Kerry says he might exceed spending limit

[Nicholas_J]

Would follow suit if Dean rejects public financing
By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff, 9/11/2003

WASHINGTON -- Senator John F. Kerry said yesterday that he would break a federal spending cap, reject public financing for the presidential primaries, and possibly use his personal funds if Howard Dean's fund-raising strength leads the former Vermont governor to go beyond the federal spending limit.

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Dean sent a letter to the government in June saying he would abide by the limit, but is now considering exceeding the cap.

"If Howard Dean decides to go live outside of it, I'm not going to wait an instant," Kerry said in an interview at his campaign headquarters. "Decision's made. I'll go outside. Absolutely. I'm not going to disarm."

As recently as Aug. 31, the Massachusetts Democrat expressed indecision on the matter, saying only that he would "reserve the right" to exceed the cap if Dean did so.

No major Democratic candidate has rejected public financing and the spending cap since the voluntary program became law after the Watergate scandal.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2003/09/11/kerry_says_he_might_exceed_spending_limit/

[CMT]

1. good

Of course Dean hasn't made any decision to do this, so it all is speculation.

[LuminousX]

2. Does it really matter?

These people have to do whatever they need to do to win. They have no reason to chain themselves if they don't need to.

[dsc]

3. If I were as cynical as Dean bashers are

I would call this a flip flop but I am not so I won't.

[Mairead]

4. Did Kerry ever (before now!) say he'd make it an issue

if others abandoned the limit? I'm thinking of Dean's statement that he'd hold other candidates' feet to the fire over it. Did Kerry ever say anything similar?

And I think --correct me if I'm wrong-- that Dean is considering abandoning the limits even if no other candidate does, whereas Kerry is saying 'if Dean does, then I will'. Or do I have that wrong?

[dsc]

9. his campaign sure did

Right after Dean's campaign said they were considering it they condemded it outright.

[Mairead]

11. I'm not sure I'm following

Are you saying that, after Dean's campaign announced that he might abandon the limits, Kerry's campaign jumped on him for it?

[dsc]

12. Yes

One of his campaign officials or a spokesman was quoted in the article that was posted here lambasting Dean's campaign for considering doing so.

[Mairead]

18. And that's bad why?

Given that Dean had previously threatened to lambaste others, I mean.

[blm]

5. Kerry is REACTING, not acting.

If Dean does flip, Kerry is reacting strategically to that flip.

[dsc]

10. and any Dem who can raise the money had better

Dean is reacting to Bush and the problem isn't the general election but the end of the primary season. From June until August (I think maybe September) the nominee will be out of money. He at least can't spend before he is offically named and may not be able to until Bush is. For ANY of our candidates to be able to spend money then, they will HAVE to opt out now. If Dean can, he should. If Kerry can, he should. If Gephardt can, he should. No matter who we are talking about he should if he can.

[acerbic]

8. More accurately: if you were like the Dean bashers,

you would say that this shows that Kerry changes his mind and does what he's not said he'd do which means that because he has not said that if elected he'd rule exactly like Hitler and put everybody to concentration camps, he would indeed rule exactly like Hitler and put everybody to concentration camps. :crazy:

[w4rma]

6. That's fine with me. But, that's not smart to tie his decision to Dean.

IMHO, he should be looking at that 200+ million that Bush is planning on raising. Bush is the guy we need to watch out for.

Kerry gives me the impression that he cannot think beyond short-term political gain. His decision to support the Iraq war did not take into account the change in attitude that Dean took into account. He did it on the Patriot Act, also.

If he had tied his decision to Bush, I would be impressed, but instead he uses this opportunity to attack a Democrat and ignore Bush. :thumbsdown:

Kerry is so frustrating, to me. He keeps on doing stuff like this.

[blm]

7. Applause for Dean's attacks on the Democrats could be heard loudly

and consistently for months.

[LuminousX]

13. Out of the blue...

Huh? Relevancy?

[blm]

16. reply to this part

"he uses this opportunity to attack a Democrat and ignore Bush."

I can't understand why Dean supporters fret over perceived attacks when Dean made his name on attacking the other Dem candidates and the Dem party.

[LuminousX]

17. Hmmm

Dean caught my attention because he attacked Bush openly and consistently. The attacks against the others was just icing on the cake. It sure shook them up enough that we know have Gephardt calling Bush a 'miserable failure.'

Remember 2002? No Democrat was willing to speak out against Bush. We lost, Big Time.

I thank Dean for the sea change.

[Egnever]

19. but but

He hit me first!

WTF who cares?

They are all gonna be rolling in mud by the end

[LuminousX]

14. Kerry is Chasing Dean

And that is his problem. He needs to stop being a follower and be the leader he once was. He has forgotten how to wear the mantle. "Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean..." He should care more about Bush. That is why people support Dean, because he goes after Bush more consistently. The others have learned and there is time for them to shift their focus.

Knocking Dean off the hilltop doesn't affect Bush one way or the other. Kerry is basing his decision off of Dean. That says it all to me.

[indigo32]

15. Very well put

my sentiments exactly.