TN will be BLUE this November!

[johnaries]

where I work, we have a very carefully selected email group of Progressives and Conservatives where we conduct daily political email Flame Wars just as a distraction. We all are friends and respect each other as co-workers - and sometimes we'll "kick it up a notch" just to make it interesting.But none of us take it personally. One of the Repuke supporters recently summed up these email flame wars this way:

"John (me) usually ends up winning just by posting massive amounts of references that nobody wants to take the time to read through (thank you DU for the references!). Al (another Lefty)seldom posts but when he does he always comes off sounding like the Wise Old Grandfather. Al, how do you do that?"

Well, today, I sent out an email about the TN Senate Repuke candidate Bob Corker. One of the strongest B* supporters immediately sent back a reply to all "I'm voting for Harold Ford. I like what he says about using TN soybean fields for energy. Corker is a crook". The B* supporter whose email I quoted above sent out a reply "Corker is a RINO and a crook. I voted for Van Hilleary".

I immediately sent a reply with links to Ford's stances on the issues. He didn't reply, but one thing is certain - if he doesn't vote for Ford, he'll stay home. Which is Alamos as good.

We are winning! TN WILL be BLUE in November!

[Olney Blue]

1. Let's hope so! Good report.

[MadMaddie]

2. One by one...they are waking up and realizing that America is

in trouble.....keep up the good work.....

[patrice]

3. What a great and civilized approach to differences in the workplace.

The rest of us have to pretend there are no differences, which is a lie, or that they don't matter, which they do as long as we aren't honest about what they are.

You must have a pretty progressive employer!

[DemFromMem]

5. We're going to have to learn to play nice

I'm at an eight lawyer law firm. We've just hired our first Republican - a young lawyer who I've known for a while and is a nice guy but obviously misguided. We're going to try and be gentle.....

[patrice]

10. That kind of "semantic chess" can be a real source of pleasure,

especially with someone new.

My husband is a Yalie Libertarian corporate attorney (General Counsel). I'm a Liberal, not quite as smart as he, but it is fun to challenge him anyway. He overwhelms me with the facts and I overwhelm him with aesthetics.

[DemFromMem]

4. A master politician

Ford is one of the best I've seen. I was skeptical at the outset that he could pull this off, but he seems to be doing everything just right while Corker is not capturing anyone's imagination here. I thought Ford's unfortunate family ties were going to do him in, but so far so good. I'm sure we'll get a whisper campaign soon, but unlike Kerry and a long list of other Democrats, I think Ford is prepared for it and will hit back quickly and forcefully.

[politicasista]

11. Actually,

he did respond.

We need to stop repeating that untruth and put the blame on the Democrats and left-leaning pundits that sat on their tails and didn't back him up and Harold was one of those few.

Swift Liars: Kerry-Edwards Campaign Response

April 14, 2004 - The website for SBVT was registered under the name of Lewis Waterman, the information technology manager for Gannon International, a St. Louis company that has diversified interests, including in Vietnam. (1) (note - Gannon International does not appear to have any relationship to Jeff Gannon/Guckert, the fake reporter.)

May 3, 2004 - "Kerry campaign announced a major advertising push to introduce 'John Kerry's lifetime of service and strength to the American people.' Kerry's four month Vietnam experience figures prominently in the ads." (2)

May 4, 2004 - The Swift Liars, beginning their lies by calling themselves "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth", went public at a news conference organized by Merrie Spaeth at the National Press Club. (1)

May 4, 2004 - "The Kerry campaign held a press conference directly after the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" event...The campaign provided an information package which raised significant questions about 'Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.' " (3)


May 4, 2004 - Aug. 5, 2004 - No public activity by Swift Liars (?) Wikipedia entry (7) notes "When the press conference garnered little attention, the organization decided to produce television advertisements." (Ed. note - were there any public info or announcements, other than talk on blogs? Was there anything going on publicly? Did the campaign have reason to foresee what was coming - note that they must have, see the reactions to each ad).


Jul. 26, 2004 - Jul. 29, 2004 - Democratic National Convention held in Boston. John Kerry's military experience is highlighted.

Aug. 5, 2004 - The Swift Liars' first television ad began airing a one-minute television spot in three states. (7)

Aug. 5, 2004 - "the General Counsels to the DNC and the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign faxed a letter to station managers at the relevant stations stating that the ad is 'an inflammatory, outrageous lie" and requesting that they "act immediately to prevent broadcast of this advertisement and deny any future sale of time. " ' " (4)

Aug. 10, 2004 - Democracy 21, The Campaign Legal Center and The Center for Responsive Politics filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) charging that the Swift Liars were illegally raising and spending soft money on ads to influence the 2004 presidential elections. (4)

Aug. 17, 2004 - the campaign held a press conference at which Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.), Adm. Stansfield Turner (ret.), and several swift boat veterans rebutted the charges. (4)

Aug. 19, 2004 - the Kerry-Edwards campaign announced its own ad "Rassmann." (4)

Aug. 20, 2004 - The Swift Liars' second television ad began airing. This ad selectively excerpted Kerry's statements to the SFRC on 4/22/1971. (7)

Aug. 22, 2004 - the Kerry-Edwards campaign announced another ad "Issues" which addressed the Swift Boat group's attacks.

Aug. 25, 2004 - The Kerry-Edwards campaign ... dispatched former Sen. Max Cleland and Jim Rassmann, to Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas to deliver to the President a letter signed by Democratic Senators who are veterans. (The letter was not accepted.) (4)

Aug. 26, 2004 - The Swift Liars' third television ad began airing. This ad attacked Kerry's claim to have been in Cambodia in 1968. (7)

August 26, 2004 - Mary Beth Cahill sends letter to Ken Mehlman detailing the "Web of Connections" between the Swift Liars and the Bush Administration, and demanding that Bush denounce the smear campaign. (5)

August 26, 2004 - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) submits FOIA request "with the White House asking it to detail its contacts with individuals connected to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT)." (6)

Aug. 27, 2004 - The DNC ran a full page ad in the Aug. 27, 2004 New York Times terming the Swift Boat campaign a smear. (4)

Aug. 31, 2004 - - The Swift Liars' fourth television ad began airing. This ad attacked Kerry's participation in the medal-throwing protest on 4/23/1971. (7)

References:
* (1) SourceWatch article on SBVT

* (2) (2004) Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman, Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman

* (3) (2004) Democracy in Action / Eric M. Appleman, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth: Kerry Campaign Response

* (4) (Sept. 8, 2004) Eric M. Appleman (apparently) Some Responses to the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" Ad

* (5) August 26, 2004 letter from Mary Beth Cahill to Ken Mehlman

* (6) Press Release (US Newswire): CREW FOIAs White House Contacts with Swift Boat Veterans Group

* (7) Wikipedia entry, Swift Vets and POWs for Truth

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[DemFromMem]

15. He was out-Roved

Kerry assumed the Republicans would play fair and responded accordingly. If we can't learn how to deal with vicious and unfair attacks, we're going to lose in '08 as well. Ford seems to have a better knack for it than most Democrats.

We need to stop pretending like we couldn't have done anything more in '04. Kerry clearly didn't have the political instincts of Clinton and it showed. He probably would have been a good President. But he was a lousy candidate.

[INdemo]

6. since the 2000 election I have often wondered why Gore didn't spend

more money and time in TN..I believe it was winnable.
He put all his eggs in one basket and focused all his efforts in FL..
I believe Ark. was winnable in 2000 also..The Repukes weren't set up in those two states to steal it like Flordia..

[nealmhughes]

7. Today a friend and I were in a thrift store in downtown

Florence, Alabama, which is not even 25 miles from the Tennessee state line. Most people shop there and in Huntsville rather than to to Franklin or Nashville for big purchases/major grocery outings/restaurants, etc. in both Tennessee and Alabama. There are as many TN as AL license plates on the cars in the parking lots and on the streets here.
We were waiting for a pizza to be cooked down the street when we decided to take advantage of the beautiful hot non-humid day and walk down the street to the thrift store so we could have a bit of privacy in our conversation (the booth beside us was full to the left and right of us, and the tables across from us.
In the thrift store, we tried on jackets and I could not help but to overhear two quite elderly ladies talking politics. One argued with the other over whether Cheney or Bush should be impeached first when the Democrats take the House and Senate. They had to be in their 70s and were arguing over whether Nancy Pelosi would be a caretaker President until the 09 term began. They stated it as fact.
They saw me staring in disbelief and asked me if something was wrong, which is southern for "WTF are you staring at?". I told them that I was amazed that they were so adamently pro-impeachment, as most people told me I was nuts when I said it would be a "Govt. of National Salvation" to replace BushCheneyCo and asked them where they were from: "Lawrenceburg, TN, home of Davy Crockett a fine Democratic Congressman." was the answer.
Vive l'etat de Tenesi!

[Liberal_Dog]

8. I Hope You Are Right

The Democratic Party needs to re-claim the South.

[Lars39]

9. Tennessee was never totally red, it was more purple.

And in some places outright blue. :)

[politicasista]

12. Hope you're right

Thanks. Go Harold! :kick:

[Libby2]

13. Man, I sure hope so.

[Name removed]

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