 |
Fri May 16 2008 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Departments Election Issues Addressing Republican issues with John Kerry by Free Press staff October 1, 2004 The Republicans have posted a "Debate Facts" section on their website. As is shown below, there is nothing factual about their claims. 1. Kerry On The Threat Posed By Saddam Hussein Republicans charge that Kerry once supported and is now critical of the decision to go to war against Saddam Hussein and Iraq. This, in their minds, is a flip flop. RESPONSE: A huge amount of information has been uncovered since 2002, including a great deal of evidence that the intelligence Bush used to the war was incorrect or even forged. Kerry and the rest of Congress voted on Bush’s bad information. Now that we know the justification for the war was invalid, it is by definition a mistake. As a Senator and as a Presidential candidate, it is Kerry's duty to use this information to improve our government's global policy -- to correct a mistake propagated by Bush and his cabinet. 2. Kerry Flip Flop On Iraq RESPONSE: See point 1. 3. Breaking Debate Fact: Kerry Said President Has Lost Support Among Military Officials Defending against this statement the Republicans publish nothing more than a list of names of Flag Officers. RESPONSE: The list does not refute Kerry’s charge, it simply illustrates that Bush has the support of 250 officers. Bush has, in fact, lost support among military officials, many of whom are speaking out against what is happening and has happened in Iraq. 4. Breaking Debate Fact: Kerry Said It SENATOR KERRY: “The President and I have always agreed on that, and from the beginning, I did vote to give the authority because I thought Saddam Hussein was a threat.” (Sen. John Kerry, First Presidential Debate, Miami, FL, 9/30/04) RESPONSE: See point 1. 5. Breaking Debate Fact: Voted Against the $87 Billion Kerry's False Statement: In response to question #4 John Kerry said, "My message to the troops is also thank you for what they're doing but it's also help is on the way. I believe those troops deserve better than what they are getting today." (Sen. John Kerry, First Presidential Debate, Miami, FL, 9/30/04) To illustrate that Kerry’s point was “false,” Republicans state that Kerry voted against the $87 billion supplemental budget and indicate that Kerry has taken up multiple positions on that budget. RESPONSE: Voting against a supplementary budget does not mean that Kerry doesn’t want the troops to be treated better than they are today, it means that he doesn’t want to write a massive blank check to the companies who have bilked our nation’s taxpayers out of billions; it means that he wants accountable government and efficient private contractors; it means that the some of the lines in the budget were deplorable. There are many reasons to vote for or against any budget, as reflected in Kerry’s statements on the war and the budget itself. To argue that support or dismissal of these complex documents can be adequately summarized in one sentence is ludicrous. 6. Breaking Debate Fact: They Said It The Republicans post the following statements: PRESIDENT BUSH: War On Terror "Noble And Worthy." "I think about Missy Johnson's fantastic young lady I met -- met in Charlotte, North Carolina. She and her son Brian came to see me. Her husband, P.J., got killed. Been in Afghanistan, went to Iraq. It's hard work to try to love her as best as I can, knowing full well that the decision I made caused her loved one to be in harm's way. I told her after we prayed and teared up and laughed some that I thought her husband's sacrifice was noble and worthy. Because I understand the stakes of this War on Terror." (President George W. Bush, First Presidential Debate, Miami, FL, 9/30/04) SENATOR KERRY On Whether The Iraq War Was Worth It: “It Depends On The Outcome.” DIANE SAWYER: “Was the war in Iraq worth it?” KERRY: “We should not have gone to war knowing the information that we know today.” SAWYER: “So it was not worth it?” KERRY: “We should not - it depends on the outcome ultimately, and that depends on the leadership.” (ABC’s “Good Morning America,” 9/29/04) RESPONSE: Although it’s difficult to determine a message from these two unrelated statements, what the Republicans appear to be arguing here is that Kerry only believes the “War on Iraq” is justified if Iraq ends successfully while Bush thinks that a soldier’s sacrifice in the “War on Terror” is honorable. First off, realize that President’s statement is on the “War on Terror” and the statement with which Republicans have chosen to represent Kerry is about the war in Iraq – two different topics – another intentional distortion. Secondly, a soldier’s ultimate sacrifice has nothing to do if the war in Iraq is worth it. Kerry states that the war in Iraq will be worth it if it is successful, not that a soldier’s sacrifice isn’t honorable. Kerry has often stated that he respects the servicepeople in Iraq and recognizes the selflessness with which they serve the U.S. 7. Breaking Debate Fact: Kerry Claimed He’s “Never, Ever” Used Word “Lying” in Reference to President Bush on Iraq The Republicans state: Kerry's False Statement: In response to question #9 John Kerry claimed he’s “never, ever” used word “lying” in reference to President Bush on Iraq. JIM LEHRER: “New question, Senator Kerry. Two minutes. You’ve repeatedly accused President Bush, not here tonight but elsewhere before, of not telling the truth about Iraq. Essentially, of lying to the American people about Iraq. Give us some examples of what you consider to be his not telling the truth.” SEN. KERRY: “Well, I’ve never, ever used the harshest word as you just did.” (Sen. John Kerry, First Presidential Debate, Miami, FL, 9/30/04) The Real Record: FACT: In September 2003, Kerry Said Bush Administration “Lied” And “Misled.” “This administration has lied to us. They have misled us. And they have broken their promises to us. The president promised to the people and the Congress that he would build an international coalition, respect the United Nations’ process and only go to war as a last resort. I will tell you that from my war fighting experience, I believe there is a test for a president as to how you go to war. And that test is whether or not you can look in the eyes of parents and say to them, ‘I did everything possible to avoid the loss of your son and daughter, but we had no other choice in order to protect the security of our nation,’ and I know this president fails that test in Iraq.” (Sen. John Kerry, Campaign Event, Claremont, NH, 9/20/03 RESPONSE: The statement the Republicans post does not support their claim. Lehrer’s question was for Kerry to provide examples of how Bush has not told the truth about Iraq. In the statement the Republicans post Kerry talks about Bush lying and misleading the American people by not building an international coalition, not exhausting the full UN processes, and only going to war as a last result. These are not statements about Bush lying about Iraq, they are statements about Bush lying what he would do in preparation for a potential war with Iraq. 8. Tonight's Flip: The Republicans state: In response to question #13 John Kerry said, "The President always has the right, and always has had the right for preemptive strike.” (Sen. John Kerry, First Presidential Debate, Miami, FL, 9/30/04) Yesterday's Flop: In 2003 Boston Globe Guest Commentary, Kerry Denounced "The Threat Of Military Preemption Against Terrorist Organizations." "It is troubling that this administration's approach to the menace of loose nuclear materials is long on rhetoric but short on execution. It relies unwisely on the threat of military preemption against terrorist organizations, which can be defeated if they are found but will not be deterred by our military might." (John Kerry, Op-Ed, "Moscow Treaty Is Full Of Holes, The Boston Globe, 3/5/03) Kerry Criticizes President Bush's "Doctrine Of Preemption." GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: "(Off Camera) ... you would have your own doctrine of preemption, then?" SENATOR JOHN KERRY: "George, every president from the beginning, uh, of time, has had a sufficient doctrine of preemption. Throughout the Cold War, the entire first strike doctrine was based on a doctrine of preemption. But that's very different from the Bush doctrine of preemption. I don't subscribe to the George Bush doctrine as he has described it, which is very different. It's a preemptive war for the purpose of removing, simply removing the dictator." (ABC's "This Week," 2/22/04) (Democrats, A One-Two Punch," The [Albany] Times-Union, 2/28/04) RESPONSE: The statements the Republicans provide do not indicate a change in position. In neither statement does Kerry say that the president doesn’t have the right to preemption, he simply says that the Bush has used it “unwisely.” In fact, he supports the president’s right to preemption in the latter statement. 9. Breaking Debate Fact: Kerry On Those Denying Saddam's Capture Makes America More Secure The Republicans state: In Tonight’s Debate, President Bush Said: “My opponent looked at the same intelligence I looked at and declared, in 2002, that Saddam Hussein was a grave threat. He also said, in December of 2003, that anyone who doubts that the world is safer without Saddam Hussein does not have the judgment to be president. I agree with him. The world is better off without Saddam Hussein.” (President George W. Bush, First Presidential Debate, Miami, FL, 9/30/04) Kerry On Those Denying Saddam's Capture Makes America More Secure During The Primaries, Kerry Questioned The Judgment Of Those Claiming Saddam's Capture Doesn't Help American Security. "Those who doubted whether Iraq or the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein, and those who believe we are not safer with his capture, don't have the judgment to be president or the credibility to be elected president." (Anne Q. Hoy, "Dean Faces More Criticism," [New York] Newsday, 12/17/03) RESPONSE: As stated in point 1 above, a lot of evidence has surfaced between Kerry’s first statement and today that has proven Bush’s initial information about Saddam Hussein false. While Bush remains inflexible and ignorant on Iraq, Kerry has the good judgment to reevaluate his position in light of the fact that Bush was wrong about concerns like WMDs in Iraq. 9. Breaking Debate Fact: Setting the Record Straight on Multinational Force To Help Secure A Free Iraq The Republicans state: In response to question # 9 John Kerry said, “The United Nations, Kofi Annan, offered help after Baghdad fell and we never picked them up on that and did what was necessary to transfer authority and to transfer reconstruction. It was always American run. Secondly, when we went in, there were three countries: Great Britain, Australia and the United States. That's not a grand coalition. We can do better.” (Sen. John Kerry, First Presidential Debate, Miami, FL, 9/30/04) The Real Record: A Multinational Force Of Some 30 Nations Continues To Help Secure A Free Iraq. PRESIDENT BUSH: "The multinational force of some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq, and we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all." (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04) In Addition to the United States, Other Coalition Members Are Providing Approximately 25,000 Troops To Assist Our Efforts In Iraq. (Robert Burns, "U.S. Offensive Hinges on Iraq Elections," The Associated Press, 9/29/04) RESPONSE: First, the reports the Republicans use to support their “contradiction” are about what is currently happening in Iraq with an unspecified starting point. Kerry is talking about the invasion of Iraq. Secondly, the overwhelming majority of assistance the U.S. has received in Iraq has been from Great Britain and Australia. A coalition of equal partners has not been established. THE VERDICT: Not one of Bush's Republicans' statements is valid. They are determined to mislead the people of the United States. Educate yourself and protect yourself from such feeble arguments. Email this article to a friend |
Don't forget to check out articles from 2007 and 2008
"Ohio's official non-recount ends amidst new evidence of fraud, theft and judicial contempt mirrored in New Mexico"
December 31, 2004
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Impossible Phantom Votes in New Mexico
"
December 30, 2004
Warren Stewart
"The 2004 Presidential Election: Who Won The Popular Vote? An Examination of the Comparative Validity of Exit Poll and Vote Count Data"
December 29, 2004
Jonathan D. Simon, J.D. and Ron P. Baiman, Ph.D.
"Ohio GOP election officials ducking notices of deposition as Kerry enters stolen vote fray"
December 28, 2004
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Another third rate burglary"
December 25, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Hacking the vote in Miami County"
December 25, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Update from the Ohio Frontlines"
December 24, 2004
Cynthia L. Butler, Esq.
"Lawsuit Before the Ohio Supreme Court"
December 24, 2004
Summarized by Mary Anne Saucier, Columbus, Ohio
"Kerry votes switched to Bush and ballots pre-punched for Bush"
December 24, 2004
Dr. Werner Lange
"Uncounted votes in Cuyahoga County"
December 24, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Provisional ballots in Cuyahoga County"
December 24, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Uncounted votes in Summit County"
December 24, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Uncounted votes in Hamilton County"
December 24, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Default settings in Mahoning County"
December 23, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Ohio electoral fight becomes 'biggest deal since Selma' as GOP stonewalls"
December 22, 2004
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Observations from an election observer"
December 22, 2004
M.J. Willow
"TV Networks Officially Refuse to Release Exit Poll Raw Data; Mainstream media finally displays true colors"
December 22, 2004
Gary Beckwith
"Election results in Southwestern Ohio"
December 21, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Voting Rights Groups 'Block' Talk of Machine-Free Elections"
December 20, 2004
Lynn Landes
"Statistics from Warren County"
December 20, 2004
Clint Cooper
"The greatest story never told"
December 20, 2004
Robert Lockwood Mills
"The United States of Ukraine?: Exit Polls Leave Little Doubt that in a Free and Fair Election John Kerry Would Have Won both the Electoral College and the Popular Vote"
December 19, 2004
Ron Baiman
"Certifiable election results"
December 19, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Sinclair Broadcasting's Long History of Journalistic and Corporate Deception"
December 19, 2004
Jason Leopold
"Ohio vote count battles escalate amidst new evidence of potential criminal activity"
December 18, 2004
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"American democracy hangs by a thread in Ohio"
December 15, 2004
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Startling new revelations highlight rare Congressional hearings on Ohio vote"
December 13, 2004
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"New Ohio voter transcripts"
December 12, 2004
Free Press staff
"The One-Two Punch of Racism: Whitewashing the Voter Fraud Issue"
December 10, 2004
Greg Moses
"Rigging the vote in Lucas County
"
December 10, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Uncounted votes in Montgomery County"
December 10, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Why history demands an Ohio revote"
December 10, 2004
Harvey Wasserman & Bob Fitrakis
"Ohio election fraud uproar blasting to new level"
December 7, 2004
Steve Rosenfeld, Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Dirty work at the Philly polls"
December 3, 2004
Margie Burns
"Voter Suppression: STEALING VOTES IN OHIO URBAN AREAS (full documentation)"
December 3, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"In Ohio 2004, it's the People versus the Party of Hate & Terror and the Party of Duck and Run...but will the Democrats now stand and fight?"
December 1, 2004
Harvey Wasserman & Bob Fitrakis
"Warren County, Ohio: most successful voter registration drive in American political history, or stuffing the ballot box"
December 1, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Jesse Jackson demands Ohio presidential recount, blasts GOP election officials, and says Kerry supports the process"
November 29, 2004
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Kerry Supports Ohio Vote Investigation, Jackson says"
November 28, 2004
Steven Rosenfeld
"Hope for the Homestretch"
November 28, 2004
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Favoritism in the suburbs"
November 27, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"New Ohio voter transcripts feed floodtide of doubt about Republican election manipulation"
November 25, 2004
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Election officials gave wrong information about provisional ballots - revealed in affidavit."
November 25, 2004
Neil F. Schoenwetter, Jr.
"US tells Ukraine to recount votes on fradulent election!"
November 25, 2004
Dr. J. Alva Scruggs
"Not counting the votes"
November 24, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Stealing votes in Columbus"
November 23, 2004
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Making every vote count"
November 23, 2004
Christopher T. Hicks
"How a Republican election supervisor manipulated the 2004 central Ohio vote, in black and white"
November 23, 2004
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"More Ohio voter suppression testimony prompts upcoming legal filing for statewide recount"
November 20, 2004
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Ohio Presidential Results to be Challenged"
November 20, 2004
Steven Rosenfeld
"Franklin County, Ohio voting machine assignments, and other information"
November 20, 2004
Free Press staff
"Coalition's Support of Voting Machines Causes Confusion
"
November 20, 2004
Lynn Landes
"Hearings on Ohio voting put 2004 election in doubt"
November 18, 2004
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Closing the Circle: The Corporatization of Elections"
November 17, 2004
Greg Coleridge
"Subordinating nation's secular values to zealots' will"
November 12, 2004
Pierre Tristam
"The Public Hearings and Rally About Election Fraud in Columbus, OH this weekend, Sat. 11/13-Please pass widely!"
November 12, 2004
Dr. Lora Chamberlain
"Slip-sliding away in Columbus"
November 11, 2004
Carolyn M. Sherman
"Green and Libertarian Presidential Candidates to Demand Ohio Recount"
November 11, 2004
Blair Bobier and Stephen Gordon
"An End To Mourning"
November 9, 2004
Todd Huffman, M.D.
"November 3rd action"
November 6, 2004
Mark Huntress
"The Bible, The Constitution, and the James Carville Experiment"
November 5, 2004
Tom Luffman
"Basic report from Columbus"
November 5, 2004
Ray Beckerman
"Waiting to vote"
November 5, 2004
James K. Galbraith
"Confessions of a political Know-Nothing in the wake of the 2004 elections"
November 4, 2004
Mark Anderson
"Let the spin begin"
November 4, 2004
Free Press staff
"Back Stabbers Cost Kerry in Ohio!"
November 4, 2004
Tom Luffman
"The Last Battle"
November 4, 2004
Sheila Samples
"Republican America! Republican Forever!"
November 3, 2004
Am Johal
"Is there inner-city election suppression in Franklin County, Ohio?"
November 2, 2004
Bob Fitrakis
"Michael Moore in Columbus"
November 1, 2004
Tom Luffman
"No love in the Heartland: Kerry gets mocked in Pa. school election"
November 1, 2004
Jamie Pietras
"Ten reasons for Greens to vote for Kerry"
November 1, 2004
Don St.Clair
"Twelve ways Bush is now stealing the Ohio vote"
October 27, 2004
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"GW Bush Before the Iraq War
"
October 24, 2004
Larry S. Rolirad
"MISOGYNY"
October 24, 2004
David Podvin
"Foreign Policy Forecast: If Bush Wins | If Kerry Wins"
October 18, 2004
Muqtedar Khan
"Hope for the homestretch"
October 15, 2004
Paul Rogat Loeb
"FactCheck.org says Cheney got it wrong"
October 8, 2004
Jason Leopold
"Do the Hokey Pokey"
October 6, 2004
Philip J. Rappa
"Hope for the homestretch"
October 2, 2004
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Addressing Republican issues with John Kerry"
October 1, 2004
Free Press staff
"Gallup Polls- Conditioning for Vote Rigging?"
September 28, 2004
Stephen Crockett and Al Lawrence
"Too Many Cameras and Not Enough Truth: John Kerry Dodges the Press"
September 14, 2004
Joshua Frank
"Nader 2000 Leaders United To Defeat Bush"
September 14, 2004
Nader 2000 Leaders United To Defeat Bush
"Shut up and color: the politics of bullying"
September 7, 2004
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Kerry, Nader and the Greens need to kill the circular firing squad"
August 15, 2004
Harvey Wasserman & Bob Fitrakis
"Don’t Believe the Hype; Terrorist Warnings Just Another Way Bush Will Steal Election"
August 9, 2004
Jason Leopold
"President of Greater Stark County AFL-CIO speaks out on Bush’s visit in Canton, Ohio"
August 1, 2004
Dan Sciury
"I'll Follow Kucinich to Kerry, Sorry Ralph"
July 28, 2004
David Swanson
"Badnarik Doubles in Recent National Poll "
July 28, 2004
Libertarian Party
" ‘A green world is possible’ planned in New York City during the Republican National Convention"
July 28, 2004
Green Party
"An open letter to progressives: vote Kerry and Cobb"
July 24, 2004
Eleven prominent progressives
"A street fighting man? How Kucinich can win"
April 21, 2004
Josh Frank
"Scary, Scary John Kerry "
March 25, 2004
Josh Frank
"With all deliberate stupidity: US self-isolation makes Iraq a virtual non-issue in the elections so far"
March 22, 2004
Daniel Patrick Welch
"To support or not to support; the Nader question"
March 16, 2004
Josh Frank
"Halliburton, VP Cheney's Former Company Faces Second Criminal Probe In Four Years "
February 24, 2004
Jason Leopold
"The Lone Ranger of Righteousness"
February 23, 2004
Paul Rogat Loeb
"The Wrong Side of History "
February 22, 2004
Daniel Patrick Welch
"High Noon in America "
January 26, 2004
Philip J. Rappa
"The Truth is Out: Kucinich is the choice of progressives "
January 15, 2004
via Daniel P. Welch
"Dean and Kucinich"
January 13, 2004
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Bush Should Be Facing 'A Long, Hard Slog' On The Campaign Trail, But Dems Too Busy Fighting With Each Other "
January 12, 2004
Jason Leopold
"Buckeyes go south in 2004 election"
December 1, 2004
"Columbus says, “George, go away!”"
December 1, 2004
"The Freep gives you Moore"
December 1, 2004
"Kerry won"
December 1, 2004
Read Articles by Year:
2007 2006 2005 2004
2003 2002 2001 2000
All content © 1970-2008
The Columbus Free Press
Disclaimer