IPW Daily Report – Wednesday, February 11, 2004
“Democrats are finding virtues in John Kerry that
not even his mother knew about, ”
– says
syndicated columnist Mark Shields.
"I started this campaign not a politician, and in
the end, I'm still a soldier -- not a politican."
Wesley Clark.
"My fear is that he [Kerry] actually won't be the
strongest Democratic candidate." – Dean in a CBS
interview.
"I think there comes a point when you have to
recognize reality,"
said Iowa Sen.
Tom Harkin, one of Dean's high-profile endorsers.
"I understand he made the commitment to go
to Wisconsin, but I think at some point there's
going to have to be a reckoning here."
“I’m an internationalist,”
John Kerry told
The Crimson Tide [Harvard’s newspaper] in 1970.
“I’d like to see our troops dispersed through the
world only at the directive of the United
Nations.”
John Kerry vanquished his Dixie-bred rivals in
Virginia and Tennessee on Tuesday, all but
unstoppable in his march toward the Democratic
nomination with a Southern sweep that extended his
dominance to every region of the country.
-- writes Ron
Fournier of the Associated Press.
"There is no stomach to continue this,"
said James
Carville.
"At some point, perhaps sooner rather than later,
I think Democrats need to unify behind John Kerry
and refocus on winning in November,"
said Leon
Panetta.
"But the odds against him are enormous. 'I don't
see where he gets a new pool of voters to draw
on,' said Donna Brazile, the manager of Al Gore's
2000 campaign and a person who tabbed Edwards
early as the dark horse in this year's race.
Another week
in the Democratic nominating battle, another
candidate gets voted off the island.
-- writes
MSNBC’s First Read.
"I think it [photo with Jane Fonda] symbolizes how
two-faced he is, talking about his war reputation,
which is questionable on the one hand, and then
coming out against our veterans who were fighting
over there on the other,"
said Rep. Sam
Johnson, Texas Republican.
"We may have lost this battle today but I will
tell you what, we are not going to lose the battle
for America's future,"
Clark said.
"On Sunday, Senator John Kerry said America needs
to be able to trust their president. To which
Hilary Clinton said, 'Huh, tell me about it,"
offered Jay
Leno, on the Tonight Show.
"In Washington they talk, governors do,"
Howard Dean
said.
Presidents may testify
Wesley Clark’s farewell
Dean’s CBS interview: Edwards better
Sharpton’s love offerings
The Southerner is?
Photo of Kerry with “Hanoi” Jane?
The photo Dems fear most??
Edwards goes to Wisconsin
Edwards asks the President about jobs
Dean criticizes opponents for supporting Bush
proposal
Dean supporters vote on ads
Kucinich on jobs
PAC’s $600,000 trumped $41 million
Who is telling stories?
Clark’s out
Is Dean out next?
ABC’s delegate count
Clinton, “Edwards stay in”
Heat’s up on Senate Judiciary scandal
Democrats playing race card
Poll watching
Presidents may testify
In what may be an unprecedented event, a current
president and former president may give testimony
before an investigatory commission into the events
leading up to and involving 9/11.
Bill Clinton, Al Gore, George W. Bush & Dick
Cheney have all been asked to testify before the
9/11 Commission. Former congressman Lee Hamilton,
Democrat/Indiana, co-chair of the commission,
said, “No one has said no, and contacts are
favorable so far with all involved.”
Wesley Clark’s farewell
Here is the text of Clark’s farewell to
supporters, posted on the Clark website:
Dear Friends,
Today, we end the campaign for the presidency. But
the campaign for America's future -- for the
future of all our families -- continues on.
You have proven what a General can do when he has
the greatest troops in the world. I can't tell you
enough how honored and humbled I am by your
commitment, your spirit, and your sacrifice.
Because of all of you, this has been a cause, as
much as it's been a campaign.
Together, five months ago, we began our journey
for the presidency. We had no money, no office and
no staff. All we had was hope and a vision for a
better America.
Today, after traveling the country, after visiting
with the American people, we end that journey even
more full of hope and even more committed to
building a better America.
I will support our Party's nominee, to continue
this campaign until we take back the White House
next November. This soldier stands ready for duty.
It's not going to be easy. So I've got one bit of
advice for our nominee: give 'em hell and never
retreat.
As a general who spent thirty-four years fighting
for my country, here is my pledge: I will do
everything I can - everything - to make sure
George W. Bush doesn't play politics with national
security.
For me, this race has been one of the most
liberating experiences of my life. I've been able
to talk about what I believe in and fight for it.
You've given me the greatest gift a person can
receive: the support to make that fight real.
I'd like to thank all the foot soldiers in this
battle: our terrific staff, our dedicated
volunteers, our thousands of loyal supporters.
Most of all, those who believed in me long before
anyone even knew who I was: the people who drafted
me into this race.
I want to thank my family for always standing by
my side, especially my wife of 36 years, my best
friend, and my partner, Gert Clark. She is the
general's general, and I wouldn't be here today
without her. I'd like to thank my son, Wes, Jr.,
and my daughter-in-law, Astrid. I am so proud of
them and so proud of all they have done for this
campaign.
I'm going to fight on, and I hope you will join
me, until we win the campaign to create a new
vision for America in the twenty-first century.
Because I believe America's best days lie ahead.
Today, I end my campaign for the presidency - but
our party's campaign to change America is just
beginning. This old soldier will not fade away.
I'll be in the field and out in front, working the
issues, supporting our candidates, and doing all I
can to contribute to building a new and better
America.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
Dean’s CBS interview: Edwards better
Howard Dean is pushing buttons again… this time in
an interview for CBS News:
Dean told CBS News in an interview that will air
Wednesday night that he believes Edwards would be
the better candidate in the general election, even
though Kerry has the advantage right now.
"My fear is that he actually won't be the
strongest Democratic candidate," Dean told the
network.
Edwards’ response:
"I agree with that. I think that he is a very wise
man. ... The truth is that this campaign to bring
about change is working with independents and
voters that we will have to get in order to win
the general election."
With the Wisconsin Primary looming on February
17th, Dean and Edwards have their work cut out for
them… and joining forces against Kerry is
predictable strategy. With Clark’s departure from
the contest, and Dean’s no-win status, Edwards
does seem the only possible challenger to Kerry’s
momentum. And Edwards repeated today his intent:
Edwards said he has not entertained the thought of
dropping out and not one Democratic official has
asked him to. He is planning to focus his campaign
on trade and job losses in Wisconsin, hoping the
contest will force Dean from the race and leave
him as the alternative to Kerry.
"I'm going to be the nominee," Edwards told The
Associated Press in an interview aboard his plane.
"I'm definitely staying in."
While Edwards also maintains his no-mud-slinging
approach to his rivals, Howard Dean was back in
the muddy waters today:
"What we now see is that John Kerry is part of
the corrupt political culture in Washington," Dean
said in an interview. He said he came to that
conclusion after learning that former New Jersey
Sen. Robert Torricelli contributed to an
independent group that ran ads that used images of
Osama bin Laden to question Dean's ability to
combat terrorism if elected president.
Torricelli, who was forced out of office over
ethical lapses, is now raising money for Kerry's
presidential campaign. Dean said disclosures that
money was also raised by backers of Dick Gephardt
show Washington insiders are trying to derail his
candidacy.
"The link is unassailable," Dean said. "The same
fund-raiser who was ethically challenged and had
to step aside from a Senate race because of that
raised money from the same donors to support both
Senator Kerry and his ... political action group.
"I intend to support the Democratic nominee under
any circumstances," Dean said. "I'm just deeply
disappointed that once again we may have to settle
for the lesser of two evils."
And from camp Kerry:
Kerry spokesman David Wade called it "another day,
another Dean act of desperation." Wade said Kerry
has a record of fighting special interests in
Washington and that voters across the country have
said they want his leadership in the White House.
Dean finished in single digits in Virginia and
Tennessee, having skipped both states to campaign
in Wisconsin. He's hoping to revive his candidacy
there, but some of his supporters have been
questioning whether it is possible.
"I think there comes a point when you have to
recognize reality," said Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, one
of Dean's high-profile endorsers. "I understand he
made the commitment to go to Wisconsin, but I
think at some point there's going to have to be a
reckoning here."
Sharpton’s love offerings
Al Sharpton’s been feelin’ the love as he
continues his bid for the presidency. Preaching in
churches, the Reverend gets a pass-the-plate
offering – called a ‘love offering’ – from those
there. Then Reverend Sharpton loans that love
money to Candidate Sharpton to help keep his
presidential campaign going.
While there’s nothing illegal about the unusual
arrangement, there are upper caps to how much can
be switcheroo’d – namely $50,000. But the numbers
are not lining up with the Federal Election
Commission’s records, which show Sharpton’s
campaign is at least $110,000 in debt to Sharpton.
The problem deepens with the issue of Federal
matching funds, according to the AP story:
As Sharpton seeks vital federal matching funds,
the loans from minister to candidate may raise
obstacles. FEC rules bar candidates who receive
matching funds from lending their campaigns more
than $50,000. An FEC spokesman said the
commission, ultimately, would decide the matter.
Campaign manager Charles Halloran contended the
limitation applies only to debts incurred after
receipt of matching funds, although one watchdog
group disputed that interpretation.
Not reknown for his fiscal responsibility,
Sharpton’s campaign has already snagged a $150,00
bank loan based on getting Federal matching funds.
And, figures cited in the AP story say Sharpton’s
campaign already is close to $500,000 in debt.
Call Joe Trippi!!
Sharpton’s campaign manager Charles Halloran
admits to the high debt load, but says it can keep
going with the matching funds and upcoming round
of fundraising in the states of New York and
California.
As for the fundraising through Sharpton’s church
preaching, FEC officials say nothing is improper
with a candidate raising money through a personal
profession as long as there is no explicit appeal
for votes. Sharpton's aides say he does not ask
churchgoers to vote for him.
The Southerner is?
There was a question as to who the Southerner was
between John Edwards and Wesley Clark. The answer
is neither -- the Southerner is John Kerry, the
Northern Yankee. With Kerry’s wide victory in both
Virginia and Tennessee the two Southern
candidates’ argument that they are the only ones
who can beat Bush in the South becomes invalid.
Clark will announce his withdrawal from the race
in Arkansas around noon.
CBS News polling showed that the two Southern
states held jobs and the economy as the number one
issue and the desire to beat Bush as the number
one qualification among voters. Health care was
number two followed by the War in Iraq.
Kerry offered the following prepared speech upon
his victories:
Once again, the message rings out loud and clear.
Americans are voting for change – East, West,
North – and today in the South.
Thank you, Tennessee; thank you, Virginia.
You showed that the mainstream values we share –
fairness, love of country, a belief in hope and
hard work – are more important than boundaries or
birthplace.
America is coming together – and together, we will
move America forward.
Now, our campaign moves forward. We will fight for
every vote – and carry our cause all across this
land.
Once again, I express my special thanks to the
veterans, the same band of brothers I depended on
more than thirty years ago. As I have said before,
we may be a little older and little grayer – but
we still know how to fight for our country.
The voice of this campaign is the voice of people
I have met in living rooms, on factory floors, in
VFW halls and coffee shops from coast to coast.
The voice of workers without work; of families and
small businesses whose health care costs are out
of control; of parents who want to hand on to
their children a better future, not the heavy
burden of federal deficits and national debt.
I have heard your voices. And if I am President,
your voices won’t be ignored anymore.
And I ask you to make your voices heard tonight.
Go to johnkerry.com, share your ideas, join us.
Not just to win an election, but to give America
back its future and its soul.
Our vision is prosperity and opportunity – not
just for some, but for all.
From Missouri to Wisconsin to Ohio, from the
heartland to both coasts, the wreckage of the Bush
economy is all around us. In the places where so
many jobs have been lost, people who are living
through the Bush economy are now being told
there’s a turnaround – that things are better –
but they don’t see it in their own lives, their
jobs, or their paychecks.
For more than three years, this Administration has
failed to tell the truth about their economic
record. Today, in a rare moment, they actually
admitted what they are doing. They said that
shipping American jobs overseas is good for
America.
Let them tell that to a 45 year old worker with
three children who’s worked hard – played by the
rules – now seen the factory closed and has
nowhere to turn.
We will stand and fight for that worker.
While George W. Bush may believe the job of a
President is just to drive up the stock market, we
believe the job of a President is to put America
back to work.
Here’s what we will do.
Repeal every tax break and every loophole that
rewards any Benedict Arnold CEO or corporation for
sending American jobs overseas.
Provide new incentives for manufacturing that
reward good companies for creating and keeping
good jobs here at home.
Put worker and environmental protections in every
trade agreement – because on a level playing
field, American workers can out compete anyone in
the world.
And a plan for energy independence that will
create 500,000 new jobs – so America’s sons and
daughters will never have to fight or die for
Mideast oil.
And we won’t stop there. We will stand up to the
HMOs and the big drug companies to make health
care affordable and available for every American –
a right and not a privilege – because your
family’s health care is just as important as any
politician’s in Washington.
So we will stand up for our values – on jobs; on
health care; on education, the environment and a
woman’s right to choose.
We will stand up for civil rights and civil
liberties and for an Attorney General whose name
is not John Ashcroft.
And we will stand up for a stronger America.
George Bush, who speaks of strength, has made
America weaker – weaker economically, weaker in
health care and education. And the truth is –
George Bush has made us weaker militarily by
overextending our forces, overstraining our
reserves, and driving away our allies.
Our opponents say they want to campaign on
national security. Well, I know something about
aircraft carriers for real. And if George Bush
wants to make national security the central issue
in this campaign, we have three words for him we
know he understands: Bring it on.
In closing, let me thank Teresa and our family.
In Tennessee, thank you to Stephen Lindsey. And
here in Virginia, thank you to Larry Framme and
Susan Swecker.
And I thank all who have become part of the family
of this campaign. I will never forget what you
have done. And I will always work to earn your
trust.
To all of America, we say tonight: Get ready – a
new day is on the way.
Photo of Kerry with “Hanoi” Jane?
The photo Dems fear most??
According to NewsMax.com, Democratic candidate John Kerry
is caught on film at a 1970 Vietnam War protest in
Valley Forge, PA, with “Hanoi” Jane Fonda.
The ensuing NewsMax.com article covers much ground
on the event photographed and none of it is the
kind of stuff a fella wanting to be President
would like to have publicized. But the photo is
particularly damning. And history has proven well
that one photo can be a career’s undoing.
It was a photo of Michael Dukakis, grinning inside
a tank (helmet and all) that squashed his
presidential bid, it was a televised image of
Richard Nixon all sweaty and sick looking that put
the kabosh to his 1960 presidential bid, and it
was a photo of Gary Hart with Donna Rice seated on
his lap and the boat “Monkey Business” in the
background that sunk his presidential bid
What can one photo do? Obviously, a lot.
So, it would be wise to take a look at this photo
that’s surfaced of Kerry with the lovely “Hanoi”
Jane Fonda. Let’s get to know this John
Kerry. With all the scrutiny being applied to
President Bush’s national guard service during the
Vietnam War, it would be prudent to scrutinize
this part of Kerry’s life as well. As for the
medals and bravery while fighting in the War,
Kerry is to be honored most certainly. But what
about John Kerry’s actions after he
returned from Vietnam?
Michael Moore has called President Bush a traitor.
Al Gore has said that Bush has “betrayed his
country.” But what about John Kerry – after
Vietnam? Read some of these excerpts from the
NewsMax.com article:
"Scores of newspaper articles about the march"
exist, according to Kerry biographer Douglas
Brinkley.
Dubbed "Operation RAW" (Rapid American
Withdrawal), the September 1970 march featured
Fonda, Kerry and a motley band of anti-war vets in
an 86-mile trek from Morristown, N.J., and Valley
Forge, Pa. – two Revolutionary War sites.
Douglas Brinkley's biography "Tour of Duty"
chronicles Kerry's exploits at Valley Forge, where
he reportedly followed Fonda onto the back of that
pick-up truck to deliver his own diatribe against
the war in Vietnam.
"We are here because we above all others have
earned the right to criticize the war on Southeast
Asia," Kerry shouted into the microphone, as Fonda
and the crowd cheered wildly.
"By the time [Kerry] hopped off that pick-up truck
to thunderous applause," writes Brinkley, "he was
the new leader of the VVAW by popular default."
The Massachusetts Democrat's speech also cemented
his alliance with Fonda, and the two traveled to
Detroit to organize a January 1971 event they
called the "Winter Soldier Investigation."
At a Detroit motel, Kerry and Fonda assembled a
myriad of disgruntled witnesses claiming to be
Vietnam vets, each with his own story of American
atrocities.
According to Jug Burkett, whose
landmark Vietnam war history "Stolen Valor"
chronicles some of Kerry's anti-war misadventures,
Fonda played a key role at the Detroit event.
"There's no doubt that Jane Fonda financed the
Winter Soldier hearings," Burkett told NewsMax on
Monday.
He said that several of the witnesses who
testified at the protest's "hearings" later turned
out to be complete impostors.
The event prompted "Hanoi Jane" to "adopt" Kerry's
group "as her leading cause," writes Brinkley. It
was at Kerry's Winter Soldier protest that the
anti-American actress met her future husband,
Students for a Democratic Society radical Tom
Hayden.
The next year Fonda was off to Hanoi, where she
mounted an anti-aircraft battery and pretended to
shoot down American pilots.
Of Kerry, Burkett told NewsMax, "Any Vietnam
veteran who knows what Kerry did after he came
home from Vietnam is definitely not a fan of John
Kerry."
The Washington Times is also carrying a report on
the photo of Kerry attending the Vietnam War
demonstration with Jane Fonda:
A photograph of John Kerry together with Jane
Fonda at an anti-Vietnam War rally in 1970 in
Pennsylvania has surfaced on the Internet,
angering veterans who say his association with her
34 years ago is a slap in the faces of Vietnam War
veterans.
Kerry campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter
responded, "John Kerry and Jane Fonda were just
acquaintances," Ms. Cutter said. "What's important
to understand here is two things: He met her
before she went to Vietnam, and he did not approve
of her very controversial trip."
But those reading and understanding the full
extent of Kerry’s actions during his anti-Vietnam
War protesting can see through Ms. Cutter’s slick
statement. Glossing over Kerry’s own culpability
is an insult to the American people and an outrage
to folks watching this election year process. John
Kerry is not above scrutiny… and his favorite “Do
you know who I AM?” retort (spoken to mere
plebian citizens, away from the media’s listening
ears), seems the implication in Ms. Cutter’s
response. This is not a time for hautiness,
Senator Kerry. It is a time for answers – real
answers.
There is much more covered in the article, which
can be read in its entirety by clicking on one of
the above links. But let us contemplate for now
the favorite campaign trail taunt of John Kerry:
“Bring it on!!” Kerry has been bashing Bush for
days over the media’s whoopla about his military
service during Vietnam. Let’s take a look at
Kerry’s Vietnam years, too – ALL of them. As Paul
Harvey would say, let’s look at the REST of the
story of John Kerry and the Vietnam Years.
Yes, Senator Kerry, let’s bring it on.
Edwards goes to Wisconsin
From the Edwards for President website:
The Edwards for President campaign in Wisconsin
Tuesday began airing two 30-second television ads
titled "American Jobs," and "Better Life."
"American Jobs" highlights Senator Edwards'
commitment to creating and protecting
manufacturing jobs. "Better Life" discusses
Edwards' background and vision to make an America
that works for all of us.
"When you remember where you came from, you'll
always know where you're going and what you need
to fight for - real change that will give today's
families a chance to give their kids a better
life," Edwards says in "Better Life." "As
president, that's what I'll fight for every day."
The following is the script of "American Jobs":
"It's easy for candidates to talk about
manufacturing and jobs, but I've lived it and I
have not forgotten it. My Dad worked in textile
mills to put food on our table and clothes on our
backs. Today, the mills are gone. And so are the
jobs. That's why I opposed NAFTA and why I'll end
tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas.
I'm John Edwards and I approve this message
because no one will do more than I will to keep
American jobs right here in America. That's
something you can count on."
The following is the script of "Better Life":
"I was born 50 years ago, and this was my first
home. The folks I grew up with they weren't
famous, and they sure weren't rich. They just
worked hard every day to give their kids a better
life. I'm John Edwards, and I approved this
message because I believe that when you remember
where you came from, you'll always know where
you're going, and what you need to fight for: real
change that will give today's families a chance to
give their kids a better life. As president,
that's what I'll fight for every day - an America
that works for all of us."
Edwards asks the President about jobs
"Dear Mr. President:
I read with interest today's article in the Los
Angeles Times entitled, "Bush Supports Shift
of Jobs Overseas." The article notes the statement
of N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of your Council of
Economic Advisors, that, "Outsourcing is just a
new way of doing international trade." Mr. Mankiw
added: "More things are tradable than were
tradable in the past. And that's a good thing." I
noted a similar passage in CEA's report released
yesterday.
To my mind, these statements show incredible
indifference to our country's job loss. I
respectfully request answers from your
administration to the following questions:
1.
Is it "a good thing" that some 1 million
American jobs have gone overseas since March 2001?
2.
Is it "a good thing" that high-paying
manufacturing jobs are leaving America and being
replaced with low-paying services jobs?
3.
Is it "a good thing" when companies lay off
fairly paid workers in the United States and
replace them with workers in other nations who are
paid pennies per hour to work in terrible
conditions?
4.
Is it a "a good thing" that America's
manufacturing sector, which brought us through
World War II to unprecedented prosperity, has now
lost jobs for 42 months in a row?
5.
Would it be "a good thing" if the current
members of the Council of Economic Advisors saw
their jobs outsourced to economists elsewhere in
America who better understand the need to save
good jobs?
I look forward to hearing from you."
Dean criticizes opponents for supporting Bush
proposal
Howard Dean’s at it again, portraying himself as
the Washington Outsider who gets things done and
his opponents as Washington Insiders who wimp out
to President Bush:
At a town hall meeting in Superior, Wisconsin,
Governor Howard Dean, MD discussed the impact of
the failed education bill on the nation's
education system and the failure of Democrats in
Washington to stand up to President Bush when he
pushed it through Congress. He also mentioned that
the only way to beat George W. Bush and change
Washington is to nominate a Democrat who has
consistently stood up for what is right, even when
it's not popular, as he did when he opposed
President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act.
"When George W. Bush proposed the No Child Left
Behind Act I recognized how this program would
cripple school budgets and impact communities-
particularly hiking property taxes," Dean said.
"Only if we send to Washington an outsider, a
leader with a real record of results, can we beat
George W. Bush, strengthen American values and
bring real, positive change. America deserves
better, Wisconsin deserves better."
Every Washington Democratic presidential candidate
voted for the once popular No Child Left Behind
Act, an unfunded mandate that has resulted in
higher property taxes and financial strain on
schools. U.S. Senator John Kerry said it gave him
"great pleasure" to vote for NCLB, what he called
at the time "groundbreaking legislation." U.S.
Senator John Edwards called NCLB "a quantum leap
forward for America's children." Both Kerry and
Edwards also skipped the vote to fully fund the
unfunded mandate.
"Washington's failed education program that leaves
every child behind, every teacher behind, every
school board behind and every property tax payer
behind," Dean said.
In Wisconsin alone, the implementation NCLB would
require an increase of 35 percent or $2,880 per
pupil. Governor Dean will continue to take this
message to the people of Wisconsin today at a
middle school in La Crosse and a rally in
Milwaukee this evening.
Dean supporters vote on ads
Taking a page out of MoveOn.org online voting for
television ads, the Dean campaign supporters have
picked the two ads that will be running in
Wisconsin.
"We heard from so many of supporters who wanted us
to be running more than one of these ads, and the
balloting between first and second place was so
close, that we thought it would be best to take
the top two ads," Director of Internet Organizing
Zephyr Teachout explained.
The transcript of the two selected ads follows:
"Mike" -- 30 seconds: "Well, I've been a
Republican all my life. Bush - I just can't abide.
Dean is all for building alliances with Europe and
Asia. I like his position on gun control. He was
against the war. He's the guy who can beat Bush.
How long a list do you want? I'm Michael
Reinhardt. I'm a stockbroker and frankly, I'd like
to take back my country."
"Max" -- 30 seconds: "When all the other Democrats
were laying around like, 'oh, I'm so afraid of
Bush I can't do anything at all,' Howard Dean came
out and said he was against going to war with
Iraq. I've never been involved in a presidential
campaign before. I like this guy. I may never be
famous, and that's fine, but people are going to
know I stood for something. My friends call me
Max. I'm a claims adjuster and I'm taking back my
country."
Kucinich on jobs
Nader-esque presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich
has the following posted on his website regarding
the White House on the loss of American jobs
overseas:
According to a report by the Los Angeles Times on
February 9th, the White House has embraced the
concept of “outsourcing” as a positive development
for the American people and the economy. Gregory
Mankiw, chairman of Bush’s Council of Economic
Advisors, prepared the administration’s
newly-released economic report which welcomes the
outsourcing of American jobs. This same report
promises to create 2.6 million new jobs.
“Outsourcing is just a new way of doing
international trade," said Mankiw in the Los
Angeles Times article.
“Outsourcing” is a process in which American jobs,
mainly in technological fields, are contracted out
to countries where wages are significantly lower.
According to the February edition of Wired
Magazine, the typical salary for an American
programmer is $70,000 a year. The typical salary
for a programmer in India is $8,000 a year. U.S.
companies are expected to ship 200,000 jobs a year
to India in the foreseeable future in pursuit of
these lower wages.
The Bush administration is embracing the loss of
our technological base while promising to create
2.6 million jobs. These two realities cannot exist
side by side. The continued loss of our ability to
control the development of our technology, and the
continued loss of hundreds of thousands of
American jobs, are issues of national and economic
security.
"The outsourcing of US jobs is being accelerated
with the help of NAFTA and the WTO, which make it
impossible to place taxes or tariffs on such
work,” said Congressman Kucinich. “Canceling NAFTA
and the WTO will enable the US to protect
high-tech jobs from outsourcing. This, plus
careful monitoring of H1B visa practices, will
slow the tide of outsourcing.”
PAC’s $600,000 trumped $41 million
Americans for Jobs, Healthcare and Progressive
Values raised $663,000 last year and spent
$626,840 of it against Howard Dean. This was the
group that spent $15,000 on an ad aired in South
Carolina and New Hampshire that showed a picture
of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and said Dean,
former Vermont governor, didn't have the
experience needed to take on terrorism.
"We did more with $600,000 than Howard Dean did
with $41 million," said David Jones, the group’s
treasurer.
The reference was to the fact that Dean lost Iowa
and New Hampshire.
The group drew some big donors, including two
giving $100,000 each. -- S. Daniel Abraham of
Florida and Slim-Fast Foods tycoon was one of
those, according to the Associated Press.
Who is telling stories?
The Washington Times Inside Politics
reports on Kerry’s calling President Bush ‘a story
teller’:
"Democratic front-runner John Kerry's response to
President Bush's 'Meet the Press' interview Sunday
was as predictable as it was disingenuous," the
New York Post says in an editorial.
" 'It appears that he was telling the American
people stories in 2002,' said the junior senator
from Massachusetts.
" 'Back then, President Bush repeatedly told the
American people that Saddam Hussein "has got
chemical weapons." ... And it was on that basis
that he sent American sons and daughters off to
war.'
"Yes, that's what George W. Bush was telling the
American people.
"Then again, so was John Kerry," the newspaper
said, quoting from an Oct. 9, 2002, speech on the
floor of the Senate in which Mr. Kerry said in no
uncertain terms that Saddam Hussein "has chemical
and biological weapons" that are "a grave threat
to our security and that of our allies in the
Persian Gulf region."
Clark’s out
Former General Wesley Clark officially withdraws
from the race at 3:00 pm ET (or a bit later) at
the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas today.
Word of his plans to drop out were widely carried
in the media late last night.
In his farewell speech, per an advisor, Clark will
focus on the need to stand up to President Bush on
national security and take back faith, patriotism
and values for the Democratic Party.
Is Dean out next?
Dean has sharpened his message, placing greater
emphasis on his record, "outsider" status, and
willingness to stand up for Democratic values… but
has thus far done little to make himself appear
more electable. Add to that Dean's uncanny ability
to step on his own headline either by announcing
major strategy shifts following speeches, or by
repeated losses in primaries, and you quickly have
a campaign that is running out of time and out of
ideas to capture voters' imaginations.
The AFL-CIO is meeting on March 8th and will
likely endorse front runner John Kerry. The
assumption is that Dean will be out of the race by
that time.
ABC’s delegate count
Kerry has 512 overall delegates and has nearly
three times as many delegates as Howard Dean, who
places second in ABC’s estimate with 179
delegates. Edwards has 159; Clark, 94; Sharpton,
11; and Kucinich, 2.
Clinton, “Edwards stay in”
The USA Today reports:
A USA TODAY reporter following former president
Bill Clinton for a day asked him Tuesday whether
Edwards should stay in the race. He advised a
"look at the elections of the last 30 years. And
ask yourself, is this election the same or
different?"
Lagging candidates sometimes surge as voters in
later states take second looks at front-runners.
One beneficiary was former California governor
Jerry Brown, who won several March primaries in
1992 after Clinton had almost clinched the
nomination.
Heat’s up on Senate Judiciary scandal
Manuel Miranda, counsel to Senate Majority Leader
Bill Frist (R-TN), resigned and filed an ethics
charge against Democrats who “Abused the Public
Trust.”
Miranda has been the target of the Sergeant of
Arms of the Senate into leaked Democrat Judiciary
documents that expose how Democrats conspired to
block President Bush’s judicial appointments. The
investigation is two fold. One, that private
documents of the Democrat members of the Judiciary
Committee were illegally leaked, and second, that
Democrats acted in unethical manner in prohibiting
judicial appointments. This includes delaying a
judicial appointment that could have ruled against
Michigan’s affirmative action case.
Talon News reports that Miranda said:
"I knew that there is no privacy expectation to
documents on a government server, documents that
are regularly backed up and stored in a government
facility," Miranda said. "I knew that these were
not confidential or classified documents."
Miranda said he was told that the staff of Sen.
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) had been informed that their
files were unprotected, but did nothing to correct
the situation.
"Among the great ironies in this matter is that
the two senators most vocal on this matter are
currently under investigation for unlawfully
leaking truly classified material, while Senator
Leahy's history of leaks is pandemic," Miranda
says.
Democrats playing race card
Democrat National Committee sent an email entitled
"Take Action To Stop Bush," the DNC is asking
African-Americans to sign a petition in protest of
an alleged reversal in policies that have
previously benefited black Americans.
One of the main reasons Blacks are to oppose Bush
is because America has been attacked and the War
on Terrorism, coupled with corporate scandals
started during the Clinton administration have
plunged the nation into a recession and Blacks are
living in poverty and unemployed. Oh, the DNC left
off the part about the War on Terrorism and
Clinton’s administration responsibility for the
corporate scandal. Imagine that?
Poll watching
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel gives Kerry 45 percent
in the Wisconsin primary, Clark 13, Dean 12 and
Edwards 9, with 17 percent undecided."
Bush, “Marriage between men & women”
The Washington post reports that:
Bush plans to endorse language introduced by Rep.
Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) that backers contend
would ban gay marriage but not prevent state
legislatures from allowing the kind of civil
unions and same-sex partnership arrangements that
exist in Vermont and California.
Kerry’s position is, that he opposes gay marriage
but does not support a constitutional amendment,
his campaign said yesterday. "I believe and have
fought for the principle that we should protect
the fundamental rights of gay and lesbian couples,
from inheritance to health benefits," he said in a
statement. "I believe the right answer is civil
unions. I oppose gay marriage and disagree with
the Massachusetts Court's decision."
Bush – energy policy to be issue
The LA Times reports on how Gov. Bill Richardson
of New Mexico plans to challenge the Bush
administrations energy plan in his state. It also
points out how it will affect the campaign:
Richardson's decision to champion the protection
of Otero Mesa is a sign that the Bush energy
policy could emerge as a campaign issue in the
Mountain West as Democrats rail against Republican
special interests.
The companies that stand to benefit most from
drilling at Otero Mesa have close ties to members
of the Bush administration, including Vice
President Dick Cheney and top officials of the
Department of the Interior. That has led opponents
to argue that cronyism, rather than sound energy
policy, is behind the Otero Mesa drilling plan.
Bush’s National Guard Service
The Bush administration released pay stubs and
many in the Guard stated that the President had
adequately fulfilled his Guard obligations and
deserved to be honorably discharged despite
several months gaps in pay and potential reporting
for duties.
However, the Democrat Party was quick to respond,
"There is still no evidence that George W. Bush
showed up for duty as ordered while in Alabama."
It noted an evaluation report from superiors in
Texas said Bush had not been "observed" from April
1972 to May 1973.
Bush-Cheney new web video pulled
The Bush-Cheney campaign's new web video, called
"Responsibility" and heavy on unauthorized clips
of Bush on Meet the Press from Sunday, lived on
the campaign website for five hours before it was
pulled by the campaign following objections from
NBC. It carried the theme "Steady leadership in
times of change."
homepage
