Hard to pull for Kerry

[sfecap]

Hard to pull for Kerry

By Brian McGrory, Globe Columnist, 9/16/2003

(snip)

John Kerry was asked recently about the possibility that Howard Dean might forgo public matching funds in his bid for the nomination, thereby avoiding spending limits. Dean had indicated that he would accept the funds, but now is considering reversing his strategy, much like George W. Bush.

And here's what Kerry said: "Somebody who wants to be president ought to keep their word. I think it goes to the core of whether you are a different politician or a politician of your word or what you are." Pretend, for a moment, that Kerry was talking in clear English, which is something of a stretch these days, given that he's making Tom Menino sound like Tony Blair.

(snip)

So let's go back to 1996, to Kerry's reelection campaign against then-Governor Bill Weld, specifically to the night Weld met Kerry at the senator's wife's Beacon Hill mansion. They finalized an unprecedented agreement to limit advertising spending to $5 million apiece, and to limit the use of personal funds in the campaign to $500,000 apiece.

(snip)

But a funny thing happened on the way to Election Day. Kerry didn't just violate the deal, he pulverized it. Running out of money in the waning days of October, Kerry mortgaged and remortgaged the Louisburg Square house, ultimately pouring $1.7 million in personal funds into his campaign. For those of you keeping track at home, that's $1.2 million more than the agreement allowed.

As he made a mockery of the pact, he did something else distinctly distasteful. He accused Weld of violating the agreement, a charge that seemed specious at best, an outright lie at worst.

(more)

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/09/16/hard_to_pull_for_kerry/

[wtmusic]

1. Maybe the Louisburg Square house

is made of glass?

[dajabr]

3. LOL

Good one!

[9119495]

2. Where are the Kerry apologists?

We know who they are due to prolific postings. It will be fun to hear them excuse this one. To me, its not a big deal. But to them, anything another candidate shifts position on is evil. I egerly await postings from them in reply to this.

[Eloriel]

4. Damn. This belongs in GD

GReAT INFO. Thanks!

runs off to post it to the Dean blog, if it's not already there


Edit: ooooooo, look at this: I've had my fair share of exposure to Kerry, having spent time covering his policies and politics. I've broken bread with him in Boston and Washington, bought drinks for him, listened to him at a Beacon Hill bar one memorable night as he agonized about whether to get into the 2000 presidential race.

The unvarnished truth is, I want to like him. I want to write positively of him. I want to highlight his great potential, his uncanny ability to grasp the human plight.But then he whines or haplessly hollers or passes blame as he feels every bump, every conceivable slight, along an uncommonly gilded path.

In this campaign, his answers on the famous Iraq vote aren't nuanced, they're ridiculous. His overall message isn't muddled, it's nonexistent. Dean, it appears, entered the race because he wanted to win. Kerry is running because he thought he could win.



And thought the world owed it to him as well.

Eloriel

[dajabr]

5. chirp, chirp...

:shrug:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

6. Crikey!

The unvarnished truth is, I want to like him. I want to write positively of him. I want to highlight his great potential, his uncanny ability to grasp the human plight.But then he whines or haplessly hollers or passes blame as he feels every bump, every conceivable slight, along an uncommonly gilded path.

Sounds like somebody I "know."

[paulk]

7. Weld broke the deal first.

Whatever.

While I support Kerry, I think criticizing Dean on this is a cheap shot. I don't see that any of the candidates have a choice if they want to compete with Bush.

[paulk]

8. I'd like to add something else

Brian McGrory doesn't like John Kerry. He has a history of attacking him. Google Brian McGrory John Kerry. His bias is clear.