Kerry calls Dean out at AARP New Hampshire forum on Medicare...

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57535-2003Nov18.html

While the Medicare legislation and AARP was the focus of the candidates' criticism, they did use the forum to pick on each other. Gephardt reiterated his complaints that Dean, as Vermont governor, backed GOP efforts in the 1990s to scale back spending on Medicare.

Dean, a physician, held up a stethoscope and promised not to cut seniors' benefits. "I'm the only one up here who has taken care of patients," he said.

The drew a quick retort from Kerry, who trails Dean by double digits in polls in New Hampshire, a must-win for the two New Englanders.

"Holding up a stethoscope and saying you have no intention of cutting (benefits for) people doesn't mean you haven't," Kerry said.

[madfloridian]

1. Baloney.

Baloney.

[WindRavenX]

2. You know

Kerry and Dean should just have an all out steel cage match to settle this. It's getting depressing to read all the shots they take at each other.
This from a Kerry supporter.

[killbotfactory]

3. What the hell does that mean?

Dean expanded coverage during his term as governer and was the first candidate to publicaly and strongly advocate universal health care.

[CMT]

4. I liked Dean's retort to Gephardt

Gep says he is confident his health care plan would pass if elected because he expects the democrats to win back the house. Dean said he had four terms to win back the house and didn't, "we have to bring new people into the process."

[quinnox]

5. Kerry is finally sharpening the message

I am seeing good signs ever since he dumped the lousy help he had before, this new campaign manager seems to know her stuff.

[HFishbine]

9. Sharpening his message or swinging same dull blade?

"Dean, Dean, Dean" is nothing new for Kerry. It's the same old (losing) song.

[RetroLounge]

6. Sorry Senator Kerry...

Double digits and expanding. B'Bye...

"The drew a quick retort from Kerry."

Kerry was then quoted as muttering "DEAN DEAN DEAN DEAN DEAN"

[jpgray]

7. The candidates are criticizing the pres. drug bill and AARP!! Yes!

Unfortunately DUers and the press are more interested in petty candidate bashing.

:(

[deutsey]

8. Exactly!

This is what frustrates me. I know the candidates have differences and are going to debate (and even diss) each other. But that's all that seems to resonate in the mainstream media. Why we continue to aid that I have no idea.

[jpgray]

18. They did the same thing in the media with the Iowa forum

All it was about was who bashed who, and the bashes were so completely oblique I could hardly believe any credible press agency would lead with them.

[asjr]

30. AARP

We may just bash our way out of the presidency. If we feel this way about bashing just think what the freepers are doing. They love it. I don't. I wish they would just tell the populace what they stand for. Basically they all stand for the same thing and are not doing us any favors by bashing each other.

[flpoljunkie]

37. We are quite capable of holding candidates accountable & criticizing Bush

at the same time. Politics is a contact sport. Dr. Dean has thrown a few elbows himself, but cries "gang tackling" when the other candidates point out contradictions in his "evolving" positions.

[madfloridian]

10. And why are there crises today with the Medicare and Energy bills?

How the heck did it get this far? How did all our Democrats in congress let it go so far? Why have they stood with and endorsed the president and his plans so often?

I and other seniors should not be having to fight so hard to keep our benefits from being destroyed. They should have been fighting for us.

You should be ashamed of yourself for having nothing better to do than slam other candidates.

You hurt your own image, so why do you keep doing it?

[sangh0]

27. The irony!

After bashing Dems for things the Repuke did, you complain and say "You should be ashamed of yourself for having nothing better to do than slam other candidates"

[sendero]

32. exactly...

... what is Kerry going to do to derail these two travesties, the Energy and Pharmaceuticals bills? What?

I hope he is more effective than he has been in the past, because so far this congress is 1 for ten.

We need new blood, people who will not roll over and apply the lube to themselves. The last thing we need is to elevate ANY congressman to the presidency. No freaking thanks.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. Lieberman on the stethescope:

"He ridiculed Dean's medical prop, pointing out that "if this debate really heats up, It's great to know that Howard brought his stethoscope with him. It's very comforting."

http://www.forbes.com/markets/newswire/2003/11/18/rtr1152082.html

BTW: "Props" are usually not allowed at debates.

[madfloridian]

12. Yeah, well Lieberman stands fully with the Repubs on the Medicare.

You can be proud of that.

[quinnox]

13. The stethoscope was really lame

It was childish, sometimes I wonder about Dean's mentality.

Funny remark from Lieberman.

[Tatiana]

15. LMAO!

Who knew Leiberman had a sense of humor?

[deutsey]

17. I don't think Joe has to worry about "heating up" anything

although maybe Dean can do CPR on his dying campaign.

[Demobrat]

14. Poor Kerry. Every time he opens his mouth

he sounds more petulant, and less presidential.

[drfemoe]

22. I guess Kerry is waiting for

Gov Dean to start hammering on traitorgate. He won't say a peep unless Dean says something first. .. even though the victim in the scandal has endorsed Kerry.

[KaraokeKarlton]

16. Here's where Dean REALLY stands on Medicare...

I think it's much better to provide the truth for people to read rather than just tell them what pathetic liars and disingenious yarn tellers Gephardt and Kerry are.

http://aging.senate.gov/events/hr71hd.htm

[madfloridian]

20. Excellent statement from 2001 by Dean.

Trouble is, no one wants to hear it.

[KaraokeKarlton]

25. Isn't sad how the others have to sink to such pathetic levels

out of selfishness? That's what it is, really. Graham did the right thing and I think he would make a great VP for Dean. He knew he wasn't able to win so he gracefully stepped down from the race. It speaks volumes for the kind of man he is because he didn't resort to what some of the others have in a desperate attempt to save face.

[slinkerwink]

31. I definitely think Graham should be Dean's VP

what a classy man!

[madfloridian]

38. It would be a good match.

n/t

[AP]

28. What do you think that statement says?

Can you summarize it in a paragraph or two, telling us what it means to you?

[KaraokeKarlton]

33. Yep

It means that Dean feels very frustrated with how the programs for the elderly are run...NOT the services the programs are intended to provide. He sees incredible waste by medicare pushing nursing home care on people who would prefer to stay at home and get support services to do so. If the enrollment rules were just changed a few ways more elderly would get the help they needed and the kind of help they prefer while also saving on the expense. Dean supports expanding coverage to more people by adjusting the rules, and in doing so would save enough money to not only provide a prescription drug benefit but also free up some tax dollars for other social service programs. There is no reason why the Medicare budget can't be lowered IF it can be done while not diminishing any services provided and actually covering more people with the kind of care they actually prefer.

Dean is great at doing this sort of thing...it's called being cost-effective and getting more for your money. Dean is frugal, that's for certain, but he has a proven record of getting a lot more for less. He's also proven that spending more money doesn't always mean that you get more.

[JNelson6563]

35. yes but you know about penchants

And Kerry repeatedly shared his with us, I believe it went something like this: "Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean!"

Good link BTW, will share liberally when I see the usual suspects spreading the usual lies.

Julie

[sangh0]

36. I wish Dean were so consistent

At least Kerry is focused on something. Dean flip-flops on his positions faster than Bush*'s reasons for invading Iraq.

[KaraokeKarlton]

45. Kerry is focused on something alright

And that something is Dean's backside getting smaller and smaller and smaller as Kerry's campaign continuously falls further and further behind.

[mrgorth]

19. All this time

and Kerry STILL doesn't get it.

[quinnox]

21. Next time Dean gets in a red-faced rage I worry that

he might take that stethoscope to the other candidates swinging it wildly in a childish tantrum.

Dean needs some advice:

Physician, heal thyself.

[Hep]

24. Yawners

It's amazing. Dean could save an entire orphanage from a burning house, and certain people here would figure out a way to find fault. IS this BS really going to last all the way to the primaries?

[RetroLounge]

26. "childish tantrum"?

heal thyself...

[Hep]

23. So much for that positive message, John

Oh well, I never believed you anyway.

[blm]

41. calling Dean on a cheap debate trick is all he did.

,

[drfemoe]

29. Meanwhile

is John Kerry (or Joe or Dick) going to lift a finger to stop this legislation? They seem to have plenty of time to lie about Dean.

How about they do something helpful for once?

I wish this was just media spin, but unfortunately it's just a spotlight on the ineptitude of our democratic leaders.

We need a transfusion.

[paulk]

34. what would you have them do?

They are in the minority. They are outvoted. What the HELL are they supposed to do?

[Hep]

43. Stand up for themselves and us

At least they'd be on record. Sometimes you have to make an effort in a losing battle. I don't think very highly of sports teams who give up when losing, I don't like it when my representatives do it, either.

It's a shame though that it IS a losing battle. We have to fix that as well.

[Cocoa]

40. did you read the article?

just curious.

[Hep]

44. While it's a good point

the subject line is awfully curious. If it wasn't about th infighting, then why that subject line? I hesitate to blame anyone but the original poster for this being about the infighting and not the true point of the article. Unfortunately, on all sides of this primary, people would rather focus on the fighting. Check my sig.

[Cocoa]

39. it's a shame you focus on the infighting

and ignore the fact that even though this was an AARP event, all of the dems expressed their opposition to the AARP's decision.

Very sad.

[sandnsea]

42. "Democrats Scold AARP"

That's what the article was about. Posting hyperbolic candidate bashing only distracts from the issues. Nobody called anybody out. The issue is Medicare and who has the best record and the best plan. The cuts that were made in Vermont are far more important than any stethoscope comment:

"The fact is that the state health care program is in cardiac arrest; it is not adequately funded. This year for example in the legislature what they did is they cut vision care, they cut some dental, but just as importantly or more importantly they increased the co-pays and the deductibles for the low-income and senior prescription drug programs."

From an interview with Anthony Pollina, the Progressive candidate who took 9% of the vote in the 2000 Vermont governor's race.

http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/dean/dean0702/pollinaint.html