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For Immediate Release September 22, 2004 McCurry Calls on President to Repudiate New Ad Washington, DC - Kerry-Edwards campaign spokesperson Mike McCurry released the following statement today regarding the latest Bush-Cheney television ad: "This week has seen a further deterioration of chaos in Iraq. American servicemen have been killed, two Americans were brutally beheaded, car bombs continue to explode and, according to Prime Minister Allawi's own account, thousands of terrorists continue to pour into Iraq. "And the response from George W. Bush and his campaign? A shrug of the shoulder from the President at the U.N., and an advertisement that takes a lighthearted approach to the war in Iraq. "Mr. President, this is a shameful advertisement that shows a disturbing disregard for those fighting and sacrificing in Iraq, and you should repudiate it immediately." -30- THE FACTS: BUSH-CHENEY AD FACT CHECK AD TITLE: "Windsurfing" DATE: 9/22/04 TYPE: 30sec TV PAID FOR BY: Bush-Cheney '04 BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP Voiceover: "In which direction would John Kerry lead? Kerry voted for the Iraq war, opposed it, supported it, and now opposes it again." THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD John Kerry: "I Voted to Hold ... Saddam Hussein Accountable. That Was the Right Vote." "'I voted to hold Iraq accountable and hold Saddam Hussein accountable," John Kerry said. "That was the right vote for the defense of the United States of America.'" Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein: Kerry's "Consistent Point", "Without Variance" on Iraq - "... had one consistent point. Going back to his speech last September at The Brookings Institution, and really without variation since, he has argued that rather than trying to make these decisions that you talked about with Paul Bremer ourselves--what the new government is going to be, who's going to take over, who writes the constitution--we should turn over that entire process to the U.N. They should have the authority, both as a way of increasing legitimacy of the product inside Iraq and also as a means of bringing in more troops, possibly, to support our effort there. 4/11/04] Fox News's Mara Liasson: "Kerry's Sticking to the Criticism He's Made All Along" - "Kerry has been sticking to the criticism he's made all along, which is Bush made a mess of Iraq. He made a mess before we got there and he's making a mess after now. " Report with Brit Hume, 9/8/03] But John Kerry Wouldn't Have Done One Thing Differently on Iraq - He Would Have Done Almost Everything Differently. "When it comes to Iraq, it's not that I would have done one thing differently from the President, I would've done almost everything differently. I would have given the inspectors the time they needed before rushing to war. I would have built a genuine coalition of our allies around the world. I would've made sure that every soldier put in harm's way had the equipment and body armor they needed. I would've listened to the senior military leaders of this country and the bipartisan advice of Congress. And, if there's one thing I learned from my own service, I would never have gone to war without a plan to win the peace." "Bush's Wrong Choices in Iraq That Have Left Us Without the Resources We Need at Home" (Cincinnati, OH), 9/8/04] John Kerry Has a Plan to Win the Peace in Iraq. "We need a new direction. I know what we need to do in Iraq. We need to bring our allies to our side, share the burdens, reduce the cost to American taxpayers, and reduce the risk to American soldiers. We need to train Iraqi military and police - we need to train them more rapidly, more effectively, and in greater numbers to take over the job of protecting their own country. That's what I'll do as Commander-in-Chief - because that's the right way to get the job done and bring our troops home." Without the Resources We Need at Home" (Cincinnati, OH), 9/8/04] GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE Recently-Revealed Intelligence Document Contrasts With Bush Rosy Statements About Iraq. "The National Intelligence Council looked at the political, economic and security situation and determined that, at best, stability would be tenuous, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said late Wednesday. At worst, the official said, were 'trend lines that would point to a civil war.' The official said it 'would be fair' to call the 'pessimistic.' The estimate, prepared for President Bush, contrasts with public comments in which Bush and his senior aides have spoken optimistically about the prospects for a peaceful and free Iraq." 9/16/04] American Troops Have Borne 90 Percent of Total Casualties In Iraq War. There have been 1016 American casualties and 127 non-American casualties in Iraq since the beginning of the war. American troops have borne 90 percent of the total number of casualties. There are 162,000 coalition troops in Iraq. 140,000 of those troops are American - nearly 90 percent. Iraq War Has Cost Nearly $200 Billion. "The Kerry campaign's $200 billion figure is based on $144.4 billion already spent on the conflict, plus $60 billion Kerry believes the administration will ask Congress for in a supplemental request after the Nov. 2 election. The Congressional Budget Office estimated in June that the war could cost from $180 billion to almost $400 billion over the next 10 years, under various scenarios." Attacks On U.S. Forces Have Been Increasing Since The Transfer Of Sovereignty. On average, U.S. forces are now being attacked 60 times per day. This is a 20% increase from the three months before the transfer of sovereignty. Bush Losing Coalition Support In Iraq. Since the beginning of the war, eight countries are planning to or have already withdrawn troops from the coalition in Iraq: Thailand, Norway, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Philippines, Singapore, and Spain. In all, nearly 3,000 troops have pulled out or planning to pull out of Iraq this month. Costa Rica asked the United States to remove it from a list of Iraq coalition partners in September after the country's Constitutional Court ruled that inclusion on the list violated the Constitution, which bars support for any military action not authorized by the United Nations. 8/13/04, 9/10/04] Annan Said Lack Of Security May Threaten January Elections. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said that the continuing violence in Iraq "may threaten elections planned for January and has forced U.N. international staff to be limited to 35." Annan reported to the Security Council that "the security environment in Iraq had not improved much since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003."
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "He bragged about voting for the $87 Billion to support our troops before he voted against it." THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD John Kerry Voted Against Giving George Bush a Blank Check for a Failed Policy. After witnessing the way in which the president went to war - without our allies, without properly equipping the troops, without a plan to win the peace - John Kerry voted against the $87 billion because he didn't want to give a blank check to the president for a failed policy. "The best way to support our troops and take the target off their backs is with a real strategy to win the peace in Iraq - not by throwing $87 billion at George Bush's failed policies," Kerry said. "I am voting 'no' on the Iraq resolution to hold the President accountable and force him finally to develop a real plan that secures the safety of our troops and stabilizes Iraq." 10/17/03] John Kerry Voted to Fund the Rebuilding of Iraq Through Shared Sacrifice by Repealing Tax Cuts for the Wealthy. John Kerry would have supported this legislation if the Bush Administration was willing to do the responsible thing and pay for it by rescinding the tax cut for the wealthiest Americans - which they refused to do. original cosponsor 10/1/03; Vote #373, 10/2/03] GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE George Bush Threatened to Veto the $87 Billion if Congress Made the Funds a Loan. "The White House threatened Tuesday to veto its own spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan if Congress made reconstruction aid a loan, taking its most forceful stand on the issue even as more lawmakers supported a reimbursement by Iraq. After declining to threaten a veto last week before the Senate voted to lend up to $10 billion to Iraq, the White House surprised many people on Capitol Hill with its warning. ... If this provision is not removed, the president's senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill," Joshua B. Bolten, the White House budget director, wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders." Under Bush, Military Was Sent To War Without Proper Equipment And Resources * Even in Mid-June, Soldiers Lacking Armored Vehicles. "The problem with unarmored Humvees in combat situations continues to be an issue. In early March, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, questioned Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee about the shortage of body armor and fortified Humvees for troops serving in Iraq. Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said after a visit to Iraq in mid-June that U.S. forces still need better armored equipment. Of the 15,000 Humvees in Iraq, about 1,500 to 2,000 are armored, according to the Army." 7/2/04] * Troops Lack Key Resources, Forced to Pay Their Way Home. "To date, troops have lacked some key resources. The Pentagon has struggled with delays in the production and distribution of the latest body armor to troops in Iraq, among other supply problems. Troops reuniting with their families have had to pay for their own airfare home and other travel costs once they are flown free to a small selection of cities while on leave." o While Halliburton "Gravy Train" Was Wasting Money Meant for Soldiers on $45 Cases of Soda. "The Pentagon has already awarded Halliburton, the controversial military contractor, deals worth up to $18 billion for their work in Iraq. But now, former Halliburton insiders have come forward with new allegations of massive waste of taxpayer money... (Halliburton employee) Ms. MARIE deYOUNG: It's just a gravy train. ... MYERS: deYoung produced documents detailing alleged waste even on routine services. Fifty thousand dollars a month for soda, at $45 a case. A million dollars a month to clean clothes, or $100 for each 15-pound bag of laundry. Ms. deYOUNG: That money could have been used to take care of soldiers."
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "He voted for education reform and now opposes it." THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD John Kerry Has Fought For Accountability and NCLB Full Funding Since Day One. John Kerry has consistently called on President Bush to fully fund NCLB. When Bush signed NCLB, Kerry said that the law had to be backed up with badly needed funding: "Resources without accountability is a waste of money, and accountability without resources is a waste of time." Since then, Kerry has consistently criticized Bush for failing to fulfill his promise. "We're leaving millions of children behind every single day in America because the president went back on his promise to fund education in order to be able to borrow from our children to give a tax cut to the wealthiest Americans. That doesn't make economic sense, and I'm going to fight it," he said in December 2002, and "It's time to secure for every school the resources it needs to insure that no school will be left behind," he said in December 2003. Even the President's partner on the No Child Left Behind law says Bush broke his promise. Bush told California representative George Miller "'You do the reforms and the resources will be there.'... That's where he says the president let him down. The money hasn't been there." The Washington Post writes that John Kerry's senate record "shows that he has long favored accountability for schools and higher training standards for teachers." 12/1/02; Washington Post, 12/16/2003; Contra Costa Times (California), May 25, 2003; Editorial, Washington Post, 8/9/2004] John Kerry Has a Real Plan for Accountability in America's Schools. John Kerry's "National Education Trust Fund" will make sure that, for the first time ever, the federal government meets its obligation to fully fund our education priorities. Kerry's "New Bargain for America's Children and Teachers" will recruit or retain 500,000 teachers over the next 4 years. The new bargain will offer teachers more-providing better pay and preparation-and will ask for more in return-requiring high standards and rewarding results for our children. Kerry will require uniform and accurate data on graduation rates from all schools and districts and require disaggregation of graduation data so we know that all groups are achieving. http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/education/] GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE Bush Abandoned Promise to Leave No Child Behind By Underfunding His Own Program. Bush's new budget proposes $24.9 billion for Elementary and Secondary Education Act programs, $9.4 billion less than was authorized under Bush's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Bush's last four budgets have cumulatively provided $27 billion less than what was pledged under NCLB. Across the country, 56 percent of eligible districts will receive smaller Title I grants this year than they received last year because of Bush's underfunding of Title I combined with changes in the funding formula. The total loss to these districts amounts to more than $233 million. Bush does nothing while one third of American students are allowed to drop out of school. The national graduation rate "is not the widely broadcast 85 percent," but closer to 68 percent. In fact, about half of African-American Latino, and American Indian youths do not finish high school. Education Week, 7/28/04; Harvard Civil Rights Project, 2/04] Bush Education Department Quietly Made Changes to Reform Law - and Laura Bush Predicts "More Adjustments." Since No Child Left Behind was enacted, President Bush has already flip-flopped on key NCLB provisions, and in May 2004, Laura Bush acknowledged that "there will be, I'm sure, more adjustments to the act itself." The Bush Education Department has reserved policy on children with disabilities, children with limited English proficiency, highly qualified teachers, and participation rates. Key changes "appear devised to defuse an outcry...especially in Western states where powerful Republican lawmakers have called the law unworkable." 12/1/03; Kansas City Star, 2/19/04; New York Times, 3/14/04; Charleston Gazette (West Virginia), 4/6/04]
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "He claims he's against increasing Medicare premiums but voted five times to do so." THE FACTS ON JOHN KERRY'S RECORD Bush's Charge that Kerry Voted for Premium Hikes "Misleading." NPR's Julie Rovner called Bush's charge that John Kerry "voted five times to raise Medicare premiums" "misleading." In fact, Rovner reported, Kerry voted to continue Congress's policy of setting Medicare premiums at 25% of the program's cost - half the level originally established in 1965 - to prevent taxpayers and seniors from bearing too much of the burden of rising health costs. John Kerry Fought Efforts to Increase Medicare Premiums. John Kerry voted at least five times to cut back on proposed Medicare premium hikes. When Newt Gingrich tried to raise Medicare premiums to 31.5% of the program's cost - and keep them there - John Kerry voted to lower premiums to 25%, the traditional standard. #66, 5/9/85; Vote #74, 5/9/85; Vote #292, 10/18/90; Vote #566, 11/9/95] John Kerry Fought Medicare Deductible Hikes. John Kerry voted to eliminate a proposed $92 increase in the deductible for Medicare hospital costs, and supported successful legislation calling for future deductible hikes to come more closely in line with increased Medicare payments to hospitals. Kerry also cosponsored an amendment to raise taxes on the wealthy to kill a plan to double the Medicare deductible for doctor's visits and other health services, saying "we can't sit back and let the elderly shoulder the burden of a deficit they did not create." 11/12/85; SA 3017, Kerry original cosponsor 10/18/90; Vote #280, 10/18/1990; Kerry statement, Congressional Record, 10/18/90] GEORGE BUSH'S RECORD OF FAILURE George W. Bush Forced the Largest Premium Hike in Medicare History. Health insurance premiums for senior citizens enrolled in Medicare will increase a record 17.5 percent in 2005, adding $140 to seniors' yearly health care expenses. An estimated 38 million Medicare recipients will be affected. www.cms.hhs.gov] Rising Medicare Premiums Will Consume 25 Percent of Social Security Living Adjustments for 6.9 Million People by 2007, 22.2 Million by 2014. According to an analysis by the Democratic staff of the Joint Economic Committee, if Medicare premiums are continued to rise in conjunction with Bush's new Medicare drug benefit by 2007 6.9 million of Medicare recipients (25 percent) will seen at least one-quarter of their Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) absorbed by the higher premiums. By 2014, 22.2 million Medicare recipients (64 percent) will lost at least 25 percent of their COLA to higher premiums. Economic Committee, Democratic Staff, July 2004]
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP
Voiceover: "John Kerry, whichever way the wind blows." WHO'S THE REAL FLIP-FLOPPER...?
CAPTURING BIN LADEN
Bush Flip: Get Bin Laden Dead or Alive Question: Do you want bin Laden dead? Bush: I want justice. And there's an old poster out west, that I recall, that said, "Wanted, Dead or Alive." Bush Flop: Not Concerned About Bin Laden Bush: "And just - he's a person who has now been marginalized. His network is -- his host government has been destroyed. He's the ultimate parasite who found weakness, exploited it, and met his match...So I don't know where he is. Nor -- you know, I just don't spend that much time on him really, to be honest with you. I...I truly am not that concerned about him."
WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR
Bush Flip: We Will Win the War on Terror Bush: "We will win the war on terror." Bush Flop: We Can't Win the War on Terror "Bush, who has said he expects the war on terror to be a long, drawn-out battle, was asked by interviewer Matt Lauer, 'Can we win it?' 'I don't think you can win it,' Bush replied." Bush Flipped Again: We Can Win the War on Terror Bush: "In this different kind of war, we may never sit down at a peace table, but make no mistake about it: We are winning and we will win."
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
Bush Flip: Saddam Has WMD Bush: "The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. He has used weapons of mass destruction. He can't stand America and what we stand for. He can't stand our friends and allies. He's a dangerous, dangerous man with dangerous, dangerous weapons." Bush Flop: Saddam Had WMD-Related Program Activities Bush: "But let us be candid about the consequences of leaving Saddam Hussein in power. We're seeking all the facts. Already, the Kay Report identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations." Bush Flip: "Weapons of Mass Destruction" Found Bush: "We found weapons of mass destruction." 5/30/03] Bush Flop: We Haven't Found The Stockpiles of WMD Bush: "I thought we were going to find stockpiles... We hadn't found them yet." www.johnkerry.com <http://www.johnkerry.com/> Paid for by Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc.
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