His Campaign Commercials?

2004-06-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

The Austin Mayor (IL blogger) blogs "The Bush/Cheney folks have gotta squirm when the Reagan retrospectives run the clip of the Gipper asking, "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?"

New to Me News Site– Capital Hill Blues

2004-06-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

There is an interesting blog style news site called Capital Hill Blues. They claim to be the oldest around. I haven’t heard of them before, but hey, here is to “new” discoveries!CHB has an article called “Has Bush Gone Over the Edge” in which the rumor mill is brewing.There is a bizarre account by Doug Thompson about Bush’s mental stability. Whether it is entirely true I don’t know, but it

Did You Really Think Bush Would Not Exploit Reagan’s Death?

2004-06-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

My own memorialIf you have been reading my blog for long, you know that I am a Southerner. My father was UAW member, who voted for Democrats locally and became one of the celebrated Reagan Democrats. As a student of history, my views on Reagan’s legacy have changed over the years. However, I still have a deep seeded affection for the “Gipper.” His optimism, his quick-witted sense of humor,

New Illinois Bloggers

2004-06-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

I’m continuing my search for local Chicagoland bloggers who post political content. Today, I discovered The Good Life Denali by Karim who just happens to be a fellow Evanstonian. His anti-Bush rant was not only good enough to justify a post here, but also a blog roll entry. Enjoy.Who in there right mind would admit to liking what Bush has done for our country? You couldn't say with a straight

Watergate Revisted?

2004-06-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

Reuters reports Bush Seeks Lawyer in Probe Over CIA LeakWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush has sought a lawyer to represent him in the criminal probe into who was responsible for a leak that was seen as retaliation against a critic of the Iraq war, the White House said on Wednesday.A federal grand jury has been hearing testimony since January from administration and government officials in an

Pass the Puke Bag Please

2004-06-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

The headline over on George Bush's blog reads: Kerry Attacks the President for Supporting Democracy Abroad.From the Bush/Rove site: On Sunday, the Washington Post reported that John Kerry is kicking off his 11-day national security tour by attacking the President for emphasizing democracy as a central goal in U.S. foreign policy. Please go read the entire WP article, it is actually quite good.

Warning: Non-Political Post

2004-06-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Another first to Blog4Kerry, here is my first non-political post.I just ran across a fun site called chicagobloggers.com. The site lists Chicago bloggers, but obviously that is no cause to even raising an eyebrow much justifying a post. But the cool twist is that bloggers are categorized by their EL stations. There is large EL/Metra map on the page, you then select a station and are able to view

“The future of this company is bright”

2004-06-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

From an article in the Chicago Tribune... In April 2003, Bush arrived in Stark County, Ohio at the Timken Co. with his usual pomp and circumstance to give another “optimistic” speech about how great the economy was going. Almost a year to the date this May, the Timken Co., the largest employer in the city and surrounding Stark County, "announced plans to close three bearing plants in the area,

Obama on the Cover of The New Republic

2004-06-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

There is a generally positive article about Barack Obama in this month’s issue of The New Republic. The author, Noam Scheiber, focuses on the one issue Obama can’t seem to get away from, his race.I really think this race is Barack’s to lose. He has really captured the public fascination and the new Tribune poll loudly echoes that this is true. Obama holds a 22% point lead over Ryan-52 percent to

Run to the Right on Troop Funding

2004-06-01T01:46:00.000-07:00

Given the history of this administration on politicizing costs, troops needed and timelines associated with the Iraq War, it would come as no surprise Democrats now believe Bush is intentionally underestimating the needed expenditures until after the election.I have heard several prominent Democratic columnists arguing that Dems should run to the right of the President on this issue. Instead of

Longtime Exile Selected Interim Iraq PM

2004-05-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

From the AP wire. Guess what? He just happens to have CIA links. And now admit it, deep inside you doubted the fruition of this idyllic Iraqi "Democratic experiment." It's a mere coincidence then that this new choice of prime minister has ties to and support from the "intelligence community" and this administration."The United States has warmly endorsed a decision by the Iraqi Governing Council

Bush is NOT Moving Closer to Kerry's Iraq Policy

2004-05-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Sam Seder has a great post on the Liberaloasis showing how the conservatives are manipulating the media over Iraq again."In their never ending quest to have you believe Kerry should fear for his left flank, the Republican surrogates are trying to push the notion that Kerry is vulnerable on Iraq.Why? Because Bush is now supposedly adopting Kerry’s plan."

Bush Spending Like Dean

2004-04-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Anyone noticed Bush’s spending numbers? The media reports have stated that Bush and cronies had $180m to spend with $90m allocated to ads and $90m allocated to operations. In the space of a month, Bush has blown through $50m of his allocated $90m in ads. Unless he raises more money, he only has $40m more to spend over the next 4 months until the Republican convention. Dean was blowing money in

Independent Voters – Embrace Divided Government

2004-04-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

Divided government works! When one party controls all branches of government, the ideologues always drive a radical agenda far out of touch with needs and/or wishes of the average American citizen. Right now, the Republicans control every branch of government; Supreme Court, Legislative and Executive. Not to mention, corporate America continues its consolidation in the media, the “forth” branch

Holy Cow, the Neo-"Chicken-Hawks" Messed with the Wrong Guy

2004-03-23T09:49:00.000-08:00

Read the entire CNN article here."The only thing I can say about Dick Clarke is he was here throughout those eight years going back to 1993 and the first attack on the World Trade Center, in [1998] when the [U.S.] embassies were hit in east Africa, in 2000, when the USS Cole was hit," Cheney told conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh."The question that has to be asked is, 'What were they

Bush Already Wrapping Himself in 9-11

2004-02-24T04:45:00.000-08:00

This election is about national security, national security, national security. Get used to it. George Bush has already released his strategy at a recent Republican fundraiser."September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. I remember a lot that day," Bush told 1,400 Republican donors at a fund-raiser for GOP governors, recalling his trip to New York after the attacks."As we

AP Story Confirming My Earlier Blog About Sharpton in SC

2004-01-31T11:29:00.000-08:00

AP article states the following: Al Sharpton could be a factor in South Carolina, drawing more black voters than pollsters predict. State strategists say those votes likely would come from Kerry.Go west, JK and focus on Arizona and New Mexico. We'll save that big Southern win for Virginia and Tennessee. Our number one asset is electability and we don't need to get the label in the press of, "

On Dean's Demise

2004-01-31T09:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm still disgusted with him since he spent his entire campaign distorting and simplifying every other candidates' position. But...But I'll give him this, he has done a good job getting the Democratic base motivated. In a way, he has become a martyr, since he is just too polarizing a figure to the middle. It does not do any good to ignite the base and turn them out, if the swing middle runs

You’ll Hear About This In 2004

2004-01-31T08:21:00.000-08:00

Left-wing media my rear-end… Maybe Al Gore couldn’t make an issue of it, but we will this year. This Emperor has no clothes, and we aren’t going to let him cloak himself in the flag this time around. Below is a great excerpt from a UAW forum with Paul Begala. (link: http://www.uaw.org/cap/01/news/day3media.html)"Let me give you some statistics," responded panelist Paul Begala, "I worked for Bill

Go West JK

2004-01-29T17:31:00.000-08:00

Go West JK, not because you can't win in the South, but because you don't need to go too risky now. Post debate wrap-up: I think Edwards is going to start feeding on Clark’s vote in South Carolina. After hearing the debate, Clark sounds terrible. This guy has to go, you can’t run against Rove’s machine with his lack of experience. It would be a disaster for the Dems.In the debate however,

Edwards Populist With No Answers

2004-01-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

Edwards in responding to a question regarding mills being closed offered only empty rhetoric in the worst way. To the same question, Kerry, at least offered a couple answers to the issue. How did Edwards respond? To paraphrase Edwards basically said he was the only one who could understand what the mill workers “felt” since he grew up among them. He said you first have to think about the “pain

Where Kerry Should Really Focus Next Week

2004-01-29T11:02:00.000-08:00

In the February 3rd primaries, Kerry should spend most of his time in the Arizona, Missouri and New Mexico. Hey, these states will be in play in November 04. ;-)Updated:Since New Mexico, Missouri and Arizona are swing states (and South Carolina is not in play in the general), it bolsters Kerry's claim to be the more electable candidate if he wins all three swing states on 2/3.Updated 2/1: in NY

Mr. Divisive is at it again!

2003-12-29T23:01:00.000-08:00

AP reports that “Dean said Democratic leaders should intervene on his behalf and also warned that thousands of supporters are unlikely to vote for anyone else in November if he is not the nominee for president.”Whaaaaaaa! Sounds like the little Napoleon is getting mad during sandbox play and is ready to take his toy soldiers home… Good riddance.Updated:Looks like the Kerry blog http://

2003-12-29T22:43:00.000-08:00

I walk in from London, get my mail and pull out the latest issue of The New Republic. Howard Dean’s smile face greets my groan, although the title intrigues me. It reads Howard Dean’s Religion problem. The introduction reads “Everyone knows Howard Dean’s opposition to the Iraq War could hurt him against George W. Bush. But, politically, Dean’s biggest liability isn’t his dovishness. It’s his

Finding an Anti-Dean Candidate: Let’s Take Back Our Party

2003-12-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

So who is the anti-Dean candidate?We can't pick a political novice like Clark and expect him to win. Clark is running for Mr. Congeniality right now.Gephardt? Looks like he isn't even going to beat Dean or Kerry in IA. Beyond that, has he ever appealled to anyone outside of Labor?Lieberman... Sorry, the Gore bounce is over. The best thing Joe can do is be the voice of reason for the Party in

Dean Groupies' "Fantasy Ticket" Goes Up in Smoke

2003-12-21T10:41:00.000-08:00

For all those Deanies, who mistakenly believe a vice-presidential candidate can make up for a presidential candidate lack of stature on foreign policy and military issues, your little dream ticket is going up in smoke.Wesley Clark told Stephanopoulos today he was "absolutely not" interested in being Dean's running mate, adding "I don't see that in the cards."So sorry Deanies, you may actually

Energy Independence = National Security

2003-12-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

One of the original reasons I chose to support JK is the visionary way in which he talked about energy independence. He has always been able to articulate the tie between Energy Independence and National Security in a thoughtful and inspirational way. When he challenges Americans to a new “Manhattan Project” in the pursuit of energy independence, it resonates with what we instinctively know is

2003-12-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

New poll in NH that shouldn’t make Dems feel to good. Dean loses in a head-to-head with Bush by 25 points. Considering Dean is the frontrunner in NH, I would say this is nothing less than a pure reputation of his “leadership” of the Democrats as the leading candidate. People now see Dean as the face of the Democratic Party in NH. This is why Democrats perform more poorly in a state Al Gore lost

Haaaa-Haaaaa. Headline: Dean Seeks Halt to Attack Politics

2003-12-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

Unbelievable. The guy who became frontrunner by lying and distorting the other candidate’s records and who now is leading, wants an end to attack politics.It's not necessary to tear down the other opponents," said Dean.This from the guy who brought you “Bush-lite” and “cockroaches.” What goes around comes around. I really am startring to believe Dean is bi-polar. Even funnier (in a sad way) is

2003-12-19T12:52:00.000-08:00

Two new polls show that Kerry’s January strategy to focus on New Hampshire and Iowa is showing impressive results.The American Research group poll shows Kerry climbing 7 points in New Hampshire. Especially interesting is that Clark’s support fell and Lieberman only got a one percentage bounce out of the Gore endorsement sympathy vote.Then a new poll by the Pew Group in Iowa shows Kerry moving to

Dean's claims and accusations on the war

2003-12-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

Spinsanity link does a great job of debunking Dean's claims and accusations on the war.Dean has also implied in a number of cases that he opposed giving the president authority to take action in Iraq. Yet on most of those occasions, Dean has not explained that, at the time, he supported an alternate Congressional resolution that would also have granted the president authority to take unilateral

2003-12-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

I’ve been screaming for months that Kerry should not run to the left of Dean on the war (see 11/24, etc.). We let Dean run around all summer misconstruing and confusing the voting public about other candidates’ positions (and his own). The Kerry campaign never answered in the summer or fall and tried to campaign on a mistaken position of “who is the best to get us out of the Iraq situation now.”

2003-12-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

NY Times article with the headline: After Losing Momentum, Kerry Is Shifting Tactics to Gain 'Bounce' in Iowa. Okay, yes I am going to crow a little, but I will not say “it.” (See my posts on 11/17th and 11/19th)Got to see the Senator speak three times over the weekend and was at the Davenport meeting mentioned in the article. He really does seems to be ready to fight for every vote now and I

2003-12-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

Even if the content is true on the ads being run by the Gephardt interest group in Iowa against Dean, I denounce them for two reasons: their imagery and soft money. First, there is no need to use Bin Laden’s face to make the point since Dean did support the Afghan war. Second, the soft money needs to go…It would be far better to run a commercial with hard money that attacks Dean for his support

2003-12-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

The Democratic frontrunner Howard Dean’s comment "the capture of Saddam Hussein has not made America safer" is being defending by his legion of Bloggers in the context of “whether the war has made America safer, not the capture.” People, just look at the comment, he is specifically dismissing Saddam’s capture as totally insignificant (he doesn’t mention the war here). What was he thinking?I feel

2003-12-14T07:33:00.000-08:00

Great news. “We got him.” Fantastic!This presents this administration with yet another opportunity to internationalize the Iraqi occupation. Let’s hope they don’t squander this chance to take the targets off our soldiers backs. Yes, we should try Saddam in Iraq and let justice be done.But we should cut a deal with Germany and France. The Europeans want very badly to legitimize the International

2003-12-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

For those who haven’t seen this one…I still don't know how to react to this one. I pulled this off Dan Conley's http://www.danconley.com/ site. This clinches it that this race is about electability. Maybe this is the wake-up call Democrats needed.In New Hampshire where Dean is doing so "well" and has spent the last year cozying up to voters, they took a poll with a head-to-head with Dean and Bush

Gore's Politically Motivated Endorsement Bolsters his own 2008 Run

2003-12-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

Gore lied. He promised not to endorse, but of course he did. Then he lied again by calling Dean is the most electable candidate.Sadly, Gore is preempting other national Democrats in an attempt to endear himself to Dean’s fanatical supporters. Most Democratic Party insiders don’t believe they can beat Bush this year, especially with Dean as the nominee. Al Gore is ensuring he has a base of support

Is George Bush a conservative?

2003-12-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

Kerry really pegged it last time I heard him speak when he was discussing the Bush administration. In paraphrase, he basically said there was “nothing conservative about this administration.”I would also argue this assessment is mostly correct and offer the following reasons on why Bush is not a traditional conservative in many areas. First, philosophically he is not a free-trader, but more

The Dangerous Gamble is Unraveling

2003-12-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

Back this summer, I thought Kerry was running a great general election campaign with the low key message of “there are a better set of choices, America could take at every turn than those chosen by this administration.” The message was subtle, but would have offered the American people a new way to think about the decisions made by this Presidency. It was not an angry message, but regardless of