May 13, 2004

QUOTABLES:

"It's striking to see the ease with which John Kerry thrust an important moment for our country into the campaign's daily spin cycle," said Marc Racicot, the chairman of President Bush's re-election campaign

“The actions of the terrorists who executed this man remind us of the nature of the few people who want to stop the advance of freedom in Iraq. Their intention is to shake our will. Their intention is to shake our confidence," President Bush said.

"Terrorists will change their excuses, or find whatever excuse they can to try to carry out their murderous and evil acts. The terrorists look for all sorts of excuses to try to justify murder and destruction and chaos. There is no justification for the taking of innocent human life," said White House spokesman Scott McClellen.

"Our feelings are very clear," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Jano Cabrera. "We don't want Ralph Nader's legacy to be that of a spoiler. If there are issues that he wants to bring to the table, and if he wants change and doesn't want George W. Bush in office, our hope is that before people vote in November, he withdraws from the race."

JUST POLITICS

Strange & stranger

MoveOn.org wants its members to use a completely science fiction movie as a reality check against the Bush administration and global warming. Here is what they are asking their supporters to do to hit Bush and help elect John Kerry:

On Memorial Day weekend, Hollywood is releasing a summer blockbuster movie that's making the Bush administration very nervous. In fact, they'd rather you didn't see it at all.

Why? Because it's a disaster movie about global warming.

While "The Day After Tomorrow" is more science fiction than science fact, everyone will be talking about it -- and asking "Could it really happen?" This is an unprecedented opportunity to talk to millions of Americans about the real dangers of global warming and expose President Bush's foot-dragging on the issue.

It's also a fun movie to see with friends over the holiday weekend.

So here's the plan: On Memorial Day weekend, grab a few friends and go see "The Day After Tomorrow" -- the movie the White House doesn't want you to see. At the theater, meet up with other MoveOn members to give out flyers that explain, in everyday language, what causes global warming, how Bush's environmental policies could lead us into a real-life climate crisis, and what we can do together to meet this challenge.

Campaign Ad wars

Bush is bringing out his Spanish ads in New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. These battleground states have large populations of Hispanics and are arguably the most volatile swing voting group. Education is the issue both sides are using to reach possible Spanish voters. The NY Times reports:

The president's 30-second Spanish TV ad has visuals similar to those in the English version that's running in 18 states. However, the Spanish commercial is almost entirely about Kerry. It points out that Bush ``signed the most sweeping education reforms in 35 years'' and then launches into its critique of Kerry's record.

``John Kerry praised the president's reforms, even voted for them,'' the ad says. ``But under pressure from education unions, Kerry has changed his mind. Kerry's new plan: less accountability to parents.''

The NY Times also reports:

On Wednesday, the conservative Club for Growth unveiled an ad about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, highlighting Bush's efforts ``to save lives and protect liberty'' by fighting terrorism. The ad, which will run starting Friday in Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri, New Hampshire and New Mexico, shows pictures of the World Trade Center intact, and Bush amid the wreckage with firefighters after terrorists struck the towers.

At the same time, the AFL-CIO started airing an ad in Missouri and Iowa on Wednesday asking, ``What should America's priorities be?'' The commercial juxtaposes comments Bush made during his State of the Union address in January about investing in space exploration, with comments from people, about jobs, health care and college tuition.

On Thursday, the Media Fund, a liberal interest group that has run at least $20 million worth of anti-Bush TV ads, will launch newspaper and radio ads in West Virginia, where Bush visits this week.

The Federal Election Commission meets today to decide whether the 527 committees will have restrictions placed on them during this campaign cycle.

Bill Clinton: pitch man

Bill Clinton’s presidency was known for selling the Lincoln Bedroom for high dollar contributions. Now, Clinton is continuing to pitch for dollars for Senator John Kerry. Kerry has fast been making up ground lost fighting for the nomination in the last months of fundraising. This fact is emphasized in the Clinton email appeal to Democrats. He also makes note of "Bush’s viscious attacks”:

…We knew that the Republican attack machine was going to come after John Kerry hard. But, I have to say, even I have been surprised by how vicious they've been. They've even tried to attack the military record of a Vietnam war hero. It's painfully clear they will stop at nothing.

Let's fight back. In March, you and I helped John Kerry kick off his general election campaign with a history-making fundraising drive. In a single month, the Kerry campaign reduced Bush-Cheney's cash-on-hand advantage from 50-to-1 to 3-to-1. And we've been gaining ground ever since.

Nader, a Reformer

The national Reform Party announced yesterday that it will endorse Ralph Nader's presidential campaign, potentially putting the candidate on seven ballot lines, including those in the key states of Florida, Colorado and Michigan.

"Our feelings are very clear," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Jano Cabrera. "We don't want Ralph Nader's legacy to be that of a spoiler. If there are issues that he wants to bring to the table, and if he wants change and doesn't want George W. Bush in office, our hope is that before people vote in November, he withdraws from the race."

There he goes again

Howard Dean and his grassroots organization, Democracy for America, announced Dean's Dozen - twelve diverse candidates that represent the spirit of grassroots democracy.

"This year the race for the presidency is unbelievably important," Governor Dean said. "But beside our efforts to evict George W. Bush from the White House, we must expand the base of the Democratic Party by competing in tough races across the country. The Dean Dozen represent some of the bravest candidates in the nation. Democracy for America is proud to support them."

Democracy for America is dedicated to using its resources to support candidates in their fight to take our country back from the right-wing conservatives who dominate our government. These will be tough races, and not everyone on the Dean Dozen may win. However, they will all spread the message that to change America, progressives must compete.

These twelve candidates will be followed by hundreds of additional candidates in the next few months.

No incumbents are on the initial Dean Dozen, though Democracy for America will be announcing its support of incumbent candidates soon.

The Dean's Dozen are:

1.      Mary Ann Andreas for State Assembly in California.

2.      Ken Campbell for South Carolina State House.

3.      Maria Chappelle-Nadal for Missouri State House.

4.      Scott Clark, Mark Manoil & Nina Trasoff for the Arizona Corporation Commission.

5.      Kim Hynes for State Representative in Connecticut.

6.      Richard Morrison for United States House of Representatives from Texas.

7.      Barack Obama for United States Senate from Illinois.

8.      Rob MacKenna for Hillsborough County, Florida Supervisor of Elections.

9.      Monica Palacios-Boyce for Massachusetts State Representative.

10.  Lori Saldana for State Assembly in California.

11.  Jeff Smith for United States House of Representatives from Missouri.

12.  Donna Red Wing for Colorado House District #25.

Ken Mehlman on The Daily Show:

Stewart: How much money have you raised?

Mehlman: We've raised 200 million and we feel really good about what we've done.

Stewart: What is a Ranger?

Mehlman: A guy who gets us $200,000. If you want to be a Ranger, I can get your information … .

Stewart: What do they get [for their money]?

Mehlman: They are motivated by strong belief in the president … .typically they are not poor.

Stewart: If [you] don't win, what happens to you?

Mehlman: What kind of jobs do you have available?

 

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