07-31-2004 

QUOTABLES:

“John Kerry just bet the farm on a fairy-tale version of his Vietnam service, figuring, no doubt, that it always worked for him before. What he doesn't realize is that huge numbers of veterans who didn't care if he was a Senator from the People's Republic of Massachusetts will crawl across broken glass to keep him from becoming Commander-in-Chief. That battle is now joined.” – Scott Swett, webmaster of WinterSoldier.com

He's [Kerry] spent nearly 20 years in the federal government, and it appears he's concluded that it's just not big enough," President Bush added. "He's proposed more than $2 trillion of additional federal spending."

"I want him [Osama bin Laden] tried for murder in New York City and in Virginia and in Pennsylvania," he told the Associated Press in his first interview as the official Democratic presidential nominee. He said that would be the "fastest, surest route to conviction," said John Kerry.

"As you know, I never questioned the patriotism of my opponent," Sen. Saxby Chambliss said of his run against Sen. Max Cleland, who at the time was Georgia's senior U.S. senator. "I questioned his voting record and, as a response, he raised the issue of questioning patriotism... I did not serve," Chambliss said, yet "even though I was running against a veteran who was well-known and suffered severe harm during his service, I was endorsed by the VFW PAC."

"I think Kerry comes out [of the convention] having unified his Democratic base," said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of a nonpartisan political newsletter. "Maybe he didn't close the deal, but he moved the ball down the field. I still expect a close race," he said. "Kerry should get a two- to four-point bounce [in the poll numbers] and then, unless the Republicans mess up, they'll get a two- to four-point bounce from their convention" in early September. – in the LA Times.

“It's commonly said that this convention was designed to "move the Democrats to the center." Actually, it was a convention designed to move the center toward the Democrats. Throughout the convention, the large screen above the podium showcased stories of Republicans who are now for Kerry and former Republicans who are now Democrats.” -- writes E. J. Dionne, Jr. of the Washington Post.

“Desperate to stay within the broadcast networks' paltry 60 minutes, Kerry stepped on his best thoughts and lines and blurred important proposals and distinctions, committing the sin of interfering with his own ability to communicate with an electorate eager to learn much more about President Bush's opponent.” -- writes Thomas Oliphant of the Boston Globe.

BUSH BEAT

Bush is ‘not turning back’

President Bush took to the campaign trail and helped to fill in some of the gaps from Sen. John Kerry’s convention.

"We heard a lot of clever speeches and some big promises," President Bush said. "My opponent has good intentions, but intentions do not always translate to results. After 19 years in the United States Senate, my opponent has had thousands of votes but very few signature achievements."

President Bush offered a new line for his campaign, "We are turning the corner and we're not turning back." Bush used he line in reference to everything from education, jobs and terrorism.

Bush also brought out Kerry’s Senate record, something that Bush staff pointed out Kerry did little of in his acceptance speech.

"During eight years on the Senate Intelligence Committee, he voted to cut the intelligence budget and he had no record of reforming America's intelligence gathering capability," the president said. "He had no significant record for reforming education and health care.”

"As a matter of fact, he and his running mate consistently opposed reforms that limit the power of Washington and leave more power in the hands of the people.”

"He's spent nearly 20 years in the federal government, and it appears he's concluded that it's just not big enough," he added. "He's proposed more than $2 trillion of additional federal spending."

Bush also touched on the cultural wars and Kerry’s reference that Democrats have values.

"We stand for institutions like marriage and family, which are the foundations of society," Bush said. "We stand for a culture of life in which every person matters and every person counts. We stand for judges who strictly and faithfully interpret the law instead of legislating from the bench."

 Just POlitics