WP,pg1: GOP Distorts Some Kerry Positions (fact check)

[DeepModem Mom]

For the Record
GOP Prism Distorts Some Kerry Positions

By Glenn Kessler and Dan Morgan
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 3, 2004; Page A01


Speakers at this week's Republican convention have relentlessly attacked John F. Kerry for statements he has made and votes he has taken in his long political career, but a number of their specific claims -- such as his votes on military programs -- are at best selective and in many cases stripped of their context, according to a review of the documentation provided by the Bush campaign.

As a senator, Kerry has long been skeptical of big-ticket weapons systems, especially when measured against rising budget deficits, and to some extent he opened himself to this line of attack when he chose to largely skip over his Senate career during his acceptance speech at the Democratic convention last month. But the barrage by Republicans at their own convention has often misportrayed statements or votes that are years, if not decades, old.

For instance:

• Kerry did not cast a series of votes against individual weapons systems, as Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.) suggested in a slashing convention speech in New York late Wednesday, but instead Kerry voted against a Pentagon spending package in 1990 as part of deliberations over restructuring and downsizing the military in the post-Cold War era.

• Both Vice President Cheney and Miller have said that Kerry would like to see U.S. troops deployed only at the direction of the United Nations, with Cheney noting that the remark had been made at the start of Kerry's political career. This refers to a statement made nearly 35 years ago, when Kerry gave an interview to the Harvard Crimson, 10 months after he had returned from the Vietnam War angry and disillusioned by his experiences there. (President Bush at the time was in the Air National Guard, about to earn his wings.)

(The third example given is the charge that Kerry voted against body armor for troops. The article states: "....much of the funding for body armor was added to the bill by House Democrats, not the administration, and Kerry's vote against the entire bill was rooted in a dispute with the administration over how to pay for $20 billion earmarked for reconstruction of Iraq.")


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57627-2004Sep2.html

[DarkPhenyx]

1. It's sad that virtually no voters who matter...

...will actually see this information.

[Judi Lynn]

2. The AWOL media should make every effort to shed light on these

distortions. If they could give only part of the effort they gave to gang-raping Al Gore's campaign in 2000, we'll be doing well.

It's time they tried to get back the honor and reputation for respectable work their predecessors established, which they betrayed and abandobed for _Bush in his right-wing take-over.

[struggle4progress]

3. kick

:kick:

[Morning Dew]

4. Like Zell-out saying our foreign policy would require permission from

FRANCE?

Here's Kerry in his DNC speech...

<snip>
I know what we have to do in Iraq. We need a President who has the credibility to bring our allies to our side and share the burden, reduce the cost to American taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. That's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home.

Here is the reality: that won't happen until we have a president who restores America's respect and leadership -- so we don't have to go it alone in the world.

And we need to rebuild our alliances, so we can get the terrorists before they get us.

I defended this country as a young man and I will defend it as President. Let there be no mistake: I will never hesitate to use force when it is required. Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response. I will never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security. And I will build a stronger American military.

<snip>

Reread that speech - it's awesome.
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:2goJO0LL58cJ:www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0729.html+John+kerry+convention+speech+transcript&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Morning Dew]

5. Like Zell-out saying our foreign policy would require permission from

FRANCE?

Here's Kerry in his DNC speech...

<snip>
I know what we have to do in Iraq. We need a President who has the credibility to bring our allies to our side and share the burden, reduce the cost to American taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. That's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home.

Here is the reality: that won't happen until we have a president who restores America's respect and leadership -- so we don't have to go it alone in the world.

And we need to rebuild our alliances, so we can get the terrorists before they get us.

I defended this country as a young man and I will defend it as President. Let there be no mistake: I will never hesitate to use force when it is required. Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response. I will never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security. And I will build a stronger American military.

<snip>

Reread that speech - it's awesome.
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:2goJO0LL58cJ:www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0729.html+John+kerry+convention+speech+transcript&hl=en&ie=UTF-8