WP: Democrats to Target Cheney

[kskiska]

Attacks on Vice President Aimed at Eroding Confidence in Bush

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and the Democratic Party will open a week-long assault on Vice President Cheney today in hopes that tarring him as promoting secrecy and controversial policies will erode confidence in President Bush.

Cheney is less popular than Bush in polls, and Democratic strategists said they need to further inhibit the vice president's effectiveness as Bush's attack messenger.

Cheney is expected to deliver a major address in Missouri today charging that Kerry's record shows he would be unsuitable to serve as commander in chief in an era that requires an unwavering leader who can recognize gathering threats and is willing to speak out against them, even when that is difficult or unpopular. Aides said Cheney will say the president must set a clear and consistent foreign policy, and support a military strong enough to use decisive power as a last resort.

Kerry's campaign staff said he will focus first on Cheney's record as defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, charging that Cheney proposed massive cuts to weapons critical to recent military operations. The Bush campaign has replied that Cheney took his stands during the peace-dividend rollback of the military after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

On Wednesday, Kerry is to turn to White House efforts to prevent disclosure of records of an energy-policy task force led by Cheney. On Friday, Kerry plans to highlight Cheney's connections to the Halliburton Co., a major U.S. contractor in Iraq.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41998-2004Apr25.html

[FrankBooth]

1. Good.

Shine as much light as possible on the dark lord.

[kskiska]

2. Cheney's got just as much of a record as Kerry does

It'll be a gold mine. He's very vulnerable.

[gulliver]

3. Cheney cancelled the A-12 under Bush 1 in Missouri

It was the beginning of the end of McDonnell Douglas. (It was bought by Boeing.) It stuns me that anyone in St. Louis would think of supporting Cheney, but I guess they have short memories.

[banana republican]

10. Please Please McDonalds bought Boeing.

why do you think they are having all these ethical issues lately.

[zydeco]

4. Kerry On.

[newyawker99]

22. Hi zydeco!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Isere]

5. Well, good

but what took them so long?

Cheney is a major liability to the ticket. In 2000 it was thought that he added "gravitas" (blech!) and "maturity" (yuck!) to balance out Shrub's inexperience. Now in '04 we know what he adds to the ticket: deceit, secrecy, arrogance...all in the service of a very malevolent world view.

So go for it! Don't waste another moment!

And, furthermore, this falls during the week when the Cheney Energy Task Force case is heard before the Supreme Court. The more we pile on the better!

[unionjack]

6. Sorry....

....but this just isn't smart as far as I'm concerned. But then I'm a long way from the action.

As strategies go though, it sucks IMO.

[NMDemDist2]

7. how so jack?

and welcome to DU BTW :hi:

[unionjack]

8. Thanks....

....it's good to be here.

Well, shoot me down in flames, but Cheney DOES have gravitas to the average Joe in the street, and is more than capable of putting up a good defence of himself if attacked.

By the time he's been technically cornered over Halliburton or whatever the public will have switched back to the game.

Guys, your Pres can't string a f**kin sentence together - if that doesn't prevent you from getting the most powerful job on earth, when you cheated the first time, God help the lot of you.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Eye and Monkey]

11. it seems that it might be "help the lot of everyone in the world" -

Especially considering BushCo's demonstrations of premature pre-emption and malignant neglect.

[QC]

13. Cheney has a 36% approval rating.

His disapproval is over 50%. He's the most hated vice president since Spiro Agnew.

That makes him a major liability to Bush. It's time to take advantage.

[Isere]

16. The average Joe on the street

doesn't realize that the " Pres can't string a f**kin sentence together" either!


Now, what can we do about getting a decent cup of tea in this country?

[bagnana]

17. the average joe likes it when the President fumbles through his speeches

It makes them feel like he is a regular guy. Cheney is a smarty pants, graduate school attending, vietnam avoiding, fat cat. I think Kerry should make hay out of Cheney and his record, and then out of the fact that Cheney is really running this country.

[lostnfound]

12. Great. We've been shadow-boxing against a pseudo-pres; time to go after

the real one.

[symbolman]

14. WHO are they describing here?

"an unwavering leader who can recognize gathering threats and is willing to speak out against them, even when that is difficult or unpopular. Aides said Cheney will say the president must set a clear and consistent foreign policy, and support a military strong enough to use decisive power as a last resort."

And they have the nerve to ascribe these to BUSH?

The guy DIDN'T see it coming in the BRiefs up to 911, knew there were NO WMD, was called POPULAR at every turn.. has NO foreign policy.. and the military he used was PRESIDENT CLintons... which he used to attack PRE-EMPTIVELY..

why don't they JUST DISPUTE THESE statements?!!

If I were Kerry's campaign manager, I'd go on CNN, read this and thank Cheney for describing KERRY..

they'd better start kicking SOMEONE's ass and soon, before the populace forgets there is another candidate..

and they should watch THIS:

"MURDER BY NUMBERS" http://www.takebackthemedia.com/murderby.html

and the link below of course.

[dusty64]

15. crashcart is a

bigtime liability. Glad to see them slapping him back into his spider hole after he's been attacking Kerry all week. The truth must be told about the most evil and criminal puppetmaster.

[Richardo]

18. John Dean concentrates on "co-president" Cheney in "Worse than Watergate"

Shines a powerful beam on secrecy, lack of ethics, creation of shadow government, war profiteering, corporate malfeasance at Halliburton, his role in Iran-Contra, etc.

Read it! it's a shame this substantive, persuasive book has been overshadowed by Clarke's and particularly Woodward's :puffpiece: . There is a lot there to be very concerned about. :thumbsup:

[Lars39]

19. I think Woodward's book was meant to distract from Dean's book.

Or at least it seems to have worked out that way. Dean's book doesn't seem to be getting as much coverage. Didn't Woodward's book come out one day before or the same day as Dean's book?

[Richardo]

21. Actually, Clarke's book overshadowed Dean's more...

..."WTW" has been out for at least 3-4 weeks.

[davidinalameda]

20. makes sense

since he's the one running the show

:shrug: