Anybody else remember Kerry warning about Bush SS privatization in Oct 04?

[NAO]

Kerry tried to do it as a "drop a bombshell" in October revelation - he warned that Bush had a secret plan to privatize Social Security.

The White House denied it, saying that Kerry just "made it up to try to score poll points".

The press pretty much ignored it, like everything else Kerry said. They concerned themselves with repeating the idea that "no one knew where Kerry stood".

I was continually frustrated during the election cycle with the media's ignorance of Kerry's clearest statements and best ideas. More than a few times Kerry would articulate some idea, the press would ignore it, then a few weeks later * would say the very same thing (less articulately, of course) and the press would crow about it and show footage of *.

Kerry conveyed a grave sense of urgency when he relayed the warning that Bush was going to try to privatize Social Security. The press ignored it then, and they failed to remember that Kerry had said it when it came true in exactly the same way he had predicted.

How do they get away with it?

[cestpaspossible]

1. Here's a LttE I wrote on the subject

In the hurly-burly of a political campaign, charges and counter charges fly fast and furious. The voter, beleaguered by deceptive ads and drowning in shallow analysis, is hard-pressed to seperate the lies from the truth.

So it might be instructive to cast an eye back and with the benefit of hindsight make a judgement about just who really was telling the truth.

What was the story back on October 18? John Kerry warned the nation that George Bush was planning a "January surprise" on Social Security. According to the Washington Post, "Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush of a secret, second-term plan to privatize Social Security starting next January".

Quoting the same article: "Steve Schmidt, a spokesman for Bush, said Kerry lifted a 'made up' quote" and accused him of making "a false, baseless attack."


Now, with the benefit of hindsight, who was telling the truth, and who was lying?

[ebayfool]

11. What really ticks me off is the poodle press should be saying this instead

of 'LttE' from readers. Not holding my breath, though!

[sendero]

18. Great letter....

... I hope it gets published. Very succinct and effective.

We need to use LTTEs as much as possible. It's getting to where the LTTEs are the best part of most editorial pages.

[sasquatch]

2. No I don't

You see a winning campaign contains ads that attack his opponets policy and John Kerry wouldn't do that because that would be "impolite" and the pink tutu democrats would rather let fascist rape the country istead of standing up to them because they won't win unless they're polite while doing it.

[rockymountaindem]

4. That's inaccurate.

They didn't want to attack because they would have been invariably been portrayed as "attacking the Pres. in wartime, dividing the nation and letting the terrorists think we're weak". That would have all blown straight back in our faces. You know that as well as me.

[sasquatch]

5. No they wouldn't

The republicans would've said that, but the voters wouldn't believe it. The only way Clinton won is by attacking Bush in ads and at the Democratic National Convention and it's the only way you can win a American election.

[emulatorloo]

7. Kerry attacked bush policies in Ads, you have just forgotten about it

I remember a Kerry Campaign attack ad on Bush Poor Flu Shot planning for example.

I remember a DNC ad re Bush LYING at debate about saying he never said he didn't care about OBL.

Others here can list more examples.

Sadly I can't find a video archive or we could both refresh our memories.

[sasquatch]

9. Those aren't attack ads

An attack ad is showing Bush sitting in the classroom in Florida instead of springing to action. An attack ad shows a veteran homeless on the streets because Bush cut VA benefits. Those are attack ads.

[emulatorloo]

19. Polling Report - "Who's Campaign is Too Negative?" 10/13/04

OTOH Kerry wanted to be positive and uplifting. Yet people thought he was negative and mean to poor pres buxh

http://www.pollingpoint.com/results_101304_pid.html

<snip>

Who's Campaign is Too Negative?



Overall, 36 percent of the population believes Bush has attacked too much, but among Democrats, that number shoots up to 68 percent; among Republicans, it drops to four percent. The same trend holds for Kerry – 30 percent overall think he has been too negative, but among Republicans the number is 61 percent, and among Democrats it is three percent.

<snip>

[rockymountaindem]

8. I knew plenty of voters who would have believed it.

I even knew one who said that having an opponent to Bush at all was unpatriotic.

[sasquatch]

10. Well those are freaks and they cannot be swayed

But others can be convinced if you shock them enough with the truth.

[pocoloco]

12. And now they have blood on their hands too!

[paineinthearse]

3. Yes

I bet the post is in the Kerry group area.

[emulatorloo]

6. Yes and BUSHBOTS said "Kerry will say anything to get elected" and

"Kerry is trying to scare Seniors" into voting for him.

[Pachamama]

15. I remember Kerry saying that the Iraq War had already cost $200Billion

and the Bushbots and MSM just went ballistic on him and the Kerry campaingn saying that wasn't true....Ofcourse, by now we are at $400Billion, right? :eyes:

[emulatorloo]

20. Right-Wing Echo Chamber at work -- google Kerry Will Say Anything To Get

Elected.

The results will make you sick -- Rove Cheney Talking Points widely and effectively disseminated through conservative columnist and bloggers.

Dems really do need better dissemination of their messages.

[ngGale]

13. Kerry did warn but...

people preferred to believe Mr. Bush, the moral man who would never tell a lie or steer us wrong. Ack!!!!

BTW - forgot about the 'keep us safe.' <another Ack!>

[rehema]

14. it was in a NYT article where Bush said

he is not using the term "privatizing" Social Security. MSM attacked the article as a lie. I wonder if the lying MSM will post a retraction.

[democrat_patriot]

16. Yes.

I don't know how they get away with it. Bigger microphone I guess..

[OneTwentyoNine]

17. Anyone else remember Kerry warning us Bush was a total fuckup??

I do,over and over and over...in not so strong of language. NOW Chimps approval ratings are in the toilet,guess Rove couldn't rig up those results like a Diebold machine.